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5G iPhone expected to star at Apple event
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 11, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Apple is expected on
Tuesday to unveil a keenly anticipated iPhone 12 line-up starring
models tuned to super-fast new 5G telecom networks in an update
considered vital to the company’s fortunes.
A streamed event was cryptically teased with the message “Hi, Speed”
in an apparent reference to the faster wireless networks being
introduced in many parts of the world.
Analysts expect Apple to introduce a selection of iPhone 12 models
in multiple sizes, with some shipping earlier than others due to the
toll the pandemic has taken on the company’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 a
note to investors, referring to chief executive Tim Cook.
The time is ripe, analysts said, for Apple to hit the market with an
iPhone tailored to the super-fast 5G telecom networks taking root
around the world.
“Apple absolutely needs 5G right now,” said Techsponential analyst
Avi Greengart, “not for the US, but for China, where 5G is driving
purchase decisions.”
Some Apple rivals have already produced 5G models, and China is far
ahead of the US when it comes to the new-generation networks.
5G networks are touted as promising an exponential leap in the
amount and speed of wireless data, enabling advances in self-driving
vehicles, virtual reality, connected health and more as sensors and
servers communicate instantly.
“5G is happening in China with or without Apple; in fact, more 5G
phones than non-5G phones are selling in China,” said analyst Patrick
Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy.
New-generation 5G networks have also taken shape in South Korea and
in parts of Europe.
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Meanwhile, US telecom firms are looking at a 5G iPhone as a
catalyst for consumer interest that will justify the big investments
needed for those networks, according to analysts.
“US carriers are waiting for Apple to announce a 5G iPhone to put
the pedal to the metal in the US,” said Moorhead.
– Powering the ‘ecosystem’ –
Apple also needs a 5G-capable iPhone to maintain its premium image,
analysts added.
Powerhouses Samsung and Huawei already have 5G smartphones on the market.
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 because the
5G use-cases and network coverage simply wasn’t there,” said
Futuresource Consulting research analyst Stephen Mears.
“Apple won’t want to be perceived as being two generations behind on
5G handsets.”
The streamed event comes a month after Apple unveiled new service
bundles and smartwatch models tied to the iPhone, which remains at the
heart of its money-making ecosystem.
Adding 5G iPhones to its line-up should help Apple “drive forward”
with that lucrative blend of hardware, software, services and digital
content, Mears said. From the health-centric Apple Watch to
subscriptions to music and television services, the iPhone is at the
center of the user experience.
Apple remains the most expensive company on Wall Street, where it
ended the formal trading session Friday with a value of $2.03 billion,
based on its share price.
– Pandemic slows sales –
Rumors swirling ahead of the event include that Apple will unveil
new iPhones in 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 has been a tough year for the smartphone industry, with
the pandemic disrupting economies and supply chains.
“Recovery will be slow, with tough market conditions expected to
continue through 2021,” Mears said.
Total smartphone sales were down 16 percent in the second quarter,
according to research firm IDC.
Its survey showed Huawei leading the market, ahead of Samsung, Apple
and Chinese firms Xiaomi and Oppo.
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