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Analyst: 2019 iPhones will sport at least some MPI antenna tech

In a note to clients — as noted by AppleInsider — analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that this year’s iPhones will at least partially move to modified polyamide (MPI) antennae rather than all liquid crystal polymer as used by the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR.

“We believe that the liquid crystal polymer (LCP) antenna limits the iPhone XS Max/XS/XR’s RF performance in some cases because of production issues; even [though] LCP theoretically has advantages for high-frequency RF transmission,” he said.

MPI is a compact, polyamide-based compact, thin, and flexible design with characteristics are perfectly suitable for integration into flexible displays for WLAN and Bluetooth connectivity. That means this could help Apple release a flexible iPhone. However, according to the Sellers Research Group (that’s me): Apple is certainly interested in anything that will lower costs while improving production yields, but has no plans for a flexible iPhone.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.