Shocking iPhone cancellation highlights Apple's radical roadmap

The 2020 iPhone line-up has been the subject of various leaks the last few days. These handsets are going to be revolutionary devices which make them actually worth waiting for. In an exclusive reveal, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has detailed that Apple will kill off its 5.8-inch iPhones and will instead focus on launching a successor to the iPhone SE but with flagship grade specifications. At a time when handsets are getting bigger, this is a welcome move by Apple even though it is a radical change by the brand.

While it is a shocking move for Apple, Kuo claims that the handset will be just 5.4-inches and will feature a bezel-less design giving fans a true single-handed iPhone experience that hasn’t been seen since the iPhone 5s. It can be argued that Apple did, in fact, introduce the iPhone 8 which had premium specs, but in all honesty, it was outshined by the iPhone 8 Plus and hence not a pure flagship.

A report by Forbes asks whether Apple fans will take up to this smaller form factor and the answer is an overwhelming yes. The report states, “As it stands, the 5.8-inch iPhone is a terrible proposition. It sits too close to the more affordable 6.1-inch iPhone XR and its sales are being cannibalised. The iPhone XR is Apple’s top-selling model, but even the second-placed iPhone XS Max is outselling the iPhone XS by 3-4x. Meanwhile, the iPhone SE sells out in minutes every time Apple releases new stock.”

This data shows that Apple fans want both a bigger handset as well as a smaller device and if there is a smartphone that sits in the middle; it has to be a cheaper iPhone.

An industry trend that’s working in Apple’s favour is that its rivals have all but shut down production of compact smartphones. Google Pixel 3 is the only handset to match it on paper with a screen size of 5.4-inches. However, the overall size of the device is 5.7-inches due to its large bezels. This places it in a segment that Apple seems to be exiting.

The report ends by stating, “A 5.4-inch iPhone 12, 6.1-inch iPhone XR3 and an enlarged 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Max give Apple surgical precision to target every kind of buyer. Throw in their 5G advantage and new punch-hole design over the incremental (and objectively ugly) 2019 upgrades and Apple is onto a winning hand. It’s just a shame that for many users, it will come a year too late.”

Disclaimer: The above report is completely based on online rumours and leaks from the respective sources. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Deccan Chronicle and/or other staff and contributors to this website.