Analyst says the mmWave iPhone 12 could be US-only

Wedbush analyst has told investors that there is a possibility that the iPhone 12 will have US and non-US versions, with only the US version supporting superfast, mmWave 5G.

As reported by 9to5Mac:

Wedbush today suggests a third possibility – that only US iPhones will get mmWave.

From a 5G perspective, there will be a US and non-US version introduced. The US version will likely have mmWave technology.

In the full note, as seen by iMore, Ives states the following:

From a timing perspective, we continue to believe there are 4 models being discussed for iPhone 12 with a mix of 4G/5G that will likely be launched between the October and early December timeframe ahead of holiday season. Importantly, we note these models can still change as Cupertino appears to still be on the white board with a mix of 4G/5G and how many models will ultimately get green lighted. From a 5G perspective, there will be a US and non-US version introduced. The US version will likely have mmWave technology, which does complicate the production timeline and also could see many units potentially shift to the March quarter vs. the December quarter.

In January, Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple will launch both Sub-6GHz and mmWave models at the same time in the second half of 2020. That timeframe has likely shifted a little due to COVID-19, but the suggestion that both sub-6GHz and mmWave will release simultaneously still stands.

This, coupled with Ives' most recent suggestion seems to point to Apple rolling out a mmWave iPhone 12 in America, and a sub-6GHz iPhone everywhere else. Apple is also reportedly pushing out 4G phones alongside its 5G offerings for its next release.

Wedbush maintained its 'outperform' rating for Apple and set a 12-month target price of $335.