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"iPhone 12 lineup is expected to come with some radical changes like notch-less design, in-screen fingerprint scanner, 120Hz display, 5G support, and more"
Unless Apple decides to go roman again or 'S' upgrade, the upcoming iPhones will most likely be dubbed as iPhone 12. The series will be the successor to the Cupertino-based firm's recently launched iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max. While it's too soon for this, rumours are rife that the iPhone 2020 lineup – which will allegedly be dubbed as iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max – could come with some radical changes. Here's a roundup of the all upcoming features you may expect on the next-gen Apple flagship iPhone 12 series:
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New set of the iPhone 12 series renders have surfaced online, and they show a design very different from what we've seen so far. The notch-free design seems unfeasible for the next year's model (or for all models at least), but Apple could make the notch slimmer than ever. Apart from this, the iPhone 12 is expected to feature a design similar to that of iPhone 4 or iPhone 5. The handsets are expected to sport a sharper, boxier aesthetic instead of softer contours on contemporary iPhones. Lastly, one, if not all, iPhone 12 models, could come with quad cameras houses in the squarish module at the back panel.
All three iPhone 12 series models will reportedly do away with the unsightly notch by moving all the sensors and the selfie camera to the top bezel. This will create uniformly thick bezels all around the display. They'll all come with the same glass sandwich design as the current-gen iPhones, but noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the 2020 iPhones would feature a redesigned chassis, which is a departure from the current curved edges. The design is said to be inspired by the iPhone 4, which had a metal chassis and sharp edges.
Apple will reportedly phase out LCD panels from its lineup with the iPhone 12 series. Even the most affordable model, which presently has LCD panel, will likely have an OLED screen. The latest report has further added that Apple will outsource OLED panels from Samsung electronics. While the handset is expected to sport a 5.42-inch display, the Pro and Max models will reportedly have 6.06-inch and 6.67-inch screens. At least one, if not all, of the 2020 models could come with a 120Hz refresh rate display, which may be marketed by Apple as 'ProMotion' display, instead of 60Hz. Reports are that users would be able to switch the refresh rate to 60Hz if they prefer.
Renowned tipster Ben Geskin has shared a rendition of next year's biggest iPhone – believed to be the iPhone 12 Pro Max – that has no notch or cut-out whatsoever. Apple is expected to reposition the front camera and Face ID tech, placed inside the slim bezel atop the display. He further added that the iPhone 12 Pro Max will sport a 6.7-inch display, which is the biggest ever in the lineup.
A new report, meanwhile, has claimed that Apple will launch as many as four variants in the iPhone 12 series. Each model of the iPhone 12 series will be 5G ready and feature what is being billed as a "rear 3D sensing system" and "motion control."
Another highlight of the upcoming iPhone 2020 lineup will be fingerprint scanner (fingers crossed). According to the rumour mill, the iPhone 12 lineup may debut with the much-awaited in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics. The scanner will be placed underneath the display, just like any other Android phones out there, and will be accessible across the screen. The Cupertino-based firm is reportedly planning to use Qualcomm's new ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in its iPhones next year.
It's further being said that Apple is apparently working on a new Face ID prototypes that leverage on the new optics. It remains to be seen whether the upcoming iPhones will have both Face ID and new on-screen Touch ID or just one of them?
The next-generation iPhones may also come with 5G cellular connectivity. The handsets are expected to employ Qualcomm's 5G modem now that the two brands have resolved their differences and signed a multi-year agreement. But Apple is finally getting into the 5G modem business now that it has acquired Intel's 5G chip division. Starting 2021, Apple products like iPads will reportedly feature an Apple-made 5G modem, which may be used in iPhones from 2022. It's believed that the 5G iPhone 12 models will help increase the average selling price of Apple smartphones by $150 and boost the company's market position in the 5G smartphone industry.
As far as the performance goes, the upcoming iPhone models will reportedly be powered by 5nm chipset. This will be the successor to Apple's A13 Bionic chip that rocks the iPhone 11 series and is forged using the 7nm process. The new chip, which is expected to be dubbed as A14 Bionic SoC, is said to be forged using 5nm process, with TSMC handling the manufacturing. The chipset is said to bring more speed and energy efficiency gains to the iPhone and iPad next year. Furthermore, the alleged iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will reportedly employ 6GB of RAM, which could be the most RAM for an iPhone yet.
The iPhone 12 series is tipped to feature a new stabilisation technology instead of traditional optical image stabilisation. The technology, which is currently used in several high-end cameras, is said to further reduce blur in images and improve the overall image quality. Apart from this, rumours are rife that Apple may introduce a quad-rear camera setup with its next-gen flagship the iPhone 12 Pro. The sensor details remain vague at the moment.
Ming-Chi Kuo, meanwhile, claims that the handsets will feature a 3D Time-of-Flight sensor that is expected to improve the photo quality as well as introduce new augmented reality features. Since Apple recently made a jump to triple cameras for its flagships, we may expect the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max to come with a similar setup. However, software optimisations and new features to improve image quality can be expected.
Apple may switch from its proprietary Lightning port to USB Type-C port charging port with its next-gen iPhone lineup. The company has already done that with its flagship iPad Pro, which was introduced last year. It's only a matter of time when its iPhones will also start flaunting Type-C port, which has become de facto charging port in the industry.
That's all from the iPhone 12 rumours round-up for now. Keep watching the space for all the updates that follow.
The iPhone 12 series price will be slightly north to its predecessor the iPhone 11 series. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TFI Securities believes that the upcoming iPhone models won't see a price increase of more than $50 (roughly Rs 3,567). The added costs for iPhone 12 series models will be related to 5G components, which are said to raise the production cost of each model anywhere between $30 and $100. The analyst, however, says that instead of consumers covering the extra costs, Apple will be cutting its supply chain expenses. To give you some perspective, the iPhone 11 series price starts at Rs 64,990.
As for the launch of the iPhone 12 series, it's likely to happen at Apple's hardware event in September 2020.