As Apple enters the 2020 decade showcasing new consumer electronics and software, the California-based manufacturer has a challenge as it prepares to roll out its line of products with 5G. For Android manufacturers, 5G is a constant strain on battery life, and Apple’s first 5G iPhone might not be the exception.
Apple’s decision to roll out its new series of 5G compatible phones puts them in the difficult choice of compromising crucial battery life, which means that the new iPhone’s battery might drain quickly. The incorporation of Sub-6GHz 5G technology to its devices implies a near-100 US dollar markup.
Battery life has always been a problem for the iPhone since its inception. As time went by, Apple’s development and demands of its manufacturers in making better chips with higher performance have come at the expense of lower and lower battery life. It’s up to the point that no iPhone user out there can expect their phones to last a whole day while unplugged, making power banks and charging cases a necessity more than a cosmetic attachment. Shaving off battery costs is one of the many ways that the Cupertino-based manufacturer deals with the costly upgrade towards 5g.
Apple’s Battle in Court
While Apple prepares to roll out their phones and consumer electronics next September, a bitter lawsuit in a Northern District of California court ensues as the California company faces off with Epic Games over the popular battle-royale shooter Fortnite. The Fortnite app got banned from the exclusive App Store, and Epic Games chose to take that matter to court. Things are not easy for Apple because on the Epic Games defense team counts with top-level lawyers, including a former US Assistant District Attorney for the antitrust division within the Department of Justice with ample expertise regarding cybersecurity and the laws concerning royalties.
US Authorities Tell Apple that WeChat ban will not extend to China.
The United States government issued an ultimatum for Tencent-owned instant messaging app WeChat, banning American companies conducting business with the company. If enforced, Apple has to remove the app from the App Store platform. If Apple removes WeChat from the App Store in Mainland China, it will cause significant losses for the company. Millions of Chinese users who rely on WeChat and the services it provides would dump their iPhones. And those users will seek other manufacturers to provide them with a mobile phone that allows them to carry on with their everyday lives without worrying about the United States-China trade war. Washington, DC, made it very clear to American companies that their Chinese deals with WeChat will remain unaffected. Still, any move by the US government involving Chinese companies has repercussions on big American companies.
