Apple's new iPhone is closer than ever as both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are expected to land in the next couple of months. We're expecting both devices - plus another two phones - to be announced in September or October this year.
September is normally when we see the new iPhone, but the Covid-19 pandemic will indeed change things for the iPhone 12 release date. Apple has confirmed supplies of its next flagship phone are expected to arrive a few weeks after its usual late September release window.
What's set to change with the new iPhone? First up, you should expect four members of the iPhone 12 family, which will include the base handset as well as an iPhone 12 Max, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
That's similar to the iPhone 11 series, but includes a new handset line in there called the iPhone 12 Max. That's likely to be a larger phone that's a similar size to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but it won't feature such top-end specs.
Other leaks and rumors suggest there will be the debut of 5G technology on an iPhone and it may even see the biggest design change since the company adopted the notch in 2017.
The leaks are suggesting this will be one of the most exciting iPhone launches ever. While we don't know much for certain yet, we do know it's set to have iOS 14 and there are some facts that have been consistently leaked over the last few months.
Everything you need to know about the new iPhone is below including the expect design, the specs, our best idea of the price and much more. Plus, we're constantly keeping it updated with the latest new iPhone leaks and rumors.
Latest iPhone 12 news: After Apple confirmed an iPhone 12 delay, a new rumor suggests the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max will be the two devices you have to wait longest for. A new source also claims those phones won't feature a 120Hz display as first expected.
iPhone 12 key facts
- What is it? The new iPhone family from Apple
- When is it out? Unveiling may happen in September, release later
- What will it cost? Expect $649 / £700 / AU$1,200 and up
Release date
When will the iPhone 12 come out?
The exact iPhone 12 announcement date is a confusing topic, and Apple itself has now said the iPhone 12 range won't go on sale until a few weeks later than usual, which likely means sometime in October.
Beyond that, nothing has been made official yet, and it's not clear whether the announcement date will also be later than usual, but we're almost certain Apple will be unveiling its new iPhones before the end of 2020.
At least one tipster has said the big day will be September 8, which means Apple is more on schedule than we thought. It may just be the actual time you can buy the phones will be pushed back.
Other phones we expect to see in 2020:
Usually, we'd have said September is almost certainly when we'd see the phones, and in past years it has often been the second week of the month. It's almost always unveiled on a Tuesday, and with that in mind September 8 makes sense.
In previous years, you've then been able to pick up the phone for yourself 10 days later. That'd mean it may land on September 18 or September 25, but that's almost certainly not the case of 2020.
One of the latest reports on the matter, which comes from “multiple suppliers in China”, suggests that the iPhone 12 range won't be announced until late October, with the 4G models hitting stores shortly after, while the 5G iPhone 12 models won't go on sale until November.
Another rumor states that mass production of the iPhone 12 range was between four weeks and two months behind schedule, which could mean a big delay, though Apple is apparently doing everything it can to minimize the delay.
Meanwhile, other rumors suggest Apple finished its final testing by the end of June, and entered mass production in July. If true then the range could be announced and even go on sale in September, but it might be that only some models land on day one, with a longer wait for others.
Staggering the release date of models is something suggested by respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says it would likely be the larger models of the phone that would come later than September. Kuo has said that multiple times, even as recently as the start of August.
An executive at Broadcom - a manufacturer expected to supply components for the new iPhone - has also suggested a delay is likely, while one report in The Wall Street Journal also suggested production of the iPhone 12 has been delayed by around a month.
Some sources even say it could slip into 2021 with Reuters also claiming a delay could be likely.
So, when will you get your iPhone 12? We can't say for certain. Apple's comment isn't particularly specific, and that may just be referring to when the phones go on sale. The bulk of the rumors seem to point to a delay of between one and two months, so October or November is looking likely.
Price
How much will the iPhone 12 cost?
The iPhone 12 price is something that leaks have made a little clearer than the release date, and from what we're hearing it's likely to stay broadly in line with 2019's iPhone range.
For reference, the iPhone 11 started at $699 / £729 / AU$1,199, the iPhone 11 Pro starts at $999 / £1,049 / AU$1,749, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $1,099 / £1,149 / AU$1,899.
Prices for the next iPhone range probably won't be exactly the same though, as you can see in the chart below, which contains information taken from one big leak from YouTuber Jon Prosser. We've also included information from another leak, which suggests there will be 4G variants of the first two phones noted below.
| Model | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 4G | $549 | No leaked information | No leaked information |
| iPhone 12 5G | $649 | $749 | Not an option |
| iPhone 12 Max 4G | $649 | No leaked information | No leaked information |
| iPhone 12 Max | $749 | $849 | Not an option |
| iPhone 12 Pro | $999 | $1,099 | $1,299 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | $1,099 | $1,199 | $1,399 |
There's no clear information about prices for the UK or Australia, but we'd expect those to broadly fall in line with last year's models if the information above is accurate. That would mean a cheaper starting price for the basic model, among some other differences, but nothing drastic.
That said, some sources have claimed the price may be set to increase over last year's iPhones. For example, analyst Jeff Pu has claimed the basic model of the phone may start at $749.
Indeed, a detailed price leak from @komiya_kj also suggests higher prices than the chart above, with the 5G iPhone 12 apparently starting at $699 (roughly £540 / AU$975) for 64GB of storage, and rising to $749 for 128GB (which is the amount mentioned in the chart).
So that would make it $100 more than that earlier leak suggested for the same amount of storage, and other leaked prices from this source are similarly increased. However, the source doesn't have much of a track record, so we'd take this with a pinch of salt.
That said, this theory matches with a previous report that suggested that the cost of materials for the iPhone 12 range might go up, which could mean even higher prices at retail. We won't know for certain until Apple announces the prices on stage.
Design
What will the iPhone 12 look like?
The iPhone 12 design looks set to be a big change from the latest few generations of Apple’s handset. Remember the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5? Reports suggest that the iPhone 12 range will be in part inspired by those phones, and there's supposedly even some elements of the iPad Pro 2020 mixed in.
Before we dig further into the design, you need to know that you'll likely have four models to choose from, and that means several different sizes too. According to the most recent information on models, the phones below will be included:
- iPhone 12 with a 5.4-inch display
- iPhone 12 Max with a 6.1-inch display
- iPhone 12 Pro with a 6.1-inch display
- iPhone 12 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch display
If this is accurate then we'd be seeing a non-pro 'Max' model for the first time in the form of the iPhone 12 Max. It looks set to have a larger screen size than the standard iPhone 12, designed for those who don't want to spend lots on an iPhone 12 Pro Max model but want a larger phone.
That said, the size is actually in line with the iPhone 11, so rather than making a bigger basic iPhone, Apple has seemingly shrunk the standard model, and if this information is right then you still only have three sizes to choose from, with the iPhone 12 Max supposedly being the same size as the iPhone 12.
There's also strong evidence of the 5.4-inch model, as 9to5Mac has found an update to the Display Zoom feature in an iOS 14 beta, which adds support for a smaller screen size.
Display Zoom allows you to change the size of the interface on an iPhone to match that of a smaller screen iPhone. So for example the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max can switch to a 5.8-inch display view, which makes all the icons bigger and more zoomed in. However, now there's an option for a 960 x 2079 display, which doesn't match any current iPhone but would make sense for a 5.4-inch model.
We've also seen what appears to be the screen for the 5.4-inch model on a production line, showing just how small it might be.
iPhone 12的真机屏幕，5.4英寸的刘海全面屏，单手掌握，这不就是你们想要的小屏旗舰吗[笑而不语] pic.twitter.com/esAyjSQGXDJuly 27, 2020
Indeed, a separate leak has suggested the standard iPhone 12 looks smaller than the iPhone 7, but isn't as small as the original iPhone SE.
You can see a video comparing those three phones here. Jon Prosser - a Twitter leaker who revealed information on the iPhone SE ahead of launch in early 2020 - shared this information, and you can see some of the specs below.
Prototyping for iPhone 12 devices is just about finalized!Final details line up pretty well with what Kuo said last year! 🤯Expect to see CAD renders of the devices within the next month or two from your favorite leakers! 👀Now let’s see if Apple can get them out by EOY! pic.twitter.com/nAfA7JHMx2April 6, 2020
Consistent leaks have also suggested that the iPhone 12 will have a flatter metal frame than the iPhone 11 range, with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who's also a very trusted source, being among those to say this.
The rear of all four phones is still expected to be made of glass, but the edges are expected to be more squared than the rounded ones on current models, bringing them more in line with older models like the iPhone 5.
Prosser's information suggests it will be aluminum used on the iPhone 12 and 12 Max, while the Pro and Pro Max will come with a stainless steel body.
Some sources speaking to Bloomberg claim similar, and they make comparisons to the design of the iPad Pro, saying that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will have flat stainless steel edges, more sharply rounded corners, and flat screens.
CAD draws #Apple #iPhone12 #iPhone12Pro pic.twitter.com/RG9au0gSYlJune 14, 2020
The tweet above shows off what the design may look like. The source claims these are official molds that will be used in the production of the next iPhone.
That look has been further backed up by CAD renders that you can see in a video made by EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach. One of the examples of what the devices will look like is included below, but note that these are just renders made using information from their sources rather than exact leaks.
The reports above also point to smaller notches on all four rumored models, which is something we've heard consistently since new Face ID technology was first rumored in October 2019. You should probably still expect a notch at the top of the phone's display, but it looks like it'll be a lot smaller than before, but won't be drastically different.
One of the upcoming phones might even lack a notch though according to analysts, with the front-facing camera potentially set to be embedded under the screen instead. If this happens we’d expect it to be the most expensive iPhone 12 model that has this feature – likely the iPhone 12 Pro Max, or whatever it launches as.
All that said, leaked renders that are more recent than most of those above show some significant design differences to earlier leaks, as you can see below.
Based on these - shared by EverythingApplePro - the iPhone 11 Pro at least could have the old notch design, a large mmWave antenna cut-out, no LiDAR scanner, and the same lens layout as its predecessor.
iPhone 12 design will likely not be what we thought. Recent iPhone 12 CADs paint a completely different picture. Did Apple pull a fast one on the leak community? pic.twitter.com/bPYoij4V41June 18, 2020
Sonny Dickson (a leaker with a good track record) has also now shared iPhone 12 range dummy units that appear to be in line with this - as well as having flat edges, as rumored above. You can see these here.
That said, other reputable sources seem skeptical of these leaks, particularly when it comes to the camera, so we'd take them with a pinch of salt.
Elsewhere, we've heard that the entire new iPhone range could be thinner than the iPhone 11 range. A specific thickness is only given for the iPhone 12 Pro Max though, which is apparently 7.4mm (down from 8.1mm on the iPhone 11 Pro Max).
People who love tiny phones are in for a treat with the new 5.4-in iPhone. Smaller than a new SE! pic.twitter.com/cTSH2LBzKAJune 18, 2020
One report has also suggested Face ID will be dropped entirely in favor of an under screen fingerprint scanner, though this seems unlikely.
This would be a big change for the brand, since current models don’t have a fingerprint scanner at all. That said, if the camera really is in-screen then it might not be possible to have all the Face ID sensors, so it could be that this fingerprint scanner will replace Face ID, though we're not convinced Apple would go that far.
That said, the company is clearly at least exploring the idea, as an Apple patent for an in-screen version of Touch ID has now emerged. That’s from July 2020, so we wouldn’t expect this to feature on the iPhone 12 range.
Finally, one thing that we are expecting is that the iPhone 12 range will be water-resistant. It's very likely that Apple will retain the IP68 water and dust resistance rating found on the iPhone 11 range for the next iPhone, which means it will be able to be submerged in water but it won't be entirely waterproof.
And looking beyond the phone itself, it's possible that the charging cable will get a redesign, with a source pointing to a braided cable. Braided cables tend to be more durable, but we'd take this with a pinch of salt, and even if it's accurate, it's unclear whether all or just some iPhone 12 models would get this.
Colors
What colors will the iPhone 12 come in?
As for the iPhone 12 colors, we've heard a rumor that Apple will be debuting a navy blue on its top-end models. Reports say the Midnight Green color that debuted on the iPhone 11 Pro sold beyond Apple's expectations, so it may decide to keep that or it may be replaced in the lineup by this navy shade.
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max were available in Space Gray, Silver and Gold alongside the Midnight Green. Those shades may remain for the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, but we've yet to hear any firm evidence those colors will return.
As for the standard phone, we're expecting a similar pastel range to the iPhone 11. That phone is available in Black, Green, Yellow, Purple, Red and White, so you should probably expect some of those colors to return for 2020's device.
Display
Will the iPhone 12 have a 120Hz screen?
We've touched upon display a little bit above and the four different models you can expect in 2020, but here we're going to dive into the rumors about the tech for the screens being used - including but not limited to the possibility of the phones having a 120Hz refresh rate.
Ming-Chi Kuo has said that all the iPhone 12 models may come with OLED screen tech for the first time. That’s a claim we’ve heard more than once, and Prosser's source has also confirmed the same thing.
That said, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max displays are expected to be manufactured by BOE while Samsung will apparently make the OLED tech on the top-end two models.
The iPhone 11 features an LCD display, while the iPhone 11 Pro features OLED technology. So a move to OLED on all of them may allow for a far stronger screen on the standard iPhone 12 models, although we don't yet have any clear details on the resolution you can expect from any of the four phones' displays.
The other big rumored change for the 2020 iPhone display is the move to a 120Hz refresh rate. The current iPhones - and a lot of other smartphones - sport a refresh rate of 60Hz, so upping that to 120Hz makes the screen reload quicker and gives you a smoother experience when scrolling through social media feeds or gaming.
Max Weinbach shared some leaked information on the iPhone 12 Pro that suggested this was the model that would get the improved screen tech. Prosser since suggests that tech would also come to the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
This is a claim we've now heard more than once, with a list of 2020's current and upcoming 120Hz phones also including the two iPhone 12 Pro models. Indeed, some phones already have higher refresh rates than 60Hz, as do some iPads, so this move isn’t unbelievable. That's especially true as top-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8 Pro now feature the tech too.
All of this said, the source that provides information to Prosser has said that Apple may "nerf" the technology. That may mean there are limitations to when the 120Hz refresh rate works, and that may come down to the battery life of the handsets.
We've also now heard, via YouTuber EverythingApplePro, that Apple is apparently struggling with the 120Hz tech in the Pro model. And one analyst has said they've heard from sources that Apple won't be including the necessary component tech to make it a reality.
The YouTube source there claims that the phone has only passed 4 out of 5 related tests, and that it will be expensive for Apple to fix it in time, with the company therefore apparently considering ditching the tech.
Supposedly it works fine in the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with the larger screen allowing it to avoid issues, but if Apple does abandon a 120Hz refresh rate in the iPhone 12 Pro it's not clear whether the company would keep the feature in the iPhone 12 Pro Max, or also ditch it there, to avoid giving it too much of an advantage over the other Pro model.
This is course just a rumor for now though, and even if Apple is struggling, it might get the tech working well in time.
But most recently of all we've heard from a display supply chain expert that none of their contacts could corroborate reports of a 120Hz display, so they don't think any iPhone will get one until 2021.
So it's unclear right now whether or not we'll see a 120Hz iPhone 12 screen, and this is one of the biggest questions hanging over the range.
Finally, we've also heard from another source that the two Pro models will use a form of OLED that's both thinner and cheaper to produce than the screens used in the iPhone 11 Pro range. That could mean lower prices and thinner devices, as well as potentially better battery life, and it's a claim we've heard more than once.
Camera
Will the iPhone 12 camera be any better?
A lot of the new iPhone leaks suggest that we're going to see some big changes to the camera on each device.
The main change is likely to be the addition of a LiDAR scanner, just like we've seen on the iPad Pro 2020. This can accurately judge distances and therefore depth, and would allow for improved augmented reality and Portrait mode.
We've heard specific mentions of a LiDAR scanner being included on the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max (alongside three lenses), while the basic iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max are said to have two camera lenses and no LiDAR scanner. These claims have been made by multiple sources, and the below image shows how it could look on the Pro model (made by Phone Arena).
We've also seen a leaked sketch supposedly showing four rear lenses on the iPhone 12 Pro. This sketch supposedly came from a build of iOS 14, and is backed up by lots of other sources.
Three of the lenses look like those on the iPhone 11 Pro, if perhaps slightly bigger, but the new fourth lens looks like the LiDAR scanner found on the iPad Pro 2020, backing up other claims of such a lens.
Before all the LiDAR scanner rumors, we'd heard that a laser-powered 3D camera was rumored for inclusion. This would be on the back, and while only one rumor mentions lasers, another also talks about a depth-sensing snapper, while one mentions 3D sensing.
Another report from Fast Company cites sources close to production of the phone and also says a rear-facing 3D camera is in development. One of the sources for this rumor claims the two top models would get this, along with a triple-lens camera, while the two lower end ones would just get a dual-lens camera without 3D sensing.
Elsewhere, one source says the iPhone 12 might have a 64MP main camera, over the 12MP snapper on the previous few versions, which would be a huge upgrade. This leak also suggests that the phone will have multiple lenses that support night mode shooting, and the ultra-wide snapper could have a dedicated macro mode.
We've also heard that the top-end new iPhone (likely the iPhone 12 Pro Max) will get a new image stabilization tech called 'sensor-shift', which would allow the sensor to move in order to counteract camera shake.
Plus, reputable leaker Max Weinbach says he has heard that the iPhone 12 Pro will feature Smart HDR functionality for improved low-light performance. That's alongside a 3x optical zoom, which is an increase from the 2x zoom capability featured in the iPhone 11 range.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a respected tech analyst, has said he believes Apple will be making big improvements to autofocus on the iPhone 12 by using new parts from a different supplier.
And we've also heard that all four new iPhone models might get a camera improvement in the form of a 7-element wide-angle lens. That's one more element than current models, which could lead to fewer aberrations and less distortion.
While there are lots of sources collaborating the LiDAR scanner rumors, the actual core specs of the iPhone 12 series cameras are still a little unclear and there's plenty more for us to learn here in the coming months.
Here's what we're currently expecting, but the exact specs of each camera aren't currently common knowledge:
| iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Max | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How many cameras? | Two | Two | Three | Three |
| LiDAR scanner? | No | No | Yes | Yes |
What do we want to see the iPhone 12 camera do? Mark Wilson, Cameras Editor at TechRadar says...
"The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro’s cameras gave us great new shooting options, but what I’d really like to see on the iPhone 12 is Apple ramping up the quality on those ultra-wide and telephoto lenses.
"Both of those have smaller sensors and slower apertures than the main camera, and can struggle in lower light. It’d be great to see Night Mode available in all shooting situations and also a brighter lens on the ultra-wide with optical image stabilization.
"I’d also love to see Apple’s take on the periscope lens design we’ve seen from Samsung, Huawei and Oppo for a boost in optical zoom, though we may have to wait a bit longer for that."
Specs
What other iPhone 12 specs should you expect?
How are these phones going to power 5G connectivity? One rumor suggests it'll have a custom-made 5G antenna alongside a 5nm A14 Bionic chipset. This chipset has been mentioned more than once.
What that means for the average consumer is an iPhone with an even longer battery life and more power than ever. That would be rather impressive, given the iPhone battery life is currently the best we've ever seen from Apple.
The RAM could also get a boost, with analysts claiming that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will have 6GB of the stuff, up from 4GB on their predecessors - though the standard phone will apparently stick with 4GB. This is something we've now heard again, again and again, so it may well be true.
The chipset seems ready to wow too, as an A14 Bionic leaked benchmark showed it had a single-core and multi-score score that was ahead of the Snapdragon 865, the processor we've seen in almost all Android flagships in 2020.
And the iPhone 12 might also support the new 802.11ay specification, which could allow it to share content at speeds of at least 20-30Gbps. So in every sense this phone is likely to be fast.
How much storage will you have? You may have seen earlier up the page, but a pricing leak from Prosser showed us the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will come in 128GB and 256GB models while the Pro and Pro Max will come in both of those and 512GB.
One leak may have given us a clear picture of batteries you can expect in each of the iPhone 12 models. The leak comes from MySmartPrice that saw certification for three new batteries. According to that leak, we're expecting this to be the sizes:
- iPhone 12 may have a 2,227mAh
- iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro may have a 2,775mAh
- iPhone 12 Pro Max may have a 3,687mAh
If this leak is true, it may not be positive news for the iPhone 12's battery life.
The iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery, the iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,046mAh one, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969mAh one – and that’s despite the iPhone 11 Pro Max having a smaller screen than the iPhone 12 Pro Max is rumored to have.
It's not certain these will be the batteries we'll see in the upcoming phones, but it's our best look yet at the cells you can expect in the new phones.
One previous rumor from late 2019 suggested that Apple may be using a smaller battery protection module for the iPhone 12 that would allow it to pack in a larger cell.
Whether that happens or not is currently unknown, and we may not even know that until someone manages to get one to do a teardown on the exact internals of the new iPhone.
One other rumor supports this though, stating that the batteries in the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max won't exceed 4,400mAh - a figure which in both cases would be an improvement on the battery sizes in their predecessors.
Wireless charging is expected to be on the iPhone 12 - which isn't a huge surprise - and one leak suggests it'll come with magnets that allow it to sit on a wireless charger in an easier way than ever before.
Will the iPhone 12 use USB-C? The rumors currently suggest it'll be sticking with a Lightning cable. Multiple sources have said USB-C won't happen, with the iPhone 12 likely sticking with Lightning, and the iPhone 13 potentially switching to a portless design.
That said, a recent EU ruling may also mean future iPhones won't be able to use Lightning cables in Europe. That may force Apple to switch the connector on future phones to USB-C, and while it's not clear yet whether this will be the case for the iPhone 12 it may be something to consider.
Another report from Chinese publication Caifa news also suggests Apple and other manufacturers may soon use GaN power adapters. These are currently used by Xiaomi, and allow for fast-charging speeds up to 65 watts.
There's no guarantee this will debut on the iPhone 12 - or any future iPhone for that matter - but it may mean we see an improved fast-charging experience along the line.
So, what's the takeaway on the new iPhone specs? That got a bit muddled there, so we've tried to distill them as easily as possible in the chart you can find below.
| iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Max | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 6GB | 6GB |
| 5G | Just Sub-6 | Just Sub-6 | Both Sub-6 and mmWave | Both Sub-6 and mmWave |
| Storage | 128GB + 256GB | 128GB + 256GB | 128GB + 256GB + 512GB | 128GB + 256GB + 512GB |
5G
Will the iPhone 12 be 5G-ready?
5G is expected to make its debut on an Apple phone with the iPhone 12. In fact, rumors suggest we'll see all the models feature some form of 5G connectivity. Back in July 2019, Kuo predicted that all models will support 5G.
At the time, we only expected this feature to come to one model in the iPhone 12 range but it now looks like it'll be on all four devices. Prosser has suggested as much in his specs that he learned from a source at Apple.
The big caveat here is that the base iPhone 12 models may not support mmWave 5G technology. It's expected this will be a feature reserved for the two top-end models, so those on carriers like Verizon in the US will have to opt for those.
And yet, another early leak revealing 3D-printed models of all four iPhones suggests that all four have had their SIM slot relocated from the right side to the left, with a source stating they were moved to make room for 5G antennas – even in the two cheaper models.
A final leak on the topic of 5G is that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will both come with 4G options. That's from an unverified source, but it may allow you to get a cheaper device than the top-end 5G options.
Having said that, with 5G being far more future-proofed, you might want to think hard before buying a 4G iPhone 12, especially if the costs aren't much lower.
- A full exploration of whether the iPhone 12 will be 5G-ready
- Don't know much about next-gen internet? Here's our full guide to 5G
Accessories
Will the iPhone 12 come with AirPods?
The short answer to the above question is, no. It's very unlikely Apple will put a pair of AirPods in the box with a new iPhone as they've a major money maker for the company when sold separately.
Apple may choose to unveil the rumored AirPods 3 alongside the new handset at its event, but it's heavily rumored that the company will also not be including a pair of earbuds headphones alongside the iPhone 12 this year.
That may mean you won't get any headphones in the box alongside the iPhone 12. This is all just rumored for now, but it also means the company may not be bundling any accessories with its iPhones as it dropped the 3.5mm to Lightning adapter in 2018.
Similarly, we've now heard that Apple might not include a power adapter either (though you'll still get a charging cable). This could however mean costs will be reduced. It could also allow for smaller packaging and make it lighter and therefore cheaper to ship, though how much of this saving will be passed on to consumers is unknown.
It seems Apple has already surveyed customers about this potential change.
Another report has also suggested that Apple is working on a 20W charger, and that may be included in the box alongside the new phone. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max both featured an 18W charger, while the iPhone 11 had a 5W option.
Leaked images have shown the 20W charger, but it's unclear if it's made to be included with the top-end devices or the whole range. If it is just for the top-end devices, we're hoping Apple increases the wattage for the standard models over 5W.
It may be that these chargers are sold separately in the end; we likely won't know anything for certain until Apple mentions it on stage at the launch event.
Plus, if it does include a charger in the box there's a rumor that it may come with a braided cable. These are more durable than traditionally rubber-coated cables, and this may be another act to reducing e-waste from the new iPhone.
Software
What will iOS 14 bring to the iPhone 12?
Apple's WWDC 2020 replacement event saw the company unveil its new iOS 14 software, and this is the software we expect to see the company debut on the iPhone 12 later this year.
It'll also likely be coming to your current iPhone - you can find that out using the bullet point link below - but this is where Apple will be showing off the software in its best form.
What new features should you expect? Improved home screen widgets so you can better personalize your phone's main page plus there's also a new way of filing your apps away called the App Library that sits at the end of your home screens.
iOS 14 will also debut "light and fast" versions of certain apps that allow you to use some features without downloading the full app. These are called App Clips, and Apple believes they'll be useful in scenarios such as hiring electric scooters or paying for parking.
Other minor improvements are coming to the Messages app, Apple Maps, Siri and a variety of other first-party applications directly from Apple. There's a lot that's being tweaked, and while iOS 14 may not bring any hugely game changing features to the iPhone 12 it's sure to be some of the best software from the company so far.
- Everything you need to know about iOS 14
- How to get iOS 14 on your iPhone
- The iOS 14 tips and tricks we've found so far
- What iOS 14 can tell us about the iPhone 12
Should you wait?
Should I buy the iPhone 11 or wait for the 12?
The iPhone 12 release date is still a couple of months away even if the September 2020 launch window stays constant, so you should probably consider the iPhone 11 series if you need a new iPhone in the next few days, weeks or even months.
If you need a new top-tier Apple phone now, you’re looking at the iPhone 11 or the higher-spec iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max. Here are the best prices in your region:
Alex Hughes, Phone Deals Editor at TechRadar, says...
"One of the most exciting financial factors of the iPhone 12 is the effect it will have on the price of last year’s iPhone 11. New phone launches are the ideal time to buy older models with prices rapidly falling.
"When the iPhone 11 launched, the iPhone XR was dropped by £100 in the UK, and we'd expect a similar effect to kick in this year for the iPhone 11 range."
Click through to page two to see everything we want to see from the iPhone 12
What we want to see from the next iPhone
The iPhone 11 range was a strong - but safe, and thus a bit dull - upgrade for Apple.
So for the iPhone 12 we want to see bigger, riskier changes, such as the following. We wrote these elements that we want to see soon after we reviewed the iPhone 11 range, so some may match the leaks we've seen since then.
1. Exciting new features
First things first - the new iPhone needs to be good. Brilliant. Better than expected. We’re talking things that we haven’t even thought of. Things that we’re hoping Apple’s brightest minds are currently dreaming up in the company’s labs.
This might sound like a very vague request, but Apple is one of the biggest companies in the world and if any brand could make a decent folding handset, or one with detachable VR glasses, it's Cook's Crew.
Because a tweaked design and improved specs are expected, ordinary, and no longer enough as consumers are holding onto their handsets for longer than ever. Come on Apple, give us something mind-blowing.
2. A new design
Perhaps the thing we want most from the iPhone 12 is a new design. Apple has been rolling out basically the same design for several years now, ever since it refreshed the look with the iPhone X.
Sure, some things get tweaked, but the core is the same. And it’s starting to look a bit dated. That’s thanks mostly to the large notch, which might be necessary for all the camera components needed for Face ID, but which we’d like to see shrunk or removed if possible.
Beyond that, we’d really like a whole new look. There’s not too much wrong with the rest of the iPhone 11 Pro’s design, but it certainly feels overly familiar at this point.
3. An in-screen everything
We’d like the iPhone 12 to have an all-screen front, and one way to achieve that is to move the front-facing camera under the display. If Apple can effectively achieve that, it’s sure to impress.
While it’s on, we’d like Apple to re-add a fingerprint scanner, for those times when Face ID isn’t working quite as slickly as it should. But we want this in the screen too, or better yet, make the whole screen one big fingerprint scanner, as it has been rumored Apple might be planning for a future phone.
4. A higher refresh rate
One way some companies are further improving their displays is by upping the refresh rate from the standard 60Hz. The OnePlus 7 Pro for example has an optional 90Hz refresh rate, while the Razer Phone 2 goes up to 120Hz.
This can help make interactions with the handset and animations feel silky smooth, so we’d like to see Apple offer a higher refresh rate of its own. It’s not out of the question, especially as some iPad Pro models have a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Indeed, exactly that refresh rate has been rumored for the upcoming iPhones.
5. Further battery boosts
For the first time in years, with the iPhone 11 range it feels like Apple has really prioritized battery life in its phones, but we want the company to go even further with the iPhone 12. Or at the very least not go backwards.
We’re still waiting on an iPhone that can comfortably last two days, and we’d like the iPhone 12 (or at least the iPhone 12 Pro Max) to be it.
6. 5G support
Apple is behind when it comes to 5G, as none of the iPhone 11 range offer it, while rival handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S20 family and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G do.
Apple’s lack of support isn’t a big deal right now, as 5G coverage is still very sparse in most countries, but by the time the iPhone 12 launches it will be more widely available and a large number of other handsets will support it, so it will be time for Apple to jump on board.
The good news is that it’s heavily rumored that 2020’s iPhones will support 5G, so this is one thing we’re likely to get.
7. A lower price
We ask for this every year with new iPhones and this year we actually kind of got it, with the base iPhone 11 starting at less than the iPhone XR did. So it’s actually not impossible that we could see an even lower price – or a reduced price for the rest of the range – with the iPhone 12.
We wouldn’t count on it, but Apple’s more affordable phones are typically its best-selling in recent years, so there should be some incentive to cut costs where possible.
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