While later than normal, Apple will hold its next event tomorrow. All expectations are saying that this is the iPhone 12 event that we have been waiting for. So what can we expect at the event for the new iPhone? All the rumors have been circulating for a while and seem pretty strong. So here’s what you can expect for the new iPhone this year.
The iPhone 12
Just like last year, the rumor mill expects Apple to introduce two iPhone brands, the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro. Unlike last year though, each model will have two sizes. I will go more in-depth with the sizes later, but I want to focus on what we expect to be similar between them all.
The Internals
Apple loves to play little word games with their event names and I think this year won’t be any different. Apple has already unveiled the A14 chip when it announced the new iPad Air. Even better, the numbers are already out there. This will be one speedy chip. Even though Apple talked all about the A14 chip at the last iPad and Apple Watch event, I think they have saved some of it. The new iPad Air hasn’t been released to the public yet, and I think there might be a reason. I don’t know what it is, but usually, the iPhone chip gets lots of stage time at these events.
Like the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, I would expect that the different models won’t differ much between the models when it comes to the stuff on the inside. I think the iPhone 12 line will have the same processors inside, while the Pros might have more RAM.
5G wireless networking
The rumor has it that all the new iPhone models (whether the Pro or non-Pro model) will come equipped with 5G this year. I have rarely felt like LTE has been too slow for me, especially if I have a strong signal, so while it will be nice to have, I don’t feel like this is a make or break addition to the iPhone for me personally.
What is a great addition to wireless connectivity, is a “Smart Data Mode” that will determine which connection speed will be best for data consumption. This will look at the strength of the 5G and 4G LTE signal and use the best signal for speed and battery life. When your phone doesn’t have a strong signal to work with, the battery drains more quickly. I hope that this feature will allow phones to work with speed and long battery life though, instead of defaulting to the fast, but draining speed of a weaker signal.
Screen Technology
The iPhone 11 family differentiated the normal model from the Pro model by using different screen technology. The Pro models came equipped with OLED screens which have a better color saturation including having darker blacks on the screen. But OLED technology costs more than LEDs which were used in the iPhone 11. This year, all models of iPhone will be using the OLED screen.
I don’t know about the resolution on the newer models, because the iPhone 11 did run at a slightly lower pixel per inch than the iPhone 11 Pros did. So we will have to wait to see what happens.
Cameras
As far as the cameras go on the new iPhone, I wouldn’t don’t think much will change. I think the camera bump will remain mostly unchanged in size, but there will be an IR blaster on the back. I’m not sure that much will change with the addition of the IR sensor. I theorized before WWDC that Apple might use it to help judge distances when taking a picture. It could help the new iPhone take better portrait shots, but nothing has been confirmed.
What the IR blaster/sensor really does is help AR apps and games. The IR sensor helps the iPhone judge distance by sending out a beam and judging how long it takes to bounce back.
I do expect that Apple will have worked on the software for the new iPhone when it comes to low light mode photos and its deep fusion algorithm. Improvements in these areas will improve every day photography.
With that said, there could be a chance that the sensors do get a little bigger. This will let more light in, producing better photos.
New Design
Finally, all of the new iPhones announced are likely to get a new design this year. All of the leaks are saying that the iPhone will adopt the iPad Pro industrial design with straight edges and edge to edge design. Of course, the front and back of the device are likely to be glass. This allows for wireless charging and that edge to edge screen.
I would expect the iPhone 12, or whatever the new iPhone is called, to come in multiple new colors. I personally hope for the pastel colors from the iPhone XR than the colors for the iPhone 11.
The iPhone 12 Pro will likely come in silver, black (or gray), gold, and blue this year. I was excited about the green last year, but I really regret the color once I got my hands on it. I expect a blue will be bolder than the grey/green of last years’ phone.
Differences
So what will be the difference between the iPhones this year?
Screen size
For one, the sizes will be very different. Last year, the iPhone 11 came in one size. The 6.1-inch size split the size difference between the larger (6.5-inch) and smaller (5.8) pros. This year, we are likely to see an iPhone 12 in 6.1-inches, like before, as well as an iPhone 12 Mini in a 5.1-inch screen size.
On the Pro side, the Pros are likely to grow on both ends. The smaller Pro will also come in a 6.1-inch version, while the Pro Max will increase to 6.7-inches.
Materials
Just like past years, I would expect the Pro and normal versions of the new iPhone I would expect the materials to be different as well. The Pro version will continue to use stainless steal while the iPhone 12 will use aluminum.
iPhone Expectations
I don’t expect this iPhone to really move the needle much. It is getting a redesign, which is welcomed, as well as 5G, which I could take or leave.
I might expect some surprised with Apple’s U1 chip (a chip it introduced last year with the iPhone 11) that will be exciting. Leaker Jon Prosser has some insight into Apple’s future plans with the U1 chip and it seems pretty cool. I’ll get more into this later.
HomePod mini & the new Apple TV will both act as UWB base-stations 🧐
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) October 12, 2020
– Will precisely track your location as you walk inside house with other U1 devices.
– Use info for media controls, brightness/volume control, & door locks.
Turns regular hardware into HomeKit hardware.
Personally, I’m ready for a new iPhone. I love my iPhone 11, the battery is still great, but I don’t like the color. I’m also tired of paying so much for it. This year, I’m resigned to not get the Max version. I will most likely get the iPhone 12 Pro and if the rumors about storage size are right, I might even get the baseline storage. The rumors say that the lowest tier storage will be 128Gb, which would be perfect for me.
HomePod Mini
Also rumored to make a debut is the HomePod Mini.
According to rumors, the HomePod Mini will be a smaller, cheaper version of the HomePod. It will most likely have fewer speakers than the regular HomePod, which will likely make it sound mini compared to the larger HomePod. I love this idea and hoped that it would have been announced earlier this year.
I have been building out the sound system in my new home with Sonos in the living room, so having a HomePod and Sonos in one room is a little over kill. This would allow me to bring Siri into the most used room in the house for and use my other speakers.
As mentioned above, if Prosser is right and Apple is bringing the U1 chip to the devices that stay at home, exciting things could be happening in the automation world. I can imagine a time when I play something on my iPhone and then as I enter my house, the music transfers to the nearest HomePod. The music could then follow me around the house.
What You Wont See at the Hi, Speed event
While I will say that nothing is confirmed, I wouldn’t put my money on some things popping up. I doubt that anything Mac shows up at this event for instance. I think the chip transition and the first Apple Silicon Mac will get its own event.
I wouldn’t expect a new Apple TV (although I do want one, preferably one that can pass through some Dolby Atmos to my LG tv).
AirPods are a mystery though. AirPod Studios have been rumored for a while and Prosser has even created digital images of them out there. He has said that his source tells him that they will not be at the event though. I might expect a press release about AirPods Studio later in the month.
Expectations
I think this could be a fun event. One of the flaws of covering Apple news and leaks though takes some of the surprises out of the events, especially when they are pre-recorded and slimmed down.
I think this will be a quick hour to an hour and a half event. All eyes are always on the iPhone and I wouldn’t expect anything less. I’m eyeing an iPhone 12 Pro and maybe even dropping down to the base iPhone level as well. I’ll be watching as soon as the link goes up.
The HomePod Mini has me very intrigued. I hope that they price this thing correctly so that I can bring one into my home and move around my other HomePods.
What do you want to see at the event? What are you planning on buying? Let me know in the comments below!