Apple is reportedly looking to launch more than one iPhone this year. Although there hasn’t been any official announcement from the company, the buzz is that the new phones could be named anything ranging from the iPhone 11, 11 Plus, iPhone SE 2 and iPhone X Plus.
Ever since the launch of the new iPhones last year, rumor mills have been in full swing over the expected features and specifications. Last year, Apple kept a safe gap of a month between the launch of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. However, this year could be different with Apple launching all of them at the same time.
According to trusted KGI analyst, Ming Chi Kuo, the iPhone maker would be more concerned in getting all the models ready in time and having the same shipping date for all. In a recent research note, the analyst said, “Achieving stable shipments and on-time shipping” will be the company’s aim.”
So, now that we somewhat know what iPhones to expect and when, let’s take a look at their expected specifications and features.
iPhone SE2
Touted as the cheaper knockoff, the iPhone SE2 could be a trimmed version of the iPhone X. As per renowned Apple leaker Olixar, the handset would reportedly have a bezel-less display in a smaller chassis. A report from Forbes claims that Olixar has a good track record in leaking accurate designs of handsets – the Galaxy S9, iPhone X and iPhone 7 – in the past. The iPhone SE2 would reportedly borrow the Face ID and bezel-less display feature.
For now, it remains largely unclear if the SE2 would release alongside the iPhone 11 in September or as a standalone device at the WWDC 2018. A regulatory filing last month suggested that the iPhone SE 2 might launch later this year. A report from 9To5Mac claims that the Eurasian regulatory data has registered eleven filings for iterations of a mystery Apple device. An excerpt from the filing reveals the “smartphone running iOS 11.” This comes as a strong suggestion that the Cupertino, California-based company is readying the iPhone SE2 for launch.
iPhone X Plus
According to acclaimed leak site Mac Oktara, Apple’s new flagship at 6.5-inch would have the largest display for any mass-market phone. Also, the site claims that the iPhone X Plus might have a footprint similar to that of the iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone X Plus would reportedly be 0.2 mm thicker despite including all the features and specifications.
Talking about its primary rear camera, it would have a larger sensor and physically bigger lens. The Face ID system would also be tweaked to enable the phone to recognize users even when it is held horizontally, a much-awaited feature over the current portrait only unlock limitation of Face ID in the current iPhone X.
iPhone 11
Deemed as the successor to the iPhone X, the iPhone 11 would probably release later this year. Reports are that the iPhone 11 might come with a Samsung screen. It must be noted that the iPhone maker has reportedly invested $3 billion in LG Displays in 2017 to lower its dependence on the current manufacturers. However, it appears that LG’s production of screens for Apple has hit a rough road. The end result could be that the iPhone maker is entirely dependent on the Samsung display once again for the upcoming iPhone.
Just like the iPhone X, the rumored iPhone 11 would also have its screen as the most expensive part of the phone. For the iPhone X, the screen cost around $97 of the total $376 estimated cost of each unit.
There is some disagreement on the screen type that the new iPhones will have. While some are believed to sport OLED screens, others will have LCD. In 2017, Kuo revealed that two of the new iPhones coming in 2018 would have OLED screens like the iPhone X, while one would have the TFT-LCD display, and thus, would cost less that the other two models. Also, the budget iPhone would have a 6.1-inch screen rather than 5.8-inches.
“Two new OLED models target high-end market; new TFT-LCD model aims at low-end & midrange markets: We believe the major hardware difference in the two new OLED models is size, in a bid to satisfy various needs of the high-end market,” Kuo said previously.
Rumors also have it that Apple is considering using Micro LED screens, which would initially appear on the Apple Watch as was the case with OLED. Micro LEDs are known for lower power consumption, ultra-high definition, high color saturation, quick response, high brightness, longer lifetime and higher efficiency.
Coming to the processors, the 2018 iPhones would come with A12 chips, which is believed to be faster and more precise since TSMC has developed the 7nm FinFET production process. So, the newer chip could be 20% faster and reduce the power consumption by 40% over 10nm chips.