TrendForce says new iPhones to come with more space inside

Aug 12, 2021 17:48 GMT  ·  By

Apple will take the wraps off new iPhones next month, and naturally, these are expected to come with substantial upgrades, including larger batteries.

This is according to research firm TrendForce, who says that Apple will use a new PCB design that will essentially save some space inside.

And given Apple has more space under the hood of its new iPhones, there’s a chance the company would use it for other welcome upgrades, including larger batteries.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the iPhone 13 would be more expensive. TrendForce says the same prices as for the iPhone 12 will be used.

“The iPhone 13 will see a shift in its charging circuit board from the previous rigid-flex PCB design to a new design featuring SiP combined with flexible PCB. The space-saving feature of this new design will also likely result in increased battery capacity. As for retail prices, the iPhone 13 series is expected to remain similar to the iPhone 12 series assuming Apple is able to effectively control manufacturing costs, since the latest models do not come with significant hardware upgrades. As a result of this aggressive pricing scheme, iPhone shipment will likely maintain its growth trajectory for two consecutive years,” TrendForce says.

Four iPhone models coming this year

All iPhones will be unveiled in September, and TrendForce says this would allow the company to boost iPhone sales during the quarter.

“In addition, as the iPhone 13 series will once again return to a September release, total iPhone shipment is expected to undergo a 30% YoY increase in 3Q21, but a 5% YoY decrease in 4Q21. As such, iPhone sales for 2H21 will likely surpass 2H20 figures. For 2021, iPhones are expected to account for 16.7% of all smartphone shipment, which is a step-up compared to last year,” it estimates.

Apple will unveil four different iPhone models this year, all successors to the current models.