iPhone 12 rumored: Apple may not launch its next phone until October

With Apple’s iOS 14 to get into public beta, we now know more about what the upcoming iPhone is, and everything the other iPhones compatible with the update, can do. Fan widgets and image libraries to image-in-image, you can expect a lot of software, such as hardware upgrades to the iPhone 12, 12 Pro and 12 Max. (Apple has not confirmed the names of the phones, but we will go with you first.)

And although it seems like the new iPhones are on schedule for the fall, when they will launch just in season is still in the air. We usually see new flagship iPhones in September, though Apple confirmed that there will be a delay on the iPhone 11 continued because of the coronavirus. That’s because early in the outbreak, COVID-19 forced suppliers in China to shut down or operate on limited capacity. This one affected not only inventory in September but it can have an impact sales, too. Apple closed also American retail stores, although now some have reopened in limited ways.

Despite such disruptions, rumors continue to swirl around the iPhone 12 phones, which we imagine will continue until they officially launch. In addition to maybe introducing 3D depth sensing to its rear cameras and new screen sizes, speculation has arisen that Apple will belatedly include a feature in the iPhone that would make it competitive with its rivals: 5G. This makes sense considering its main opponent, Samsung, launched several 5G phones this year, including the recent Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, as well as the flagship Galaxy S20 phones.

Until any of that happens though, check back often as we will continue to update it with the most probable and compelling rumors. 

Top iPhone 12 rumors

• Apple said the iPhone 12 will be available “a few weeks later” than the usual mid-September launch. An October release date is possible.
• There may be four iPhone 12 models in three different screen sizes: the iPhone 12 (5.4-inch), 12 Max (6.1-inch), 12 Pro (6.1-inch) and 12 Pro Max (6.7-inch).
• iPhone 12 base model may be cheaper than the iPhone 11’s $699 starting price.
• iPhone 12 may not come with earbuds or a power adapter.
• iPhone 12 may come in dark blue.
• iPhone 12 phones may have 5G.
• iPhone 12’s rear-facing camera(s) may have 3D depth-sensing technology.

Release date: iPhone 12 may not debut until October

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 the phone, which is about a month after the iPhone’s usual launch. 

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. 

In another, more specific rumor, mobile leaker and Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser reported that the iPhone 12 will be introduced during an Oct. 12 event and will ship out Oct. 19.

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.)

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.

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.

Accessories: iPhone 12 may not come with EarPods as a power adapter

In one of the more unpopular rumors, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple with its wired EarPod headphones does not fit in the iPhone 12 box. This would be a move to encourage people to buy the wireless company AirPods instead. Apple has had EarPod headphones since the iPhone 5 release in 2012, so this would be a notable change. AirPod en AirPod Pro earbuds are currently priced at $ 159 (£ 159, AU $ 249) and $ 249 (£ 249, AU $ 399) respectively.

Ming-Chi Kuo expects that the iPhone 12 will be shipped without a power adapter like, according to 9to5Mac. The reason is mainly for cost – by pretending, Apple can maintain costs when charging the phone with 5G components. It would also help to reduce shipping costs as the size of the packaging would shrink.

Processor: iPhone 12 will likely have A14 Bionic

Given that the latest iPhones have the A13 Bionic processor, it is highly plausible that the next proprietary chipset will be called the A14 Bionic. And like every year, we expect this one to be faster and more efficient than its predecessor. More specifically, however, one Apple leaker on Twitter, Komiya, reported that the A14 has a CPU gain of 40% and a GPU gain of 50%.

Colors: iPhone 12 Pro can come in dark blue

Last year, Apple introduced a midnight green color on the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Of you like the shade or not, the color variant actually sold well compared to expectations. This year, there may be a possibility that Apple launches another new color, navy blue, on iPhone 12 Pro according to XDA Developer. This would be on trend, as blue is both the colorless of Pantone for the new year (“classic blue”) and Shutterstock included “phantom blue” in its color forecast for 2020.

Specs and display: Four possible iPhone 12 models

One of the more persistent rumors about the upcoming iPhones is that Apple may introduce new screen size. One of the iPhone 12s could have a 5.4-inch screen (of today’s iPhones, the new iPhone SE has the smallest display, which measures 4.7 inches). And the iPhone 2020 Pro Max could go as big as 6.7 inches (for reference, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch display).

There is also speculation that the display of the iPhone 12 will have a refresh rate of 120Hz and that often the iPhone 12 Pro may have a ProMotion display, which is currently on display at the iPad Pro. Most phones refresh at 60 frames per second, or 60Hz, but other phones such as the Galaxy S20 and the OnePlus 8 Pro refresh at 120Hz. With a higher refresh rate, a phone feels faster and smoother as you scroll through things like websites and apps.

With the possibility of new display sizes, rumors have it that Apple will expand its iPhone line. In December 2019, CNET’s Lexy Savvides wrote:

According to JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee, Apple will release four new iPhone 12 models in the fall of 2020: a 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch phones and a 6.7-inch phone. All will have OLED displays.

These big predictions were also supported this week by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes that the current 5.8-inch size of the iPhone 11 Pro may be gone. That the 5.4-inch and one of the 6.1-inch models will be the lower end devices, probably called the iPhone 12.. Then the more expensive phones will be the other 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, respectively.

Read more: The best ways to sell or trade your old iPhone in 2020

5G: iPhone 12 may have connectivity of next gen

Several rumors predict 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 can use its own proprietary 5G antennas.

There are a few reasons why the company did not jump on the trend in 2019. First, Apple is usually not the first in on mobile trends, and rather instead perfecting an emerging technology before keeping it busy. For example, it lagged behind its competitors in making phones with 3G and 4G LTE connectivity when those networks just launched.

Second, Apple suspended its leading 5G modem provider, Qualcomm, over a dispute over Qualcomm’s licensing costs. The two companies settled their lawsuit in April 2019, and then agreed to a multi-year 5G chip deal. This led to Apple’s former partner of 5G modems, Intel, eventually leaving the 5G phone modem company altogether, and Apple later acquired Intel’s smartphone modem company for $ 1 billion. Apple is still working with Qualcomm, but it started too late with the launch of a 5G phone last year when some of its rivals released their 5G models, such as the Galaxy S10 5G, LG V50 5G and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.

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 to unlock your phone and authorize digital payments. It is rumored that Apple may take 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 will 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 that it would use a slightly different kind of technology that would remove 3D objects from afar away could allow. This would significantly enhance augmented reality applications and take certain camera features like Portrait Mode to the next level.

It is unclear how many of the new iPhones will be equipped with this feature, if any.