Well-connected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple will use modified-PI (MPI) material for most of the antennas used in 2019 iPhones, in place of the liquid crystal polymer (LCP) material used for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR antennas.
MacRumors reports Kuo believes that LCP limits the RF performance of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR antennas due to current technology limitations and production issues. Although MPI is easier and cheaper to produce, its RF performance is at least on par with LCP.
Kuo expects LCP will remain as the primary material for 5G antennas in the 2020 iPhone, as he believes that the production issues limiting the RF performance of LCP will be resolved by then. Kup also said he expects Apple to use LCP material in future iPad models, starting from the late fourth quarter of 2019.
Kuo posted a separate research not last month that predicts new iPad Pro models with the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes as the current models will begin mass production between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.