Despite fierce competition from smartphone manufacturing giants across the globe, the Apple iPhone remains one of the most sought-after premium pieces of consumer technology in the world. Rumours of updates and new models often fuel excitement in the tech community and amongst consumers eager to see what the Californian company have come up with next.
Here’s a round-up of the latest news and rumours for the iPhone 12, expected to be the next major phone release from Apple.
When is the iPhone 12 released?
The best guess was that the iPhone 12 would be released in September 2020, however it looks like it could be delayed.
Although no official announcement has been made by Apple, it was largely expected that the next generation iPhone will be unveiled at an autumn event in 2020.
According to the latest rumours from a supposed leak, there will be four new models named iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Max, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, following the same pattern as the previous release.
On Tuesday September 10th 2019, Tim Cook showcased the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The devices began shipping shortly afterwards.
Apple usually has its annual launch events in September, so it was expected that this would be the same for 2020. However, it seems that the coronavirus crisis could have impacted the supply chain and delayed the iPhone 12 release. Current rumours are that it will be pushed back by one to two months, meaning we’d be seeing it around October or November this year. Other guesses suggest the delay could even push the date back until 2021.
How much will the iPhone 12 cost?
Pricing information is never announced for devices until much closer to sale, but if the iPhone 11 is anything to go by, the iPhone 12 will probably start from about $700 and around £700.
However, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max were significantly more expensive, so if the iPhone 12 has several higher spec variants, it seems likely that some models will retail over $1,000 or £1,000 each.
Latest iPhone deals
Can’t wait for the iPhone 12? We’ve rounded up some of the best iPhone 11 deals in a full list. Here’s a snippet of what’s on offer this month from the 64GB models:
iPhone 11 64GB, £44.50 per month [with cashback] deal (£0 upfront)
The 64GB device at no upfront cost and a charge of £44.50 per month, when the £180 cashback deal is taken into consideration (£52 without). Unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts on EE.
iPhone 11 Pro 64GB, £55 per month (£189.99 upfront)
There’s a upfront payment on this one but only £55 a month which is fair for the Pro device. You’ll also get a year of Apple TV thrown in with the deal which offers 160GB data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts on O2.
iPhone Pro 11 Max 64GB, £72.58 per month [with cashback] (£0 upfront)
For the larger screen version of the Pro, you’ll be looking at a higher monthly cost (24 month contract) but you can still get hold of a device without any upfront payment and you’re saving £10 with their cashback scheme. 100GB data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts on Three with 1 year Apple TV thrown in too.
What might we expect from the iPhone 12?
As with all major tech launches, especially with Apple, there is a huge amount of secrecy around the new product. Much of the current chat around the iPhone 12 is a combination of predictions based on the previous upgrades and now the rumours surrounding an apparent leak.
iPhone 12 storage
iPhones have always come with various levels of storage. The iPhone 11 series offered the choice of 64GB, 128GB or 256GB to consumers, but as we consume more and more data, save more pictures, videos and apps to our phones – could the iPhone 12 be about to up that storage?
The standard iPhone 12 model will reportedly offer either 128GB or 256GB of storage, as with the model before. However, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max with have an additional storage option of up to a whopping 512GB. The price for this option is thought to come in at well beyond the £1000 price mark.
iPhone 12 camera
The iPhone 11 has two cameras on the standard model – and three cameras on the Pro version, making it one of the best for photography and video in a smartphone. Latest rumours surrounding the iPhone 12 suggest it will feature a triple-lens camera with the LIDAR sensor that was seen on the iPad Pro (best for augmented reality).
Whatever happens we’d expect 12Mp rear facing cameras to continue the brilliant photo and video experience.
There are other rumours circulating around a fourth camera lens on the iPhone 12, which would neatly complete the square space already on the earlier model. In this case, it is suggested that the flash would sit in the centre between the four lenses.
iPhone 12 processor
It’s likely the new model will upgrade from the Apple 13 Bionic Chip to the Apple 14 Bionic Chip.
iPhone 12 5G capability
5G is big news across the world as countries begin to roll out the infrastructure for a super-fast mobile network allowing a much more complex and connected internet of things. It feels inevitable that at some point Apple will join the 5G party and make a new iPhone ready for this data network.
In recent interviews, Apple boss Tim Cook has sidestepped the issue of 5G admitting that the company is still in the “early innings” of rolling out the technology globally for its mobile devices.
So, at this stage, it’s not clear whether iPhone 12 will have 5G capability.
iPhone 12 screen size
There are rumours that iPhone 12 may offer different screen sizes to the previous model.
Some reports have speculated that Apple is preparing to release a smaller 5.4 inch screen version of the 12 series as well as 6.7 inch Max version of the 12 series, which would be smaller and larger respectively than the smallest and largest versions of the iPhone 11.
From the latest leak, it appears that the iPhone 12 will indeed feature this 5.4-inch OLED Super Retina Display while the iPhone 12 Pro will feature a larger, 6.1 inch screen. It is supposedly the iPhone 12 Pro Max which will then boast the expansive 6.7 inch display.
The “notch” at the top of the screen (where the front camera sits) has been the subject of much debate, as many wonder whether it will be different for the iPhone 12. It seems to be generally agreed that Apple won’t have removed it completely on this model, but will it be smaller?
iPhone 12 connectivity
It seems likely that the days of Apple’s lightning port are numbered as the tech giant is under pressure to go with standardised formats with the industry – especially after the EU began pushing for a common charging cable.
One school of thought is that Apple may add the USB-C port to some new devices going forward, and that could mean the iPhone 12. However, others argue that Apple are likely to resist making any changes in the very near future and may be looking to move to completely wireless connectivity and charging as soon as possible in devices of the future.
At this point it is hard to know whether any of these factors will play into the design of the iPhone 12.
from Radio Times https://ift.tt/2AmEu4I
