Let’s be honest, last year’s iPhones XS and XS Max didn’t perform quite as well as the Cupertino giant expected. This is evident in how they slashed orders for OLED screens that were primarily for the XS and XS Max. It was such an unexpected occurrence that Apple seemed to get caught with their pants down. But more than just an embarrassment, they might even have to pay hefty fines because over the sudden decrease in orders. In short, it wasn’t a decision that they made without much debate amongst themselves. The change of tune in earnings calls also point in this direction. Suddenly, there were no longer unit sales for each model. They opt, instead, for just one big chunk of the Apple earnings pie for all iPhones that they’re still currently selling. The rest of the pieces was for the other products that they were selling such as their laptops.
The XR, on the other hand, was a resounding success. From third-party reports, it accounts for 38% of total iPhone sales in 2018. It has been the bestselling iPhone since it debuted. It’s significantly larger compared to the measly 21% for both iPhone XS and XS Max flagships. The rest is made up of the older models specifically the iPhones 8 and 7.
It can be posited that the XR may have cannibalized some of the demand for the pricier iPhones XS and XS Max. It’s too difficult to justify the more than $250 difference between the XS series and the $750 iPhone XR. Especially because the cheaper phone can do almost everything that the more expensive iPhones can do.
But almost an entire year has passed, and this means another set of iPhones can be released. For Apple, this could spell a chance for retribution.
Apple seems to have a chip on their shoulders from last year’s batch of phones. Naturally, the hype around this year’s release seems to be a lot more than usual. Will the success of the iPhone 11 be able to do what the XS and XS Max weren't able to do? All we can do is wait… In the meantime, we can speculate.
Same as Last Year, Three Different Offerings
Consistent with last year’s line-up, the new iPhones are rumoured to be arriving in three different screen sizes. According to pundits, there’s still going to be a 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.5-inch iPhones. The 6.1-inch variant should, like last year, be the cheapest of all the options.
What they’ll be called is still a mystery. Apple has dropped the numbering scheme that they used since they skipped the iPhone 9 for the iPhone X in 2017. In the spirit of cleaning up their nomenclature, we’re guessing that Apple will call their phones the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11, we speculate, would be the iPhone XR successor. iPhone 11 Pro should be the new XS and the iPhone 11 Pro Max could be the upgraded iPhone XS Max.
Pricing is expected to be the same as that is one of the more contentious issues that plagued last year’s model. It wouldn’t really make sense to bump up the pricing by too much. The iPhone 11R should, again, be the cheapest option this year.
Triple-Camera Setup for the iPhone 11 Pros, Dual for the Entry-Level iPhone 11
Let's start with the most obvious. According to case makers, there will be a huge rectangular cut-out at the back of the new devices. This should be accurate because Apple must send them the schematics of the new iPhones for cases to be available upon release.
It’s perhaps safe to assume that the increase in real estate at the back would house additional lenses and sensors. This would potentially make the phones a more versatile camera. Whether the iPhone 11 would have the same number of lenses as its more expensive brothers is still an unknown. Leaks suggest that it’s going to have 2 which is one less than the iPhone 11 Pros. This is consistent with last year’s models. The lower lens count is one of the ways that Apple tried to cut costs for the XR last year and this strategy should remain the same this year.
The lens combination for the iPhones 11 Pros should be versatile. This could mean that they’ll come with zoom, ultrawide, and wide-angle lenses. In typical Apple fashion, they should be on par with the best in the market when it comes to photos.
A.I. should also play a huge part in the camera system. This should translate to better low-light photos and use of the depth sensors for bokeh effects.
When it comes to video, there’s little to be said about the iPhone XS and XS Max. They were quite literally the best in the segment. The incoming iPhones shouldn’t deviate from that tradition.
Screen Technologies
There’s been a rumour going around that Apple intends to phase out LCD phones from their line-up. That’s why there’s some traction to the whispers that the iPhone 11 would be equipped with OLED. However, there’s no indication of this Apple’s cancellation of LCD-equipped phones will happen this year.
So far, it’s still really up in the air whether the 11 would have an LCD or an OLED panel. If in case, they do stick with LCD, there really shouldn't be an issue. They've confirmed with the success of the XR. that people didn't mind the older screen tech. But if they do introduce OLED to the entry-level iPhone this year, it would be an awesome deal.
There are also whispers that the new phones would be equipped with something like the iPad Pro’s Pro-Motion display. The iPhone Pros, therefore, might come with the smooth buttery 120Hz refresh rates that people are drooling over. However, Apple isn’t known for being the first through the door for game-changing tech like this. So, in the meantime, this rumour doesn’t seem to hold much weight.
Spec Bumps
Of course, the internals should also be upgraded this year. The A12 Bionic chips are already more powerful and efficient than a lot of Intel PC processors already out there. The iPhone 11 line-ups' performance might just be an exercise in futility to discuss. The A13 processor should crush whatever application you throw at it.
As for storage, there should be much of the same options from last year such as the 64GB, 256GB, and the whopping 512GB variants.
The XR, on the other hand, was a resounding success. From third-party reports, it accounts for 38% of total iPhone sales in 2018. It has been the bestselling iPhone since it debuted. It’s significantly larger compared to the measly 21% for both iPhone XS and XS Max flagships. The rest is made up of the older models specifically the iPhones 8 and 7.
It can be posited that the XR may have cannibalized some of the demand for the pricier iPhones XS and XS Max. It’s too difficult to justify the more than $250 difference between the XS series and the $750 iPhone XR. Especially because the cheaper phone can do almost everything that the more expensive iPhones can do.
But almost an entire year has passed, and this means another set of iPhones can be released. For Apple, this could spell a chance for retribution.
Apple seems to have a chip on their shoulders from last year’s batch of phones. Naturally, the hype around this year’s release seems to be a lot more than usual. Will the success of the iPhone 11 be able to do what the XS and XS Max weren't able to do? All we can do is wait… In the meantime, we can speculate.
Same as Last Year, Three Different Offerings
Consistent with last year’s line-up, the new iPhones are rumoured to be arriving in three different screen sizes. According to pundits, there’s still going to be a 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.5-inch iPhones. The 6.1-inch variant should, like last year, be the cheapest of all the options.
What they’ll be called is still a mystery. Apple has dropped the numbering scheme that they used since they skipped the iPhone 9 for the iPhone X in 2017. In the spirit of cleaning up their nomenclature, we’re guessing that Apple will call their phones the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11, we speculate, would be the iPhone XR successor. iPhone 11 Pro should be the new XS and the iPhone 11 Pro Max could be the upgraded iPhone XS Max.
Pricing is expected to be the same as that is one of the more contentious issues that plagued last year’s model. It wouldn’t really make sense to bump up the pricing by too much. The iPhone 11R should, again, be the cheapest option this year.
Triple-Camera Setup for the iPhone 11 Pros, Dual for the Entry-Level iPhone 11
Let's start with the most obvious. According to case makers, there will be a huge rectangular cut-out at the back of the new devices. This should be accurate because Apple must send them the schematics of the new iPhones for cases to be available upon release.
It’s perhaps safe to assume that the increase in real estate at the back would house additional lenses and sensors. This would potentially make the phones a more versatile camera. Whether the iPhone 11 would have the same number of lenses as its more expensive brothers is still an unknown. Leaks suggest that it’s going to have 2 which is one less than the iPhone 11 Pros. This is consistent with last year’s models. The lower lens count is one of the ways that Apple tried to cut costs for the XR last year and this strategy should remain the same this year.
The lens combination for the iPhones 11 Pros should be versatile. This could mean that they’ll come with zoom, ultrawide, and wide-angle lenses. In typical Apple fashion, they should be on par with the best in the market when it comes to photos.
A.I. should also play a huge part in the camera system. This should translate to better low-light photos and use of the depth sensors for bokeh effects.
When it comes to video, there’s little to be said about the iPhone XS and XS Max. They were quite literally the best in the segment. The incoming iPhones shouldn’t deviate from that tradition.
Screen Technologies
There’s been a rumour going around that Apple intends to phase out LCD phones from their line-up. That’s why there’s some traction to the whispers that the iPhone 11 would be equipped with OLED. However, there’s no indication of this Apple’s cancellation of LCD-equipped phones will happen this year.
So far, it’s still really up in the air whether the 11 would have an LCD or an OLED panel. If in case, they do stick with LCD, there really shouldn't be an issue. They've confirmed with the success of the XR. that people didn't mind the older screen tech. But if they do introduce OLED to the entry-level iPhone this year, it would be an awesome deal.
There are also whispers that the new phones would be equipped with something like the iPad Pro’s Pro-Motion display. The iPhone Pros, therefore, might come with the smooth buttery 120Hz refresh rates that people are drooling over. However, Apple isn’t known for being the first through the door for game-changing tech like this. So, in the meantime, this rumour doesn’t seem to hold much weight.
Spec Bumps
Of course, the internals should also be upgraded this year. The A12 Bionic chips are already more powerful and efficient than a lot of Intel PC processors already out there. The iPhone 11 line-ups' performance might just be an exercise in futility to discuss. The A13 processor should crush whatever application you throw at it.
As for storage, there should be much of the same options from last year such as the 64GB, 256GB, and the whopping 512GB variants.