Bengaluru, NFAPost: The highly-anticipated Apple iPhone event is just a few hours away from now. But, the anxiety and fan expectations have peaked as the company skipped the launch of new mobile devices at its recent Apple Watch event, owing to the ensuing pandemic.
With recorded and virtual launch events taking precedence over live events, tech majors like Apple have adopted new strategies to launch their products in instalments or delayed releases.
Speculation is rife that the iPhone maker will showcase up to four variants of iPhone 12 on 13 Oct at 10AM PT or 1PM ET along with a few upgrades to the Apple audio family. This could be Apple’s last major event ahead of the holiday season and this reinforces the belief that we could indeed see a bunch of new iPhones at the upcoming event.
In all likelihood, the iPhone 12 is expected to take the centre stage at the event with 5G being its highlighting feature. Apple, however, could be the last to adopt the 5G network speeds while Samsung has made an early adoption of the next-gen wireless tech on multiple devices.
With the rising demands of its diverse user base across premium and budget segments, Apple has consciously made efforts to line up a few affordable phones with every new launch of its flagship smartphone like the iPhone 12.
Consequently, the next-gen iPhone 12 series is expected to include four new models in three different sizes. The premium ones will ship in two variants – the 6.1in and 6.7in models while the budget-friendly variants will be available in 6.1in and 5.4in configuration.
The iPhone 12 series will be priced from $699 for the mini to $1,999 for the Pro Max. The two mid-range phones are tipped to sell at $799 and $999 respectively.
All the four iterations of iPhone 12 are expected to pack an OLED screen instead of the traditional LCD units. Thus, the new models will be revamped for a sporty and premium look in line with the iPhone 5.
Furthermore, the new iPhone 12 models are expected to flaunt a flatter design akin to the iPad Pro instead of the typical rounded edges.
A pair of new wireless charging pads is also expected in place of the failed AirPower experiment. Featuring a MagSafe mechanism, the new pads will be secured in place with the use of built-in magnets. However, this feature could be limited to the premium iPhone 12 models only.
On the audio front, the long-awaited AirPods Studio is likely to make its debut with an over-the-ear upgrade to its headphones series. It is expected to ship in two variants: one large variant and a mini smart speaker version.
Apple’s product-tracking device aka ‘AirTags’ are also expected to hit the shelves at the upcoming iPhone event along with an impending Apple TV refresh.
A couple of new Macs with Apple-powered chipsets may also feature on top of the iPhone maker’s list for the 2020 launch event.
