Editors’ Note 7/6: This story was updated with new details regarding availability, accessories, and packaging.
While we’re still months away from Apple’s anticipated iPhone 12 launch, rumors and predictions are starting to accumulate at a fever pitch. And if those rumors are true, we’ll be seeing no less than four new iPhone 12 models later this year.
It’s worth noting Apple has yet to confirm any details about its 2020 iPhone lineup. This story is based on leaks and predictions from industry insiders with solid track records. That said, things are likely to develop quickly over the next few months, so we’ll be updating this story frequently.
According to tech analyst and leaker Jon Prosser, Apple will release four iPhone models this year, including a 5.4-inch iPhone 12, a 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max, a 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max.
As you can see above, the 2020 iPhone lineup might do away with the curved design language that has come to define the series since 2017. Instead, the new phones will sport a boxy design, with flat glass panels on the front. Regular iPhone 12 models are said to have an aluminum frame, while the Pro models will sport stainless steel.
In addition to a completely new design, Apple may allow owners to customize their own phones. In a newly published patent application entitled Laser Marking Of An Electronic Device Through A Cover, Apple describes a process of using a laser to create marks beneath the surface of an enclosure or display. The patent states the process can be used to add regulatory markings and other necessary markings to a handset as well as to “create custom markings on assembled electronic devices.”
The process can create color-changing markings as well as reflective or semi-transparent layers. Apple specifically mentions using the technology on the display to “define a window or other transparent region for viewing the display.” One of the most likely uses for this technology would be to minimize bezels and the display notch. It could also use this to create a built-in privacy filter since the laser is capable of semi-transparent and reflective surfaces.
The SIM slot is reportedly moving to the left side of the phone, while a proprietary connector may make its home on the right; while there are few details about the connector’s purpose, we believe it could be for Apple’s long-awaited AR headset that will likely precede its AR glasses by a year. Antenna lines might also be slightly larger to accommodate custom 5G antennas. Finally, the power button will reportedly move a little lower down on the right side of the phone if images from the Japanese tech site Macotakara are to be believed.
The iPhone 12 may also be Apple’s most durable phone to date if it incorporates a new coating on the phones. A patent application titled Spiral Grain Coatings For Class Structures In Electronic Devices shows Apple might be developing a coating that would reduce the risk of damage if dropped. The coating is made of “polycrystalline materials in which grains have been grown in an interlaced spiral configuration.” It appears Apple may use different versions of the coating for different products. In products like the iPhone 12, it would likely have multiple sublayers with the top being constructed from “a hard material such as a nitride.” In addition to minimizing damage from accidental drops, the coating could also minimize excess wear on the glass, and create anti-scratch, anti-smudge, and/or anti-reflection layers.
While the iPhone 12 will reportedly keep its Lightning connection, Mr White, a well-known Apple leaker, posted photos of 20W charging adapter that’s apparently in production. In fact, it looks like every adapter may be an additional purchase if Ming Chi Kuo is to be believed. In June, MacRumors obtained a research note from the famed Apple analyst that states this year’s lineup will not include a charger.
In an earlier note, Kuo wrote this will be the first year Apple would not include a pair of EarPods in the box. Instead, the company plans to launch an AirPods promotion to coincide with the release of the new phones.
If Apple does in fact release this year’s iPhone without a charger or EarPods, it’s almost certain the packaging will change significantly as well. Updated packaging would likely be slimmer to minimize its environmental impact. Slimmer packaging would also allow Apple to reduces shipping and manufacturing costs.
In June 2020, Apple was awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office that may give us a glimpse of what’s to come. In the patent application, Apple states it may use this design for nearly all of its consumer electronics, with some minor variations depending on design. It cites several reasons to optimize its packaging, among them are minimized environmental impact, improved guest interaction, and reducing the risk of imperfect packaging in retail settings.
All of the upcoming iPhone 12 models will have a smaller front-facing camera notch, as you can see below. Apple reportedly tweaked its TrueDepth camera and other sensors partly to improve screen-to-body ratio.
Korean tech site The Elec reports the iPhone 12 and 12 Max will feature OLED displays constructed by LG. These will reportedly be traditional OLED panels with a separate touch film. Additionally, the less expensive duo will feature dual 12MP camera stacks with larger sensors for improved photos.
The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will reportedly include premium Y-OCTA OLED display panels from Samsung. These panels are more durable, since the touch layer is built into the screen. Both sets of phones are said to support the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate currently available on the iPad Pro.
The Pro models are reported to feature a triple-lens camera stack. While all of the camera sensors are said to be larger this year, MacRumors reports the wide-angle lens will support sensor-shift image stabilization. This technology uses the iPhone’s accelerometer along with electrical actuators to prevent the effect of quick movements causing a deviation between what you see in the viewfinder and what the camera captures.
9 to 5 Mac reports that code in a beta version of iOS 14 confirms LiDAR will appear on the Pro models. LiDAR uses pulsed lasers to detect the distance from the phone to a specific object; it will likely be used to help image quality, more accurately detect distances, and improve AR apps and features.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will reportedly sport dual-sensor cameras according to a report from Ming-Chi Kuo. In the same report he states the primary lens will get a major upgrade, moving from 12MP on the iPhone 11 to 64MP on the iPhone 12.
Digitimes (via The Chinese Commercial Times) says that Apple tapped TSMC to create its A14 SoC for the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup. The A14 processor will reportedly be the first to use a 5nm process. While some manufacturers are using 7nm process chipsets in their flagships, Apple’s plan to shrink its SoC even further could translate into a significant performance boost and greater energy efficiency. If the A14 chipset does indeed use a 5nm process, it may offer performance that rivals even high-end desktop computers.
Jon Prosser shared hardware details about the upcoming iPhone lineup in a YouTube video. He claims the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro will ship with 4GB of RAM with 128GB and 256GB storage configurations, while the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will sport 6GB of storage with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage variants.
While all of the upcoming iPhone 12 variants will reportedly support 5G connectivity, details are still scarce. There are, however, a few different scenarios we can expect based on global 5G build-outs and other factors.
At this point, we are confident at least some versions of the iPhone 12 will support mmWave. A patent filed by Apple entitled “Electronic Device With Millimeter Wave Antennas” confirms Apple plans to release an iPhone with mmWave and shows possible antenna placement. The patent also states the “antennas may be mounted along the peripheral edges of housing, on the rear of housing, under the display cover glass or other dielectric window on a rear face of housing, or on the edge of course, or elsewhere on the device.” That pretty much covers every inch of the phone, but we believe the render below shows the most probable locations for antenna placement on the iPhone 12.
We believe Apple will reserve dual-band 5G for its Pro lineup, and will include sub-6GHz coverage for its less expensive phones. In this scenario, it’s also possible it may follow the lead of other manufacturers and create a dual-band version of the non-Plus iPhone 12 models for Verizon.
There’s also a chance that Apple will release at least one version of the iPhone 12 that is LTE-only, though these rumors originate from an unreliable source. We’re including this as a possibility based solely on the fact Apple filed registrations with the Eurasian Economic Commission for nine different iPhone 12 variants.
Of course we don’t know any of this for certain, but as of this writing we believe pricing for the various iPhone 12 models will start at $549 and go up to $1,449. We’ve compiled potential iPhone 12 pricing in the graphic below.
Apple typically announces its latest iPhones in September and releases them a week or so after the launch event. This year, things might be different.
In February, Apple CEO Tim Cook released a public statement noting that the coronavirus pandemic has “temporarily constrained” iPhone supply and that facilities in China were “ramping up more slowly than we anticipated.”
Multiple sources claim Apple will release at least some of its upcoming iPhone 12 models later than normal this year. Even before the global coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, analysts at Susquehanna predicted the iPhone 12 release would be delayed by months due to Apple’s decision to manufacture its own 5G antennas.
Since then, The Wall Street Journal as well as analysts at JPMorgan and Bank of America, have predicted a one- to two-month delay in the release of the iPhone 12 due to supply chain issues associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
DigiTimes (Paywall), reported in June that Apple already had pre-production units and would begin manufacturing of the phones in July. In July, however, the Asian Nikkei Review stated Apple has ramped up production of its existing smartphones to make up for a delay of four weeks, and two months for its upcoming 5G phones. Both publications are solid sources with excellent track records when it comes to Apple supply chain reporting.
Ultimately, we’ll just have to wait and see. But make sure to check back soon, as we’ll be updating this story as we learn new information.
It would be an understatement to say Steven Winkelman is obsessed with smartphones and tablets. Before joining PCMag as a mobile analyst, he covered mobile and wearable tech at Digital Trends.
When he’s not poring over the latest mobile hardware, you’ll find him voraciously reading or exploring Brooklyn’s amazing independent bookstores.
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It would be an understatement to say Steven Winkelman is obsessed with smartphones and tablets. Before joining PCMag as a mobile analyst, he covered mobile and wearable tech at Digital Trends.
When heu2019s not poring over the latest mobile hardware, youu2019ll find him voraciously reading or exploring Brooklynu2019s amazing independent bookstores.