5G iPhone likely to star at Apple event
12 October, 2020
Apple is expected on Tuesday to unveil a keenly anticipated iPhone 12 line-up starring models tuned to super-fast new 5G telecom networks within an update considered vital to the company's fortunes.
A streamed event was cryptically teased with the message "Hi, Speed" within an apparent mention of the faster wireless networks being introduced in many parts of the world.
Analysts expect Apple to introduce an array of iPhone 12 models in multiple sizes, with some shipping earlier than others due to the toll the pandemic has taken on the business's supply chain.
"We believe iPhone 12 represents the most significant product cycle for Cook & Co. since iPhone 6 in 2014 and will be another defining chapter in the Apple growth story," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in an email to investors, discussing leader Tim Cook.
Enough time is ripe, analysts said, for Apple going to the market with an iPhone tailored to the super-fast 5G telecom networks taking root around the world.
"Apple absolutely needs 5G at this time," said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart, "not for the U.S., but also for China, where 5G is driving purchase decisions."
Some Apple rivals have previously produced 5G models, and China is far ahead of the U.S. with regards to the new-generation networks.
5G networks are touted as promising an exponential leap in the total amount and speed of wireless data, enabling advances in self-driving vehicles, virtual reality, linked health insurance and more as sensors and servers communicate instantly.
"5G is going on in China with or without Apple; actually, more 5G phones than non-5G phones are available in China," said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy.
New-generation 5G networks also have taken form in South Korea and in parts of Europe.
Meanwhile, U.S. telecom businesses are considering a 5G iPhone as a catalyst for consumer interest that will justify the big investments necessary for those networks, according to analysts.
"U.S. carriers are looking forward to Apple to announce a 5G iPhone to put the pedal to the metal in the U.S.," said Moorhead.
Apple also needs a 5G-capable iPhone to maintain its premium image, analysts added.
Powerhouses Samsung and Huawei curently have 5G smartphones available.
Google recently unveiled two new smartphones with 5G wireless capability under its Pixel brand, which showcases the Android mobile system but has limited market share.
"Apple got away with not releasing a 5G device last year for the reason that 5G use-cases and network coverage simply wasn’t there," said Futuresource Consulting research analyst Stephen Mears. "Apple won’t wish to be regarded as being two generations behind on 5G handsets."
The streamed event comes per month after Apple unveiled new service bundles and smartwatch models tied to the iPhone, which remains in the centre of its money-making ecosystem.
Adding 5G iPhones to its line-up should help Apple "drive forward" with that lucrative mixture of hardware, software, services and digital content, Mears said. From the health-centric Apple Watch to subscriptions to music and television set services, the iPhone reaches the center of an individual experience.
Apple remains the priciest company on Wall Street, where it ended the formal trading session Friday with a value of $2.03 billion, predicated on its share price.
Rumors swirling ahead of the event include that Apple will unveil new iPhones within an array of sizes, from a small model with a 5.4-inch (13.7-centimeter) screen to one with a 6.7-inch screen, measured diagonally.
Overall, it's been a hardcore year for the smartphone industry, with the pandemic disrupting economies and offer chains.
"Recovery will be slow, with tough market conditions likely to continue through 2021," Mears said.
Total smartphone sales were down 16 percent in the next quarter, according to analyze firm IDC.
Its survey showed Huawei leading the marketplace, before Samsung, Apple and Chinese businesses Xiaomi and Oppo.
Source: japantoday.com