Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Apple’s working on a way to not charge more for its redesigned, 2020 5G iPhone

By

Adding 5G to a smartphone at the moment seems to mean an increase in the price; but this may not happen when Apple launches the first 5G iPhone next year. At least, that’s according to a prediction made by well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has said that while the new components will cost Apple more, the company will secure savings elsewhere to ensure the higher price is not passed on to you.

Kuo says the additional 5G components will add between $30 to $100 to the cost of producing the iPhone for Apple. Through some renegotiation and adjustments to the way it currently pays its partners, Apple may be able to reduce costs elsewhere, and absorb the extra from 5G. What will this mean for the price of the 2020 5G iPhone?

Recommended Videos

If prices for a 5G iPhone stay approximately the same as the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, then the cheapest model may cost $1,000, and the most expensive around $1,450. For comparison, today you can buy the 256GB Samsung Galaxy S10 5G for around $1,150, while the 5G Galaxy Note 10 Plus costs around $1,300. If Apple can maintain its prices, then it will be in line with what we’re paying for the pleasure of a premium 5G phone now.

Related

Elsewhere in the research note, Kuo talks about a new design for the 5G iPhone models. He predicts the 5G phone will recall the iPhone 4 and have a metal frame. The new chassis and frame may cost Apple, “significantly more,” Kuo says. Apparently, these are also costs that won’t be passed on to you, and will be factored into the reductions Apple wants to make elsewhere in its production costs.

Little to no increase in price for a 2020 5G iPhone will be good news, but it won’t make the new models any more affordable than they are now. However, by this time next year 5G phones will not only be more commonplace, they will be cheaper, too. Nokia has said it’s making a 5G phone with flagship specs that will cost half the going rate of current 5G phones, which could mean between $500 and $600, for example.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
iPhone SE 4: news, rumored price, release date, and more
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) and Apple iPhone SE (2020) together.

While the spotlight always seems to be on Apple’s mainline iPhones, the iPhone SE is a great pick for those who are on a budget. If you want an iPhone that doesn't break the bank, the SE is the way to go.

The original iPhone SE came out in 2016, and then Apple revamped it in 2020 and 2022 by giving it some more modern hardware. The iPhone SE tends to get updated every two or so years rather than annually like the traditional iPhone. This means  that we should see a new iPhone SE 4 this year, but it’s not so cut-and-dried with this particular model.

Read more
Visible’s affordable 5G plans just got even cheaper
The Visible logo on a smartphone.

Visible has a new offer that can help you save significant money when switching to its service. Both Visible and Visible+ packages are now available for purchase upfront on an annual basis. These new annual plans are available for new Visible customers starting today, while existing customers will gain access to them this May.

With this new deal, the Visible+ plan costs $395 per year when paid upfront instead of $540 when paid in 12 monthly installments of $45 each. This means you can save $145, which is 26%. That's an incredible savings. When paying upfront for the regular Visible plan, it will cost $275 per year, saving you $25. If you pay for it monthly, the standard Visible plan costs $25 per month (or $300 per year).

Read more
3 reasons why I’ll actually use Anker’s new iPhone power bank
A person holding the Anker MagGo Power Bank.

Power banks are a necessary evil, and even if you don’t consider yourself a “power user” who's likely to drain a phone’s battery in less than a day, there will be times when one comes in handy. And when I am forced to carry one, I want it to be as helpful and versatile as possible.

I’ve been trying Anker’s MagGo Power Bank 10K -- meaning it has a 10,000mAh cell inside it -- and there are three reasons why I'm OK with it taking up valuable space in my bag.
It has a screen on it

Read more