Suppliers prepare for 60 million 5G mmWave iPhone 13 units, says Digitimes

5g Iphone
5g Iphone (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple is reportedly gearing up to make 60 million mmWave 5G iPhone 13 models.
  • That would back up previous reports Apple is expanding the faster version of 5G to more iPhone models this year.
  • The figure would be two-thirds of Apple's reported 90 million requested for its initial launch.

A new report from Digitimes suggests that Apple suppliers are preparing to fulfill orders for 60 million units of mmWave 5G-capable iPhone 13 units for its initial wave of production, seemingly confirming reports of much higher proliferation of the tech this year.

From Digitimes

TSMC and other Taiwan partners in the chips supply chain for iPhones are gearing up to start fulfilling initial orders for new iPhones slated for launch later this year including 60 million 5G mmWave models

According to previous reports Apple has asked for a total of 90 million units by the end of 2021, suggesting that around two-thirds of Apple's iPhone 13 units will ship with mmWave 5G to begin with. This would likely be a massive increase on the iPhone 12. Currently, Apple's best iPhone, mmWave 5G is significantly faster than Sub-6 GHz but offers less range.

Reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously reported that Apple may bring mmWave to Australia, Japan, Canada, and other major European carriers. Digitimes has also previously reported that a much higher proportion of this year's iPhones will be mmWave capable.

Other reports indicate the new iPhone will feature a faster A15 chip, 120Hz displays for the Pro models, and possibly a smaller notch.

At its Q3 earnings call Apple warned of continued constraints to iPhone and iPad supply, with reports suggesting that Apple might be overestimating demand in order to make sure it can keep up.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9