Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Debby WU say all three Apple’s 2018 iPhones will continue the edge-to-edge screen design of last year’s flagship iPhone, and its improvements will focus on speed and camera improvements.
The new 5.8-inch, and new 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch handsets will boast Apple’s new A12 processor. The report’s sources are the ever-popular “people who asked not to be identified.”
However, none of the three iPhones will be wholly new designs like the iPhone X was last year or the iPhone 6 in 2014, with some inside Apple labeling the launch as an “S year,” a designation the company has given to new handsets that retain the previous design but add new internal features. The company is planning more significant changes for next year, they added.
The 5.8-inch model will be the closest to an “S” model for 2018, featuring the speed improvements and camera upgrade.
Apple’s 6.1-inch model will look similar to the 5.8-inch model, but will use cheaper components, such as an LCD display and aluminum sides to reduce production costs. Bloomberg says the 6.1-inch model will be offered in new color options, but the aluminum sides likely won’t be color-matched ot the back glass, which is another cost-saving move. The device is expected to use the same camera module used in the current iPhone 8.
The new 6.5-inch OLED iPhone is expected to retail for the same amount as last year’s iPhone X, and will be the flagship model. The device will feature thinner bezels and no home button, but in the same sized case as an iPhone 8 Plus. The new device’s larger screen will display additional content in landscape mode.
While planning the new devices, Apple has altered the names multiple times. It has at least considered branding the new premium phones the “iPhone Xs,” indicating that they’re an upgrade to last year’s iPhone X, the person said. The company has also weighed eschewing the “Plus” label for the larger model, which it has used since the iPhone 6 Plus launched with a larger screen in 2014. The final names could be different, the person noted.
Bloomberg references the many dual-SIM rumors connected with the new iPhones, saying the two larger models will feature dual-SIM card slots in some regions.
The report also mentions the new Apple Watch Series 4 lineup, which it says will look much the same as previous models. However, the new wearables will feature a new, larger, nearly edge-to-edge display. The report also mentions two new iPad Pro models, boasting slimmer bezels and Face ID.
