Apple’s 2020 iPhones to Feature 5G Connectivity, 5-Nanometer Processor: Nikkei

Apple’s 2020 iPhones will reportedly be the first to ship with 5G connectivity and 5-nanometer chips.

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That’s according to a new report from Nikkei which explains that Apple will release three iPhones with 5G connectivity next year that will utilize Qualcomm’s X55 5G modem. This will come paired with the company’s first chipset to be built using a 5-nanometer process, according to the report, which will likely arrive as the A14 Bionic.

However, it’s believed Apple wants to manufacture its very own 5G modems for the iPhone, and people familiar with the matter said earlier this year the aim was to bring these chips to the market beginning with the 2022 iPhone generation the earliest.

The Cupertino, California, company intends to ship at least 80 million of the 5G iPhone models and “has set an aggressive sales target” to try to overtake Huawei as the world’s second biggest phone maker, reads the report.

Analysts say 5G iPhones could add a boost to Apple’s iPhone sales, which have sagged in recent years as customers hold onto their own versions longer. Apple lags behind rivals like Samsung, which has already released 5G phones. But 5G networks in the U.S. are still extremely limited, providing few use cases for the technology just yet.

Apple is expected to unveil three iPhone models in the fall of 2020, with a cheaper model, possibly called iPhone SE 2, expected in the spring.

The new-generation iPhone due in September, however, will include successors to the models launched this year, and all three will use OLED screens and 5G modems manufactured by Qualcomm.

This latest report is the most specific information we’ve seen regarding the chipset behind Apple’s next generation iPhones. The step towards 5G is not a new revelation, and certainly it seems natural that Apple will progress towards 5G in the next iteration of its smartphone.