In his latest research note, Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple will be launching three new iPhones in 2020 with OLED displays. The display sizes will be different from Apple’s current iPhone lineup which includes the 6.1-inch iPhone XR, 5.8-inch iPhone XS, and the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max.

The 2020 iPhone lineup will comprise of a low-end 6.1-inch iPhone featuring an OLED display and LTE connectivity. The 5.8-inch iPhone XS will be replaced by a smaller 5.45-inch 5G iPhone, with the iPhone XS Max being replaced by a bigger 6.7-inch OLED 5G iPhone. For its 5G chips, Apple will be securing the modem from Qualcomm, with Samsung complementing it. The RF power amplifiers will be supplied by Broadcom.

While two out of the three iPhones that Apple launches in 2020 will feature 5G connectivity, Kuo expects Apple to move its entire iPhone lineup to 5G by 2021. The analyst also believes that Apple’s own in-house developed 5G modem will be ready for use by 2022 or 2023 which should allow the company to reduce its reliance on Samsung and Qualcomm.

Our Take

Rumors of Apple working on a 5G iPhone for 2020 have been circulating for quite some time now. This was one of the key reasons as to why Apple decided to settle with Qualcomm and paid it billions of dollars. Given that the 5G iPhones will launch with a completely new design, it makes sense for Apple to play around with the display sizes as well.

The 5.45-inch iPhone with its minimal bezels should be the perfect iPhone SE replacement for many, while the 6.7-inch 5G iPhone should be perfect for power users. It remains to be seen if Apple will be able to further reduce the bezel size on its 2020 iPhones or it would increase the overall footprint of the 6.7-inch iPhone to factor in the bigger display.