New iPhone design, colours, sizes and more leaked – just days before official reveal
RUMOURS suggest Apple is days away from unveiling the latest iPhone, with an event scheduled for October 13.
Despite the firm revealing almost nothing about the event, various leaks mean we already know all there is to know about the mobile.
iPhone 12 – what is it?
The iPhone 12 series is the rumoured next-generation of smartphone built by California tech titan Apple.
In total, four new mobiles are believed to be launching during a virtual event on October 13.
Those include: A base iPhone 12, an iPhone 12 Pro, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, and an iPhone "Mini".
Various sources have revealed that one of these mobile's will be the first iPhone with 5G connectivity, with potentially all four featuring the next-generation mobile technology.
iPhone 12 – design
According to various leaks and rumours, the iPhone 12 will come in a boxy shape that harks back to earlier iPhones.
Specifically, it will feature squared off corners as opposed to the rounded ones seen in more recent models.
"We predict that the new 2020 iPhone design will change significantly," trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last year.
"The metal frame and the front and rear 2/2.5D glass are still used, but the metal frame surface will be changed to a similar design to the iPhone 4, replacing the current surface design."
The iPhone 4 was a landmark model because it introduced a new boxy design.
Previous iPhone models had curvaceous rears and sides that tapered off in to the back.
But the iPhone 4 was rectangular and hard-edged, which proved popular and was retained right to the iPhone 5S – four models later.
Other rumours suggest that Apple will reduce the size of the "notch" at the top of the screen that houses the selfie camera and various sensor.
Apple is also said to be adding a fourth camera to the back of the phone, up from the three sported by last year's iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
iPhone 12 sizes
Apple's four new mobiles are expected to come in various sizes.
According to LetsGoDigital, one is a 5.4in "mini" iPhone that will be the company's smallest flagship mobile in years.
Leaker , who regularly shares details of Apple devices before launch, tweeted last week that the handset is already on its way to stores.
The rumoured iPhone sizes are: A 6.1in base iPhone 12, a 6.1in iPhone 12 Pro, a 6.7in iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the 5.4" Mini.
The mini will be one of Apple's tiniest mobile since 2017's iPhone 8 (4.7in).
It'll fit easily in the palm with a design that goes against the recent trend of "bigger is always better" followed by the world's leading smartphone makers.
iPhone 12 features
The headline features of the new phones were leaked earlier this year by Jon Prosser.
Jon regularly reveals information about gadgets long before they launch using a series of inside contacts.
While similar in size, the 12 and 12 Pro will differ in the number of cameras: Two and three, respectively.
As with Apple's most recent mobiles, the iPhone 11 series, we can expect the rear triple camera array to include wide-angle and telephoto lenses.
Apparently, the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will also come with LiDAR scanners.
LiDAR is a type of laser technology that measures distances to accurately map a scene in 3D.
What is 5G?
Here's what you need to know...
- The term 5G stands for 5th-generation, and is simply the next "version" of mobile phone networks.
- The world's network operators have settled on a new method of delivering mobile internet to your phone, making it possible to offer far higher download speeds.
- Early figures suggest you'll be able to download 4K movies in a matter of seconds, and buffering video will be a thing of the past.
- But 5G also promises low "latency" – the physical delay in transmitting data – which is a major boon for gamers, who desperately need their online actions to be sent and received as quickly as possible.
- EE is first across the line in the UK, with 5G live in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham or Manchester.
- The good news is that EE plans to roll out 5G in a further 10 cities by the end of 2019: Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry and Bristol.
- Vodafone has also switched on 5G in seven cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, and London.
It means you can create much more accurate augmented reality effects – like Pokémon Go or advanced Snapchat filters.
Apple recently added LiDAR to a product for the first time ever with the launch of the new iPad Pro.
The key feature for the iPhone 12, though, will be 5G connectivity, according to the leak. All four models will have it as standard.
5G is the next generation of mobile internet, expected to deliver blisteringly fast download speeds – changing the way we use our handsets forever.
With 5G, you can download a full HD movie in seconds over your network connection.
In the USA, 5G is available in a number of cities on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.
EE, Vodafone and others have already launched in the UK, and they're seriously impressive.
iPhone 12 prices
With four new iPhones on the way, Apple is staggering their prices to try and offer something for people on almost every budget.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the mini will cost as little as $649, making it one of Apple's cheapest smartphones in years.
The 6.1in base and Pro models will allegedly come in at $749 and $1,099 respectively.
The largest of the bunch, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, is said to cost a whopping $1,199.
It's not clear what the UK prices will be, but we'd expect them to pretty much match the US ones in numerical value.
That would mean £649 for the mini, £749 for the 12, £1,099 for the 12 Pro and £1,199 for the 12 Pro Max.
Apple's October 13 event
Apple is preparing to host a major gadget launch event called Hi, Speed on October 13, 2020.
We're expecting to see brand new gadgets, including the long-awaited iPhone 12.
Apple hosted a special Time Flies event last month, where it revealed a new Apple Watch and two iPad models.
But fans were disappointed by the total absence of an iPhone.
iPhone screen sizes revealed
How iPhone screens have changed over the years...
- iPhone (2007) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 3G (2008) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 3GS (2009) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 4 (2010) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 4S (2011) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 5 (2012) – 4 inches
- iPhone 5S (2013) – 4 inches
- iPhone 5C (2013) – 4 inches
- iPhone 6 (2014) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 6+ (2014) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone 6S (2015) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 6S+ (2015) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone SE (2016) – 4 inches
- iPhone 7 (2016) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 7+ (2016) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone 8 (2017) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 8+ (2017) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone X (2017) – 5.8 inches
- iPhone XS (2018) – 5.8 inches
- iPhone XR (2018) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone XS Max (2018) – 6.5 inches
- iPhone 11 (2019) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 11 Pro (2019) – 5.8 inches
- iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) – 6.5 inches
Apple typically unveils its new iPhones during its annual September hardware event and releases them by the end of the month, but this year is doing things a little differently.
Apple exec Luca Maestri confirmed in July that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the new iPhones would be pushed back by "a few weeks".
It's thought the phones will be unveiled at the Hi, Speed event next week.
It's believed that Apple will release the base iPhone 12 and the Mini by the end of October, while the Pro and Pro Max models will ship in November.
Most read in Phones & Gadgets
In other news, the iPhone 12 could be the first Apple mobile that ships without headphones or a charging plug in the box.
Facebook is rolling out a new feature that further attempts to merge it with Instagram.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
And, a new update will give Apple users 117 new emoji on their iPhones.
Are you excited for the new iPhones? Let us know in the comments!
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]