Monday, June 29, 2020

iPhone 12 2020: Something big might be missing from the box this year

The camera array is certainly eye-catching

Now WWDC is out of the way and iOS 14 is available as a beta, our attention is turning to Apple’s next big event. We expect this to be the unveiling of the iPhone 12 and there is already a lot of internet chatter about what Apple has in store for us. Read on for all the latest news, leaks and rumours.

While the iPhone SE 2 positioned itself as a great addition to the iPhone family for the iOS user on a budget, it’s now up to Apple once again to match the phone with an equally impressive flagship (or four). So far, we’re seeing signs of a new design, 5G connectivity and a smaller notch.

We’ve rounded all of the early leaks and rumours up in one place so you can stay up to date on what Apple is up to in 2020. Here’s everything we know about the iPhone 12 series so far.

All the iPhone 12 rumours at a glance

  • What is it? The iPhone 12 is the follow-up to 2019’s iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
  • What will the iPhone 12 look like? We could see a design more akin to the angular iPhone 5, rather than the softer curves of the iPhone 11.
  • When’s it out? Probably September 2020. The coronavirus pandemic could cause delays in when the handsets will actually ship out.
  • What will it cost? We’d expect the price to be in line with current models, so upwards of £700 – though this could rise due to recent increases in manufacturing costs.
  • Will iPhone 12 have 5G connectivity? Almost certainly, but we’re not sure whether this will apply to all of the new models or just the pricier options.
  • Will it come with USB-C? Rumours suggest we’re in for another year of Lightning.

iPhone 12 latest news

The latest news about the iPhone 12 revolves a lot around its charging skills. We’ve seen some rumours that suggest the iPhone 12 will support 20w charging, that’s a 2w boost over the iPhone 11 series. However, it’s important to note that while the iPhone 11 does support 18w charging, only the Pro and Pro Max models come with that faster charger in the box. If you’ve got an iPhone 11 you’ll need to buy it separately, or stick with the slow 5w charger that is included.

An extra 2w might not seem like much, but with the iPhone still so far behind Android rivals when it comes to charging speeds any improvement is welcome.

This support for 20w charging has also been backed up by respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), however his note comes with an extra bit of information: it looks like you won’t get a power adaptor in the box with any iPhone 12 model. That means you’ll either have to use a charger you already have or pay up and purchase the new 20w brick.

Kuo states that one reason behind this move could be to offset the higher production cost of the 5G phones. It also seems like Apple will stop production entirely of 5w and 18w chargers and remove it from iPhone SE 2 boxes later this year.

Previous rumours suggested the iPhone 12 would with ship without the earbuds that have always been present in the box of the iPhone too. So it looks like we could be looking at a very empty box when we unbox a shiny new iPhone 12 later this year.

iPhone 12 release date – When will it come out?

Apple has offered no official release date for the iPhone 12, but there has been plenty of speculation around when it might arrive. The last four major iPhone releases have taken place in September, leading us to expect a September release for the iPhone 12:

While the official launch might still take place in September, there is a chance there will be a delay in devices arriving on shelves due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. According to the WSJ, iPhone production has been pushed back a month. Apple supplier Broadcom has also spoken up to analysts about a “major product cycle delay” with one of its clients. This doesn’t necessarily mean the whole range will be pushed back – we might even see a split release, with the higher end model arriving later than the standard iPhone. This wouldn’t be the first time Apple has adopted this strategy, having done so in 2017 with the iPhone X.

The latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system (presumably called iOS 14) has also traditionally made its debut around the same time of year and the OS will almost certainly be pre-loaded onto the new models as standard. Major iOS updates are usually unveiled at WWDC in June, followed by an array of public and developer-only betas in the run-up to the big launch event.

iPhone 12 price – How much will it cost?

If there’s one thing everyone thinks they know about iPhones, it’s that they don’t come cheap. But it seems that Apple is trying to change that brand image this year, firstly with the iPhone SE 2, and secondly with a new addition to the main iPhone 12 range that’s much more affordable, for a total of five devices across the price spectrum.

Jon Prosser was the source of a great deal of insider information on the iPhone SE 2, so these estimates are easily the most reliable prices we for the iPhone 12 series. They’re also roughly in line with our expectations.

According to his list, there will be a total of four models in the range, with three acting as direct successors to the existing iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, and the remaining model being a brand new design with a 5.4-inch screen and a more affordable starting price of $649 (~£525).

However, the starting prices do go all the way up to $1099 (£890) for the premium model, so it’s not as if you’ll be able to bag a top-end iPhone for a snip.

iPhone 12 design

The latest big iPhone 12 news suggests, once again, that we’ll be seeing a huge design overhaul this time around. We delve further into the previous rumours around this below.

We’ve now seem some ‘leaked’ models of the new iPhone 12 series, which show a new, far more angular design. These show a much more angular phone, with flat sides and have many similarities to the iPad Pro.

What these models fail to show is the smaller notch (which you can read more about below) so it’ll be interesting to see whether that rumour comes to pass or if we have to wait another year.

How many models of the iPhone 12 will there be?

UBS analysts believe that Apple will release not one, but four new iPhones in 2020, with the following specifications:

  • A 6.7-inch iPhone with 6GB of RAM and a triple-lens rear camera with 3D sensing
  • A 6.1-inch iPhone with 6GB of RAM and a triple-lens rear camera with 3D sensing
  • A 6.1-inch iPhone with 4GB of RAM and a dual-lens rear camera
  • A 5.4-inch iPhone with 4GB of RAM and a dual-lens rear camera

It would be unusual to see Apple release a slate of four new phones, but it’s understandable as each performs a different function for the brand, from an affordable option all the way to a no-holds-barred, supersize, premium device. But what will they look like?

Twitter leaker Ben Geskin has reported that Apple is working on creating a new Face ID system with smaller optics (above), which could result in a more subtle notch that hugs the top of the phone more closely, perhaps even fitting within the phone’s bezel. It would be a radical design change if the iPhone 12 had a smaller notch or possibly no notch at all (with an in-display camera instead). Several leaks and tips suggest that Apple might also reintroduce TouchID under the display.

Image Credit: EverythingApplePro / Max Weinbach

Since then, a full video of iPhone 12 Pro Max renders has surfaced courtesy of Max Weinbach (once again) and Everything Apple Pro:

While the design looks familiar, there are a few key changes. Firstly the screen size has been augmented slightly, to reach 6.7-inches and at the top of that screen, the notch has also been shrunk so that now it appears to measure approximately 2cm across. On top of that, the device itself seems to be slimmer with a less obvious camera bump, now measuring 7.4mm thick overall.

If you’ve also been hoping for a refreshed colour palette, then there’s yet more good news on the way. Tipster Max Weinbach, who recently polished his reputation with a flurry of highly accurate Samsung Galaxy S20 leaks, has stated that the upcoming iPhone 12 Pro is set to be available in navy blue (shown above in a rendered image). The current model, the iPhone 11 Pro, is available in the following four tones: Space Grey, Silver, Midnight Green, and Gold, so we’re not sure if this new colour will be an extra or a replacement.

The latest rumours are hinting that Apple might be going back to a design it used many years ago. Like the latest round of iPad Pros, it has been suggested the iPhone 12 could have a look similar to the iPhone 5. According to the well-informed Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, some handsets in the line-up will resemble the squarer, more angular design of one of our favourite iPhones ever. Gurman also suggests that at least the two high-end iPhone 12 models will benefit from the new designs, perhaps creating a tiered design hierarchy.

Another, slightly minor, piece of information we have heard surrounding the next iPhone is that it might be the first flagship from Apple to ditch the included EarPods headphones. Now, don’t expect this to mean you’ll find a pair of AirPods nestled in the iPhone 12’s packaging, instead, it seems like you’ll have to provide your own buds. A couple of iterations ago Apple ditched the included headphone dongle so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise the ‘Pods themselves might be next.

We’ve also seen another rumour suggesting that the iPhone 12 will, once again, use Lightning as its main connection port – rather than the now far more common USB-C port you’ll find on the iPad Pro, all of Apple’s laptops and just about every Android phone.

 

iPhone 12 software – iOS 14 arriving in June

Apple announced iOS 14 during the keynote presentation for WWDC and it is shaping up to be a big update.

You can download the beta now and it’s coming to all the phones that supported iOS 13 and we expect it to come installed on the iPhone 12.

Check the list below for some of the big new features:

  • An improved home screen layout with widgets and app storage
  • The ability to set alternative default apps
  • Improved Siri with new design
  • Plenty of new UI tweaks
  • Improved Home app with new automation options
  • A translate app
  • Big updates to Maps and Messages

Check our dedicated iOS 14 features page for loads more on the new software update.

iPhone 12 screen

According to prolific leaker Ice Universe, Apple is speaking with major AMOLED display manufacturers (including both Samsung and LG) the screen requirements, and the brand is also mulling over an increased refresh rate, from standard 60Hz to a super-fast 120Hz. It looks like all the versions of the iPhone 12 will use OLED, but the faster refresh will likely be kept for the pricier Pro model.

A variable refresh rate would mean that the new iPhone could switch between high and low refresh rates depending on the use – like the ProMotion tech used in the iPad Pro – meaning that the iPhone will catch up with the latest generation of Android phones (including the Pixel 4, Samsung Galaxy S20, and the OnePlus 8 Pro).

But a variable refresh rate similar to the iPad Pro’s ProMotion tech would be a much-welcome addition to the range and should help save battery life as it won’t be pushing 120Hz or 90Hz all the time.

According to a tweet from Ross Young, CEO/Founder at Display Supply Chain Consultants, the range appears to feature multiple different display technologies, as seen in the chart in the above tweet.

iPhone 12 camera – A four-sensor set-up?

Apple recently bought out a start-up, Spectral Edge, which uses infrared imaging tech and machine learning to create “crisper and more lifelike photos”. The company has worked on better white balancing, as well as combining infrared photographs with standard photos, to capture better photos in sub-optimal misty and foggy conditions.

Could this provide any clues for what we can expect from the iPhone 12? Truth be told, it’s probably too early for the tech in question to join this year’s iPhone, but it certainly gives us a good idea of we’ll see in the future, and we can’t wait to see how it will look in action.

For now, we at least expect the iPhone 12 Pro models to have a similar set-up to the iPhone 11 Pro, with three rear camera lenses (wide-angle, ultrawide, and telephoto) – but it would certainly be nice to see a telephoto sensor added to the iPhone 12 base model for a diverse triple camera experience.

According to the video posted by EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach (embedded further up the page), the Pro versions of the handsets will also feature LiDAR sensors in order to enhance Augmented Reality capabilities (similar to the one found on the latest iPad Pro). This would give the device a fourth sensor, making it even more versatile.

Will the iPhone 12 have 5G?

Nikkei has reported that Apple is preparing to ship a total of 80 million units of 5G-enabled modems for this year’s iPhone. This news almost certainly means that each phone in the new flagship range will support 5G, in a complete U-turn from the surprising omission in last year’s range.

We’re looking forward to seeing what Apple can get out of the new technology. The manufacturer seems to have timed this release just right, as, by September, 5G networks should be in far better shape than they are currently, making it an even more enticing proposition to more consumers than before.

The post iPhone 12 2020: Something big might be missing from the box this year appeared first on Trusted Reviews.



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