Tim Cook: 5G is still in its early innings, even if Samsung or Huawei are already selling compatible phones

Big players like Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi are already selling 5G compatible smartphones. But Apple CEO Tim Cook believes that the next-generation wireless network is still in its infancy. He also excluded any question about a possible iPhone 5G to come. “As far as 5G is concerned, we are in the early stages of its global deployment.” said Tim Cook in response to an analyst’s question about Apple’s potential plans to bring 5G connectivity to future iPhone.

Comments by Steve Jobs’ successor when the company’s first-quarter results are released come as several rumors indicate that Apple is developing 5G iPhones for a planned launch in September, as Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities say. However, Tim Cook declined to comment on the company’s plans for 5G, except to imply that the slow deployment of this technology in the United States could be a cause for concern for Apple. “I think it’s important, when you think about 5G, to look at the different deployment schedules around the world”. “Some of them are very different from what you might see here. It is very important.”

5G has been the main tech subject for years, but in 2019 many smartphone manufacturers and mobile operators started implementing this technology on a larger scale. Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S10, is for example available in a 5G variant. Android phone manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo and LG also sell 5G compatible devices.

Apple released record results on Tuesday (January 28th) in its first-quarter report. Sales of iPhones and Apple connected products for the holiday season resulted in a 9% increase in sales. IPhone revenue also resumed growth after four consecutive quarters of the year-over-year decline, largely due to the iPhone 11 lineup.

For the future, Apple could count on an iPhone SE 2 (aka iPhone 9) intended for owners of iPhone 6 and earlier. In addition to those who find the iPhone 11 too large or too expensive. It could also come out in March.