Apple’s first 5G iPhones set to launch in 2020, all with OLED screens

Apple is expected to launch three iPhones in 2020 with the two high-end models supporting 5G. Apple’s 5G iPhones will arrive almost one and half years after Huawei and Samsung have launched their 5G phones.

Apple to launch 5.4-inch and 6.4-inch iPhones with 5G in 2020 (Bloomberg)

Apple's plans to win the 5G race were derailed following the legal tussle with Qualcomm and Intel's inability to supply necessary chips on time. After resolving the two-year-old dispute with Qualcomm, Apple is now eying 2020 for the debut of its 5G iPhone. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will introduce at least two iPhone models next year with 5G support.

Kuo has claimed Apple's 2020 iPhone lineup will feature three iPhones, including high-end 6.7-inch and 5.4-inch phones with OLED display, and a low-end 6.1-inch phone with OLED display. The high-end models will feature 5G.

"We believe that the content of Apple and Qualcomm's previous settlement includes Qualcomm's release of partly 5G baseband chip source code to Apple for Apple's development of own 5G PA/FEM," he is quoted as saying.

5G is becoming a big buzzword in the West. While local telecom players have started to roll out the next-gen broadband, the likes of Samsung and Huawei have gained the first mover advantage. By end of this year, more and new phones are likely to launch in Europe and the US with 5G compatibility.

Apple, however, is going to be a big player missing the 5G race this year. The 2020 models are expected to bring Apple back in the game but at the same time it is also trying to be self-reliant in this space. According to Kuo, Apple's 5G modems will be ready by 2022 or 2023. Self-developed modems will help Apple reduce dependence on Qualcomm, which is right now going to be the major beneficiary from the company's 5G lineup.

Another big takeaway from Kuo's prediction is Apple's gradual shift to the compact form factor. The 5.4-inch and 6.4-inch screens on Apple's 2020 models are going to be much smaller than the current iPhone XS' 5.8-inch and iPhone XS Max's 6.5-inch. The affordable XR model will continue to have a 6.1-inch screen.