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Apple is expected to launch 3 new iPhones this year - here's everything we know so far
Apple is expected to launch 3 new iPhones this year - here's everything we know so far
Lisa EadiciccoMar 11, 2019, 22:07 IST
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Apple is expected to release three iPhones again this fall.
One of the most notable changes expected is a new three-lens camera system.
Other potential updates could include the ability to use the iPhone as a charging pad for other products and a frosted glass design.
Apple typically introduces new iPhones each September, and it looks like 2019 is shaping up to be no different.
Keeping with the pattern it followed 2017 and 2018, Apple is widely expected to debut three new iPhones in 2019. And it sounds like one of the biggest changes will be in the phones' camera, which is expected to get an upgrade to a triple lens system this year.
Apple's iPhone launches always draw massive attention from the press, consumers, and Wall Street, and that's bound to be the case more than ever in 2019 as the company grapples with falling iPhone sales. In its January earnings report, Apple revealed that iPhone revenue for the holiday quarter had fallen by 15% compared to the same quarter a year ago. Although other product areas are growing, such as its services business which recently reached an all-time high of $10.9 billion in revenue, the iPhone is still Apple's biggest money-maker.
Companies like Samsung and Huawei recently generated excitement with their new foldable phones, and many eyes will be on Apple come September to see if it can make a similar impression with its 2019 iPhone lineup.
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Here's a look at what we're expecting to see in this year's iPhones, based on the reports and rumors that have surfaced so far.
Apple is once again expected to announce three new iPhones this fall to succeed the current lineup, as indicated by reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. That would follow the pattern Apple implemented in 2017 when it debuted the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X and again in 2018 when it launched the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
A triple-camera system
Apple's next iPhone could have three cameras on its back, echoing moves recently made by firms such as Samsung and Huawei.
The new high-end iPhone, likely the successor to the iPhone XS Max, would be the only one in Apple's new lineup to feature this triple-camera system, according to The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. Apple's other less expensive iPhones might eventually get this triple camera, however, Bloomberg reports. Last year, Taiwanese outlet Economic News Daily also reported that Apple is working on a new iPhone with three cameras.
The addition of a third camera could enable the iPhone to capture a larger field of view and better zoom shots, Bloomberg notes.
Same screen sizes; possibly OLED displays for all three models
Apple's 2019 iPhones will be the same size as its current iPhones, according to a note from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo as reported by 9to5Mac. Kuo is generally considered to be a reliable source for Apple product news considering some of his predictions have proven correct in the past.
It's also possible that Apple will use organic light emitting diode (OLED) screens for all three of its 2019 iPhones, including the least expensive model. That would be a departure from the company's current lineup, as the entry level iPhone XR is the only device in the newest iPhone family to use a liquid crystal display (LCD). OLED screens typically offer deeper blacks and bolder colors, resulting in better contrast than LCD displays.
South Korean news source Electronic Times reported that Apple may use OLED screens for all three of its 2019 new iPhones in May, but Kuo predicts that one model will still have an LCD display.
A better Face ID camera
Apple's facial-recognition system may be getting an update this year. The company plans to implement an upgraded Face ID system on its new iPhones that would "lower the impacts of invisible lights" in the user's environment to improve the experience, according to a note from Kuo which MacRumors reported. A report from Bloomberg also notes that Apple plans to improve its Face ID feature.
Apple is expected to bring a more sophisticated 3-D camera to its 2020 iPhones that would allow for better augmented reality performance, but this technology might show up on a new iPad first, as both Kuo and Bloomberg report.
No fast-charging brick included
Apple's new iPhones will reportedly come with the same 5W charging brick Apple has been bundling with its phones for years according to MacOtakara, even as fast-charging bricks have become an increasingly common standard for Android phones. That means iPhone owners looking to charge their phones more quickly will still have to purchase an 18W charger separately.
The ability to charge other devices
All three of Apple's new iPhones will include support for bilateral charging, which means they will be capable of charging other devices, according to a prediction from Kuo reported by 9to5Mac.
Samsung's new Galaxy S10 already supports this feature, which makes it possible to charge devices compatible with the Qi standard like its Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Buds by resting them on the back of the device.
Possible switch to USB-C
Apple typically requires its iPhones to be charged with its own proprietary charger, but there's a chance that could change this year. The company has tested some versions of its 2019 iPhone that would charge via USB-C rather than Apple's Lightning port, according to Bloomberg. That conflicts with Kuo's prediction that Apple's new iPhones would once again only be compatible with its Lightning charger.
A similar design with frosted glass
Don't expect this year's iPhones to look much different than the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
Apple's new iPhones will "look similar to the current models," Bloomberg reports, as Apple is reportedly planning larger changes in 2020 to allow for 5G support. Kuo, however, indicates the new models could feature a frosted glass casing and will still retain the same "notch" near the top of the display.
New processor, upgraded battery, and other changes
This year's iPhones will run on a new processor, as is typically the case with Apple's new iPhones, which Bloomberg reported. Kuo also mentions a few other internal updates in his note as MacRumors points out, which include upgraded batteries and an Ultra Wide Band component that would allow for better indoor positioning and navigation. Apple's iPhone XR follow-up is expected to include 4GB of RAM rather than the 3GB the current model has.
