New shots of dummy iPhone 12 units have appeared on supply chain blog Macotakara, giving us our first look at all four models sitting side-by-side. There's also a relocated SIM card slot that hints at a 5G surprise.
From the leaks we’ve heard so far, there will be four iPhone 12 models spread across three screen sizes: 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max, and 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max handsets. These leaked dummy models further confirm that’s going to be the case, as well as give us a look at how the four phones will measure up against each other.
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Apple looks like it will have a range of iPhone users catered for, as the smallest 5.4-inch iPhone 12 looks suitably compact to is stablemates and other current Android flagships like the Galaxy S20 with its 6.2-inch display. Rumored to cost $649, this could be the ideal device for those who want the best small phone.
The larger 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max looks like it will be ideal for people who like larger phones with plenty of screen space, but not too large to handle. Comparatively, the Galaxy S20 Ultra has a 6.9-inch display, which is arguably a little too large to be practical for some people.
Having two 6.1-inch iPhone units might seem odd, but they should have several differences. While the iPhone 12 Max is expected to have two rear cameras, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is said to feature three rear cameras and a LiDAR sensor. Plus, the iPhone 12 Pro Max would have a smoother 120Hz display.
Aside from the SIM card tray being moved from the same side at the power button to sit alongside the volume rocker buttons, the dummy iPhone 12 models look pretty similar to the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro handsets, though they have slightly more squared edges. This is in keeping with the leaks we’ve seen surrounding the iPhone 12’s design.
Under the hood, all iPhone 12 models will likely use a new Apple chip, probably called the A14 Bionic, with 4GB of RAM for the iPhone 12 and 8GB for the Pro phones. Storage is predicted to range from 128GB to 512GB.
The first 5G iPhone
The relocation of the SIM card tray, according to Macotakara, is due to Apple freeing up space to put in Qualcomm’s antenna in package (AiP) module, which the blog claims could give all the iPhone 12 models access to the superfast mmWave 5G.
This would fly in the face of the rumors we’ve heard so far that suggest only the iPhone 12 Pro models will tap into the very fast mmWave standard. According to other reports, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will only support sub-6GHz 5G networks, which offer greater range but not the high speeds offered by mmWave.
For now, it’s worth taking Macotakara’s report with a good pinch of salt. The blog said its sources come from Alibaba rather than an Apple insider.
Currently, access to mmWave 5G isn’t prolific, given it needs a lot of 5G cell towers and base stations to deliver connectivity as mmWave needs line-of-sight to deliver a stable connection. So it’s arguably a little redundant for current phones and those that are coming out in 2020.
However, Apple tends to pride itself on its iPhones lasting for at least several years. By adding in mmWave connectivity, Apple can ensure its next-generation iPhones are ready for the fastest 5G when it becomes more widely available. But this is just speculation on our part, as there have been no solid leaks or rumors to suggest Apple will take this approach.
The iPhone 12 was expected to be revealed around September time, as that’s when Apple normally reveals its next-generation iPhones. However, some reports have suggested that there may be a month or so delay in the iPhone being launched due to the coronavirus pandemic causing manufacturing and supply chain problems.
