Apple has set the date for its latest iPhone’s debut. The new device, rumored to be called the iPhone 12, is expected to include super-fast 5G wireless connectivity and a new, iPad-inspired design, and it will be unveiled on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PT (6 pm WAT).
Like Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, and its September Apple Watch and iPad announcements, the iPhone event will be virtual, that is, held entirely online. The event will be streamed via Apple’s website.
Apple’s fall product launch this year is expected to touch off a wave of upgrade purchases, analysts say, with fans eyeing the iPhone’s rumored new 5G capabilities and boxier look, similar to that of the iPad Pro. A “staggering” 53% of respondents plan to buy this year’s iPhone, according to a survey by electronics reseller Decluttr. Flashier rivals — such as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 2 5G, with its foldable display, or Microsoft’s Surface Duo, with two screens sandwiched together — offer new spins on the standard metal-and-glass smartphone construction. But most consumers will likely be gravitating toward what they know.
It is also expected to come in four different models, including a new 5.4-inch size (which would be smaller than the iPhone 11 Pro) and a 6.7-inch size (which would be the largest iPhone ever).
Other features of the iPhone 12 lineup could include OLED displays across the board. The iPhone 12 lineup will reportedly support mmWave 5G as well as sub-6GHz 5G.
When Apple jumps into the 5G market, it’s expected to immediately be a huge player. This year, Apple likely will ship 50 million 5G iPhones, according to Strategy Analytics, which would make it the second biggest 5G vendor in 2020 — and that would be in less than three months of sales. By comparison, Samsung shipped more than 6.7 million Galaxy 5G smartphones last year, after its first 5G phones hit the market in May.
Next year, Apple is expected to be the world’s biggest 5G phone vendor, Strategy Analytics said