Apple will launch at least three new iPhones on September 12
at its new campus in Cupertino, California.
There has been much speculation about these upcoming
iPhones. All signs point to Apple announcing the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus alongside
a completely redesigned and more expensive iPhone X.
The pressure is on Apple, too. It's the 10th anniversary of
the first iPhone, launched in 2007, and the company is expected to unveil some
big updates to mark the occasion.
Wall Street analysts hope that the new iPhone X, which could
cost over $1,000, will drive a "supercycle" of sales and propel Apple
to become the first trillion-dollar publicly traded company.
Apple rarely comments on upcoming products, but some
uncovered software code related to the forthcoming iPhones suggests that many
of the rumors are accurate.
Business Insider will cover everything Apple launches on
Tuesday live, but in the meantime, here's what we're expecting from the new
iPhones:
Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones: one that's
redesigned, and two spec updates (dubbed the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus) to replace
the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. While analysts have suggested names for the
redesigned iPhone like "iPhone Pro," code for the phone uncovered
Saturday revealed that its name will be "iPhone X." The rest of this
story will focus entirely on the iPhone X.
The completely new iPhone X is the model that has received
the most attention in the months leading up to September 12's announcement.
It's expected to have an edge-to-edge, curved screen with much smaller bezels
than the current iPhone 7. The screen uses a newer kind of display technology
called OLED that promises to use less power and provide darker blacks.
Apple seemingly confirmed the iPhone X redesign with
significantly smaller bezels in this image included in firmware that was
mistakenly released earlier this year. The codename for the device? D22.
This design would allow Apple to pack more screen into the
same size phone.
This bigger screen is expected to have a resolution of 1125
x 2436, according to Apple's own code and a forecast from Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI
Securities, the world's most accurate Apple analyst.
The iPhone X is expected to have a front camera with 3D
sensing and modeling functions, allowing it to manipulate photos and videos for
augmented reality applications. The front-facing camera will be used for facial
recognition, either to replace the Touch ID fingerprint sensor or to supplement
it.
On Saturday, a leaked version of the iOS 11 software that
powers the iPhone X revealed that the facial unlock feature will be called Face
ID.
This feature was previously confirmed by other Apple code
that referenced face-unlocking and a so-called BiometricKit.
The rear camera will also have two rear lenses that are
vertically oriented as opposed to horizontally.
With a new edge-to-edge design on the iPhone 8, Apple is
expected to eliminate the home button and build its functions into the screen.
It's unclear whether the fingerprint sensor will be built
into the screen as well or whether the Face ID feature will replace it.
On the software side, the next iPhone will run iOS 11, the
newest version of Apple's iPhone and iPad software.
iOS 11 is a significant update with a redesigned control
center, new tools for taking screenshots, and big improvements to Siri.
But the iPhone X is expected to include other features that
aren't in the public previews of iOS 11, like augmented-reality features that
let the camera change photos.
Apple is already integrating augmented-reality features into
Clips, the fun camera app it released earlier this year.
One feature that leaked on Saturday is called
"Animojis." They are essentially 3D emojis that Apple's own code
describes as "custom animated messages that use your voice and reflect
your facial expressions."
You may not have to plug in your iPhone to charge it
anymore. Apple is said to be adding wireless charging to the new iPhone models
coming out this fall, though the rumored Apple Watch-style charger may be sold
separately. Apple has also officially joined the Wireless Power Consortium,
suggesting it's serious about the technology.
But this redesigned iPhone won't be cheap — some analysts
and reports have speculated it could cost $1,000 or more.
And you might have to wait. Analysts have been saying that
an issue with the fingerprint sensor may mean the iPhone 8 could be delayed.
Sales might not begin until October or later.
Be ready to line up if you want the iPhone X on the first
day.
Some rumors have suggested the iPhone X will come only in
black, but KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says it will come in silver,
black, and a copper-colored gold.
And no, it won't have a headphone jack.
