It seems that Apple is betting big that the iPhone 13 will be a big sales success, as the company seems to be producing a lot from this year.
That’s one possible interpretation from a new report that Apple is looking to tell its suppliers to increase production on phones this year. Specifically, Bloomberg says, that Apple wants to increase production of the new iPhone by 20% compared to last year’s release leading up to a likely fall launch for the latest device.
That’s not a small question. The iPhone 12 has driven sales records at Apple since all four of these models appeared last fall. To ask suppliers to make more phones suggests that Apple thinks there will be greater demand for the iPhone 13.
On the surface, that doesn’t seem to fit what we expect the iPhone 13 to deliver. While some improvements are rumored to be in the process, for the most part, iPhone 13 expectations show the phone isn’t moving away from the iPhone 12.
Still, while many of the iPhone 13’s features remain rumors at this point, there are some reasons to capitalize on Apple’s optimism about this year’s iPhone.
Time for a 5G upgrade
The iPhone 12 is the first Apple mobile phone to support 5G. While strong iPhone 12 sales mean that the ready -made iPhone 5G is in the hands of many Apple customers, there are still many more people who are still using the old device. (I’m still switching between the original iPhone SE and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, for example, with the 5G -ready iPhone 12 available for testing purposes.) That means a number of people are ready to upgrade this fall when the iPhone 13 launches around.
“5G is a generation shift,” said Avi Greengart, chief analyst at Techsponential. “While there was initially a lot of hype, airlines around the world are now using 5G with meaningful coverage in the mid-band frequency range that provides a significant increase in speed.” This means users will really see real benefits if they upgrade their old iPhones to take advantage of the new network - faster app and file downloads, better quality videos, and maybe new types of apps on the way. “
To that end, CNBC cited a recent Credit Suisse report showing 5G as a driver of telephone improvement, as the growth of the 5G network means that it’s not just for early adopters anymore. T-Mobile’s 5G network now reaches 300 million people, while AT&T announced this week that its 5G coverage has grown to 250 million people. Verizon is not behind 230 million.
Rumors suggest an improved 5G experience on the iPhone 13 as well. While the iPhone 12 supports a large number of 5G bands, Apple’s new phone is expected to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 5G modem for increased speed over the current model.
Other potential iPhone 13 features
But the iPhone 13 could lure other attractions to drive big upgrades - especially for customers who are paying attention to the iPhone 13 Pro model. The more expensive phone will hopefully be able to accommodate a fast refreshing display that adjusts its speed depending on what activity you’re doing. Such functionality will make the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max on par with the Galaxy S21 line as well as other Android phones that have used the technology.
While rumors make the iPhone 13 Pro a more attractive upgrade than the standard iPhone 13, the cheaper models could take advantage of the faster A15 Bionic processor and change the phone’s design that would downplay Apple’s special position. While recent rumors claim that the Pro model will remain the only one with a LiDAR sensor, adding that the feature on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini means greater support for augmented reality apps-something Apple has pushed for in some last year.
Again, as great as the iPhone 13 rumors have been until now, there’s always the possibility of other features we’ve never heard of appearing at the time of this phone’s launch later this year. While the actual iPhone 13 model is similar to the rumored factory that painted it, it looks like Apple thinks it has another winning candidate on its hands.