Back in September, which seems like years ago but was actually just last month, we thought Apple’s Time Flies event might feature some new iPhones, though rumors had long swirled they would go on sale later in the fall due to coronavirus-related production delays. But the September event came and went without nary an iPhone, so the world turned its sights to October. And now we know the exact date: Apple just announced that another fall event is Oct. 13, and we’re betting the iPhone 12 will make its debut (seriously, fingers crossed for this one).
Things have been a little different on the Apple event front—in addition to literally every other front—this year due to the covid-19 pandemic. Instead of showing off new phones to press in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, Apple CEO Tim Cook will present what could be up to four new iPhones in a live-streamed presentation for all to see. The online-only event kicks off at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Apple’s website.
The event is clearly all about 5G and the A14 Bionic processors expected to be included in the iPhone 12 lineup, given the “Hi, Speed” tagline. The latest rumor is that a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini will also appear. Unlike the current smallest iPhone SE, which resembles an iPhone 8, the Mini will actually have a small body in addition to a small display. A 6.1-inch iPhone 12, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max are also reportedly on deck. All four are expected to feature a flat metal-edge design similar to the iPhone 5 and will be equipped with Apple’s A14 Bionic processor and 5G modems to catch the faster speeds that carriers are promising as they expand their 5G networks.
The pricier Pro iPhones are expected to sport stainless steel bodies and triple-lens camera systems with LiDAR sensors, while the cheaper models will have dual-lens shooters and aluminum bodies.
There may also be a pair of Apple-branded over-the-ear headphones and a new HomePod speaker on deck, but with the way Apple has been announcing products this year—press releases for some, miniature events for others—it’s unclear whether those new devices will see the spotlight next week.
We’ll be live-blogging the entire thing right here on Gizmodo dot com, so join us! Let us know what you hope to see from Apple in the comments.