If you were disappointed by the absence of 5G connectivity on the iPhone 11, console yourself: at least you saved something, because precisely because of the new 5G modem (almost certainly a Qualcomm Snapdragon X55) future iPhone 12 in 2020 will cost quite a bit more.
This is the prediction of the well-known market analyst Ming-chi Kuo, who in a note sent to investors explains that the new 5G modem will force Apple to build a motherboard that is 35% larger and more expensive than the one mounted on the iPhone 11. To this increase in costs should also be added that relating to other components of the smartphone, such as the chassis. Much of the problem, explains the analyst, is due to the need to dissipate the heat produced by the new 5G antennas that, among other things, can not be covered by metal surfaces, otherwise a strong signal degradation.
The 5G will change the design of the iPhone
Already in the past Kuo had announced that we must expect new manufacturing processes and a different design and more complex on the future iPhone 2020 that, paradoxically, could be similar to that of the old iPhone 4. The internal frame of the iPhone 12 will be made of metal but with segments in other material (at the antennas): probably glass or sapphire. Because of these innovations, the production cost of the frame will go up by 50-60%, while the cost of the glass cover will go up by 40-50%.
How much will the iPhone 12 cost?
The iPhone 11 is certainly not a cheap smartphone: the launch price starts at 839 euros for the standard version with 64 GB of storage memory and went up to a whopping 1,689 euros for the top-of-the-line 512 GB iPhone 11 Pro Max. The other top of the line, namely the 256 GB iPhone 11 Pro, was launched at a price of 1,049 euros. Now everyone is wondering, also in light of Kuo's predictions, how much the iPhone 12 will cost. At the moment it is not clear, but we can imagine it by looking at the competition: Samsung is now selling its Galaxy S10 with 128 GB at a price of 929 euros, while the 5G version with 256 GB is on sale through the TIM operator at a price of 1,279 euros.
iPhone 12: Ming-chi Kuo's other predictions
The analyst finally explains to his investors that Apple will use VCSEL rangefinders, "time-of-flight" sensors on the new iPhone 12 to improve the quality of photo shots and implement more advanced augmented reality features in future 2020 iPhones. Kuo also predicts, again for the 2020 model, a smaller notch for the TrueDepth camera while a full-screen display won't arrive until 2021.