It's that time of year again, when iPhone rumours are abounding ahead of Apple's annual September keynote conference. The latest point of contention is whether or not the iPhone 11 (or whatever Apple dubs it) will debut dual-SIM capabilities.
The rumour comes from sources speaking to Chinese publication 21st Century Business Herald, and suggests that handsets in some countries will use a classic dual-SIM tray, with others incorporating a standard SIM and a bespoke Apple SIM alongside (this latter design is already found in some iPad Pro models).
And what IS dual-SIM technology, really? It's a feature that allows users to manage two numbers from one phone, and has proven particularly useful in developing countries. Indeed, TechRadar attributes Apple's tendency to lag behind Android in terms of global sales (read: outside the US) at least partially to the relative absence of this dualistic technology. In this light, it sounds like a pretty prudent move to incorporate dual-SIM tech into the upcoming iPhone 11.
iPhone 11: Everything we know so far
The iPhone X is, in smartphone terms, starting to get on a bit. With only around half a year old, it's time to start thinking about the iPhone 11 and just how much better it's going to be.
Yes, 2018 will see the return of the iPhone. Again. As night follows day and the seasons run their annual cycle, so does the yearly hyped up iPhone launch, with 2018's handset expected to make an appearance almost a year on from the iPhone 8/8Plus/X unveiling. Apple is ever so predictable these days.
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Of course, Apple may not decide to call it the iPhone 11 – the iPhone X proves that the Californian giant actually does have some creativity in its naming structure – but we're going to call it the iPhone 11, maybe even the iPhone XI, for the time being – at least until we hear any official information – okay?
Whatever the future holds, you'll find absolutely everything you need to know about the iPhone 11 so far in our handy explainer below, including the expected launch date, a spot of healthy price speculation, and what we would like to see in terms of design and specs. Let's begin.
Apple iPhone 11 price: How much will the iPhone XI cost?
The iPhone 11 could come served at two drastically different price points, if the latest reports are anything to go by. Given that the iPhone X didn't exactly fly off the shelves, a circumstance which many attribute to its eye-watering price tag, it would certainly make sense for Apple to bring its prices down a tad.
Hence the latest rumour that two OLED-based iPhones will debut this year alongside a less expensive LCD screen iPhone. The relative affordibility of the latter phone will no doubt have punters questioning whether OLED crispness really is worth the extra dosh. Publications like The Wall Street Journal are putting their money on the success of the LCD handset, citing the continued "balking" of customers at the iPhone X's price tag as a major reason behind this.
If the iPhone X sells well enough (which isn't looking likely), you can expect the iPhone 11 to sell for a minimum of £999. Don’t like the sound of that? Don’t accept the cost of the iPhone X in the first place.
Thankfully, there's talk that the iPhone 11 could actually come at a lower price than its predecessor. According to KGI analyst and renowned Apple commentator Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is apparently gearing up to launch a 6.1in iPhone this year that will reportedly retail for a far more palatable $550 (£390). Going by our general like-for-like price conversion on iPhone products, you're likely looking at a £500/£550 phone – which isn't bad at all.
Apple iPhone 11 release date: When will Apple release the iPhone XI?
Apple hasn’t really bucked the trend of announcing its major iPhones at its September event. The iPhone 11 release will be no different either. This means, come September 2018, we’ll be looking at a brand-new iPhone 11 – or iPhone XI.
Seeing as the iPhone X launch is actually in November, instead of September, it’s unclear if Apple will stick to a September launch like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, or opt for a November release like the iPhone X. It’s unlikely we’ll see an October release as that’s when many other manufacturers offer up their handsets to market.
Apple iPhone 11 design: What will the iPhone XI look like?
Apple isn’t one to change its phone’s aesthetics all that drastically. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus looked near identical to the iPhone 7, and you can expect the iPhone 11 look just the same as the iPhone X.
f Apple sticks to its yearly cycle of updates, we're just months away from the next iPhone coming to market. Rumours around the new iPhone, rumoured to be the iPhone 11 – although it could also be the iPhone 9 – have been circling for months now. Almost as soon as the iPhone X came to market, the first bit of information regarding the iPhone 11 leaked out.
Now, months later, the new rumours are coming thick and fast and the latest seems to suggest the iPhone 11 could offer up iPhone 5C-like colour options and finishes. The rumour first circulated after a shot surfaced showcasing a violet and green version of a supposed iPhone 11 mockup.
At the same time, another leak surfaced that suggested an iPhone X successor could appear and would be in the same form factor as an iPhone SE, if new rumours from accessories indicator Mobile Fun are to be believed.
Mobile Fun has worked closely with the often-accurate Apple leaker Olixar to create some iPhone 2018 CAD prototypes that feature a swanky design. Take a look at the designs and you can see that they appear to straddle both the iPhone SE and the iPhone X, boasting what seems to be the display of the iPhone X but the angular body of the iPhone SE.
We're not sure whether these designs will be the purported iPhone SE 2 follow-up, or whether it will be the iPhone 11, however.
What's more, a new leak around the iPhone 11 release suggests that Apple could well be ditching the Lightning port for an industry-standard USB Type-C. If true, this decision would be the first time that Apple has adopted a universal connection for its iPhone.
The news comes from DigiTimes, citing unnamed "sources at analogue IC vendors". If true, the move would signal the end for Apple's proprietary Lightning charger. While there's a number of reasons to believe this move could be true – such as Apple's move to USB Type-C for MacBook charging – there's plenty of other reasons why it might avoid making the switch.
One case is that Lightning still does everything USB Type-C does, and it makes Apple money in the process. At just six years of age, the connector requires licencing fees for third-party manufacturers to make cables for. That's a revenue stream that's going to keep giving if Apple doesn't give up Lightning connectors.
However, if Apple wants to offer true fast-charging capabilities without extra dongles, it will need to adopt USB Type-C as a Lightning cable just can't deliver that sort of power directly from a plug. It also doesn't quite match up to the incredibly impressive file transfer speeds offered by USB Type-C's USB 3.1 technology. So, perhaps it is time Apple made the jump.
Apple iPhone 11 specifications: What’s going to be inside the iPhone XI?
Expect an updated version of what’s inside the iPhone X and iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
We’ll see a new version of Apple’s “A”-series of mobile chips. It’s most likely this will be the A12 chip, but it could be another A11 with a stupid name like “Bionic”.
Apple iPhone 11 features: What features can you expect in the iPhone XI?
Again, I wouldn’t expect a whole lot of change for the next iPhone iteration. Apple tends to make leaps one year, incremental updates the next. Seeing as it made massive leaps with the iPhone X, the iPhone 11 is likely to just tweak what came before.
For a rundown on what that means, take a look at our iPhone X coverage.
Apple iPhone 11 camera: Could the iPhone 11 use a triple-camera setup?
Expect Apple to make incremental upgrades in the camera department too. Not a lot has changed in terms of camera quality on iPhone since the 7 so perhaps it’s due for a big overhaul.
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The iPhone X does make bigger leaps than other numbered entries, bringing in optical image stabilisation (OIS) and using two 12-megapixel sensors instead of one 12- and one 8-megapixel sensor. While it's likely the iPhone 11 will simply use a similar setup to the X in a more friendly price bracket, rumours are circulating that suggest we could actually see a Huawei P20 Pro-style triple camera array appear on the back of the iPhone 11.
According to a report from Taiwanese paper Economic Daily News, the iPhone 11 will have three 12-megapixel cameras on its rear with the ability to have a 5x zoom. There's no information on just what kind of zoom it'll be using – optical, digital or a hybrid of both.
iPhone X Plus Rumours: A new iPhone X before the iPhone XI?
The rumour mill churns on about the so-called iPhone X Plus, also referred to as the iPhone XL. The second (entirely speculative) name should indicate that people hope, or think, that this new version of the iPhone X will be bigger than the original. Various sources seem to believe that there will be an iPhone X equivalent of the Samsung S9 plus, as well as a cheaper 'budget' version of the iPhone X. As we say, the rumours abound. Sales of the iPhone X have been below expected, which is unsurprising considering that it was the most expensive yet, and it’s hard to imagine the proposed iPhone X Plus selling any better - especially as it would, presumably, be more expensive still. We shall have to wait and see if Apple decides to release a ‘phablet’ version of the iPhone X to tide over its fanbase until the highly probable announcement of the iPhone XI/11 in September 2018.
source of information
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