iPhone event: Apple expected to launch three iPhones, but lack of 5G could hurt sales in Australia
Three Apple iPhones and a revamped smartwatch are likely to be revealed this week. But experts say the lack of one key feature could cost the tech giant dearly.
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Three new iPhones, a revamped smartwatch, TV service, and fresh software features are likely to be unveiled later this week at Apple’s biggest event of the year in California.
And while Australian consumers should brace for a wave of new smartphone offers from Wednesday, experts predict the technology could arrive without a critical element — a 5G connection — that will see many potential buyers hit the snooze button on an upgrade.
It could, they say, cost Apple up to 400,000 sales this year.
Apple sent out invitations to its highly anticipated iPhone launch last week, tagged “by innovation only”.
The company is widely expected to reveal three new smartphones in Steve Jobs Theatre, including a top model possibly called the iPhone Pro that will arrive with three rear cameras for the first time.
Apple is also expected to release a new version of its budget-friendly iPhone XR, and new hardware for all three models could include a faster chip, a USB-C charging port, fresh colours, and new wireless charging features.
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But Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi warned users might not be won over by the latest announcement if, as expected, Apple decided to delay the arrival of a 5G iPhone until 2020.
“The big talking point is whether Apple can deliver 5G or not,” Mr Fadaghi said.
“We’ve done modelling around the impact of 5G on the market and around half of iPhone users are telling us that 5G is important for their next upgrade. This could impact Apple’s performance for the next 12 months.”
The decision to ignore 5G for another year could see the company sell as many as 400,000 fewer iPhones in Australia this year, Mr Fadaghi said, and affect smartphone sales worldwide.
Gartner recently revealed Apple smartphone sales had already slowed this year, with 134 million fewer iPhone sales sold globally in the second quarter of the year.
The cashed-up tech giant may try to lure buyers with other technologies, however, as rumours predicted upgrades for the Apple Watch, including the addition of new sleep-tracking functions and better battery technology, and the anticipated launch of the Apple TV+ streaming service, which is due to arrive in Australia before the end of the year.
New software, iOS 13, will also launch alongside the iPhone and will deliver dark mode, photo-editing additions, new online privacy protection, and smarter Siri functions.
Mr Fadaghi said many Apple fans would stick with its products to enjoy this software, as even if they did postpone an iPhone purchase this year, they were unlikely to switch to Samsung just to get a 5G connection.
He predicted Apple phone sales would bounce back next year, causing a 2020 smartphone “super cycle”.
Apple will stream its launch event on YouTube from 3am AEST Wednesday.