According to analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, Apple is intent on taking a decisive leap backwards and bringing the iPhone 4 design “back to life”
The iPhones of the future could be very similar to those of the past and, above all, in contrast to the current prevailing design of the curved and wraparound display. The news seems credible, because it does not come from unknown sources or from projects or sketches stolen from who knows which drawer.
According to the well-known and reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, tech market expert who has already anticipated several times the characteristics of future Apple products, the iPhone 2020 will have a metal frame similar to that seen on the iPhone 4 in 2010. Ten years later, then, Apple may intend to dust off a design element that was very characteristic then, but that today seems very outdated. Design element, moreover, that on the iPhone 4 created some technical problems. Apple, however, has accustomed us to smartphones with a very refined design, in which nothing is left to chance, so curiosity is high after Kuo’s predictions.
iPhone 2020: what it will look like
Ming-Chi Kuo’s prediction, contained in a report by TF International Securities, is clear: “We expect the new iPhone 2020 design to change significantly […] The metal frame and 2/2.5D front and back glass will still be used, but the metal frame surface will be changed to a design similar to the iPhone 4, replacing the current surface design.”
For those who don’t know, a 2D glass is a completely flat glass, while the 2.5D glass is beveled on the outside. The current trend for top-of-the-line smartphone displays, however, is 3D glass, meaning truly curved at the edges. The latest example of this trend is the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha smartphone, which has “wraparound” glass.
Antennagate 2020?
Those who bought an Apple iPhone 4 in 2010, perhaps precisely because of the elegance of the metal frame surrounding the screen, surely have not yet forgotten that that frame had a major problem: it interfered with the operation of the receiving antenna. The iPhone 4, for this reason, had a quality of calls and reception below the standard for a premium device and Apple was forced to remedy by giving away covers that partially solved the problem or, alternatively, to appease the spirits of iPhone 4 buyers with a $15 refund. In this case, it’s very unlikely that such a problem will happen again: not only will Apple be much more careful, but the entire radio department will be redesigned because the 2020 iPhone will be 5G compatible.