iPhone 12, the final rumors: Everything to know before tomorrow’s Apple event

This story is a part of Apple Occasion, our full protection of the most recent information from Apple headquarters.

It is virtually time for the Oct. 13 Apple occasion, the place the iPhone 12 is predicted to be launched. The most recent information, from leaker Kang, reinforces the concept Apple will launch 4 telephone sizes inside the iPhone 12 lineup, all with 5G help. The leak additionally touched on value and launch date, amongst different particulars. We have summarized all of the rumors and leaks under. Till tomorrow’s digital Apple occasion (which you possibly can watch reside from house beginning at 10 a.m. PT, 1 p.m. ET or 6 p.m. BST), all we are able to do is speculate.

Whereas we normally see new flagship iPhones in September, the COVID-19 outbreak has pressured suppliers in China to close down or function on restricted capability. This affected not solely Apple’s stock in September, however it might have an effect on gross sales, too. Apple additionally closed its US retail shops, although now some have reopened in restricted methods. All this culminated with Apple confirming there could be a delay for the iPhone 12, 12 Professional, 12 Professional Max and iPhone 12 Mini.

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Despite such disruptions and Apple’s veil of secrecy, there are some things we do know about the iPhone 12. From what we’ve seen in iOS 14 (which is available for download now), we know the phone will have software features like widgets, app libraries and picture-in-picture. Unofficial hardware rumors include 3D depth sensing on its rear cameras and new screen sizes. Adding 5G connectivity would also make sense considering Apple’s main rival, Samsung, launched several 5G phones this year, including the recent Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, as well as the flagship Galaxy S20 phones. The later timeline might have some unexpected positive consequences too, including giving carriers like Verizon more time to build out its 5G coverage.

Read more: iPhone 12 wish list: 5 features I wish Apple would copy from Samsung

As we wait for Oct. 13 to roll around, check back often as we will continue to update it with the most probable and compelling rumors. And if you’re already planning to get the device, here are three things you can do now to prep for the iPhone 12.

Top iPhone 12 rumors

• Apple said the iPhone 12 will be available “a few weeks later” than the usual mid-September launch. Apple has since sent an invitation to its Oct. 13 event, where the iPhone 12 launch is expected.
• There may be four iPhone 12 models in four different screen sizes: the iPhone 12 Mini (5.4-inch) the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro (6.1-inch), 12 Pro Max (6.7-inch).
• The four iPhone 12 models could have different release dates: The iPhone 12 Mini may be available for preorder on Nov. 6 or 7, with a release date of Nov. 12 or 13. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro could start preorders on Oct. 16 or 17 and release Oct. 23 or 24. And the iPhone 12 Pro Max preorder date is rumored to be Nov. 13 or 14, released Nov. 20 or 21.
• The iPhone 12 Mini model may start at $699, the same as the iPhone 11’s starting price.
• iPhone 12 phones may have 5G.
• iPhone 12 may not come with earbuds or a power adapter.
• iPhone 12 may come in dark blue.
• iPhone 12’s rear-facing camera(s) may have 3D depth-sensing technology.

Announcement date: Oct. 13

Back in August, in what appeared to be a misstep on Apple’s part, a Twitter user posted a screenshot of a possible Apple livestream event scheduled for Sept. 10. The event date and time appeared on Apple’s YouTube page and then was taken down.

The event actually ended up being held on Sept. 15, and it wasn’t at all about the iPhone. Another mobile leaker and Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser reported that the iPhone 12 would be introduced during an Oct. 12 event and will ship out Oct. 19, for instance.

We now know Apple will host another virtual event on Oct. 13, where the iPhone 12 is expected to make its debut.

Release date: iPhone 12 lineup may have staggered release dates

Despite Apple’s largest manufacturer, Foxconn, assuring investors it should still make its fall timeline, The Wall Street Journal reported that the iPhone 12 could face delays. This is due to the coronavirus pandemic and its unprecedented effect on manufacturing and consumer demands. The report estimated that Apple may wait until October to announce or launch the phone, which is about a month after the iPhone’s usual launch. As we moved into October, this estimate proved true.

Apple CFO Luca Maestri all but confirmed this on a quarterly earnings call, saying, “This year, we project supply to be available a few weeks later” than last year’s mid-September launch. 

Others have suggested not a single launch date but several. A rumor floated by DigiTimes and picked up by MacRumors, suggested that Apple may launch its 2020 iPhones in multiple stages. The two 6.1-inch iPhone models may launch first, with the 6.7- and 5.4-inch variants coming later. (For more on the different speculated iPhone sizes, read more below.)

The Oct. 9 leak by Kang, reported by The Verge, predicts the following preorder and release dates for the four models:

• iPhone 12 Mini: Preorders Nov. 6 or 7; release date Nov. 12 or 13
• iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro: Preorders Oct. 16 or 17; release date Oct. 23 or 24
• iPhone 12 Pro Max: Preorders Nov. 12 or 13; release date Nov. 20 or 21

While we expect to see the iPhone 12 at Apple’s Oct. 13 event, no release date has been confirmed thus far.

Price: iPhone 12 may be cheaper than iPhone 11

When the iPhone 11 debuted last year, we were pleasantly surprised that its base model cost $699, which was $50 cheaper than 2018’s iPhone XR. This trend may continue, with one tech analyst reporting that Apple will price the iPhone 12 at $649, the iPhone 12 Pro at $999 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max at $1,099. Here’s everything we know about iPhone 12’s price so far.

The latest leak, however, prices the four models a bit differently, putting the iPhone 12 Mini at $699, the same as iPhone 11’s starting price. The leak also shows a $799 price for iPhone 12, $999 for iPhone 12 Pro and $1,099 for iPhone 12 Pro Max.

5G: iPhone 12 may have next-gen connectivity

Several rumors are predicting that Apple will include 5G connectivity this year. More specifically, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the company to unveil three 5G phones, and Fast Company reported that Apple may use its own proprietary 5G antennas.

Kang says that not only will all four phones (12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max) support low-band and midband 5G but that will support mmWave (which is faster but has much less range).

There are a couple of reasons why the company didn’t jump on the trend in 2019. First, Apple usually isn’t the first in on mobile trends, preferring instead to perfect an emerging technology before committing to it. For example, it was behind its competitors in making phones with 3G and 4G LTE connectivity when those networks just launched. 

Second, Apple stopped working with the leading 5G modem provider, Qualcomm, because of a dispute over Qualcomm’s licensing fees. The two companies settled their litigation in April 2019, and then agreed to a multiyear 5G chip deal. This led to Apple’s previous partner of 5G modems, Intel, to ultimately exit the 5G phone modem business altogether and Apple later acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business for $1 billion. Apple is still working with Qualcomm, but it got started too late to launch a 5G phone last year when a few of its rivals released their 5G models, like the Galaxy S10 5G, LG V50 5G and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.

Whatever its start date though, Apple releasing a 5G phone is notable not only because the phone will be able to connect to the next-gen network, but also because this standout feature won’t be entirely under Apple’s control. 5G networks are built by carriers, and Apple is taking a risk because users all across the country will have different experiences on this nascent network depending on their coverage. 

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Design: iPhone 12 may be similar (or not) to iPhone 11

Every other year, Apple usually makes notable cosmetic changes to its iPhone to freshen up its look, much to the delight of anticipating buyers. But a report by Japanese publication Mac Otakara, citing an unnamed Chinese supplier, reported that the iPhone 12 will look similar to the iPhone 11. The only possible difference is that the iPhone 12’s edges will be slightly bowed. 

On the other hand, Apple is also speculated to completely revamp the iPhone’s design with flat edges (similar to the new iPads). This could trigger what Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called “the perfect storm of demand,” which would drive up sales and result in a “super cycle” for Apple. 

While the new iPad Air features a Touch ID button, a welcome alternative to Face Unlock in the age of coronavirus masks, we don’t think iPhone 12 will follow suit, unfortunately. We’ve rounded up our best guesses about iPhone 12’s design here.

Equipment: iPhone 12 could not include EarPods or an influence adapter

In one of many extra unpopular rumors, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple could not embrace its wired EarPod headphones within the iPhone 12 field. This is able to be a transfer to encourage individuals to purchase the corporate’s wi-fi AirPods as a substitute. (Apple is rumored to be asserting a pair of over-ear headphones referred to as AirPods Studio, too.) Apple has included EarPod headphones for the reason that iPhone 5 launch in 2012, so this is able to be a notable change. AirPod and AirPod Professional earbuds are at the moment priced at $159 (£159, AU$249) and $249 (£249, AU$399), respectively.

Ming-Chi Kuo expects that the iPhone 12 will ship with out a energy adapter as nicely, in response to 9to5Mac. The reason being primarily for prices — by foregoing it, Apple can preserve prices down whereas loading the telephone with 5G parts. It will additionally assist decrease freight prices as the dimensions of the packaging would shrink.

Apple would not be alone within the change. Samsung’s Be aware 20 and Be aware 20 Extremely additionally do not include headphones — although if you actually need a pair, Samsung will ship them without spending a dime. However in contrast to the ability adapter rumor, the Be aware telephones nonetheless include a charger within the field.

Learn extra: What else may Apple announce on Oct. 13?

Processor: iPhone 12 will probably have A14 Bionic

On condition that the most recent iPhones have the A13 Bionic processor, it’s extremely possible that the following proprietary chipset will probably be referred to as the A14 Bionic. And like yearly, we anticipate this one to be quicker and extra environment friendly than its predecessor. Extra particularly nevertheless, one Apple leaker on Twitter, Komiya, reported that the A14 could have a CPU achieve of 40% and a GPU achieve of fifty%.

Colours: iPhone 12 Professional could are available in darkish blue

Final yr Apple launched a midnight inexperienced shade on the iPhone 11 Professional and 11 Professional Max. Whether or not you just like the shade or not, the colour variant truly bought nicely in comparison with expectations. This yr there could also be a risk that Apple will launch one other new shade, navy blue, on the iPhone 12 Professional in response to XDA Developer. This is able to be on development since blue is each Pantone’s shade choose for the brand new yr (“traditional blue”) and Shutterstock included “phantom blue” in its shade forecast for 2020.

Specs and show: 4 doable iPhone 12 fashions

One of many extra enduring rumors in regards to the upcoming iPhones is that Apple could introduce new display sizes. One of many fashions, rumored to be referred to as the iPhone 12 Mini in response to a Sept. 24 leak, may have a 5.4-inch display (of the present iPhones, the iPhone SE has the smallest show, which measures 4.7 inches). And the iPhone 12 Professional Max may go as giant as 6.7 inches (for reference, the iPhone 11 Professional Max has a 6.5-inch show).

There’s additionally hypothesis that the iPhone 12’s show could have a 120Hz refresh fee and that maybe the iPhone 12 Professional could have a ProMotion show, which is at the moment featured on the iPad Professional. Most telephones refresh at 60 frames per second, or 60Hz, however different telephones, just like the Galaxy S20 and the OnePlus 8 Professional refresh at 120Hz. With the next refresh fee, a telephone feels quicker and smoother when scrolling by issues like internet pages and apps.

It is already been predicted that every one 4 new telephones could have OLED shows. However leaker Kang suggests that every one new telephones will get Tremendous Retina XDR screens, not simply higher-end fashions just like the 11 Professional and 11 Professional Max did this yr.

With the potential for new show sizes, rumors that Apple will increase its iPhone line have been swirling round. In December 2019, CNET’s Lexy Savvides wrote:

In accordance with JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee, Apple will launch 4 new iPhone 12 fashions within the fall of 2020: a 5.4-inch mannequin, two 6.1-inch telephones and a 6.7-inch telephone. All of them could have OLED shows.

These measurement predictions have been additionally backed this week by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes the present 5.8-inch measurement of the iPhone 11 Professional could also be going away. So the 5.4-inch and one of many 6.1-inch fashions would be the lower-end units, presumably referred to as the iPhone 12. Then the dearer telephones would be the different 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Professional and 12 Professional Max, respectively.

Learn extra: The very best methods to promote or commerce in your outdated iPhone in 2020

So far as storage goes, it was rumored that Apple was eliminating 64GB of storage in baseline fashions. Kang says that the 12 mini and 12 will nonetheless include 64GB and as much as 256GB. However the 12 Professional and 12 Professional Max could be accessible with 128GB to 512GB.

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Camera: iPhone 12 may have 3D depth sensing

Since the iPhone X, newer iPhones have front-facing cameras that have 3D depth sensing. Known as Face ID, this feature scans your face for unlocking your phone and authorizing digital payments. It’s been rumored that Apple may take it up a notch and introduce that same system to the rear cameras. In August 2019, CNET’s Vanessa Orellana wrote:

Longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors and 9to5Mac) said he expects two of the 2020 iPhones models to have a new time-of-flight camera lens on the back of the phone. The setup would be similar to that of the current True Depth camera system used for Face ID on the front of the phone, except it would use a slightly different type of technology that could allow it to 3D map objects from farther away. This would significantly improve its augmented reality applications and take certain camera features like Portrait Mode to the next level.

Renders of the iPhone’s camera array integrating the depth-sensing lens have been circulating, with many online commenters remarking how the iPhone 12’s possible camera layout looks similar to a stovetop.

It’s unclear how many of the new iPhones would be equipped with this feature, if any.

Many rumors point to the new 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max getting lidar. But Kang says that the telephoto camera will go from 2x optical zoom to 3x optical zoom on the 12 Pro, and 4x optical zoom on the 12 Pro Max.

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