Latest mockups of 5G Apple iPhone 12 line surface
Between renders and dummy units, we have a very good idea what the 5G Apple iPhone 12 family looks like. The rounded sides that have been a mainstay of Apple's handset design since 2014's iPhone 6 series are being replaced with flat sides that instantly recall the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 models. Today, Israeli iPhone fan community HaAppelistim (via 9to5Mac) shared images of iPhone 12 dummy models that came from case maker Skech.
Latest iPhone 12 dummy units show the flat-edge look used on the iPhone 4
Firms that produce iPhone cases often have mockups produced at this time of the year to make sure that cutouts are in the right spot and that the new cases fit as intended. In the old days, dummy units were made for carriers to put on their shelves so that consumers could get an idea about the size and looks of an upcoming handset.
Mockup of 2020 Apple iPhone 12 series
We expect Apple to unveil four models this year including the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four will feature an AMOLED display and it now seems that the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate originally expected on the "Pro" units might not surface this year at all. The A14 Bionic chipset, manufactured by TSMC using the 5nm process node, powers the four handsets. The chip will contain 15 billion transistors up from the 8.5 billion employed in the currently used A13 Bionic; this will make the newer component more powerful and energy-efficient.
The 2020 iPhones will each support both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G signals. The former consists of low and mid-band 5G spectrum that travel farther than high-band spectrum and penetrate structures better. However, they do not deliver the zippy fast data speeds that consumers are expecting from the next generation of wireless connectivity. Those speeds come from mmWave spectrum.
Battery capacities of the 2020 iPhone 12 line are rumored to decline this year
Last year, Apple took a giant step forward by sharply improving the battery life of the 2019 models. The iPhone 11 Pro Max will run as much as five hours longer than the iPhone XS Max, for example. Originally we figured that Apple would need to hike the battery capacities on the 2020 iPhone models in order to provide the extra power needed to run 5G. But the latest rumors indicate that we could see Apple actually drop the size of the battery capacities on the new handsets while still expecting them to run longer between charges. That would be due to the energy-sipping nature of the 5nm process used to make the A14 Bionic.
We expect 6GB of memory paired with 128GB of storage and up on the 2020 iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will most likely sport 4GB of memory paired with the same storage options offered on the more expensive units.
The camera module on the rear panel of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will feature a 12MP Wide camera and an Ultra-wide camera. The "Pro" models will have the aforementioned two cameras, add a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and the LiDAR depth sensor. The latter measures how long it takes for an infrared beam to bounce off of a subject and return to the phone. First used on the 2020 iPad Pro tablets, the data calculated by LiDAR will help deliver enhanced AR capabilities, improved bokeh blurs on portraits, and more.
As we noted another time with another set of previously released 2020 iPhone 12 mock-ups, the design of the camera module might not be accurate on these dummy units. That's because they are made to develop cases for the new line and as long as the cutout houses the camera module perfectly, there is no need to include the actual number and placement of each lens on the mockup.
The current rumor calls for Apple to use staggered release dates for the 2020 iPhone models with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max first to be launched. That would be followed by the release of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
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