Apple iPhone 11 Debuting With 5G After Intel Modem Acquisition?

Will Apple equip all 2019 iPhones with 5G connectivity now that it has acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business? A report says Apple will put 5G in its 2020 iPhones.

Apple recently purchased Intel’s 5G smartphone modem business, which includes a portfoli of all that the chipmaker has learned about 5G so far, as well as thousands of people behind it. Despite the acquisition, however, a report claims that Apple will start putting 5G on its iPhones starting 2020 instead of 2019.

More resources

In a research note given to investors (and obtained by MacRumors), analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he “believes” Apple’s 2020 iPhones will have support for 5G for a few reasons. First of these is because of the Intel acquisition, Apple now has more resources that it can use for its 5G push.

The $1B deal allowed Apple to absorb 2,200 Intel employees, and also gave it access to Intel’s intellectual property related to its 5G modem, equipment and leases. These give Apple more control over what it wants for its 5G push.

Tighter competition

Kuo also noted how Apple might work on adding 5G to all three of its 2020 iPhones because it “thinks” that consumers will see 5G as a necessity in the future.

Previously, Kuo said Apple will only have two 5G-capable iPhones in 2020. Now, Kuo said Apple might create a third 5G-capable iPhone because its rival companies will produce 5G-capable Android handsets with lower prices ranging from $249-$349 in the U.S.

The lower cost Android handsets will be using a slower type of 5G, one that supports Sub-6GHz. Kuo noted that the Cupertino tech giant might --key word here is “might”-- launch an iPhone that supports Sub-6GHz 5G so that it can sell it at a lower price to compete with the cheaper Android handsets.

This Sub-6GHz 5G iPhone, should Apple create it, will have the same form factor as that of the other 2020 iPhones Apple is working on, Kuo said. The other 2020 iPhones will have support for the faster 5G network known as mmWave. These iPhones will be “regarded as different projects even though they share the same form factor design.”

Readers should take note that although these predictions came from a reliable analyst, Apple itself hasn’t officially said anything about the 2020 iPhones at the moment. Thus, it’s best to wait for future updates.