iPhone 13 Series Rumored to Include Better Batteries; Supplies to Suffer the Impact of Component Shortage
The soon-to-come iPhone 13 series will boast larger battery capacities and improved 5G support than in the presently available range, as currently reported in line with earlier speculations. Another innovation to come is a new approach to iPhone camera assembly that could reduce production costs. In addition, component manufacturer Foxconn is forecasting a likely deficit of iPhone 13 components due to ongoing limitations in production. The latest iPhone models should launch in September, according to expectations.
The latest press note from market research experts at TrendForce stated that the iPhone 13 series will be based on an entirely new flexible charging circuit board with a System-in-Package (SiP) for space. This element would make it possible for Apple to offer a larger battery pack, which was already hinted at.
Expert predictions include a possibility of the iPhone 13 family featuring a next-gen SoC based on 5nm+ node, which would probably improve performance and make batteries more efficient than the current iPhone models. Furthermore, the new iPhone versions may offer better 5G connectivity through mmWave (millimeter wave). We could also see upgraded sensors of the camera and display. Specifically, the iPhone 13 Pro models are likely to have an enhanced wide-angle lens with an autofocus option.
A 30% year-on-year increase is expected in the total iPhone shipments in Q3 2021, thanks to the anticipated September release of the iPhone 13 line. Q4, however, may bring a 5% year-on-year decrease, experts warn.
Another prediction is an increase in the iPhone sales in the second half of 2021 in comparison with last year. The market research company estimated that iPhone models may account for 16.7% of all smartphone shipments in 2021.
As far as pricing is concerned, iPhone 13 prices should be on par with those of the iPhone 12 line.
“As for retail prices, the iPhone 13 series is expected to remain similar to the iPhone 12 series assuming Apple is able to effectively control manufacturing costs, since the latest models do not come with significant hardware upgrades. As a result of this aggressive pricing scheme, iPhone shipment will likely maintain its growth trajectory for two consecutive years,” the firm said.
Another story at The Elec website claims that Apple is altering the assembly process of its iPhone camera modules, aiming to lower costs.
Up until last year, the company pre-assembled cameras manufactured by suppliers among which are LG, InnoTek, Sharp, and O'Film. Currently this convention is turning around: the camera module production is being transferred to Foxconn. Presumably, it will help reduce production costs to a certain extent. It has yet to be clarified, however, whether Apple will allow its buyers to feel the savings effect.
Supposedly, Foxconn obtained testing equipment from the Korean Hyvision System. It offers automatic test and measurement systems for mobile cameras and can be used to test wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses, as well as optical axis and image sensors.
For its iPhone 13 line, Apple is rumored to have procured 20% more components compared to the 90 million units it ordered for the preceding iPhone 12 series. The company is unlikely to use its novel production methods for the upcoming iPhone 13 family, since it has to already be in production in order to launch in September. Foxconn-assembled cameras may, however, be subsequently used on its iPhone phones.
Foxconn reported impressive earnings in Q2 2021, but the trend isn't expected to last: Q3 is likely to bring a modest growth of 3 to 15%. According to Reuters, the Taiwanese supplier component deficits as a key factor for its negligible growth. Among other devices, the component shortage may have a negative effect on the iPhone 13 series.
“The epidemic situation appears to be worsening in Asia,” Foxconn Chairman Liu Young-way states. “Because Asia is the key global hub for ICT components, it needs to be closely watched whether the epidemic will have an impact on the overall supply chain.”
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) made a statement in the recent past that the worldwide chipset deficit could last well into the next year.
A Bloomberg report from July 2021 cites experts who claim that Apple had requested its suppliers to produce 90 million next-gen iPhones in 2021 – a 20% increase over last year. However, the component supply shortage forecasted by supplier companies like Foxconn and TSMC, iPhone production may very well slow down.
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