A new 2020 iPhone rumor today says that it could have a 120Hz ProMotion display. We’ve taken all of the rumors for this phone so far and rounded them up.
2020 iPhone Rumors
ProMotion Display
Refresh rates of smartphone panels used in the 5G era are likely to be upgraded to 90Hz or even 120Hz from the current 60 Hz as displays with higher refresh rates will enhance greatly user experience, according to industry observers.
Notch: Either no notch or smaller notch
First, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a new research note today via Chinese website MyDrivers in which he claims that at least one new iPhone in 2020 will be equipped with a smaller front camera lens for an improved screen-to-bezel ratio, suggesting the notch will be slimmer.
Second, the China Times cites an analyst at investment firm Credit Suisse in Asia who believes Apple plans to release one new iPhone model without a notch or Face ID in 2020.
5G
Kuo originally said that two of the three new iPhones coming in 2020 will support 5G, but now believes that Apple will offer 5G in all models to better compete with lower-cost Android smartphones that will support 5G.
5nm processor
It’s not yet clear exactly what Apple will do with the iPhone in 2020, but one popular rumor is a 5nm chip. That rumor got a little push by none other than the company responsible for making Apple’s chips: TSMC.
Design: Either new design or same design
Kuo didn’t expand on the new design or what next year’s camera upgrades might include in his latest note.
USB-C
Apple is also testing some versions of this year’s iPhone line that includes a USB-C connector instead of the Lightning port that has been used on iPhones since 2012, indicating that the company plans an eventual switch, according to one of the people.
3D Cameras
The rear-facing, longer-range 3-D camera is designed to scan the environment to create three-dimensional reconstructions of the real world. It will work up to about 15 feet from the device, the people said.
In-display Touch ID
2020 iPhones will have more significant changes, including 5G support, 3D sensing via the rear camera system, and acoustic fingerprint technology that could allow for full-screen Touch ID.
New Color Option: Blue
Weinbach believes that Navy Blue could replace the Midnight Green finish available for iPhone 11 Pro models. In line with this, EverythingApplePro created a mockup of what the iPhone 12 Pro in Navy Blue could look like.
My Thoughts
I’m no Apple analyst or supply chain tracker, but I’d still like to share which rumors I think are likely, and which ones are not. I’m not comfortable saying yes or no for most rumors so I stick with Bayesian-type probability.
- USB-C: Not likely. I think the iPhone will go from Lightning port to no port. I’ve heard both rumors, but if a no-port iPhone is in the future, why make people transition to USB-C and again to no port? A big headache for consumers and manufacturers alike. It will probably disappear from one model at first, then gradually spread to the others. I just hope Phil Schiller doesn’t mention “courage” when it comes to removing another port. Conditions: If eventual portless iPhone = yes, then no USB-C. If eventual portless iPhone = no, then yes USB-C.
- 3D Camera: Given how much Tim Cook talks about augmented reality, its cameras will undoubtedly continue to improve. 3D cameras sounds like a reasonable next step to me.
- In-Display Touch ID: If Apple releases an iPhone SE 2, iPhone 9, or whatever this affordable model will be called, I think Touch ID in the display could appear in this model. But for the regular iPhones, I’m giving it a firm no, and that Face ID will remain the default.
- 5G: I think non-millimeter 5G is still a gimmick, or at least we’re still in the very early stages, but I believe at least one model is likely to include 5G.
- Notch: I think it’s likely that at some point in the future, the notch will disappear. Maybe it will disappear in a 2020 iPhone, or only reduce in size this year.
Further Reading: