We live in a time of uncertainty, but one thing we can count on is that Apple will launch a new slate of iPhones some time in late September or early October every year. It’s no surprise then that rumors about the iPhone 12 have been circulating for months now.
Looking forward to the new iPhone 12 series yourself? You’re not alone. It can be hard to keep track of which leaks are realistic, and which are unlikely to come true. We’ve been covering iPhone 12 leaks and rumors since they first started showing up online. Here’s a rundown of what to expect from the new phones.
Design
Apple generally refreshes the design of its iPhones every three years, and this cycle will be no different. After the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone 11 had similar designs, the iPhone 12 will represent a shift for the iPhone — and it may even bring back some design elements from the much-loved iPhone 4 series.
Early rumors pointed at Apple giving the iPhone 12 series a new frame, with a less rounded edge. It makes sense — the new iPad Pro has a similar look, and with the iPhone 12, Apple will likely make its lineup a little more unified in that regard. The front and the back of the phones will be glass.
According to many rumors, Apple will actually release four iPhone 12 models — which is one more than the iPhone 11 series offered. There will be a base iPhone 12, a large-screen iPhone 12 Max, a high-powered iPhone 12 Pro, and an even larger iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The iPhone 12 will reportedly feature a 5.4-inch display, while the iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro will have a 6.1-inch display, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max will sport a huge 6.7-inch display. For the first time, all displays will be OLED — which should make for deeper black levels, and even have less of an impact on battery life.
The infamous notch on the front of the iPhone 12, unfortunately, may be around for a while longer — on the bright side, it will likely be a little smaller on the iPhone 12.
According to rumors, the iPhone 12 may be available in a new navy finish. Some schematics have also been leaked, and renders of the device have been created based on those leaks. Renders made by EverythingApplePro can be seen in the video below.
Specs
Under the hood, the iPhone 12 will feature some upgrades that you would expect — and some you wouldn’t.
For starters, the iPhone 12 will feature an upgraded A-series processor, likely to be called the Apple A14 Bionic chip. All four models of the iPhone will feature the chip, meaning that you’ll get similar raw performance from the high-end iPhone 12 Pro Max and the more budget-minded standard iPhone 12.
The models will likely have slightly different amounts of RAM, with rumors pointing to the standard iPhone 12 models getting 4GB and the iPhone 12 Pro models getting 6GB.
The display will get an upgrade too. According to EverythingApplePro, Apple will be including a 120Hz ProMotion display in the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. This should make for smoother animations and a more responsive feel. The iPad Pro features a ProMotion LCD display, so it wouldn’t be totally surprising for Apple to move to a higher refresh rate on the iPhone too. It’s unlikely that the standard iPhone 12 models will get the faster refresh rate.
New features
As you would expect from a new iPhone, Apple will likely include major new features in the iPhone 12 series phones.
For starters, the camera array will be different in the iPhone 12. The phones will likely sport a square camera bump like that on the iPhone 11 series. Rumors suggest that the iPhone 12 Pro devices will also have a lidar sensor for augmented reality, similar to that in the iPad Pro. We’ll have to wait and see if Apple ships software experiences that leverage the lidar sensor, considering third-party support hasn’t been as robust as Apple might have hoped.
Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends
The standard iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will likely still offer a dual-sensor camera.
Another major upgrade for the iPhone 12 will be 5G connectivity. Apple and Qualcomm have set aside their differences and penned an agreement for 5G modems. As a result, we expect all four of the iPhone 12 models to offer 5G support of some kind. Some rumors suggest that only the higher-end iPhone 12 Pro models will have mmWave support, but if that’s true, the standard devices will at least still get sub-6GHz 5G support.
Price and availability
Pricing for the iPhone 12 has leaked, and there may be a small price cut for some iPhone 12 models.
According to a leak from Jon Prosser, the base model iPhone 12 will cost $650, which is $50 cheaper than the entry-level iPhone 11. That’s good news for those who want a high-powered iPhone at a relatively affordable price.
Next is the iPhone 12 Max, which will start at $750. Like last year’s flagships, the iPhone 12 Pro will cost $1,000, while the iPhone 12 Max will start at $1,100.
Availability of the iPhone 12 is a slightly bigger question mark, considering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Some rumors suggest that Apple is still on track to deliver the iPhone 12 on schedule, while others hint at a delay of a month or two. It’s entirely possible that Apple will announce the iPhone 12 at a similar time to previous years, but won’t ship the phones for a month or two.