The iPhone 12 release date may be slightly delayed, but a new report suggests that Apple is due to change up the design of the iPhone 12 Pro to match the iPad Pro.
Specifically, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are said to have flat stainless steel edges, rather than curved ones, and more sharply rounded corners and flat screens, according to anonymous sources who spoke to Bloomberg.
This would amount to an iPhone 12 Pro design that’s inspired both by the iPad Pro and the iPhone 5, and it’s something that we’ve broadly heard before. It stands in stark contrast with the slightly sloping edges of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
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About that iPhone 12 release date
Apple is said to be releasing four iPhone 12 models, with the two lower-end versions rumored to be sequels to the cheaper iPhone 11 in two different screen sizes. These designs may not sport flat-sided edges, though, which would further differentiate the normal iPhone 12 from the iPhone 12 Pro designs.
The report also claims that some of Apple's new phones in the series may delayed by 'multiple weeks' due to disruption caused by Covid-19. But while we may not have an iPhone 12 release in September, it's expected to launch during the usual 'fall' pre-Christmas window.
As we've heard from prior iPhone 12 leaks, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max could have three rear cameras along with a LiDAR scanner, while the cheaper two iPhone 12 models would just have two rear cameras.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is said to have a slightly larger screen than the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max, and these four upcoming iPhones are apparently likely to have a smaller notch than their predecessors, as well as significant processor upgrades focused on speeding up artificial intelligence and augmented reality tasks.
These are mostly details that we’ve heard before from other sources, so there’s a good chance they’re accurate – but as ever with rumors we’d still take them with a pinch of salt until Apple makes everything official.
HomePod 2 and AirTag
It’s not just the iPhone 12 that Bloomberg’s sources have information on, though: they also claim that a smaller, cheaper HomePod could land in the second half of this year with a similar design to the original HomePod, but coming in at about half the size. Apple is also said to be working on widening the support for third-party music streaming services.
And the long-rumored Apple AirTag (or Apple Tag as it's called here) gets a mention too. The device is said to work similarly to the Tile trackers, letting you attach it to valuables as a way to keep track of them.
Apple's AirTag is also said to be coming this year, and will apparently be bundled with an Apple-designed leather sleeve and a keychain to attach it to objects.
This again is broadly in line with what we’ve heard before, as is the existence of a HomePod 2 or a HomePod Mini. If it all comes out this year as has been rumored, then it seems Covid-19 might not have caused too much disruption to Apple after all.
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