Apple's next-gen phone won't come out until 2020: Report

Tech giant Apple may fall behind competitors in the race to produce the next generation of wireless phones.

Apple won’t release a 5G – fifth generation cellular wireless – phone until at least 2020, people familiar with the company’s plans told Bloomberg. While the tech company also waited to release its 3G and 4G products – over concerns of glitches and bugs – that strategy may hurt the iPhone maker this time around because the speed and data capabilities associated with the next generation of wireless technology could be game changing, Bloomberg reported.

Apple did not immediately return FOX Business’ request for comment.

5G internet connectivity is expected to bring much faster upload and download speeds, higher quality video and improved internet connectivity. It is a brand new technology using the radio spectrum.

Companies like Verizon and Samsung said they will release smartphones with 5G connectivity sometime in the first half of next year. China’s Huawei is also expected to release a 5G phone next year.

Meanwhile, Apple has seen a decline in sales throughout recent years – particularly in markets like China where some consumers prefer the country’s domestic brands, including Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi, which offer cheaper products.

In the fourth quarter, iPhone sales totaled 46.9 million, missing Wall Street’s expectation of 47.5 million.

Apple has been able to offset a decline in sale with pricier offerings, like the iPhone XS.

Last month, executives from the Cupertino, California-based company said they would stop reporting the number of iPhones sold each quarter, suggesting those figures are not an accurate representation of the company’s overall business.