Not that there aren’t major changes coming to the
2020 iPhone models. First of all, the rounded corners we’ve seen since the
iPhone 6 was launched are gone, replaced with flat sides reminiscent of the
iPhone 4. The 2010 iPhone represented the device’s first major hardware redesign and the late Steve Jobs likened the device to a “beautiful old Leica camera.” So that look is returning to the iPhone this year. Also, 5G support is expected for the 2020 models. The standard iPhone 12 units could work with sub-6GHz signals which will not deliver the fastest 5G download speeds. The Pro models could connect to both sub-6GHz and mmWave signals; the latter produces the fastest download data speeds but is found only in a small percentage of the country. Verizon is deploying mostly mmWave spectrum at this point while T-Mobile relies on its low-band 600MHz airwaves for its nationwide network. AT&T’s consumer 5G uses its low-band 850MHz spectrum while its 5G+ delivers faster speeds in a few markets using mmWave signals.
We should see Apple unveil four new models including the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four models will be outfitted with OLED panels; originally there was talk that the Pro models would be equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate. That means that these screens update at a rate of 120 times each second providing users with buttery smooth scrolling and enhanced video game animation. However, the latest rumor from a supply chain consultant named Ross Young
indicates that none of the upcoming iPhone models will be equipped with a120Hz screen although that doesn’t mean that we won’t see a refresh rate of 90Hz this year. Young says that multiple suppliers have told him to expect 120Hz next year.
All four new iPhone models will be powered by the 5nm A14 Bionic chip with 15 billion transistors inside. That compares to the 8.5 billion transistors inside the 7nm A13 Bionic that powers the iPhone 11 family. The standard iPhone 12 devices will come with 4GB of memory while the Pro units will sport 6GB of RAM. And for the first time, the basic configuration of the new iPhones will start with 128GB of storage. Battery capacity is also expected to get a bump with the iPhone 12 Pro model rumored to include a 4400mAh battery. That compares to the 3969mAh battery that powers the
iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Will Apply delay the unveiling of its new phones or will it stick to the usual timetable and delay their release? That could be the big story this summer; stay tuned!