Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) announced a new product launch event for Tuesday, October 13, where the Silicon Valley-based company is expected to reveal the next model of the iPhone.
The live event will be streamed online due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19. The events are usually hosted in person at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
The press invite reads "Hi, Speed," suggesting the rumors of a 5G iPhone maybe true, since 5G is a next-generation cellular network that promises faster data speeds for things such as downloading and streaming games and movies.
Apple announced the new Apple Watch Series 6, iPad Air and 8th-generation iPad during an event in September, but the iPhone was absent. This disappointed investors who have come to expect a new iPhone unveil in September each year.
Apple is now expected to announce four new iPhone 12 models at the October 13 event, including two "regular" iPhone 12 devices and two iPhone 12 Pro models. They are expected to have new designs with sharper edges around the corners, similar to Apple’s new iPad Air and the iPad Pro.
Screen sizes include a 5.4-inch model, which may be called the iPhone mini, according to some media reports, two with 6.1-inch screens and a big model with a 6.7-inch display. It’s also been reported that the iPhone 12 Pro models will have a new 3D lidar sensor for augmented reality, and three new cameras. The lidar sensor first launched in the latest iPad Pro models earlier this year.
And the new iPhone 12 phones are widely expected to support 5G networks, though it’s unclear if they’ll all have support for the fastest 5G Wave networks, or if they’ll only support more widespread, but slower, 5G. Currently, some 5G can be slower than 4G but Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T are building out their networks to increase availability of faster 5G Wave networks.
