Apple Rumors: iPhones May Get Two Release Dates Per Year Instead Of One

According to CNBC, Apple may be set to change their release schedule for devices such as the iPhone in 2021. If this is the case, it means that Apple could be gearing up to release new devices twice a year from that point. At the moment, new device announcements are only released once a year under the current schedule.

News of the potential change of schedule has arisen thanks to a note distributed by J.P. Morgan on Monday. Supply chain checks were cited as the reason behind this prediction.

“Based on our supply chain checks, we are expecting a strategic change in the launch cadence with the release of two new iPhone models in 1H21 followed by another two in 2H21, which will serve to smooth seasonality around the launch,” revealed J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee.

If Apple does change its release schedule, it would mean that they would be able to participate in more seasonal releases of their devices. It would also bring them into a better position to compete with other producers that release their devices throughout the year.

Apple normally releases its new products in September and October. This allows them to cash in on the profitable December quarter. However, with a potential second scheduled release, it would allow for a major strategy shake-up for the company.

The analysts from J.P. Morgan also predicted that Apple could launch four new iPhone models in 2020. Normally, Apple releases three new models a year and have done so since 2017. In addition, they also believe that Apple will release a new low-cost iPhone. This model is believed to be based on the iPhone 8 and could be released in the spring.

It is believed that the new selection will feature OLED screens and support 5G networks. The assumption by the analysts is that these specs might encourage current iPhone users to upgrade to the newer models.

However, for those hoping for faster speeds with mmWave technology, this may not be the case for some of the upcoming devices.

“We expect the two higher-end models (one 6.1?, one 6.7?) to include mmWave support, triple camera and World facing 3D sensing, while the lower-end models (one 6.1?, one 5.4?) will include support for only sub-6 GHz and dual camera (no world-facing 3D sensing),” Chatterjee wrote.

Of course, all of these details are only rumored at the moment and Apple fans will have to hold out until an official announcement is made in the future.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, hype among Apple fans has already started for the iPhone 12, due to be released in 2020, with predictions being discussed regarding what the device may look like ahead of its launch.