We're probably a few months away from the official announcement of the iPhone 11 lineup (unconfirmed name, of course), so it's only natural that we start talking about what Apple might have in the future. Maybe "to start" is not the best way to say it, although the rumors about the iPhone from 2020 have been circulating for some time now, mainly focusing on their late adoption of 5G technology .
Insider speculation and analyst forecasts are becoming lighter, more precise and more credible, JP Morgan's latest forecast (via CNBC) calling for the publication of a grand total of four new iPhones, of which no less than three should support 5G connectivity.
An OLED screen for every size of hand
Although we do not know if this year's iPhone XR sequel will switch to a high quality OLED panel or if the LCD technology is slightly more modest, the 2020 range looks pretty much guaranteed Include three OLED models. These should have a size ranging from an almost unusually compact size (by modern standards) of 5.4 inches to 6.7 inches, with a 6.1 inches sitting in the middle to satisfy the needs of the moderates.
It is worth mentioning that even though it is unlikely that Apple is proposing a radical overhaul of the iPhone this year, the next generation should be able to remove or at least reduce the notch thus reducing the aforementioned screens in smaller bodies. Another major release updated by different sources is the "world-facing" Time of Flight camera (which we look backwards), which JP Morgan analysts expect to see on less »two of the three OLED 2020 versions.
Similar to the TrueDepth system base using Face ID magic on the front of the iPhone X, XS, XS Max and XR, this 3D sensing technology should go even further on the iPhone 12 (name absolutely unconfirmed) , thus enabling "Advanced AR / VR features that can be exploited by custom applications (including games)."
Apple may have no choice but to partner with Qualcomm on the first iPhone 5Gs
Last but not least, it's important to point out that Apple will likely adopt the 5G very late with these three iPhones that are expected to be released in the fall of 2020. But the incredibly high speeds and the extremely low latency future 5G networks are bound to revolutionize the mobile industry finally, the current deployment is very slow at the moment, which is why Apple is in no hurry to jump on the train. Well, this and the desire not to rely on Qualcomm's new generation cellular modems, although there are not many alternatives available at this time.
A less expensive model to increase volumes
It's not a secret that Apple's global sales figures are plummeting, that's why the company has stopped declaring them not so long ago. , focusing exclusively on income and profits. But volumes remain high and, after another decline expected this year, shipments could rebound in 2020, from about 180 million to 195 million units.
While the three high-end variants of the iPhone 12 are expected to maintain high profit margins, a fourth low-end and significantly cheaper model is expected to drive growth in shipments, particularly in emerging markets and markets. focused on "value". It could be smaller than its siblings, about the same size as the 4.7-inch iPhone 8, with a flush-mounted LCD, no 5G connectivity, and of course, no 3D detection tips sophisticated or super advanced virtual reality features.
Of course, it's far too early to talk about the actual prices, but it certainly looks like the gap between this compact model, 4G only, non-OLED and the high-end OLED trio with 5G support will be much bigger than this which is currently separating the iPhone XR from the XS and XS Max.