Apple iPhone 12: all the rumors and leaks so far

Earlier this year, we were offered a new Apple smartphone called iPhone SE (2020 edition). The basic phone offered many basic iPhone products for only $ 399. However, what about the real iPhones? Well, we still hope to see the Apple iPhone 12 series this year.

Related: iPhone SE: the right phone at the right time, and that’s bad news for Android

Although the current COVID-19 pandemic could cause some delays or other issues for the next batch of iPhones, we have enough information on the new devices to confidently say that we will still see the Apple iPhone 12 this year. Obviously, Apple’s usual launch event could be very different, but it would be incredibly surprising if the phone series didn’t arrive this year.

Below is a summary of all the credible rumors we know so far about the Apple iPhone 12 series. Please note that Android OEMs tend to follow what Apple is doing, so the news you read in this article could affect you even if you don’t buy iPhones.

Speaking of which, why not click on one of the survey responses below before consulting the rest of this article?

iPhone 12: name and release date

Apple’s naming scheme for its smartphones used to be very simple. However, with the launch of the iPhone X in 2017, things got pretty confusing. While we don’t know for sure, we’re pretty sure the Apple iPhone 12 series is on the way this year, and we can assume that based on the history of iPhone names.

See what we mean below. the bold The names indicate devices on which Apple largely revamped the design compared to the previous year:

• 2007 – iPhone
• 2008 – iPhone 3G
• 2009 – iPhone 3GS
• 2010 – iPhone 4
• 2011 – iPhone 4S
• 2012 – iPhone 5
• 2013 – iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C
• 2014 – iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
• 2015 – iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus
• 2016 – iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
• 2017 – iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X
• 2018 – iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
• 2019 – iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max

So far, all the rumors point to this year’s iPhones with a significant redesign compared to last year (see some sections below for more on this). Given that Apple’s history suggests that new designs tend to get new numbers, we are inclined to believe that we can expect the Apple iPhone 12 series to launch this fall. It is unlikely that there will be an iPhone 11S series.

Related: Apple iPhone Buying Guide: Which iPhone is Right for You?

Speaking of fall, when will we see the launch of these devices? Almost all major iPhone versions were made in September, so it is reasonable to assume that we will see the Apple iPhone 12 series in September 2020. Again, the COVID-19 pandemic could throw a key at those plans, but we We would feel safe Apple money sticking to that deadline.

Is 2020 the year of the new iPhone models?

MacRumors

The iPhone launch list in the previous section shows a clear picture: As time goes by, Apple is launching more and more iPhones every year. We already have a new iPhone this year, and we expect Apple to have its biggest release this fall with the Apple iPhone 12 series possibly containing a total of four phones.

If you recall, last year we saw the iPhone 11 (which was the spiritual successor to the iPhone XR), the iPhone 11 Pro (the spiritual successor to the iPhone XS), and the iPhone 11 Pro Max (the spiritual successor to the iPhone XS Max). However, this year will be different.

Take a look at this leaked image from frequently Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo:

MacRumors

The 4.7-inch iPhone shown in the image above lines up perfectly with the iPhone SE released in April 2020, so one takes that into account. That just leaves us speculating on why there could be two high-end devices in the Apple iPhone 12 series that are the same size.

We are not quite sure how the iPhone 12 series will be presented, but we are relatively sure that there will be four models.

One theory is that the 5.4-inch device and one of the 6.1-inch devices are actually two variants of the iPhone 12. The smallest could be the iPhone 12 Compact, if desired, while the largest would be the proper iPhone 12. . Then the other 6.1-inch device would be the iPhone 12 Pro with a design and size similar to the larger iPhone 12 but with some improved specs, and the 6.7-inch device would be the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

However, we are only speculating at the moment, so don’t take it to the bank just yet. As we get closer to the launch of the Apple iPhone 12 series, we likely have a much better idea of ​​what’s on the way. All we can say now is that there are very likely four iPhone 12 models.

Design of the iPhone 12 series: a new notch and more

Last year, Apple kept the design of the iPhone very similar to that of the 2018 models. The only drastic change was the rear camera module, which became a rounded square to make room for the three lenses on the back of the iPhone. 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. However, with the Apple iPhone 12 series, we expect the entire phone to be redesigned.

The first rumor we heard is that the notch on the front of the iPhone could see a significant reduction in size. The current notch spans about half of the top of an iPhone, while the new design could reduce that to just 1/4 the width of the screen. This would be a welcome change since most Android phones have either removed the notch entirely or shrunk them so much that they are barely there.

However, Apple would still need the notch to be large enough to carry all the Face ID technology necessary to allow 3D mapping of one’s face. We don’t expect any of the Apple iPhone 12 series devices to have fingerprint sensors, which means you’ll need Face ID for biometric security. As such, don’t expect a screen crop, raindrop notch, or other solution for iPhones this year.

Elsewhere, we’ve heard quite a few rumors that Apple could take back the metal rim design of the iPhone 4 that it already made on the recent iPad Pro. This would mean that the Apple iPhone 12 series could have flat screens instead of curved glass panels on all current models (except the iPhone I KNOW). There are many harsh critics of curved glass displays on smartphones, so this is probably good news for them.

At first, there were rumors that Apple would remove the Lightning port from the Apple iPhone 12 series and only rely on wireless solutions or eventually jump to a standard USB-C port. However, all the rumors at the moment point to the iPhone 12 series continuing to use the Lightning connector. Next year’s iPhones are much more likely to adopt USB-C or abandon a wired port entirely.

iPhone 12: specifications and features

EverythingApplePro

Source: EverythingApplePro

Some specifications of the Apple iPhone 12 series are quite guaranteed. For example, we will almost certainly see the proprietary A14 chipset in high-end iPhones, as all 2019 iPhones had the A13 Bionic.

It is also almost certain that the Qualcomm X55 modem will be included in the Apple iPhone 12 series. This will allow iPhones to be 5G capable, which is essential for Apple to stay competitive. At this point, you can take the inclusion of the X55 modem as fact, since Apple had to eat a humble pie to get it.

The 2019 batch of iPhones was the first to arrive with 6GB of RAM, making it reasonable to assume that at least the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be 6GB or more. However, the low-end models in the Apple iPhone 12 series could be as small as 4 GB.

Some iPhone specs are a given, such as the inclusion of the X55 modem. But we can also take on some other specs, too.

It’s also possible that Apple will eventually increase the amount of entry-level internal storage on iPhones this year. The iPhone SE, which again only costs $ 399, comes with at least 64GB of storage. So it would seem silly for high-end models to start at 64GB as well, meaning we could finally see a 128GB baseline for the Apple iPhone 12 series. This would be great news for Pixel fans already which would probably force Google to do the same with Google Pixel 5.

Since the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max come with three rear camera lenses, it’s reasonable to assume that there will be at least three lenses on the back of the Pro variants this year. We may even see a four-lens setup on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which could help Apple raise the price of the device more than ever. Either way, expect the cameras and especially the video capabilities of those cameras to be a major aspect of Apple’s advertising for the iPhone 12 series.

iPhone 12: price and availability

Here are the starting prices for the iPhone 11 series:

• $699 — iPhone 11
• $999 — iPhone 11 Pro
• $1,099 — iPhone 11 Pro Max

With the expected inclusion of 5G support as well as the new revamped designs, one would assume the Apple iPhone 12 series will be more expensive. However, early rumors suggest that Apple could keep iPhone 12 pricing basically the same as the iPhone 11 series. According to those rumors, this is what the iPhone 12 series might cost:

Leaked iPhone 12 pricing (rumor only):

• 5.4-inch iPhone 12: $649
• 6.1-inch iPhone 12: $749
• 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro: $999
• 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max: $1,099

If these prices end up being true, it would be great news for consumers. Apple competitor Samsung recently launched the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra — which starts at a jaw-dropping $1,400 — and that would look ridiculously over-priced against a $1,099 iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Still, the pricing list above is only rumored at this point, so don’t take it to the bank just yet.

As usual, though, you can expect the iPhone 12 series to be available all around the world with similar models in all the usual countries. If there’s one thing you can depend on with Apple is no region-specific nonsense making things confusing for buyers (hint hint, Android OEMs).