What you need to know
- A new rumor says a 4G iPhone 12 might be coming next year.
- Wedbush says Apple will release a cheaper, 4G-only iPhone in 2021.
- The suggested price is $800.
A new report says that Apple may be planning to release a 4G iPhone 12 model in 2021.
As reported by Business Insider, Wedbush Securities Analyst Dan Ives made the comment in a new research note:
Apple may release a cheaper version of the iPhone 12 that comes with 4G connectivity instead of support for 5G networks, says a new research note from Wedbush Securities written by analysts Daniel Ives, Strecker Backe, and Ahmad Khalil.Wedbush initially expected Apple to launch a mix of 4G and 5G-enabled versions of its iPhone 12 this fall. But the firm revised its predictions after its most recent Asia supply chain checks, now saying that it expects to see multiple 5G iPhones in the fall and a cheaper 4G model in early 2021.
The rumor is very strange for a number of reasons. Apple has previously released phones early in the year, but for the most part these have been Apple's budget iPhones, the SE range.
Furthermore, this is the first rumor to suggest there might be a fifth iPhone in the iPhone 12 lineup, albeit released at a later date. Sources across the board, supply chain and otherwise, have consistently suggested Apple plans to release four new iPhone 12 models in three different sizes, with no hint of a fifth.
It could be that Ives is suggesting that one of Apple's lower-end models from the four-model lineup is delayed, however earlier reports have all stated that Apple's iPhone 12 lineup will be 5G across the board.
Another strange note is the price. According to the report, Ives and Wedbush suggest the 4G only model will cost around $800:
Other details about the device are unclear, but Ives predicts that Apple could price the non-5G iPhone at around $800.... "Price points will be aggressive as Apple goes after their broader customer base," Ives said. "Especially in a recession, in a COVID-19 backdrop, they need to make sure they're hitting all price categories."
This "cheaper 4G iPhone" is purportedly more expensive than both of the regular iPhone 12 models, which have a rumored starting price point of just $649 (including 5G) for the 5.4-inch version and $749 for the 6.1-inch version.
Apple already has an aggresively priced 4G iPhone in the iPhone SE, and there are also persistent rumors that Apple has an iPhone SE Plus in the works, but that it has been delayed until 2021.
