When Will iPhone 12 Release & How Much It Will Cost?
iPhone 12 speculation is heating up, including indications on how much the new phone will cost, as well as 120Hz , LiDAR, and new screen size rumors.
As year end approaches, the anticipation for the Apple iPhone 12 is increasing. Naturally, the rumor mill is churning with speculation, conceptual renders and leaks. When will the new iPhone be announced and what will the cost be? That is complicated by various factors, not the least of which is the worldwide pandemic.
The supply chain has been interrupted, so timing and availability of components may have forced some hard decisions upon Apple. While a ProMotion 120Hz display was to be in the works, will that be available this year? Will the surprising new 5.4-inch screen predicted for one size variant of the iPhone 12 become a reality? Will LiDAR be included with the iPhone 12 Pro models as it is with the 2020 iPad Pro? All of these details are unfortunately uncertain.
Well known Apple leaker, Jon Prosser, holds by an iPhone 12 release date of the week of Oct 12, noting that the actual event could be any day that week. This date makes sense. Apple generally releases its new phones in September, but with the worldwide disruption by the pandemic, a month delay is reasonable and few dispute this timeline. An October release still allows enough time for holiday shoppers to make a purchase decision and for distributors to prepare seasonal inventory and advertising. Delaying further would begin to affect sales potential. The iPhone 12 final design is still up for debate, but recent renders were nicely done by svetapple.sk.
The latest rumors suggest the iPhone 12 may come without a charger and without earbuds. The reasoning for this loss of accessories is to keep the price lower. In May, there were indications that the iPhone 12 pricing could start as low as $649, $50 lower than the current iPhone 11 and reaching as high as $1099 for the entry level iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is the same as the iPhone 11 Pro Max. However, some speculate that the iPhone 12 will actually drop lower than the iPhone 11. Unsubstantiated rumors suggest the cost may begin as low as $549 for a 4G version, saving the higher price points for phones with 5G capability. There are so many unknowns with the iPhone 12, currently, that most rumors are in flux and there are few solid leaks.
What consumers can be sure of is a faster A14 processor in the newest Apple phone and that 5G will be an option on at least some of the iPhone 12 variants. This is a necessity for Apple, since many of its competitors already have this capability. The iPhone event will be sometime between late September and late October, favoring the latter. Given that it is most likely that the launch date will be 2 months away, it is expected many of these unknowns will become certainties with more leaks to come in September.
Source: svetapple.sk, Jon Prosser/Twitter