mmWave 5G iPhone 12 shipments could be cut in half by pandemic, says Kuo
- sep
- 01
Kuo says the impact of the pandemic on 5G infrastructure may drastically reduce shipments.
What you need to know
- Shipments of Apple's mmWave iPhone 12 may be drastically reduced over the next two years.
- That's according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
- A new research note says the pandemic has impacted 5G infrastructure, which could reduce shipments by 50%.
The impact of COVID-19 on global 5G infrastructure installation may cut shipments of Apple's mmWave 5G iPhone 12 in half over the next two years.
In a research note seen by iMore, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that due to the impact of COVID-19, the global installation of 5G mmWave base stations is lower than expected. As a result, shipments of Apple's mmWave 5G iPhone 12 will be significantly reduced. Kuo says that shipments in 2020 and 2021 will only reach 4-6 million and 25 million respectively, a drastic revision on the market consensus of 10-20 million and 40-50 million units.
Here's everything we know about the iPhone 12.
There are varying reports and rumors about Apple's plans to include mmWave technology in the next iPhone. A recent rumor suggested Apple plans to support both mmWave and sub-6GHz in 2020, before moving to support one or the other next year depending on regional 5G infrastructure.
Another report has suggested that Apple will only include mmWave technology in the US version of its iPhone 12.
Just last month, Kuo shared some good news about 5G in the iPhone 12 regarding the cost of the device. According to that report, Kuo says that Apple is squeezing suppliers to save on the cost of some iPhone 12 parts in order to compensate for the increased price of including 5G in the iPhone 12. As a result, Kuo says that Apple will not "significantly increase" the price of the iPhone 12 despite the new technology.
A report from Jon Prosser back in April suggested Apple's cheapest iPhone 12 may cost just $649. Apple is rumored to be releasing four new models of iPhone in three different sizes, with the latest reports suggesting LiDAR will feature in at least 'some models. There are also repeated rumors Apple plans to include a blue color option in the lineup this year, perhaps alongside or instead of Midnight Green.