Contradicting previous reports, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to release all four 5G iPhones in the second half of 2020, according to MacRumors.
Previous reports by Susquehanna analyst Mehdi Hosseini claimed Apple would stagger its iPhone releases and only release the low-band 5G models in 2020, with the mmWave models in 2021. Low-band 5G is only 20% to four times faster than 4G LTE, but has excellent range. mmWave 5G, on the other hand, offers gigabit speeds, but has very short range. Hosseini’s prediction was based on Apple’s decision to use an in-house antenna-in-package (AiP) rather than a third-party component.
According to MacRumors, however, Kuo believes Apple will release both types of 5G iPhones in the second half of 2020. The mmWave models “would be available in five markets, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom, adding that Apple may disable 5G functionality in countries that do not offer 5G service or have a shallow 5G penetration rate to reduce production costs.”
As MacRumors points out, Kuo has a better track record predicting Apple’s moves, so this looks to be good news for iPhone fans.