iPhone keynote: all secrets are now revealed
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Just a few days before the iPhone event, there is now more information about which new products Apple will be presenting and what technical details they will have.
After many alleged details of the iPhone 12 and all around the Apple event on October 13th, 2020 had already been leaked in the past weeks and months, a leaker has now published a big summary with various new details.
In the past, the user known to the Chinese microblogging service Weibo as "Kang" was often spot-on with his predictions; according to AppleTrack, 97.8 percent of their reports were correct. They have now also published a new summary on Weibo.
HomePod mini: Cheaper Siri speaker to come
According to the user, Apple plans to introduce a new HomePod mini, which is expected to cost $99. The speaker is said to be only 3.3 inches tall (about 8.4 cm) and have an S5 chip inside.
According to the report, pre-orders could start on November 6th in most countries. The date for delivery or broad availability is November 16th, 2020.
iPhone 12: Four smartphones with new colors
As widely expected, Kang also writes that Apple will introduce four iPhone models. The iPhone 12 mini with the 5.4-inch display will be available in black, white, red, blue, and green for $699. The regular iPhone 12 will have a 6.1-inch screen and the same colors as the iPhone 12 mini. The price is expected to start at $799. The iPhone 12 models will be offered with 64, 128, or 256 GB of internal memory.
iPhone 12 Pro will also have a 6.1-inch display and will be available in gold, silver, graphite, and blue. Prices start at $999. For $100 more, iPhone 12 Pro Max is available in the same colors as the regular iPhone 12 Pro. Like the iPhone 11 Pro, there are models with 128, 256, and 512 GB of internal memory.
All four models are said to have 5G, but the ultra-fast mmWave is said to be supported only in the models sold in the US. A "Smart Data Mode" is said to help save battery power. Only when an app needs high data throughput, the iPhone 12 is said to use the new technology. Otherwise, the smartphone will fall back to 4G/LTE.
The displays of the four Apple smartphones will be called "Super Retina XDR Display". The new glass, which will be called "Ceramic Shield Front Cover", should be better protected against scratches and survive drops more safely.
As also already suspected, the new iPhones will be delivered without headphones or a power supply. We have already observed something similar to the Apple Watch Series 6.
iPhones 12: Return of the MagSafe
At the same time MagSafe, known from Apple's MacBooks, is to celebrate a return. A few weeks ago, there were already photos of alleged iPhone cases and sleeves on which magnets could be seen. Now it seems that they are really used for charging.
Yup. Official iPhone 12 cases will also have this magnet system built in. Likely for perfect alignment with Apple's wireless chargers. pic.twitter.com/eDEQ474NIX
— EverythingApplePro (@EveryApplePro) August 5, 2020
To go with this, there will allegedly be two new devices that can charge the iPhones with up to 15 watts. The magnets will probably help to ensure that the smartphone is perfectly aligned for efficient charging.
Kang refers to the chargers as MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Charger Duo. Their names suggest that they can hold one or two devices at a time.
iPhone 12: new camera systems for Apple's smartphones
Kang also allegedly knows some details of the camera systems. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini are to have two cameras. As with the iPhone 11, an ultra-wide-angle lens will be added to the standard lens. Both shall be equipped with an f/1.6 aperture.
However, there are major differences between the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 12 Pro gets three cameras and a LiDAR scanner. The system allows four times optical zoom thanks to a telephoto lens with a focal length of 52 mm.
In the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the telephoto lens is said to offer a focal length of 65mm, which in the end allows a five-times optical zoom. A LiDAR scanner and three lenses are also available on this model. However, the sensor of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is said to be 47 percent larger than in the iPhone 12 Pro. This usually allows for better pictures in low light, which can result in lower noise, for example.
However, it is not clear from the report whether this is just for one of the three sensors or even all three. However, the description of the ultra-wide-angle camera in the iPhone 12 Pro Max is allegedly noted with the extension "expansive".
Apple is said to have made further improvements to Deep Fusion and Smart HDR. However, Kang did not mention which concrete changes Smart HDR 3 is supposed to bring.
iPhone 12: bad news for fans of the large and small iPhone
The report also includes some details about the launch of the four smartphones:
- iPhone 12 mini (5.4 inch): pre-orders from November 6th, delivery from November 13th
- iPhone 12 (6.1 inch): advance orders from October 16th, delivery from October 23rd
- iPhone 12 Pro (6.1 inch): pre-orders from October 16th, delivery from October 23rd
- iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7 inch): pre-orders from November 13th, delivery from November 20th
Kang does not give any details about the AirPods Studio or the Apple AirTags. This could mean that the accessories are still a long way off and that the event on October 13th will be all about the new iPhones and HomePod mini.
Source: Kang, Weibo, AppleTrack
