APPLE’S NEXT-GENERATION iPhones are still some way off, but that hasn’t stopped the relentless online rumour mill from serving up some details about the iPhone 11, or so-called iPhone XI lineup.
Three iPhones are expected to debut in September, including successors to the iPhone XS and XS Max, and a sequel to the iPhone XR. While few are likely too excited about another LCD-equipped iPhone, Apple’s flagship duo is shaping up nicely; they’re expected to be the first iPhones to boast triple camera systems, the first to offer USB-C and the first to ship with iOS 13, which is expected to bring a system-wide dark mode to iDevices.
We’ve rounded up everything we know about Apple’s 2019 iPhones so far below.
Release date
There’s no word yet as to when we’ll be seeing the iPhone 11. However, if Apple sticks to its usual schedule, INQ‘s putting its money on a 10 September unveiling, with pre-orders likely to kick off on 14 September.
Price
We know that Apple’s next iPhones will be expensive, but we don’t yet know quite how much they will fetch. If anything like 2018’s iPhone lineup, pricing will likely start around £999 and £1,099 for the XS and XS Max successors, and from £799 for the lesser-specced LCD model.
Latest news
14/5/19: The iPhone 11 has suffered yet another leak, once again adding more weight to rumours that it’ll sport an ugly camera bump.
The latest leak comes courtesy of Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, who showed off alleged mouldings for the iPhone 11, 11 Max and iPhone XR 2 (below). All three sport a square-shaped bulge on their rear, and confirm that the higher-end iPhones will sport three cameras while the new XR will feature a dual-lens setup.
And here’s what appear to be your next-generation iPhone XR colors (lavender purple and green instead of blue and coral) as @idanbo reported earlier this week: https://t.co/KQQ6JKmZg9pic.twitter.com/7k3WZC2ZUi — Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 14, 2019
A second tweet from Gurman outs new colour options for the iPhone XR. The cut-price model will reportedly be available in new ‘lavender purple’ and ‘green’ models, which will replace Apple’s current blue and coral offerings.
10/5/19: TSMC has started production of the A13 processor set to debut in Apple’s 2019 iPhones, according to a report at Bloomberg, with volume production set to kick off this month.
The chip is expected to be built using chipmaker” second-generation 7nm process, which will be the first to leverage extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in order to reduce complexity and cut the cost and time associated with creating chips for clients.
According to Bloomberg’s sources, the A13 SoC will feature inside all three of Apple’s incoming iPhones; the so-called iPhone XI, XI Max and second-gen iPhone XR.
8/5/19: Renders of Apple’s iPhone XR successor have surfaced online, confirming that it’ll feature the same ugly camera bump as the iPhone XI and XI Max. The images, via Pricebaba, shows a dual camera inside the square-shaped protrusion, and while specs haven’t been confirmed, it’s likely Apple will use the same 12MP setup found on the current iPhone XS.
Pricebaba claims the 2019 iPhone XR will have the same 6.1in screen as the original, but will be thinner at 7.8mm thick, compared to 8.3mm. Under the hood will sit Apple’s next-gen A13 Bionic chipset, according to the leak, and this will offer a “significant” improvement in performance compared to the A12 chip.
7/5/19: Apple’s 2019 iPhones look set to benefit from improved reception thanks to a planned antenna upgrade, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note obtained by MacRumours, the analyst doubles-down on a claim he made last year; that Apple will adopt modified-PI (MPI) for the antennas in its upcoming iPhones, rather than the liquid crystal polymer used in the iPhone XS and XR.
Shifting to MPI will bring production improvements and lower the cost for Apple, according to Kuo, and will improve the iPhone’s indoor navigation capabilities.
30/4/19: French tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer, in collaboration with Indian site CashKaro, has shared “final” renders of Apple’s next-gen iPhones, which are being dubbed the iPhone XI and XI Max. As per the site’s information, the iPhone XI will retain a 5.8in screen and will measure in at 143.9 x 71.4 x 7.8mm; that’s slightly thicker than the iPhone XS, with the new triple camera setup adding 1.2mm to the device’s thickness. The back of the device will be manufactured out of a single piece of glass, according to CashKaro, while the front will boast a smaller notch and “slightly” skinnier bezels.
23/4/19: An image of alleged iPhone 11 moulds have given us a better look at the handsets’ unusual triple-camera modules. The picture, posted by SlashLeaks by way of Weibo, allegedly shows dummies manufactured by accessory makers. If legit, these confirm that both the regular and plus-sized iPhone 11 models will sport bizarrely-arranged triple camera arrays, rather than the previously-rumoured vertically-aligned setup.
8/4/19: A report from Japanese blog Macotakara claims Apple will launch two brand-new iPhone models this year, alongside sequels to the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR.
The leftfield report claims the new models will boast OLED screens, USB-C and the previously rumoured triple-lens camera system. This will apparently add some heft to the iPhone duo; a 6.1in model will be around 0.15mm thicker than the iPhone XS, while a rumoured 6.5in variant will be 0.25mm thicker than the XS Max.
The report, which cites unspecified “trustworthy sources”, adds that the new iPhones will also offer reverse wireless charging, enabling the devices to juice Apple’s AirPods with Charging Case and other Qi-compatible gadgets.
With these new models set to showcase next-gen tech, Macotakara notes that the sequels to Apple’s 2018 iPhones will likely feature little more than an updated chip.
4/4/19: A photo of an alleged iPhone 11 part posted to Chinese social network Weibo has all-but-confirmed that the smartphone will pack a triple camera array. Matching up to schematics shared last week (below), the component shows triangular-shaped cutouts for the cameras three lenses, alongside square cutouts for housing additional sensors.
The part, which likely comes via Foxconn, also shows a hole where the iPhone 11’s wireless charging coil will go. While it’s hardly surprising that Apple’s 2019 iPhones will support cable-free charging, rumours suggest it’ll offer reverse wireless charging like the Samsung Galaxy S10.
2/4/19: Backing up earlier rumours, Apple oracle Ming-Chi Kuo has said the next-gen iPhone will support reverse wireless charging. This feature, similar to that found on the Galaxy S10, will allow users to charge other gadgets on the rear of the iPhone 11, such as Apple’s new AirPods with wireless charging case.
Kuo is also predicting that the 2019’s iPhones will sport bigger batteries, as reported by Apple Insider. He expects the iPhone XS successor to pack a battery that’s 20 to 25 per cent larger, while the battery in the iPhone XS Max sequel could be around 10-15 per cent larger than last year’s model. The iPhone XR replacement isn’t expected to see such a big battery increased, with Kuo predicting it will grow between 0 and 5 per cent.
Elsewhere, Kuo reiterates earlier predictions that the iPhone 11 will retain the proprietary Lightning connector, rather than shifting to USB-C.
29/3/19: Leaked schematics have backed up recent rumours that the iPhone 11 will sport a visually-offensive triple camera setup on its backside. The images (below), via Twitter tipster @OnLeaks, show that these three cameras will be housed inside a Huawei-esque square-shaped bulge, alongside a flash and an as-yet-unspecified additional sensor.
Just another leak seemingly confirming my January #iPhoneXI prototype leak accuracy… 😏 pic.twitter.com/qVWF59GgKr — Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) March 28, 2019
Additionally, separate rumours claim Apple is also plotting changes to the front of its 2019 iPhones. The firm will reportedly utilise an upgraded panel, alongside a sized-down Face ID modules, to reduce the size of the top-mounted notch.
26/3/19: Yet another rumour is claiming that Apple will debut reverse wireless charging on the iPhone 11. Backing up an earlier report from Ming-Chi Kuo (below), Japanese blog Macotakara write that the 2019 iPhones will get the S10-a-like feature, enabling users to wirelessly juice gadgets such as AirPods and the Apple Watch on the rear of the smartphone.
The report claims the so-called iPhone 11 will also ship with a new charging cable and the same 18W port as the iPad Pro, alongside upgraded cameras and a fatter battery.
18/3/19: A new report from Japanese blog Macotakara backs up earlier rumours that the iPhone 11 will sport a Huawei Mate 20-style triple camera setup.
Citing supply chain sources, the report claims that the more expensive iPhone 11 models will feature a triple-lens camera and a flash in a rectangular arrangement, similar to that seen on Huawei’s flagships.
Macotakara doesn’t tell us much about the next-gen iPhones but does not that they’ll likely pack Apple’s as-yet-unannounced 7nm A13 chip.
5/3/19: Developer Max Weinbach, who earlier this week shed some light on Apple’s second-gen AirPods, has spilt some tidbits of information about Apple’s upcoming iPhone 11 to EverythingApplePro (below).
According to Weinbach, next-gen iPhones will feature a new “waterproof” display technology that will, allegedly at least, allow the screen to recognise gestures and taps when fully submerged under water.
He also claims that Apple has been working on a new Taptic Engine with “directional precision” which, according to Weinbach, able users to feel vibrations from various parts of the screen.
There’s some bad news, though. While previous chatter had claimed the Apple’s long-hyped ‘Dark Mode’ would debut in iOS 13, set to ship on the iPhone 11, Weinbach says that work on the feature is running “behind schedule”, adding that it’ll “probably” debut in iOS 13.1.
18/1/19: Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is already pushing his predictions about the next-gen iPhones. In his latest report, seen by 9to5Mac, Kuo says he expects the iPhone 11 to offer reverse wireless charging, ultra-wideband connectivity for indoor positioning and navigation and improved Face ID tech, complete with a higher power flood illuminator, larger batteries, and a triple camera design.
He expects all three models to stick with the same screen sizes – 6.5in, 5.8in and 6.1in, and backs up recent rumours that all three will retain Lightning over USB-C.
12/1/19: Apple’s 2019 iPhones will stubbornly stick with the Lightning port rather than switching to USB-C, according to a report at Macotakara.
While earlier reports claimed that Apple was testing “some versions” of this year’s phone with USB-C, Macotakara – which successfully predicted that the 2018 iPad Pro would drop the Lightning port – claims the iPhone 11 lineup will once again ship with Apple’s standard 5W USB-A charger in the box.
While frustrating for users who have fully embraced USB-C, the move is hardly surprising; the decision has reportedly been made to “save costs”, and it’s unlikely the new iPhones will be compatible with the same range of accessories as the iPad Pro and Apple’s newest MacBooks.
11/2/19: Apple’s 2019 iPhones will pack a TSMC-made 7nm A13 CPU, according to a report at Digitimes.
The report claims that TSMC will continue to be the sole manufacturer of Apple’s A-series chips in 2019, with volume production of the A13 set to begin in the second quarter. The chipmaker will reportedly adopt extreme ultraviolet lithography for manufacturing Apple’s custom-designed chips for the first time.
Digitimes also reiterates earlier claims that new AirPods and iPads will debut in the first half of 2019. A successor to the Apple Watch 4 is also said to be coming in 2019, but the report gives no information on features or timing.
7/2/19: Renders of Apple’s iPhone 11 have shown what iOS 13’s rumoured ‘Dark Mode’ could look like on the flagship device. Created by Phone Arena based on preliminary details surrounding Apple’s 2019 iPhones, the official-looking images show how iOS will look with the goth-friendly mode enabled; from the Control Panel (below), multitasking and wallpapers.
While Apple has yet to confirm that the setting exists, we’ll likely hear more at the firm’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in May.
4/2/19: A mega-report from Bloomberg has shed some more light on Apple’s incoming 2019 iPhones.
Aligning with earlier speculation, the report claims that Apple is planning sequels to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max – codenamed D42 and D43 – along with an update to the LCD-equipped iPhone XR, which seemingly isn’t worthy of such a codename.
The successor to the iPhone XS Max will have a triple-camera setup on its backside that will help the device “capture a larger field of view and enable a wider range of zoom”, Bloomberg‘s sources claim, noting that “other handsets could eventually come with the upgraded system”; likely Apple’s 2020 iPhones.
To make the most of this new and improved camera system, Apple is reportedly plotting a new version of its Live Photos feature which will double the length of video from three to six seconds.
The report also backs up chatter that Apple’s 2019 iPhones will be the first to ditch the proprietary Lightning port in favour of USB-C.
Bloomberg has some deets on Apple’s next version of iOS, too. It claims iOS 13, set to debut on the iPhone 11, will offer a system-wide dark mode a la macOS, CarPlay improvements and new iPad-specific features including the ability to tab through multiple versions of a single app like pages in a web browser.
Apple will also integrate two new services, Bloomberg reports, including its long-rumoured magazine subscription and Netflix-a-like original video services.
The lengthy report also offers up some details about Apple’s 2020 iPhone lineup, which Bloomberg’s sources claim will feature a souped-up 3D camera system powered by a laser scanner that will allow users to create three-dimensional reconstructions of the real world. This, it claims, could be a prelude to an AR headset that Apple has been preparing for as early as 2020.
[“source=theinquirer”]
