2020 iPhone Models With 5.4-inch, 6.7-inch OLED Displays to Get 5G Support: Ming-Chi Kuo

Apple's push towards 5G might come a little later than expected, but there are some big changes in the pipeline. Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new report, which says that Apple will launch three iPhone models with different screen size next year, but only two of them will have 5G support. All three iPhones will have an OLED display, marking Apple's complete shift to OLED screen technology from LCD panels. Apple's 2020 iPhone line-up will reportedly include two high-end models with 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch OLED display, alongside a low-end model packing a 6.1-inch OLED display.

As per a report by 9to5Mac, which cites Kuo, Apple will fully switch to OLED panels with the 2020 iPhone models. Next year will also mark the arrival of 5G support in the iPhone lineup, with the 5.4-inch and 6-7-inch models packing 5G modems and part of the iPhone XS series. The lower-end model with a 6.1-inch OLED display, which is being touted as a future member of the relatively affordable iPhone XR series, will still rely on 4G LTE.

The display size of the 2020 iPhone models mentioned by Kuo is close to what a previous report said in April, while also adding that all 2020 iPhone models will sport an OLED panel. Both the reports claim that Apple will change the screen size of the vanilla iPhones, shrinking the 5.8-inch panel on the iPhone XS to a 5.4-inch OLED panel on its 2020 successor, while making the one on the iPhone XS Max's 2020 successor even larger (from 6.5-inch to 6.7-inch).

As far as 5G support goes, the 5G-ready 2020 iPhone models will reportedly support both sub-6GHz and mmWave technology. Kuo further mentioned that Apple might bring 5G to all iPhone models starting in 2021, and will have its own 5G modem ready only after 2022. Until then, Apple will rely on components supplied by Qualcomm to add 5G support to the iPhone lineup, with Broadcom supplying the RF power amplifiers. Ultimately, Apple will develop its own power amplifiers, the report adds. As per a previous report from Kuo, Apple's 2020 iPhones will come equipped with 5G modems from both Qualcomm and Samsung.

No further details were revealed regarding the specifications or other internal hardware of the 2020 iPhone models. Last month, a report claimed that the iPhone models set to arrive in 2020 could feature full-screen touch ID and 3D sensing via rear cameras, while sporting OLED panels supplied by LG. Kuo in the latest report also added that Apple will stick with Intel modems for the 2019 iPhone models.