Kuo Shares 2019 iPhone Expectations: 18W USB-C Charger for Higher-End Models, Bilateral Wireless Charging Might Not Happen

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this afternoon sent out a note to investors recapping his expectations for Apple's 2019 iPhone lineup, which is set to be unveiled during tomorrow's September 10 event.

Much of what's included in the note, which was seen by MacRumors, covers predictions that we've previously heard many times, though Kuo offers up details on some rumors that were previously not confirmed, along with some new information on the potential bilateral wireless charging feature and the USB-C chargers we've heard about.

2019iphonesingle
Here's a roundup of the information shared in the report:

  • New iPhones won't support Apple Pencil.
  • New iPhones will feature a Lightning connector, not a USB-C port.
  • 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED models will ship with an 18W adapter with a USB-C connector.
  • The 6.1-inch LCD ‌iPhone‌ will continue to ship with a 5W power adapter with a USB-A connector.
  • The new iPhones may not support two-way wireless charging after all "because the charging efficiency may not meet Apple’s requirements."
  • Design and notch of new iPhones to be unchanged. New colors expected (likely referring to the new colors for the XR).
  • Triple-lens cameras for the 5.8 and 6.5-inch iPhones.
  • All three iPhones will offer ultra-wideband support for improved indoor navigation and object tracking purposes.

Ultra-wideband support is perhaps one of the most interesting changes that's gotten limited coverage. It's a short-range, low-power radio technology that offers more precise indoor positioning than Bluetooth LE and WiFi, which suggests that Apple's rumored Tile-like Apple Tags for keeping track of lost objects will be more accurate than products from competitors.

On the other details included in the note, we've heard reports of Apple's plans to introduce 18W chargers for fast charging out of the box, but previous rumors didn't indicate that the chargers would be limited to the ‌iPhone‌ XS and XS Max successors.

Bilateral wireless charging, which would allow the ‌iPhone‌ to charge devices like the AirPods and the Apple Watch, has long been rumored. In fact, a recent report from Bloomberg suggested Apple is moving the Apple logo on the new iPhones from the top to the middle of the devices specifically for this feature, so it may have been a late stage decision to nix it.

Kuo says that he expects shipments of the new ‌iPhone‌ models will decline by 5 to 10 percent year over year to 65 to 70 million units because of a "lack of innovative selling points." ‌iPhone‌ shipments in 2019 still might reach 180 million units, though, thanks to "demand boosted by price-cut legacy ‌iPhone‌ models."

We don't have long to wait to see what's in store for the 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup. Apple's ‌iPhone‌ event will kick off at 10:00 a.m Pacific Time. MacRumors will be providing live coverage of the event both here on MacRumors.com and on the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Update: Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has backed Kuo's claim that the widely rumored two-way charging feature for 2019 iPhones has been canceled.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

s15119 Avatar
46 months ago
Now I am extremely disappointed that half of the rumors aren’t going to make the cut for the 2019 iPhones. For shame, Apple
Apple is to shame because you wanted to believe rumors? I hope you're kidding. hint: this article is a rumor.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kungxpao Avatar
46 months ago
What is it with Apple and their issues with wireless charging?
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AyeKay15 Avatar
46 months ago
Now I am extremely disappointed that half of the rumors aren’t going to make the cut for the 2019 iPhones. For shame, Apple
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
46 months ago
We've come a LONG way in a very short time! I think people forgot that just 12 years ago, the iPhone was first introduced and set a whole new bar for mobile technology.

Two-way charging doesn't seem to be a very efficient use of a mobile's battery. I remain skeptical of that feature, and I agree that Apple should lean towards the conservative with that feature, rather than shipping it "just because" the competition, namely Samsung, offers it.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dominiongamma Avatar
46 months ago
Now I am extremely disappointed that half of the rumors aren’t going to make the cut for the 2019 iPhones. For shame, Apple
People should have known that 2020 will be the major upgrade. Anyone who thought 2019 was going to be big was setting themselves up for disappointment
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eduardo1971 Avatar
46 months ago
My prediction:
By this time tomorrow half of MR readers will be happy and the other half will be angry.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...
maxresdefault

Nothing Launches $149 Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to Compete With AirPods Pro 2

Wednesday March 22, 2023 9:48 am PDT by
Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they're a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash. The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 to Developers [Update: Public RC Available]

Tuesday March 21, 2023 10:25 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the launch of the fourth betas. The RCs mark the final version of the software that will be provided to the public in the near future. Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates...
apple park at night 1

Apple 'Tracking Employee Attendance' in Crackdown on Remote Working

Thursday March 23, 2023 3:41 am PDT by
Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer. Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...