Apple is expected to unveil a three iPhones on September 12 – two with OLED panels and one with a LCD display. The third iPhone is expected to be the most affordable of the the three. Several leaks and reports have suggested that the 5.8-inch iPhone with OLED display is the successor of last year’s iPhone X and may be called the iPhone XS. There could be a larger variant with a 6.5-inch OLED display and is rumoured to be dubbed as iPhone XS Max. The third smartphone is expected to wear the same look as of the OLED models but is reported to have a 6.1-inch LCD display. Previous reports have claimed that this phone will be called the iPhone XC but Bloomberg says Apple may call this variant, the iPhone XR.
Apart from the iPhones, a string of new hardware products that the Cupertino-based tech giant could launch include the Apple Watch Series 4, an new iPad Pro, a new MacBook, a updated version of AirPods and an AirPower fast wireless charging mat. Apple may also officially launch the iOS 12 at the event reported to be held in the Steve Jobs theatre in company’s Apple Park headquarter in Cupertino, California.
Hit by lower than expected sales of the iPhone X – the smartphone that the company launched to mark the tenth anniversary of the iPhone – Apple is expected to launch three models of its 2018 iPhone in different variants. This would mean that the 2018 iPhones might be available in a number of configurations covering different price points and give potential customers a wider gamut of options to choose from. If reports are to be believed, this is the ‘S’ year for Apple and just like iPhone 5S and iPhone 6S, the tech giant is expected to launch a refreshed iPhone X, which may be called the iPhone XS. The new phone is expected to look similar to the last year’s device but may have new internals.
The upcoming iPhone is expected to have a steel chassis and a glass back for wireless charging. It will reportedly ship with a 5.8-inch OLED display with a notch. Just like its predecessor, the iPhone XS’s notch will house an earpiece, a camera with Face ID technology and other sensors. On the back, it is reported to wear the same look as the iPhone X and sport a vertically stacked dual-rear camera on the top left corner, and the logo in centre. It is expected to feature the A12 processor coupled with 4GB RAM.
The Cupertino-based company is also tipped to launch a larger variant of the alleged iPhone XS, called the iPhone XS Max. The iPhone XS Max is expected to wear same look as the iPhone XS, but have a 6.5-inch OLED display. The internals are expected to be the same as the iPhone XS and on the outside, the company is tipped to its current design of a notch with camera, earpiece and other sensors squeezed in it.
Alleged dummies of 2018 iPhones
The third iPhone that Apple may launch is said to target a lower price segment. This smartphone will reportedly be called the iPhone XC, and may be offered in multiple colours. In terms of design, the 6.1-inch smartphone is expected to have a similar build like the other two phones, but with an aluminum chassis and a glass back. On the front, it is reported to have a LCD display and a notch that will house the Face ID tech, camera and other sensors. In the camera department, the smartphone is expected to have a single lens camera on the back. It may also come with a 3GB RAM and A12 chip. Apple has used the ‘C’ moniker with its the refresh of the fifth-generation of the iPhone in the in the past. The iPhone 5C was launched with different coloured high-quality plastic back panels. However, citing people with the knowledge of the matter, a Bloomberg report has claimed that instead of the iPhone XC, this device could be called as the iPhone XR.
When it comes to the price, reports claim that the upcoming 6.1-inch LCD iPhone could be the cheapest of the lot and may be priced around $699 (Rs 50,200 approx), while the iPhone XS could replace the iPhone 8 Plus as it is said to be launched in the $799 (Rs 57,500) price range. Additionally, the 6.5-inch iPhone Xs Max might be launched at $999 (Rs 71,800 approx). People may have to shell $150 (Rs 10,700) more for the 256GB versions of the upcoming iPhones and another $150 on top of that, for the 512GB versions.
The tech giant is also expected to launch the next generation of its smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 4. A lot of leaks have hinted that the newest Apple Watch could sport a larger display as well as a higher resolution than the Apple Watch Series 3, primarily due to the edge-to-edge display design. The screen resolution for the 42mm version of the Apple Watch Series 4 is expected to be 384×480, which is higher than the resolution on its predecessor, which has a resolution of 312×390. A higher resolution means more clarity and detail.
Alleged Apple Watch Series 4
Last month, six models of the Apple Watch were listed on the Eurasian Economic Commission (ECC) website. Also, a patent spotted by Patently Apple suggested that the company may include an Always-on display feature on the Apple Watch. The device is said to have the same display size overall so that the old straps could still be used with the new watch. In terms of design, Apple may do away with the physical side button with a fixed button that would be touch-sensitive. Apart from this, the wearable is also tipped to come with enhanced heart rate detection.
Apple’s next generation of the iPad Pro could come with a design in line with the iPhones. The tablet may not have a notch, but it may come without the Home button in favour of slimmer bezels and Face ID. Recently, developer Guilherme Rambo claimed in a tweet the presence of a Face ID reference in the upcoming iPad’s firmware code. Apple might also unveil refreshed iPads in four new models, two of which are said to be iPad Pro tablets with different screen sizes, an entry-level iPad and a newer version of the iPad Mini. As for the price, the new iPads are expected to cost the same as its predecessors.
Apple has already released the 2018 MacBook Pro lineup and it is expected that the company may come up with a cheaper 13-inch Apple MacBook. The new laptops may come equipped with with Intel’s 14nm Kaby Lake processors instead of the newer 10nm processors Intel Canon Lake chips. The laptop is said to be priced at $1,200 (Rs 84,000 approx). Around eight million units of the new MacBook are estimated to be shipped in 2018. Not much has been leaked about the laptops and we have to wait till the company announces it on September 12.
Apple first previewed the AirPower charging mat at its iPhone X launch event last year and also confirmed that the product will launch in 2018. Apple is expected to unveil the AirPower charging mat on September 12 alongside the new iPhones with a price tag of $149 (approx Rs 10,000). Images of an alleged engineering prototype of Apple's 18-watt USB-C power adapter for 2018 iPhones was also leaked. The mat can charge the iPhone 8 series and upwards. It was told last year that the mat will be designed to charge three devices simultaneously.
Apple is expected to launch a refreshed pair of AirPods with a new chip that lets users access Siri via the ‘Hey Siri’ voice command, without the need to tap the earphones. The current AirPods requires users to double-tap the side of the device to bring up Siri. The headphones are also said to to come with improved water resistance. Not only the earbuds, the company may also come up with over-ear headphones. The wireless hearables are expected to rival offerings from other headphone manufacturing companies like Bose and even Apple's own Beats by Dre. The company is said to be developing these headphones with active noise-cancellation (ANC) and they are pegged to be launched by the fourth quarter of this year.
Apple previewed the iOS 12 at its WWDC conference in June this year. The company is expected to launch the stable version of the OS update on September 12. The new OS is said to offer an increased focus on performance. The company says that with iOS 12, both iPhone and iPad users will be able to experience quicker app launch times and more responsive typing. The camera app is expected to open 70 percent faster, while the keyboard will react 50 percent faster than before. Apple will be rolling out iOS 12 to devices ranging all the way back to iPhone 5s which launched in 2013.