Personally I don't think there has been anything really exciting about the iPhone in years. Each year is an incremental upgrade. People who upgrade yearly are gadget junkies feeding their addiction, nothing more. Is there really a BIG difference between an iPhone X and XS? Or XS and 11? Or X and 11, for that matter? No. A little better camera. A little faster (which 99% of users won't even notice), a little better screen, etc. It's all modest incremental upgrades these days because the whole industry has plateaued. I bet you could take an iPhone X and stick it inside an iPhone 12 body and 98% of customers wouldn't even know the difference.
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Apple May Release 4G-Only iPhone 12 in Early 2021
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Personally I don't think there has been anything really exciting about the iPhone in years. Each year is an incremental upgrade. People who upgrade yearly are gadget junkies feeding their addiction, nothing more. Is there really a BIG difference between an iPhone X and XS? Or XS and 11? Or X and 11, for that matter? No. A little better camera. A little faster (which 99% of users won't even notice), a little better screen, etc. It's all modest incremental upgrades these days because the whole industry has plateaued. I bet you could take an iPhone X and stick it inside an iPhone 12 body and 98% of customers wouldn't even know the difference.
In a research note shared by Business Insider, Wedbush Securities analysts said that Apple may release a cheaper iPhone 12 in early 2021 with no 5G connectivity.
Wedbush initially believed Apple would launch a mix of 4G and 5G iPhone 12 models this fall. Following re-examination of Asian supply chains, analysts Daniel Ives, Strecker Backe, and Ahmad Khalil revised the predictions, concluding that they now expect multiple 5G iPhone 12 models this fall, and one cheaper 4G-only model in early 2021.
Ives told Business Insider that this 4G-only variant could launch around February, and would be cheaper than 5G iPhone 12 models, with a price around $800. He added that the 5G iPhone 12 models are unlikely to be more expensive than the current prices of iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, despite the additional connectivity features.
A total of four OLED iPhones in 5.4, 6.1, and 6.7-inch sizes are expected in fall 2020. Rumors suggest the 6.7-inch iPhone and one 6.1-inch model will be higher-end devices with triple-lens cameras, while the 5.4 and 6.1-inch models will be lower-end iPhones with dual-lens cameras and a more affordable price.
It has been reported that the different sizes may see a staggered launch. During Apple's third fiscal quarter earnings call, Apple CFO Luca Maestri confirmed that Apple is expecting to release this year's iPhones later than usual.
Article Link: Apple May Release 4G-Only iPhone 12 in Early 2021
yeah it’s called the iPhone SE (2020) and they’ll just keep selling it in 2021.
Less manufacturing cost for a new production line, less R&D for design and CAD models for chipsets, less on package costs and less on marketing costs. Plain and simple.
no point for yet another model thatwill ultimately confuse customers more than the 2020-2021 4 model lineup already.
Apple it’s time to KISS.
I don’t see the fascination with 5G. Especially here in the uk. It won’t be widespread for years yet. Hell, you still can’t get reliable 4G in a lot of places!
Well what you should realize is annual upgrades have diminished substantially in the last few years, and Apple has stopped trying to drive them. The iPhone 12 is not for iPhone 11 users. It is for the vast amount of iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone X, and XS users still out there thinking about an upgrade.
Same is true in the U.S. No one should be even remotely excited about 5G. It is precisely no where, and will remain that way until its replaced by 6G.
It will also never reach its theoretical speeds in any deployment (just like 3G, 4G, and LTE), often be slower than slow (just like 3G, 4G and LTE), be heavily throttled (just like 3G, 4G and LTE), insanely expensive and limited (just like 3G, 4G and LTE), and used as a little as possible by users....just like every iteration of cellular data to come before it.
The people who fawn over 5G either have limited memories or have really fallen for some marketing hard.
I guarantee Apple spends no more than a footnote on 5G at the keynote. There is nothing to talk about.
T-Mobile's 5G coverage map looks to cover a lot. Is that not the case?
Just buy the latest iPhone and you’ll be fine. No need to confuse yourself any further.
The two "Pro" models will both very-likely include 6 GB of LPDDR5 DRAM !
vs. 4 GB of LPDDR4 DRAM in the two NON-Pro models.
If/when the 4G-ONLY iPhone 12 gets released, it too will very-likely have 4 GB of LPDDR4 DRAM.
Simply because of the DRAM benefit, the 6.1" Pro model is probably the best one to get this year !
Next year's "13" 5G iPhones will have Important Power Efficiency advantages over this year's "12" 5G iPhones.
So, being able to upgrade after one year should be important to those who use their iPhones ALL day long (without charging) !
The two "Pro" models "may" get an upgraded Telephoto "image sensor" this year ! ... Long overdue !!!
I believe an upgraded Super-Wide image sensor is baked in already.
vs. 4 GB of LPDDR4 DRAM in the two NON-Pro models.
If/when the 4G-ONLY iPhone 12 gets released, it too will very-likely have 4 GB of LPDDR4 DRAM.
Simply because of the DRAM benefit, the 6.1" Pro model is probably the best one to get this year !
Next year's "13" 5G iPhones will have Important Power Efficiency advantages over this year's "12" 5G iPhones.
So, being able to upgrade after one year should be important to those who use their iPhones ALL day long (without charging) !
The two "Pro" models "may" get an upgraded Telephoto "image sensor" this year ! ... Long overdue !!!
I believe an upgraded Super-Wide image sensor is baked in already.
I’m not so sure about this rumor, though we have heard before about a 4G iPhone that will be available only in certain countries.
In general from now on phones will just include 5G. But if my carrier wants to charge more for it, count me out.
Absolutely, iPhones are working fine for several years. Just like laptops they are premium specs shall run for 5-6 years without issues. Heavy users may need to change battery once after 3-4 years of use. No need for frequent upgrades.
I still could use pictures taken from my old iPhone 3GS(taken during 2010) for social media postings like FB 3D photos.
This doesn't make sense to me. Release a high priced non 5G version that is more expansive than the current SE and the current iphone 11. (cost 100 more). Apple needs to just get on 5G, I understand its not super widespread, but its enough. AT&T and T-Mobile both have low and mid band 5G that is enough widespread. T-Mobile low band 5G especially. If anything, i would say they keep the next SE successor around that is only 4g LTE as the cheaper alternative. I sure am not gonna pay $800 for a non 5G phone anymore. Maybe $400/$500 sure but not $800.
This could be market specific. Here in my country, 5G seems to be a very long way to go. No point wasting your effort thrusting 5G mobiles ST higher cost when there is no network provider to provide coverage.
Battery life is crap on models older than iPhone 11 series, though. I replaced my battery when I got my iPhone X off eBay last year & I’m already at 90% health... having to put my phone on charge at around 5pm...
Many people are weary of the health risks from 5G. the frequency and multiple transmitters all in same device are talked of as significant health risks
Not me, a tin foil cap stops that stuff.
If there is a 4G-only iPhone 12 in the works, I say Apple should just release alongside the iPhone 12 5G. Those want 5G will buy it, those who don't won't and will save $100. The Pro models, on the other hand, I can understand being 5G-only.
Yeah, you have an iPhone 11, stay with your iPhone 11. The target market for the 12 is for users with older iPhones, it has to be released.
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I agree that the $800 USD sounds high for what will be the 'older-step-down-4G' technology.
And since stores apparently don't/can't sell iPhones at much of a discount, the pricing seems too high.
Re. folks here complaining about no USB C -- is there any practical benefit to a USB C over the lightning cable? I had seen one report that the Apple Lightning cable is still running at USB 2.o speeds, but it is (naturally) not specified on the Apple product page.
Answer - answering my own question, (from Business Insider and MacWorld UK),
The Lightning connector cable does seem to run only at USB 2.0 speeds. :-(
A USB-C (connector) could allow for USB 3.1 speeds (much faster than Lightning), and significantly more power transmission, thus allowing shorter charge up times.
Though, doesn't higher power, shorter charge times heat up the battery more and shorten long-term battery life?
So anyway, it does sorta seem like Apple should be switching over to the USB-C style connector faster.
Maybe they've got a warehouse full of Lightning cables that they gotta move out first though ?
(FYI, I'm still on my iPhone 6, stuck at iOS 12.4.x, so I am planning to upgrade to one of the seeming dozens of iPhone 12 models. )
And since stores apparently don't/can't sell iPhones at much of a discount, the pricing seems too high.
Re. folks here complaining about no USB C -- is there any practical benefit to a USB C over the lightning cable? I had seen one report that the Apple Lightning cable is still running at USB 2.o speeds, but it is (naturally) not specified on the Apple product page.
Answer - answering my own question, (from Business Insider and MacWorld UK),
The Lightning connector cable does seem to run only at USB 2.0 speeds. :-(
A USB-C (connector) could allow for USB 3.1 speeds (much faster than Lightning), and significantly more power transmission, thus allowing shorter charge up times.
Though, doesn't higher power, shorter charge times heat up the battery more and shorten long-term battery life?
So anyway, it does sorta seem like Apple should be switching over to the USB-C style connector faster.
Maybe they've got a warehouse full of Lightning cables that they gotta move out first though ?
(FYI, I'm still on my iPhone 6, stuck at iOS 12.4.x, so I am planning to upgrade to one of the seeming dozens of iPhone 12 models. )
Apple sells upwards of 200 million phones a year. That’s well over 500,000 phones a day. Every day. Just how big a warehouse do you think they have? Tim Cook’s claim to fame, early on, was being the supply chain whisperer, being able to keep all the stores supplied with all the phones they needed, without ending up with warehouses full of extra phones.Maybe they've got a warehouse full of Lightning cables that they gotta move out first though ?
And, yeah, faster charging leads to hotter phones and shorter battery life.