Upcoming iPhone X successors will offer diverse choices but Apple hasn't zeroed in on the names yet
The next generation of Apple iPhones are expected to be announced in the company's September event and Bloomberg reports that Apple is looking to diversify the iPhone product lineup like never before. The devices will not be a radically departure from the iPhone X and will, in fact, inherit most of its features including the design, gesture-based navigation, and Face ID security.
Bloomberg reports that internally, this launch is being dubbed the 'S' year to suggest that the handsets will retain the existing design but sport refreshed internals. Significant changes are reportedly being reserved for next year. The increase in the number of iPhone models could be Apple's strategy to indirectly expand the sales of accessories and services such as music and video. While the iPhone X did not result in as many sales as Apple would have hoped, the premium price it commanded ensured that it was still profitable.
News about three new iPhone models for 2018 is not unheard of and we've been reporting about the presence of three iPhone models since January. Recently, we saw pictures of the front panels of the 2018 iPhones leak giving us a fair idea of what to expect in terms of screen size. Of the three, the highest-end variant is codenamed 'D33' and will come with a 6.5-inch OLED display making it the largest iPhone yet. It is said to sport a glass back with stainless steel edges and a dual camera setup on the back. The software on 'D33' will be optimized to take advantage of the larger screen and can display two apps side-by-side.
The current iPhone X will also be getting a direct upgrade, which is internally codenamed the 'D32'. 'D32' will have the same 5.8-inch OLED screen as the iPhone X and the upgrades are mostly related to the processor and camera. Both these OLED phones will be assembled by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, which started assembling them in late July.
There is also a lower-end variant that is internally dubbed the 'N84' that will sport a 6.1-inch LCD display and will come in multiple colors with aluminum edges. This variant will be assembled by both Hon Hai and Pegatron Corp. and production is reported to have commenced this month. As reported earlier, TSMC will be supplying the 7nm Apple A12 SoC. iPhone camera lens supplier Largan Precision Co. is also expected to get increased orders by virtue of the new iPhones.
Apparently, Apple is still undecided on the naming convention for the 2018 iPhones. The lower-end model has a 6.1-inch screen but the actual iPhone X successor is smaller at 5.8-inches, which can potentially confuse customers. The company is also contemplating dropping the 'Plus' moniker for the larger model. Nevertheless, we should be able to get some clues as we near launch.
Apart from new iPhones, the September event this year will be jam-packed with new product announcements such as an updated Mac Mini, a larger Apple Watch, updated AirPods, an AirPower wireless charger, and revamped iPad Pros. The new iPad Pro models will sport slimmer bezels and will switch to a complete gesture-based UI. They are also expected to drop support for Touch ID and forego the headphone jack. The iPad Mini and the latest 9.7-inch iPad will not be upgraded according to sources familiar with the matter.
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