Mobile World Congress 2018 is under way in Barcelona and smartphone companies are laying out their big plans. However, one prominent by its regular absence is Apple, which prefers to do its own thing later in the year. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't have reports from insiders on what the company's upcoming plans may be.
This time, a new report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple is planning to launch three new iPhones this fall, including one that will have the largest screen yet. Two others are planned as well, including a modified version of the current iPhone X at the same size, and a slightly cheaper version that offers many of the key features of the current Apple flagship device.
The report of three new phones is not new, having been suggested back in November by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, but this one comes with more details. Citing the infamous unnamed "people familiar with the products," the larger device - likely to be called the iPhone X Plus and sporting a 6.5-inch screen - would be targeted at users that like phablets and want to basically go big or go home. The body is reportedly the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus, but would go edge-to-edge like the iPhone X, allowing for the larger screen size. Production tests are reportedly already ongoing.
Other reported aspects of the mega phone - codenamed D33 - include:
- 1242 x 2688 screen resolution
- OLED display
- Face ID scanner for unlocking and payments
- A12 processor
- Stainless steel edges
- Possible dual-SIM card option
The mid-range iPhone - dubbed D32 - is said to be the same size as the current iPhone X, and will also have an OLED screen, A12 processor, and stainless steel edges. It is also looking at a gold color for the new units, something that had to be abandoned on the iPhone X because of production problems. A new iOS, likely 12.0 is also planned. It is currently dubbed Peace internally.
The cheaper model is expected to be LCD, relying on aluminum instead of steel with a glass back similar to the current iPhone 8.
Again, its all speculation at this point, but this is the week we talk about mobile technology, so why not include Apple, huh?
Note: Image reflects the KGI report from November, not the current Bloomberg sources.
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