The iPhone 12 launch won’t be a massive event, he says

Sep 21, 2020 21:14 GMT  ·  By

The launch of the new-generation iPhones is one of the most anticipated moments of the year in the tech world, and despite the delay that pushed the typical unveiling from September to October, the addition of 5G across the entire lineup is certainly a massive upgrade.

Not everybody sees it as a breaking change on the iPhone though, as AT&T Communications CEO Jeff McElfresh believes the launch of the new models won’t be a massive event.

"I do believe that you will see many of the iPhone subscribers move to upgrade to the device," McElfresh told CNBC. "But I wouldn't forecast that it's going to be a massive event. I also don't think it's going to be a nonevent. I think customers, based on the pressures of the economy that we're all facing today, will make a calculated decision as to what they want to do. And we're going to be there to offer them any device that Apple launches here shortly."

The 6G push

While the iPhone is only now making the switch to 5G, the AT&T official seems to downplay the new feature, explaining that his company is already working on 6G in the United States.

It goes without saying that this technology is still in the very early development stages, so it would still take a lot of time until it’s ready for debut. But with companies investing in 6G, it’s pretty clear that it’ll be here pretty fast.

What this means is that we’re expecting a massive migration to 5G for the mobile industry, especially as 6G is already in the works. Most likely, 2021 will be the year when everybody moves to 5G, a transition that will most likely be fueled by Apple also embracing the new tech.