Apple has been slower to launch 5G phones than the likes of Samsung and OnePlus, but it could soon make up for lost time, as the company will reportedly launch four 5G iPhones this year, and they’re all set to support the entire 5G spectrum.
That’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo (a respected analyst who’s often right about Apple things). In a research note he said:
"We believe that Apple will release new iPhones that support mmWave and Sub-6GHz iPhones at the same time in 2H20.”
The implication in the full note is that all four rumored 5G iPhone 12 models will support both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G, giving them the best of both worlds, as mmWave supports the highest speeds, while sub-6GHz is likely to offer more widespread coverage.
Previously it had been reported by JP Morgan and elsewhere that only the most premium two of the upcoming 5G iPhones would support both types, while the lower end models would be limited to sub-6GHz, but if Kuo is right, that isn’t the case.
And let’s hope he is right, because that would mean you might not need to spend a small fortune to get access to mmWave 5G on an iPhone – though of course none of these four models will be cheap.
4G soon, 5G later
But those who want to save some money by skipping 5G altogether shouldn’t be left out, as it’s expected that most models will also be available in 4G varieties, while a budget model, possibly called the iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9, would only be offered with 4G.
But while the iPhone SE 2 might land early this year, those who are holding out for a 5G iPhone will have to wait a little longer, with all four of those expected to land alongside their 4G counterparts in September 2020, by which time they could have a whole lot of 5G competition.
