How is it almost August already? One minute we were covering the Samsung Galaxy S20 launch in March, then Coronavirus happened and suddenly we’re here, just over a month away from Apple’s annual flagship device launch in September. The first thing that we can confirm is, despite concerns surrounding delays due to the pandemic, the announcement is still on for early-mid September as usual. We’ll expect Tim Cook and co to show off the latest devices, perhaps not in the same ways as we’re used to, a reduced audience and fewer press attendance would not at all be surprising.
iPhone 12 Release Date
Apple are rumoured to launch 4 BRAND NEW iPhones in September. That’s right, 4 totally new products which will bring their total in 2020 this year to 5 iPhone releases. If you understandably hadn’t been paying attention during April, Apple dropped the new iPhone SE, a more affordable proposition whilst still providing consumers with every slice of the Apple life.
Because of the iPhone SE release, we can count out the option of another affordable device being launched, however, rumours heavily suggest we are going to get a smaller iPhone this year. It looks like Apple are going to scrap the 5.8” display which has been around for 3 years with the iPhone X, iPhone Xs and iPhone 11 Pro. A 5.4” device will be the smallest iPhone since the original iPhone SE. There will be two 6.1” devices and one giant 6.7” device, the largest iPhone to date.
As far as names are concerned, the 6.7” will most likely be the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and one of the 6.1” will be the iPhone 12 Pro. The other 6.1” device will be the slightly cheaper iPhone 12 Max, whilst we are at odds with what the 5.4” will be called. Without knowing Apple, you would assume that they would go with iPhone 12…but it’s never that simple.
iPhone 12 Design Changes
Apple are looking at their past designs to update their 2020 range. Sound like a backward step? Let me explain. We have been used to the iPhone design for a number of years now, the screen curving off to the shape of the device, in what seems like a perfect infinity display; until you turn it on. Apple are looking to redesign the edges of the iPhone, with the same shape as the iPhone 4, the more ‘squared’ edges, to achieve full edge-to-edge displays. Essentially, if you cross an iPhone 11 Pro with an iPhone 4, the result will be the iPhone 12.
We’re going to see a smaller notch in the new iPhones, once again maximising screen area, as they are able to fit the 3D face scanner, camera etc. into a smaller area. Some fans will be sorely disappointed with the news that there still won’t be a ‘notchless’ iPhone but it’s a step in the right direction.
Another exciting development is that they might be releasing a Navy Blue colour for the new range, in a similar fashion to the popular Midnight-Green colour for the iPhone 11 Pro/11 Pro Max.
As the devices will be more brick-shaped, it will allow the technology to fit in the shells more comfortably, allowing the iPhones to be slightly thinner this year. Reports suggest that the largest device will be 7.4mm thin compared to the 8.1mm currently boasted by the 11 Pro Max.
iPhone 12 Cameras Specs
Early renders of the new iPhones might make it look like there are 4 cameras on the Pro models, but what is more likely will be a 3 camera setup, similar to the 11 Pro/11 Pro Max, with an additional 3D sensor, which will make Augmented Reality a lot more accurate. The lower-priced models are expected to continue with a dual-camera setup.
Additional Hardware
Probably the most surprising rumour surrounding the new devices is apparently they will not ship with a power adapter, instead, you would have to purchase one from Apple at an additional cost. They will ship the iPhones with a Lightning cable, tbc whether it will be Lightning to USB or Lightning to USB-C, but the actual wall plug will not be available. This move is to keep down costs per unit whilst maintaining their current RRP, as costs of production have increased.
The units also won’t be coming with the standard Apple Earpods, which can also be purchased at an additional cost, but with earphones/headphones moving wireless now, they won’t be sorely missed.
iPhone 12 Display & Screen Size
The iPhones will come in three screen sizes: 5.4in and 6.1in for the basic models, and 6.1in and 6.7in for the iPhone 12 Pros and provide a wide range of iPhone 12 Pro Max Cases & Screen protectors after release. That comes from May's spec dump, but these numbers have been circulating for a while. All 4 of this year’s iPhones are expected to have OLED displays, completely phasing out the older LCD, but if Touch ID returns, it will only be available in the Pro models.
5G iPhone 12
Yes, we are finally getting a 5G enabled iPhone… Not just one though, all 4 models released in September are set to have 5G capabilities, which is huge. If Apple were to wait any longer, then consumers would surely be hesitant to purchase a device without 5G, because these devices simply aren’t ‘future-proof’.