Now that Labor Day has come and gone, thoughts turn to pumpkin spice coffee, football and ... iPhone updates.
A flurry of rumors and reports from analysts and vendors is providing a clearer picture of what to expect from three new iPhones that will be announced at an Apple launch event on Sept. 12. Business users--and organizations looking to outfit their employees with a device that will provide the most bang for the buck--will have a follow-up to the iPhone 8 as well as the next-generation X to add to the competitive mix. The iPhone updates will likely improve features and speeds, albeit modestly, but there are some surprising details expected.
Analysts are predicting that Apple will aggressively price its new phones. The new, lower-end model is likely to run between $600 and $700, according to reports. That phone could include some of the current features of the iPhone X, as well as some cutbacks--to the camera, for example, to make the pricing more attractive. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities has suggested the X Plus-like model will run between $900 and 1,000, and that the new X will sell for between $800 and 900.
In June, Kuo reported that there will be three new phones: an X-like Plus version with a 6.5-inch OLED display; a second-generation 5-8-inch, X-like model with an OLED display; and a new, lower-end model with a 6.1-inch LCD display.
The naming convention isn’t clear yet, and while we would typically expect to see a new iPhone 9 and 9 Plus this fall, the existing X creates some uncertainty. Some are predicting the new X-like phones will both be called XS, but there is little consensus on the lower-end X model’s name.
Recently, it’s been reported that a dual-SIM model will be released, which could be used by travelers who want to use their iPhone on multiple countries. Digging into the iOS 12 code, 9to5Mac originally reported references to a second SIM card and second SIM card tray.
All the phones are expected to offer Face ID, an edge-to-edge display with a notch like the one on the X, and Apple’s own A12 processors, which some reports suggest have been in production since late spring. That’s led to some reports that the Home button--and fingerprint sensor for unlocking the phone and making purchases--will be history.
We do know at least one thing for sure: Qualcomm recently confirmed that Apple will no longer sell its modems--likely in part because of a legal dispute between the companies over LTE modem pricing. The 2018 iPhones will use Intel modems.
There’s some speculation based on leaks from suppliers that Apple will offer a new, larger battery charger, an 18W Lightning to USB-C adapter, for fast charging. If true, fast charging could at least halve the time it takes to get a full charge on an iPhone.
The latest beta of iOS 12 suggests the new 6.5-inch iPhone model will support a landscape mode like the one on the iPad. Turn the phone 90 degrees, and additional menu items and features appear.
One possible trade-off in the lower-end model: Leaked photos suggest the 6.1-inch model may have a single lens rather than the dual-lens in the X and iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus.
If recent history is a guide, the iPhone updates should be available for pre-order the week after the launch event and begin shipping in the third week of September. The new lower-end phone could be pushed out a bit later, as with other previous new models, into October.
