Apple’s 2018 iPhones will be all about diversifying the appeal, rather than wowing with a host of new features, according to a new report.
The well-connected Mark Gurman of Bloomberg says the company is looking to expand the user base with a trio of Face ID-enabled handsets of varying size, colour and cost.
As has been reported ad nauseam in the last few months, today’s update reiterates Apple’s line up will include a high-end, 6-5-inch iPhone with an OLED display and a 5.8-inch OLED iPhone X successor. There’ll also be an entry-level 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD display, with a glass back and aluminium edges. The latter is also expected to be available in a wider range of colours.
Noted Apple analyst Gene Munster told Bloomberg the bigger screen should boost demand, while also enabling Apple to charge more than the £1,000 iPhone X starting price for the 6.5-inch model. Eek.
Related: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
However, none of the releases will diverge from the iPhone X design language introduced in 2017, while larger new features will be saved until next year, the report says. Speed and camera boosts are among the expected improvements.
Indeed, Gurman says Apple employees are referring to this as “an S year” – the naming tradition for the incremental hardware updates offered every other calendar year.
Speaking of the names, Apple is considering using the iPhone Xs monicker for the 2018 models, while also dropping the ‘Plus’ label – which it has used since the first larger-screen iPhone – for the 6.5-inch model. No final decision has been made over naming, according to the report.
Today’s update also corroborates previous reporting claiming Apple would finally launch the AirPower wireless charging solution alongside the 2018 iPhones. Also expected this autumn are new Apple Watch models and iPad Pro tablets with thinner bezels and larger displays.
If tradition is followed, the iPhone launch will be on or around September 12, while the other products may arrive on the same day, or at a later event in October.
Will you be upgrading to a new iPhone this year? Or will you wait for a more significant boost in 2019? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
