The Apple Special Event is finally taking place tonight – at 1AM in the morning for those in Malaysia, to be specific – and the Cupertino company is expected to introduce its latest smartphones, the iPhone 11 series. Based on numerous leaks and rumours surrounding the new phones, here’s what to expect from the event.
Three iPhone 11 Models
Just like last year’s lineup, the iPhone 11 is set to be available in three distinct models. Curiously, the iPhone XS and XS Max are said to be succeeded by the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. The iPhone XR, on the other hand, will be replaced by the standard iPhone 11; it could even be dubbed iPhone 11R.
In line with last year’s models, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max will supposedly retain its predecessors’ 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED displays respectively. The iPhone 11, on the other hand, is said to follow the same pattern, featuring a 6.1-inch LCD screen like the iPhone XR. In fact, all three iPhone models this year..
Will Have Similar Designs (Including the Notch)
If you’ve been hoping for a brand new iPhone design, you’d be disappointed: rumours are suggesting otherwise. Not only will the overall designs of the iPhone 11 series remain the same (except maybe for new colours), even the wide display notch is kept.
But not everything will be the same: some iPhone 11 models may feature a matte finish on the back panel, as Bloomberg reported. Chances are, this new material could improve the overall grip of the phone.
Triple Camera System
For the first time ever, Apple will reportedly debut a triple camera system on the new iPhone 11, but only for the Pro and Pro Max models. The regular iPhone 11, on the other hand, will likely come with a dual camera setup instead; an upgrade over the single rear shooter of the iPhone XR.
Of course, the next question is, what does the third camera sensor do? Well, according to Bloomberg, it’s a wide angle shooter. If this is the case, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max should have three different focal lengths, courtesy of the regular sensor, telephoto lens, and wide angle shooter.
Improved Face ID System
One of the biggest complaints with Apple’s Face ID system is the limited angle for the feature to work, but this could very well change with the iPhone 11 series. Again, in Bloomberg’s report, it’s said that the revamped Face ID system on the upcoming phones can “capture a wider field of view.”
This, in turn, supposedly allows Face ID to recognise your facial data even if the phone is lying flat on a table. Sounds great, doesn’t it? This would certainly make the feature a lot more convenient to use.
Faster A13 Chip
Naturally, the new iPhone 11 should come with Apple’s yet to be announced A13 processor. Not much is known about the upcoming chip, but it’s believed to come with a co-processor to handle “math-heavy” tasks. Apparently, this will improve the augmented reality capability of the new iPhones.
Goodbye 3D Touch
You may or may not miss this feature, but 3D Touch is likely axed with the iPhone 11 series. Instead, it is said to be replaced by the equivalent Haptic Touch feature first introduced on the iPhone XR. Basically, instead of pushing harder on the screen to access a different menu, you just need to do a long-press to achieve the same effect.
Whether you’ll miss 3D Touch or not, you’ll like this next bit of rumour: the iPhone 11 may feature a new type of Taptic Engine. iPhones already have some of the best haptic feedback systems in the market now, so it’ll be interesting to see how this can be improved further with the new vibration system.
No Two-Way Wireless Charging
Previous rumours pointed at the possibility of two-way wireless charging on the new iPhone 11 series, but this may not be happening now. this was revealed by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, noting that the reverse wireless charging may be scrapped because the “charging efficiency may not meet Apple’s requirements.”
Given that other phone makers have already implemented this feature – that would be Samsung and Huawei – it’s a little bit of a letdown. Nonetheless, at least the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will get a fast charger in the box. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include the standard iPhone 11; it’s said to ship with a much slower 5W charger still.
Looking at these leaks and rumours, the iPhone 11 series doesn’t seem to be a huge leap over its predecessor. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see if these details are accurate once the devices are officially unveiled later tonight at 1AM Malaysian time.
Besides the iPhone 11, expect Apple to make other announcements at the event, including the Apple Watch Series 5, the Apple Arcade subscription service, and maybe even “one more thing.” You can catch the livestream of the Special Event right here.