Apple Plans to Launch 3 iPhone Models in 2019, Including an LCD-Based iPhone XR Successor: Report

Apple reportedly plans to introduce three iPhone models this year, including a follow-up to the company's much debated iPhone XR. The other two iPhone models will be the direct successors to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max phones, revealed a report. The Cupertino-based company is said to be bringing new camera features to the upcoming iPhone models, including a possible triple camera setup in the iPhone XS Max successor. The company has had a troubling 2018 because of the dwindling iPhone sales in China and other markets.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Apple will continue with the three iPhone models release in 2019, citing people familiar with the matter. The company is said to be bringing follow-ups to all three 2018 models. The specifics of the upcoming iPhone models are a mystery at this point, but WSJ does add that the highest-end iPhone will feature a triple rear camera setup, whereas the other two iPhone models will pack two cameras on the back like the iPhone XS. The camera setup will be a change for the iPhone XR successor as the existing model has a single camera on the back.

The report also reveals that Apple will continue with an LCD screen for the iPhone XR, partly since the "planned product has been in the product pipeline for months, and can't be altered easily". While 2019 planning are at an advanced stage, they are not completed, the report added. However the company will drop LCD entirely for the 2020 lineup and stick with the OLED panels, the report adds, citing some of the people. The current OLED panels used in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max phones can be considered to be capable of offering better contrast than the LCD panel present on the iPhone XR. Apple's 2020 plans are apparently in early stages right now and could be changed by the company. Apple traditionally introduces the new iPhone models in the Fall.

Unlike the previous years, Apple is struggling to keep the iPhone sales momentum and the follow-up models to the current crop will have a lot of pressure to perform for the company. It will be interesting to see if the company opts for the pricing strategy revision as that has been blamed as one of the reasons why the latest iPhone models are selling less in several markets.

The iPhone maker recently downgraded its first quarter sales guidance and blamed the weakening economy in China and lower-than-expected iPhone revenue. Over the past few months, several reports have come out claiming the company has reduced the production targets multiple times for the iPhone models.

Meanwhile, Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this week stated that the company plans to announce new services this year. He did not share exactly which services we are going to see, but it is being speculated the company will finally launch its much-anticipated streaming TV platform.