What will Apple announce at Tuesday’s mass launch event? Predictions about the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro

This year’s biggest iPhone event is like no other. Like almost every event maker, it has moved to a virtual launch. The extensive virtual Worldwide Developers Conference has given Tim Cook Apple’s expertise at this style of event, but the iPhone 12 family is the key product launch of the year. Without a handpicked crowd of worshipers to fill the stage, will the missing features of the iPhone 12 stand out?

Since the launch of the iPhone 11 family, the Android-powered competition has moved on with innovative features like quick update displays, 5G connectivity, and fast charging. What can the new iPhones offer to overcome this challenge? And will Apple’s second-line products help you succeed?

If you want to follow a checklist, you’d expect Apple to lean towards a message triplet … these will be the fastest iPhones ever; These will be the iPhones with the longest battery life; And these will be the iPhones with the best cameras of all time.

In other words, here are the new talking points, they are the same as last year’s talking points.

At least the new iPhone 12 family will look subtly different. Apple is going to tweak the design language, reverting to a more angular look that dates back to the design of the iPhone 4. Of course, these phones will be much larger than the 3.5-inch screen of the iPhone 4, in the case of the iPhone. The high-end 12 Pro Max is almost twice the diagonal at 6.7 inches.

A closer look at the leaked designs shows that the edges have a more beveled touch than the iPhone 4, so you’re not going to have a sharp edge in hand. What is still present is the notch, the same options around the screen technology,

One of the big changes in display technology, the shift to faster update screens with frequencies up to 120 Hz that offer more fluidity and clarity in movement, has taken hold in the world of Android, and now it is expected that the mid-range phones support at least 90 Hz. While there is still a question mark on this, most commentators expect Apple’s iPhone displays to remain at 60Hz.

So to Tim Cook’s Triplet.

If Apple’s 2020 will be known for anything, it is the groundwork it has done to port the macOS platform to Apple’s own ARM-based designs. A consolidation of its three consumer computing platforms, the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, all running variants of the A14 create a platform-wide synergy that can be leveraged in many ways. It reduces Apple’s product development costs, third-party developers can develop for three platforms, and it reduces Apple’s exposure to outside influences (such as Intel’s roadmap not fully in sync with Apple’s).

I wouldn’t expect Apple to lean too far into this for the iPhone launch aside from the ‘fastest iPhone ever’. The move is really a more detailed topic for the launch of the new MacBook and MacBook Pro machines that will be the first commercial Macs to run macOS on ARM, but watch out for the scoreboard drop.

(Side note … Part of me wonders if Apple ever considered bidding for ARM Holdings – that would have been an interesting, albeit brave move.)

Apple insiders believe that the iPhone 12 family will generally get an additional hour of nominal battery life compared to the iPhone 11 family. The tight integration between hardware and software on the iPhone allows for greater efficiency with a smaller battery compared to Android. But to get this battery life, Apple has chosen to sacrifice the aforementioned 120Hz display. The other alternative was to remove 5G support. Since 5G is now seen as a “ default feature ” that is already a late appearance on the iPhone, this seems to be the only way to go one or the other.

But it was Apple that designed itself in this situation: Android makers seem capable of doing both at the same time with a battery that lasts all day.

It is also not worth it that the increased battery life does not apply across the range. The iPhone 12 Mini (note the new lower-tier model name to sell the second-tier iPhone 12) is expected to be just 2227 mAh. Compared to the 3,110 mAh battery in last year’s iPhone 11 equivalent entry-level model, in addition to the addition of 5G, it could leave the iPhone 12 Mini feeling quite anemic.

Finally, there will be a shove in the chamber. Those looking for the best images will look for the top-notch iPhone 12 Pro Max model, because this model will have an improved main camera lens compared to the other models on a sensor almost twice the size of the iPhone 12 Pro and zoom. 5x optical on the second lens. That will put some clear water between the Pro and Pro Max, a common trend in the Android ranges, but a first for Apple.

Outside of the actual iPhone is Apple’s focus on peripherals. To keep the cost of iPhones low, retail packaging will be reduced. Traditional EarPods will be removed from the box (but will still be available to buy from the Apple Store), and most observers expect the mains charger to follow the path of the iPod Mini as well. The Lightning to USB cable should remain, possible in a new ‘braided’ shape that should offer more protection to the wiring.

Your free Apple stickers will certainly still be there. Yaay?

Apple is also expected to resurrect the MagSafe brand through new wireless charging platforms. Given the ring of magnets that was previously leaked, this could offer a ‘guiding hand’ to get the iPhone into the optimal charging area on the inductive pads, something that has been seen with a number of third-party manufacturers, Mophie’s notable Charge Force.

Other ancillary peripherals expected to be released, presumably as opening acts on the show ahead of the smartphone’s star change, include a smaller HomePod that is expected to carry the HomePod Mini branding and a larger set of headphones under the hood. Brand AirPods Studio.

Apple’s bluetooth-based pocket geolocation trackers, the often discussed AirTags, may or may not be featured here. The inclusion of the ultra-wideband-enabled U1 chip in the iPhone 11 led many to believe that AirTags were imminent, but that was thirteen months ago. Maybe this year?

And finally … the focus of this event will be on the iPhone and the peripherals that support it. I highly doubt that Apple is going to configure and sell the iPhone, just to sit down and start a second volume on the advantages of a MacBook or MacBook Pro with an ARM-based chipset. There may be a sneak peek at the new macOS laptops, but the expectation is a November event focused on that new world.

Therefore, the three keywords of the presentation are ‘fast’, ‘long battery life’ and ‘best camera’, all of which will be ‘in a way that only Apple can deliver’. But it is the message underlying the usual game of buzzword bingo to keep in mind. Note the words related to chip design and hardware and software integration. Be on the lookout for every hook that draws you to Apple’s cloud services. Pay attention to the market spaces that Apple is entering or consolidating its position.

And above all, realize how critical the iPhone is to Apple’s efforts in all spaces. While Apple will want to convey a message of cutting edge technology and innovation, the iPhone 12 is still as reliable and predictable as the script you’ll hear from Tim Cook.

Now read more about the challenge faced by Apple ‘inside the ARM-powered MacBook Pro …