What you need to know
- The iPhone 11 is performing so well, sources say it could push Apple into keeping an LCD phone in its 2020 iPhone lineup.
- Apple has boosted component orders for the iPhone 11 by 15% after better-than-expected demand.
- It has reduced orders for iPhone 11 Pro Max components.
A report from DigiTimes via MacRumors suggests that the performance of the iPhone 11 is so strong that it could encourage Apple to rethink its 2020 iPhone lineup.
According to the report, Apple has boosted component orders for the iPhone 11 by 15% due to better than expected demand. It also notes that due to "flat" sales, it has reduced orders for the iPhone 11 Pro Max by about 5%.
If the soures are correct this could provide some immediate insight into the overall success of Apple's latest iPhone range. It would also seem to confirm previous reports from another analyst which suggested that Apple would decrease iPhone 11 Pro Max production following weaker sales. Clearly the iPhone 11 seems to be a smash hit with buyers, much like last year's iPhone XR.
Perhaps more interestingly however, the report claims that the iPhone 11 is performing so well that it could encourage Apple to rethink its iPhone 2020 lineup:
DigiTimes' sources speculate that brisk iPhone 11 sales could influence Apple's 2020 iPhone plans, suggesting the company could choose to keep an LCD-based smartphone in next year's flagship lineup instead of adopting OLED wholesale.
The report notes previous speculation from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggesting that Apple would move to an all OLED lineup in 2020. Reports had previously suggested that Apple would launch a new 6.7-inch iPhone and a 5.4-inch model as high-end devices, and a low-end 6.1-inch device, all with OLED screens. This latest report from DigiTimes seems to suggest that there is at least speculation that on the back of the iPhone 11's success, Apple could be planning to hold on to an LCD mode iPhone next year.
Whilst OLED panels certainly provide a superior viewing experience, LCD does have its benefits including better power efficiency and reduced cost, as is evident in this year's range. There have been several separate rumors that Apple will release a successor to the iPhone SE some time next year, however this appears to be the first we've heard about Apple holding on to an LCD phone with regards to its main iPhone product cycle, which usually refreshes in September.
