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Five new iPhones are coming in 2020, according to analyst report

Get ready for more iPhones.

Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor
Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
Expertise 5G, mobile networks, wireless carriers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, streaming platforms, mobile and console gaming,
Eli Blumenthal
2 min read
apple-iphone-11-iphone-11-pro-promo

The iPhone 11, left, and 11 Pro are only a few months old but details about their rumored successors are already making the rounds. 

Angela Lang/CNET

Apple has traditionally released three new iPhones a year, but that appears set to change in 2020. According to a new report, we can expect five new iPhones next year, starting with one new phone in the first half. 

The report comes via 9to5Mac and notable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has an impressive track record when it comes to reporting on Apple's future plans. In his latest report, Kuo says that Apple will have a new iPhone SE 2 in the first half, backing up previous reports. 

Watch this: Will there be five new iPhones in 2020?

The SE 2 is expected to feature a design similar to the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 with updated internal specs, similar to how the first SE kept a similar design to the iPhone 5S but with specs from the iPhone 6S

Later in 2020 is when Apple will do its big update. Kuo anticipates four new iPhones ranging with one model having a 5.4-inch display, two featuring a 6.1-inch screen and one 6.7-inch model. All four phones are said to be using OLED displays and will have 5G support, with the cameras being the main differences. 

The 5.4-inch and lower-end 6.1-inch phone are said to have dual rear cameras, while the higher-end 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones are rumored to pack three rear cameras plus a time-of-flight 3D sensor. Design-wise Kuo's report says the four new OLED phones will be "similar to the iPhone 4."

 3.5-inch screen

The 3.5-inch iPhone 4. 

Luke Westaway/CNET

By comparison, this year's iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch screen while the iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch OLED and the 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch OLED display. The 11 has two rear cameras while the Pro and Pro Max have three rear cameras. 

In addition to detailing the 2020 iPhone plans, Kuo says the 2021 iPhone may ditch the Lightning port altogether on the highest-end iPhone and move to a "completely wireless experience" suggesting that the iPhone won't switch to USB-C for wired charging. 

He also predicts an iPhone SE 2 Plus phone that will have an all-screen design but instead of using Face ID for facial recognition it will rely on a Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the power button on the side of the phone. This phone would have a screen size of 5.5-inches or 6.1-inches. 

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.