It looks like Apple has got some treats in store for us! There are a lot of rumors circulating about what we can expect to see later this year and here is what we know so far…
- Three is the Magic Number
It’s predicted that Apple is going to drop three new iPhones later this year with edge-to-edge displays in varying sizes; a 5.8-inch, a 6.1-inch and a 6.5-inch. We should expect to see new build materials and colors, increased processing speeds, higher screen resolution, advancements in cameras and tweaks to extend battery life.
- High End to Highly Affordable!
The 5.8-inch model is likely to be a refreshed version of the popular iPhone-X. The most notable difference in this variant is the addition of a dual rear camera lenses. The 6.5-inch iPhone, expected to be the iPhone-X Plus, will go one step above this with three rear cameras lenses. Having two lenses creates greater depth of field to produce beautiful images. This is particularly effective in close up photographs, for example in the perfect portrait, or selfie, the lenses keep the subject sharp and in focus, while blurring the background. Another benefit of a second lens is the ability to use 2x optical zoom. With a third lens, the zoom is even more powerful and it could space map in 3D (similar to the current iPhone-X’s True-depth front camera) for cooler lighting and augmented reality features. Like the iPhone-X, these phones have beautiful edge-to-edge OLED screens which display more vivid colors and require less energy – saving battery life.
Traditionally, Apple hasn’t had a problem with putting hefty price tags on their devices, as shown by the fact that the iPhone-X, Apple’s priciest iPhone ever at $1,149 was the bestselling smartphone for the first three months of 2018, closely followed by iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Nonetheless, Apple is rumored to have developed a cheaper option for around $600-700. At 6.1-inches, the screen is bigger than the iPhone8 and the drop in price is thanks to a different type of display. The screen is LCD – a cheaper option but it requires slightly bulky LED chips for back lights which take up space in the bottom of the bezels in the smartphone. But, thankfully, Apple is able to source smaller chips that fit in half the space; meaning nearly edge-to-edge screens for cheaper!
Another exciting thing to note is we are set to see the first extensive color expansion since the 5c in 2013. The 6.1-inch model will apparently be available in grey, white, blue, red or orange and the 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch editions will have space grey, silver and gold options!
- Exciting New Features for iOS 12
The new iPhones will come with the latest iOS software which is rumored to have some fun new features. If you’re very popular you’ll like the new FaceTime – you will be able to be in group calls of up to 32 people! You can also use the new Animojis in FaceTime or on iMessage . Create an Animoji just for you with more personalizing features, or if you’re feeling like it, you could try out one of the new Animojis – a koala, tiger, ghost or a T-Rex!
You can now manage your tech addiction with ‘Screen Time’. You gain information on how many times you have picked up your phone, how long you used an app for and how many notifications you got in any one day. You are also able to manage your screen time across all your devices – which prove useful for shaming yourself out of staring at your phone all day, or even good for keeping an eye on how much time your family spends doing the same. Other perks include a new style of notifications which will be stacked in groups to be less cluttered and the introduction of the Measure app which uses augmented reality to let you measure things with your phone.