Apple will reveal its new iPhones on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m. PT.
The invite sent to journalists includes the phrase, "Hi, Speed" — most likely a reference to the iPhone 12's 5G connectivity.
Yes, Apple already had an event in September. But the company didn’t show off its new smartphones. Instead, we got a new Apple Watch, iPad Air, and Apple Fitness+.
The coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into Apple’s production schedule, so here we are in October, still waiting to see the new iPhone. The good news: In the meantime, there's been no shortage of leaks and rumors.
What will the new iPhones be called?
Rumors previously suggested we would get an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Max, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Then a Twitter user with the handle DuanRui — who, CNET noted, has leaked accurate iPhone rumors in the past — shared photos of some interesting stickers. They were allegedly for iPhone cases made by Apple, and one of them was for an “iPhone mini.”
That would leave us with the following line-up:
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Will the new iPhones have 5G?
It's widely believed the new iPhones will have 5G connectivity. But it’s important to understand there are two types of 5G networks: mmWave and sub-6GHz. (Check out our complete explainer here.) Basically, sub-6GHz isn’t as fast as mmWave, but it’s more widespread.
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that all four iPhone 12 models will be able to connect to both 5G networks. But a later report from Fast Company claimed that only the iPhone 12 Pro Max will be able to connect to super-fast mmWave networks.
Not that it really matters right now. PCMag found that sub-6GHz isn't even faster than regular ol' 4G LTE service in some cities.
How big will the iPhone 12 models be?
Get ready for the largest iPhone ever — and a pretty small one. At this point in the rumor cycle, we can pretty much take these sizes to the bank:
iPhone 12 mini (5.4-inch)
iPhone 12 (6.1-inch)
iPhone 12 Pro (6.1-inch)
iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7-inch)
The iPhone mini will have a larger screen than the iPhone SE (2020), which sports a 4.7-inch display with large bezels. If you have smaller hands, the mini might be the way to go.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro Max will sport a massive 6.7-inch screen, making it the largest iPhone ever. (The iPhone 11 Pro Max display is a measly 6.5 inches.)
What will the iPhone 12 models look like?
The iPhone 4, with its gorgeous steel frame and flat edges, is my pick for the most beautiful iPhone ever designed. Then Apple moved onto aluminum frames and rounded edges. Well, get ready to party like it’s 2010, because rumors suggest Apple is turning back the clock.
The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will have stainless steel flat edges, said Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, citing “people familiar with the plans.” Other reports have suggested that every iPhone 12 model will have flat edges. That would be consistent with the design of Apple's new iPad Air.
What about the display?
Right now, only the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have OLED screens. The iPhone 11 features an LCD display. Um, so what’s the difference? OLED screens produce greater contrast, especially in dark and very bright areas of an image, for more vivid colors. In contrast, every iPhone 12 model will feature an OLED screen, reports Nikkei Asia.
The big unknown is whether any of the new iPhones will have a 120Hz refresh rate. The iPhone 11 has a 60Hz refresh rate. That means an image on the screen is refreshed 60 times a second.
As you might expect, on a 120Hz display, the image is refreshed 120 times a second. That makes scrolling through apps a lot smoother, and video games more responsive.
While early rumors suggested the new iPhones might get a 120Hz upgrade, Kuo says that won't happen until 2021.
How many camera lenses will the iPhone 12 models have?
Like the iPhone 11 Pro, the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are expected to have three rear camera lenses: wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 are expected to have dual-lens systems, just like the iPhone 11.
The big change will likely be the addition of a LiDAR sensor to the back of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Basically, it would use lasers to map the surrounding environment. Better depth-sensing could help improve Portrait mode photos and augmented reality (AR) apps.
The iPhone 12 is going to be fast, right?
Shocking news: A new processor will make the iPhone 12 the most powerful iPhone ever. That’s true of every flagship iPhone.
The A14 processor in every iPhone 12 model will be no different. AppleInsider shared what it claimed was a leaked Geekbench score, which indicated the iPhone 12 would match the performance of the iPad Pro. That’s impressive … but not verified. What we can safely assume is that the A14 will be more powerful and energy-efficient than the A13 chip in the iPhone 11.
How much will the new iPhones cost?
Well, this is interesting. Back in April, Prosser said the iPhone 12 mini would cost $649. That's cheaper than Google's Pixel 5, which retails for $699.
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We'll be updating this story as new leaks surface. Be sure to come back to Mashable on launch day for extensive Apple event coverage.
