Apple could release 5 new iPhones next year - here's what we know about them so far

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Apple could release 5 new iPhones next year - here's what we know about them so far
Apple iPhone 11

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

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Those in the market for a new iPhone next year may have more options than ever before to choose from.

There's a chance Apple could release five new iPhones in 2020: four versions of its flagship iPhone and a sequel to the low-cost iPhone SE from 2016. That's according to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities known for his Apple product predictions, whose comments were recently reported by 9to5Mac and MacRumors among other outlets.

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If Kuo's forecast turns out to be accurate, it would represent a major shakeup for Apple's iPhone product strategy. For the past four years, Apple has debuted three new iPhones. Before that, from 2013 through 2015, Apple gave iPhone shoppers two new options to choose from.

But the release of five new iPhones in a single year would signal a notable shift in Apple's approach that more closely mirrors that of Android rivals like Samsung, which typically launch multiple phones in various sizes at different prices throughout the year. Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

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Here's a breakdown of the five different iPhone models Apple is rumored to announce next year.

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A 5.4-inch iPhone with two cameras

A 5.4-inch iPhone with two cameras

This isn't the first time Kuo has predicted that Apple may release an iPhone in a new 5.4-inch size next year.

At first, it seemed as if this smaller-sized iPhone could be a successor to the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro. But Kuo's newest report suggests that it may in fact be a lower-end model.

While all of Apple's 2020 iPhones are expected to have an OLED display and support for 5G, this version may only have two cameras instead of three, according to Kuo.

If Apple's current iPhone lineup is any indication of the future, the notion that the 5.4-inch iPhone would only have two cameras suggests it could be less expensive than other rumored models for next year. The iPhone 11, for example, has a dual camera instead of the iPhone 11 Pro's triple-lens camera and costs $300 less.

A 6.1-inch iPhone with two cameras

A 6.1-inch iPhone with two cameras

Apple could launch another version of that dual-lens iPhone with a larger 6.1-inch screen next year as well, says Kuo. That would make it the same size as the iPhone 11 and last year's iPhone XR.

This phone, like the others Apple is rumored to release next year, would also support 5G connectivity and would feature an OLED screen. But again, since it only has two cameras instead of three, there's a chance this could be another version of next year's cheaper iPhone in a larger size.

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A 6.1-inch iPhone with three cameras

A 6.1-inch iPhone with three cameras

A new 6.1-inch iPhone with three cameras could be coming next year, according to Kuo. Since it will reportedly have a triple-lens camera, this could be the successor to the iPhone 11 Pro.

This phone, like the less expensive models, would also be capable of connecting to 5G networks and is expected to come with an OLED screen.

Apple is also expected to add a 3-D camera that would improve the experience of using augmented reality apps to next year's iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. But it's unclear if that 3-D camera would come to all of Apple's new iPhones or just certain models.

A 6.7-inch iPhone with three cameras

A 6.7-inch iPhone with three cameras

Kuo suggests that a bigger 6.7-inch iPhone with three cameras could be coming in 2020 as well. That would make it the largest screen Apple has ever put on an iPhone. The current iPhone 11 Pro Max, for example, has a 6.5-inch display.

Since Apple's current iPhone 11 Pro comes in two sizes, it's possible that this 6.7-inch iPhone could be the larger-size option for next year's iPhone 12 Pro.

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A new version of the less expensive iPhone SE

A new version of the less expensive iPhone SE

Apple may finally release a follow-up to the $400 iPhone SE it released in 2016, according to reports from Kuo and Japanese newspaper Nikkei Asian Review.

The phone could launch in the first half of 2020 and may resemble the iPhone 8 with a 4.7-inch display. It may also run on the same processor as the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.