Apple announced first major redesign for the iPhone in nearly four years with the launch of iPhone X last year. The design trickled down to iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max this year, and Apple is not expected to change the design in a big way next year.
With iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max now available for purchase, details about Apple’s plan for 2019 have already started appearing. Former KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a respectable track record with predicting Apple’s moves, has come up with a new report, where he claims that the 2019 iPhone lineup will come with different types of antenna technology. As Apple aims to introduce first 5G-enabled iPhone in 2020, the new antenna design is believed to produce more reliable performance.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple is planning a switch from liquid crystal polymer antennas to modified pi antennas. The switch will lead to improved yield rates and also simplify the production process, the analyst claims in a new investor note. The bottom line is that switch to modified pi antennas will not lead to production delays, and Apple will be able to ship iPhone as scheduled in September of 2019.
The analyst adds that switch from liquid crystal polymer antennas seen on current iPhone models will not result in any difference for calls or data. The 2019 iPhone model will continue to have six antennas built into them, says the report but Apple is said to get a better deal on component prices.
Apple, which was once regarded as the most secretive company on the planet, has been susceptible to a number of leaks lately. While it is still early days for 2019 iPhone leak, Kuo also believes that Apple will drop 3D Touch from all iPhone models next year. The company has already dropped the feature from iPhone XR this year while it stays on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
Watch: Apple iPhone XS, XS Max Hands On
In one of his investor notes, Kuo said Apple will introduce updated Face ID facial recognition system with the 2019 version of iPhone. As we hear more changes coming to the 2019 iPhone lineup next year, the big question will be what will these new iPhones models be called, the iPhone XS 2 or iPhone 11 or something else.
