How iPhone 12 Could Become a Huge Letdown

Apple is projected to fully embrace 5G next year with the 2020 iPhone generation, and people familiar with its plans indicated that all models are very likely to join this push.

In other words, all iPhone 12 models will come with 5G support, something which Apple believes could help propel it at the top of the 5G effort worldwide.

But according to Loup Ventures analyst Gene Munster, Apple’s aggressive strategy could be ruined by none other than the carriers who should provide the 5G networks for the new iPhones.

Munster warns that the first year on the market for 5G iPhones could eventually because a huge letdown, pretty much because carriers aren’t ready for it.

This is because the rollout of 5G networks takes place at a rather slow pace, so when the new models would reach the market, their capabilities would be limited by the lack of infrastructure.

Slow 5G rollout

Munster says the next iPhone could end up a disappointment and warns that Apple might have to wait for another year before sales of its 5G devices gain traction.

“The first year of 5G for the iPhone will be a disappointment for investors,” Munster was quoted as saying by CNBC. “Ultimately, this is a massive opportunity for Apple, huge play on 5G, but it’s going to take a while for networks to roll out coverage.”

The current phase of the 5G rollout is a strong indication that Munster might be right. AT&T, for example, has only recently started offering 5G, but no noticeable speed improvement over LTE is actually provided. In other words, there’s no real benefit in having a 5G phone on AT&T right now, as it offers nearly the same speed as an LTE device.

In the case of Verizon, the rollout is already underway, and the company expects to complete some 50% of its network upgrade plan in the United States by the end of 2020. This means only half of Americans getting a 5G iPhone would actually be able to use it at its full speed.