4 new iPhones could have 5G in 2020, but not the same kind of 5G
All signs point to iPhones jumping on the 5G bandwagon in 2020, although every phone might not have the same kind of 5G.
According to a JP Morgan investor note spotted by Apple Insider, Apple could bump the number of new iPhones up from three to four next year. Two will come in 6.1-inch sizes, while the other two will be 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch models. Sort of like last year, two will be standard iPhones, and two of them will be higher-end "Pro" phones.
The juiciest nugget here is that JP Morgan believes all of the phones will connect to 5G networks, but not in the same way. Specifically, the two Pro models will be able to connect to faster mmWave 5G networks, while the standard pair will only connect to lower-end 5G networks.
The fine folks at PCMag have a 5G explainer with more technical details, but in layman's terms, mmWave 5G is capable of higher speeds than the lower-end alternative, but struggles with distance and availability. 5G is still very much a work in progress in the United States, with T-Mobile and AT&T recently announcing big network expansions.
Still, if even the cheapest new iPhone next year supports some kind of 5G, that will be huge.
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.
