When does a rumor sound too good to be true? When it says the iPhone 12 you’re hoping for will be cheaper than the iPhone 11. According to Job Prosser, who leaked the iPhone SE release date, the iPhone 12 will start at $649. That’s $50 less than the iPhone 11! Furthermore, the new iPhone will come in four different models at launch, two to replace the iPhone 11’s position in the lineup, and two new pro models. The consumer-level models will close the gap between their pro-level counterparts in some ways, but the pro models will feature some attractive upgrades that may draw in buyers.
What will Apple’s new lineup look like?
Price Range
According to Prosser, the iPhone models will start at the following prices:
Consumer-Tier (iPhone 11 replacements)
- 5.4-inch OLED screen iPhone 12 with two cameras: $649
- 6.1-inch OLED screen iPhone 12 with two cameras: $749
Pro-Tier (iPhone 11 Pro replacements)
- 6.1-inch OLED screen iPhone 12 Pro with three cameras and LiDAR: $999
- 6.7-inch OLED screen iPhone 12 Pro Max with three cameras and LiDAR: $1099
Notable Changes
The biggest changes we see are on the highest and lowest ends of the price spectrum. The smallest bezel-free display will be a 5.4″ display. That would put it between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 in body size, but with a screen only 0.3″ smaller than the iPhone 11 Pro.
On the other end of the price spectrum is the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. This will be 0.2 inches larger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max. It’ll be 1.2 inches smaller than the iPad mini, but without the bezels, it’ll still feel like a much smaller device. Still, this thing will be massive.
The 5.7-inch tier is gone, replaced by two 6.1-inch iPhone models. This is the size of the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR. It’s still a large phone, too large for my tastes, but if the sides of this phone are indeed less rounded and more squared-off, the device may still be easier to grip.
Finally, we come down to the screen. If these rumors are correct, even the consumer iPhone models will get OLED displays, like those currently only seen in Apple’s pro models. This would blur the line on the iPhone, making the smaller sizes more pro-like.
It would seem as though Apple is expecting the largest differentiator between these two models to be the camera array. On the consumer iPhones, we’ll get a two camera array, like that on the iPhone 11. However, on the iPhone 12 Pro, there will be a three camera array with an added LiDAR sensor. This will bring the wide angle, telephoto, and super wide angle lenses from the iPhone 11 Pro and add the LiDAR from the latest iPad Pro. This will allow photos to have depth information, as well as improve AR.
Other Sources and New Information
We’ve heard of this lineup before. It’s identical to leaks and analysis across the board. However, this is the first time we’ve heard three key details about the iPhone 12. First, obviously, is the price. $649 for a new flagship iPhone is a great starting point. Second, is that all of these models will have 5G capabilities. Some previous reports have claimed that only the pro models would have 5G. However, it could make sense for Apple to offer all of their phones with 5G to encourage upgrades and keep up with Android competition, rather than differentiate their pro and consumer models. The cameras will likely be enough to do that. Finally, this is the first leak to claim that every new iPhone will have OLED screens.
Since this is the first time we’re hearing this, take the leak with a grain of salt. While this particular leaker may have been right about the iPhone SE release date, we can’t be sure they know more than that, or that they didn’t just have a lucky guess. However, this all seems plausible. The difference between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro camera array will be substantial, far greater than it is between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. Therefore, it may be all Apple needs to convince users to upgrade to it from the iPhone 12.
As for me, that 5.4-inch OLED screen sounds amazing. An iPhone that doesn’t stick out of my pocket? One easy enough to grip that it might not even need a case? Amazing. I’d take a phone with a manageable size over the iPhone with the best camera any day. I don’t think Apple’s considering just how popular a smaller iPhone could be. Or, perhaps they are? Maybe this is Apple’s push to get as many people in the Apple ecosystem as possible. The release of the iPhone SE at a surprisingly low price point could back up this notion. Maybe Apple’s finally trying to win the marketshare war against Android?
We can expect the iPhone 12 this fall. However, due to COVID-19, the release date could be pushed back by a month or more, releasing in October. COVID-19 will be the defining characteristic of this year, and it surely will have an impact on every aspect of our lives for a long time. iPhones being a month late is the smallest of those impacts.
Source: William Gallagher, AppleInsider