It’s a mixed bag from well-known Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today, as he says iPhone 12 models will not support a 120Hz refresh rate due to battery life considerations. Kuo says the feature will debut on 2021 iPhones, with a lower-power LTPO display technology.
Additionally, MacRumors reports that Kuo told investors in a note that the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 will feature a slightly narrower notch to adequately display information in the top-left and top-right corners. The rest of the lineup is said to have the same notch size as iPhone 11 models.
The entire iPhone 12 lineup will support 5G, says Kuo, with two versions of each model to be available. This means there will be both sub-6GHz-only and sub-6GHz-plus-mmWave versions of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, with shipments of the sub-6GHz-only versions beginning first.
Kuo agrees with other analysts that no sign of the new iPhones will be seen at tomorrow’s Apple event, which will focus on new Apple Watch and iPad Air models. The new Apple Watch models should have the same form factor as the Series 5 models, and blood oxygen sensing will be the key new feature. Kuo doesn’t see a significant redesign for the Apple Watch until the second half od 2021 at the earliest.
Kuo also reiterated that the new iPad Air will feature Touch ID embedded into the tablet’s side power button, allowing for an “all-screen design” just like the iPad Pro. He expects more new iPads to begin using this design starting in 2021.
