Apple is expected to launch its new iPhone 12 lineup in September or October 2020 despite the COVID-19 health crisis which has affected the company’s operations. There have been plenty of rumours over the months about the much-awaited smartphones. We are expecting some major updates, introducing some of the first design changes we have seen since the iPhone X in 2017.

According to the leaked news, there will be four different models of the iPhone 12 series. The base variant of the iPhone 12 will have a 5.4-inch display catering to consumers who want a smartphone capable of one-hand usage, the mid variants iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro will have a 6.1-inch display whereas the high-end variant, the iPhone 12 Pro Max will have a massive 6.7-inch display.

Rumours suggest that the “Pro” and “Pro Max” variants will be the high-end devices with triple-lens cameras, while the base model will consist of dual-lens cameras and a more affordable price tag. All the new devices are expected to have OLED display technology, and 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, though we are not certain because of the battery issues and the company might actually wait till next year to add this feature.

In terms of design, the new iPhone will experience a redesign with a metal frame. The iPhone 4 had a different flat look for its stainless-steel frame, which may be seen in the new iPhones, bringing the design in line with the 2020 iPad Pro models. The leaks also suggest that the Pro models will come with 6GB of RAM and a triple camera setup which will include a LiDAR sensor. The other models are expected to feature 4GB RAM and a dual-camera setup instead.

Lastly, it is said that Apple might not include the EarPods or power adaptor in the box with the iPhone 12 models, cutting down the production and packaging cost. Instead, it might offer a 20W power adapter which can be purchased separately. Apple might also introduce a new navy-blue finish in the new series, which is not completely unreasonable to expect as it had introduced the midnight green colour with the iPhone 11 Pro lineup.

Specifications: iPhone 12 series models

Let’s dive deeper into the specification of each iPhone 12 model:

• iPhone 12: This base variant is expected to feature a 5.4-inch OLED panel with 2340x1080 resolution. The display is also expected to feature Y-OCTA technology, which means the touch sensor is integrated directly in the display. Coming to hardware, the entry model will feature 4GB RAM, A14 processor, and 128GB and 256GB options of storage. Like the iPhone 11, this base model will have the dual rear cameras, losing the telephoto in the Pro variants.

• iPhone 12 Max: This 6.1-inch iPhone is expected to have the same hardware as the standard iPhone 12 — A14 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of storage and dual rear cameras but the biggest difference will be in the screen and battery size, both of which will see increases in this model. The iPhone 12 Max will feature a bigger and more flexible 6.1-inch OLED panel with 2532x1170 resolution.

• iPhone 12 Pro: This variant of the Pro series will feature a 6.1-inch flexible OLED and a 2532x1170 resolution along with the Y-OCTA technology. There’s a chance this phone’s screen could support a 120Hz refresh rate, though rumours have gone back and forth on that front over the last several months. In terms of hardware, we can expect 6GB RAM, A14 processor, and storage options from 128GB to 512GB.

• iPhone 12 Pro Max: This is expected to be the most high-end and premium model of the lot with the same RAM, storage and camera features as the iPhone 12 Pro, only with a bigger 6.7-inch OLED panel. The resolution could be 2778x1824, and a 120Hz refresh rate is a possibility here, too. Both the pro series models are rumoured to have three rear lenses with 64MP main sensor and a LiDAR time-of-flight sensor to improve performance of iPhone AR apps.

Conclusion

Similar to the other flagship smartphones announced in 2020, the iPhone 12 series will also have 5G connectivity, powered by A14 chipset, and operate on the newly launched iOS 14. The A14 chip will be hoping to bring both speed and efficiency improvements in the battery life, compensating for 5G which uses additional battery.

Having said all this, the information is based on leaks and it is early to know the exact plans of the company. There could be changes before the launch of the iPhone 12 series later this year or some of these could be untrue. We can only know for sure once the tech giant releases the new iPhone lineup later this fall.