Apple has asked suppliers to build as many as 90 million next-generation iPhones this year, a sharp increase from its 2020 iPhone shipments, people with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg. That's 20 percent more than its usual production run of 75 million units in recent launches.
The upgraded forecast for 2021 suggests the company anticipates its first iPhone launch since the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines will unlock additional demand. The next iPhones also will be Apple’s second with 5G, a key driver for many people upgrading their device. The sources said Apple is also expected to profit from Huawei's reduced presence on the smartphone market.
According to the report, this year’s update will be more incremental than last year’s iPhone 12, emphasizing processor, camera and display improvements. Apple is planning updates to all of the current models, spanning the 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch regular versions and the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Pro models. The phones, codenamed D16, D17, D63, and D64, are all expected to be announced in September, earlier than last year’s October introduction, partly thanks to the supply chain recovering.
At least one of the new versions will have an LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) display capable of alternating its refresh rate based on the content being shown. Apple has used this technology in the Apple Watch for several years, allowing the screen to be slower in certain situations to extend battery life. The new iPhones with LTPO displays will also use IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology for improved power efficiency and responsiveness.
While the design of the new Apple phones will remain largely unchanged, the company plans to reduce the size of the front-facing camera and face unlock sensor cutout, or notch, to better match its rivals. The company hopes to eventually remove the notch entirely in a future version of the iPhone and is likely to shrink its size further next year.
Apple’s camera upgrades will put the focus on more advanced video recording features such as improved optical zoom, the report said. An upgraded system-on-chip, built around the same six cores as the current A14 chip, will also be included. The company has tested an in-display fingerprint scanner for this year’s devices, however that feature will likely not appear on this generation, the sources said.
An Apple spokesperson declined to comment.
