Apple’s first 5G iPhone could come in 2020: report

Wireless carriers are preparing for 5G connectivity, the next generation of cellular networking that promises to bring faster download speeds to consumers. Hardware manufacturers are also getting ready, with plans already in motion for a number of devices that will take advantage of those faster networks. A new report suggests that Apple will release its 5G phone in 2020.

The FCC granted Apple approval to experiment with 5G technology last year, laying the groundwork for a 5G phone down the road. A report in Fast Company cites “a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans,” who says that the phone will be released in 2020. The report also notes that the company plans to use Intel’s 8161 5G modem chip, although there are still some technical issues around heat dissipation that need to be resolved. Apple has reportedly also been chatting with MediaTek to supply the chips as a “Plan B.”

Apple is currently using Intel for the modems in its 2018 phone lineup, but it’s reportedly not going to use the company’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips for the 2020 model, as Apple could be the “main volume driver” for its modem. At the time, Intel told The Verge that its “5G customer engagements and roadmap have not changed for 2018 through 2020. We remain committed to our 5G plans and projects.”