Kuo: 2019 iPhones and new models of iPad Pro late 2019 to early 2020 to adopt the new antenna technology

Apple plans to use a modified PI material (MPI) for most antennas in iPhones 2019, rather than the liquid crystal polymer material (LCP) used for the iPhone XS. iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR antennas, according to the latest research note from renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors.

Kuo thinks that the LCP limits the RF performance of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR antennas due to current technological limitations and production problems. This places the RF performance of the MPI hardware at least equal to that of the LCP, although the MPI is easier and less expensive to produce.

Although the move to MPI hardware for the iPhone 2019 antennas appears to be an obvious decision for Apple, Kuo believes that LCP will remain the main material for the iPhones 2020's 5G antennas, as it believes that production issues are limiting its RF performance. will be resolved by then.

In today 's note, Kuo also said that he expects Apple to use LCP material in future models of iPad, to count. the end of the fourth quarter of 2019.

In a separate research note published last month and which has only been seen by the Taiwanese media so far, two new iPad Pro models with the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes as current models will enter mass production between the fourth quarter and the first time in 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.

Kuo said these new iPad Pro the models will include flexible printed circuit boards using LCP, but we have not yet received this research note in English; therefore we can not confirm more details for the moment.