We are mere days away from Apple’s next special event. You may have seen the invite Apple sent last week, asking members of the press to “gather round.” Apple typically announces new iPhones in September, and this year it’s widely expected that the company will continue the tradition. For the past few months, rumors, speculation, and leaks have given us some insight into what we should expect when Apple CEO Tim Cook and company take the stage next week to announce the new iPhones.
iPhone XS
Not to be confused with iPhone Excess, the next generation iPhone will be called iPhone XS, according to 9to5Mac. The name will be pronounced “iPhone Ten S.” Adding an “S” to the previous model is the same naming convention Apple has used previously, but a Roman numeral really throws everything off. The S indicates a phone with upgraded specs but built using the same design as the previous generation of phones.
Two, Possibly Three New Models
For months there has been speculation that Apple would release an updated iPhone X, with the same 5.8-inch display as the current model, and a new model with a bigger display, somewhere around 6.5-inches. Both devices would look like the iPhone X, notch and all.
Last week, shortly after Apple sent out invites, 9to5Mac published a promotional photo that looks like it came directly from Apple’s marketing team (shown above). Indeed, the photo shows two iPhone X-like devices, with one that appears to be quite large. Bloomberg reported there will be three iPhone models this year, two with more expensive OLED display technology, and one with a 6.1-inch LCD display.
Pricing
The two iPhone models that reportedly use an OLED display will be priced at the high end, with the less expensive LCD display model priced more affordably. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will be “more aggressive” with this year’s pricing structure according to MacRumors, with the LCD model will start around $600-$700, the 5.8-inch OLED model at $800-$900, and the 6.5-inch OLED model at $900-$1000. This is a bit of a price reduction from last year's iPhone X, which launched at $999 for the 64GB model.
So Long Home Button
All three models announced this year will reportedly ditch the home button entirely, opting instead for gesture based navigation. Apple first introduced a device sans a home button last year with the iPhone X, and if rumors are to be believed, the company is ready to go all-in with FaceID for all three new phones. Just like on the previous X model, it'll be used to unlock the phone, purchase apps, and authorize Apple Pay.
More Colors
The more expensive models will come in the same colors as the current iPhone X — silver and space gray — plus, as shown in the leaked image from 9to5Mac, a new gold finish. The entry-level iPhone will ditch the stainless steel housing, opting instead for an aluminum shell that will come in a series of colors according to Bloomberg. The same report compared Apple’s approach to the iPhone 5C with its bright colors.
AirPower Finally Arrives
Alongside the iPhone X, Apple announced a wireless charging pad that can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time — something that’s not currently possible with wireless chargers based on the Qi standard. AirPower has yet to be released, but current rumors indicate we will finally have a release date after Apple’s event on Sept. 12.
More Storage
We may finally see an iPhone with 512GB of storage, if another research note from Ming-Chi Kuo is accurate. According to the research note, detailed by MacRumors, both premium iPhone models expected to be released this year will have storage options of 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The 6.1-inch iPhone model will come in 64GB or 256GB storage configurations. This seems like a response to the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Note 9, which includes a model with 512GB of storage.
Apple Pencil support?
There has been some talk about Apple adding support for its Apple Pencil stylus to the 6.5-inch version of the iPhone, however rumors surrounding the addition have seemed to cool off over the past couple of weeks. Former CEO Steve Jobs was notoriously opposed to having to use a stylus with a phone, so it'll be interesting to see if this ever makes it out of the Apple labs.
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