Apple expected to unveil four new iPhones, two Apple Watches later this year
Apple is gearing up to unveil a busy hardware lineup later this year in the fall, Bloomberg reports. The Cupertino, California-based company is said to be planning to launch a total of four new iPhone models, a pair of Apple Watch smartwatches, its first on-ear headphones, a refreshed mid-tier iPad Air, and a smaller HomePod smart speaker.
Bloomberg’s rundown falls in line with previous rumors and adds that Apple has asked its suppliers, despite the pandemic, to produce nearly the same amount of iPhones as last year.
The cornerstone of Apple’s forthcoming series of new products will be its next line of iPhones. Bloomberg claims that its annual fall event Apple will introduce four, new 5G iPhones, all of which will feature a refreshed exterior with iPad Pro-esque squared edges and OLED screens with “improved color and clarity.” While the report doesn’t explicitly say whether these new displays come equipped with mini-LED tech, its description of them does hint at the same.
Each of these iPhones, however, will have a different screen size. The base-level models will be available in a 5.4- and 6.1-inch options, while the Pro variants will have a 6.1- and 6.7-inch panel — the largest ever for an iPhone. The highest-end iPhone 12 will reportedly also carry a lidar system, extra sensor primarily deployed for depth sensing and better Augmented Reality experiences that Apple debuted with the latest iPad Pro. As previously reported, Apple will likely ship the non-Pro models a few weeks earlier than their Pro counterparts.
In addition, this time, Apple will announce two new Apple Watch smartwatches. One will be a successor to the flagship Apple Watch Series 5 and the other will serve as an entry-level alternative to take on low-cost rivals from the likes of Fitbit. Also in the works is a smaller, more affordable HomePod smart speaker. These low-cost products align well with Apple’s renewed focus on offering its products at budget price points as it struggles to reclaim declining market share in countries such as India.
On top of that, the Bloomberg report corroborates earlier rumors that said Apple will soon roll out a redesigned iPad Air with narrower bezels — similar to the iPad Pro. While it doesn’t share any more details, the iPad Air will reportedly have a fingerprint reader housed in its power button and will be compatible with the Magic Keyboard.
Finally, it appears that Apple also has plans for a refresh of its Apple TV streaming media player. The last update to the popular device happened in 2017, with the launch of the Apple TV 4K, and Bloomberg is reaffirming previous rumors that a new model will sport a faster processor, and an upgraded remote with a “find my remote” feature.