Apple could go for flat edges and screens on this year's flagship iPhones

Currently, the long-rumored iPhone 9 might be Apple's most anticipated device, following a similar mindset to that of the iPhone SE. However, the company is naturally still working on a true flagship iPhone for later this year, and a new report from Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, claims to have some information about the company's plans.

First off, the report says there will be four iPhone models launching later this year, with the possibility of two different devices replacing the base iPhone 11, in addition to successors to the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. What's more, it's said that all of these phones could support 5G, which Android rivals have started to adopt more widely this year.

Another interesting tidbit is that Apple is going with flat edges, "sharply rounded" corners, and a flat screen for this year's models, at least the top-tier ones. This aligns pretty closely with predictions from Ming-Chi Kuo made just weeks after the iPhone 11 released, and it means that the new iPhone models would look a lot more like the recent iPad Pro and the iPhone 5. This would make some sense since it would unify Apple's design language somewhat.

There are some more changes, including a reportedly larger screen for the successor to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and the possibility of a smaller notch for the front-facing sensors. It's also said that the higher-tier models will feature a LiDAR sensor like the one on the new iPad Pro launched last month, in addition to the three-camera setup on the current models. Rumors of a time-of-flight sensor for the new iPhones have also been spotted before, prior to the iPad Pro announcement. The base iPhone models will retain the dual cameras of the iPhone 11.

Apple is also working on a successor to the HomePod speaker, which is said to be about half the size and also cheaper than the original model in order to compete with rival smart speakers. Apple has been previously reported to be lifting restrictions on what music services can be used with the HomePod, which might help with its success.

Finally, the report reiterates that Apple is working on object trackers similar to Tile. They've previously been referred to as AirTags, though this report calls them Apple Tags. They'll apparently be bundled with a leather sleeve and a keychain.