We’re counting down the hours until Apple unveils its next-generation iPhone on later today in Cupertino, California. Apple faces some real challenges in making what’s expected — a handful of modest changes — sound like must-haves. Some of those potential changes include three rear-facing cameras, bilateral charging and a new A13 processor. However, the most exciting rumors about forthcoming Apple phones don’t concern the iPhone 11. Instead, the really cool stuff — including the 5G iPhone, the folding iPhone, the iPhone with a laser-guided 3D time-of-flight camera and in-display fingerprint sensor — is slated for 2020 (or beyond).
So, then, what exactly are we getting this year?
According to a series of reports published over the past few months — which range from authoritative sources like Bloomberg and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, to Twitter leakers and rumormongers on the fringe — the iPhone 2019 will probably be a whole lot like the 2018 iPhone. Not exactly the same. But pretty similar.
Which means that on Sept. 10, Apple is going to try to get us excited about a lot of incremental upgrades: more advanced cameras, faster chips, the next version of the operating system (that’s iOS 13) and perhaps new colors (including dark green). And yet, the flagship iPhone 11 is likely to cost just as much as the iPhone XS, with a starting price around $1,000. (Note that this is all conjecture; the company did not respond to our request for comment.)
Meanwhile, with Apple playing it safe this year, Samsung, Google and Huawei continue to deliver eye-catching phones stocked with innovative features — phones that are often considerably less expensive than the iPhone — blazing the trail for the next generation of mobile technology. Sure, some of those efforts have been more successful than others. But Apple executives were undoubtedly paying attention when Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 10 on Aug. 7. (Perhaps they were heartened by the media’s response, which mostly focused on the phone’s lack of a headphone jack — a shift Apple made years ago.)
Still, you can never count out Apple. Despite decreasing profits, the headwinds of a US-China trade war and executive attrition, the iPhone remains a premium product sold by a premium brand. The company may yet surprise us on Sept. 10 with revolutionary features or distinctive aesthetics.
As we count down the days until the iPhone 11 debut, we’ll continue to collect the most credible and interesting rumors about the next models’ specs, features and prices right here. So, check back often.