As reported in 9 to 5 Mac, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities is out with a new investor note on Apple’s iPhone lineup for 2020 and 2021. Kuo predicts four new OLED iPhone models in 2020, followed by a new iPhone without a Lightning port in 2021.
What, no ports? Jason Snell at Macworld explains how and why and why it’s not as crazy as it might seem.
All this renews interest in the emerging WiGig standard.
2021 Phones
For 2021, Kuo is predicting a followup to the iPhone SE 2 as well as a new iPhone model without Lightning connectivity. Kuo says that this would “provide the completely wireless experience,” meaning there would be no ports at all rather than a switch to USB-C from Lightning.
Kuo implies that Apple only plans to remove the Lightning port from the “highest-end model” at first, rather than from the entire iPhone lineup at once. Kuo says
The 2021 followup to the iPhone SE 2, which Kuo refers to as the “iPhone SE 2 Plus,” will reportedly feature an all-screen design without a Home button. Kuo predicts this device will have a screen size of either 5.5-inches or 6.1-inches.
Kuo says the iPhone SE 2 Plus still won’t include Face ID authentication. Instead, Apple is reportedly planning to integrate Touch ID into the power button on the side of the device.
READ MORE: What is WiGig?
2020 Phones
Meanwhile, for next year, Kuo predicts that Apple will introduce 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and a 6.7-inch OLED iPhone models in 2020–all 5G. The difference between all of these models, other than screen sizes, will be camera technology.
According to Kuo, the 5.4-inch OLED iPhone will feature a dual-camera setup on the back. The lower-end 6.1-inch iPhone will feature a similar dual-camera system. The higher-end 6.1-inch model and the 6.7-inch model will include triple-lens camera setups as well as time-of-flight 3D sensing technology.
In terms of design for the 2020 OLED iPhone, Kuo says the form factor will be “similar to the iPhone 4.”
Kuo also reiterates that Apple will release a 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2 during the first half of 2020. This device will feature an LCD display with a form factor nearly identical to that of the iPhone 8.
