What can we expect from the newest iPhone?

As Apple prepares for its event next week, we round up the rumours

There is speculation that there will be three Apple phones announced on Tuesday - the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch OLED screen replacements for the Xs and Xs Max, and the 6.1 inch LCD phone that will replace the XR.
There is speculation that there will be three Apple phones announced on Tuesday - the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch OLED screen replacements for the Xs and Xs Max, and the 6.1 inch LCD phone that will replace the XR.

Apple is holding an event in Cupertino on September 10th,with the new round of iPhones expected to be announced. As usual, there are plenty of rumours about what the California-based company could be planning. Here's what people are expecting – nothing confirmed, of course.

The name

There is speculation that there will be three phones announced on Tuesday - the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch OLED screen replacements for the Xs and Xs Max, and the 6.1 inch LCD phone that will replace the XR.

Following the current naming convention would see Apple launch the iPhone 11 and 11 Max, with the 11R as the third model. But Apple doesn’t always stick with tradition. It jumped from the iPhone 8 and 8 PLus to the iPhone X, and when the Xs came around, it ditched the Plus for Max. There are some rumours of a Pro tag for the phones, meaning we would have the iPhone 11 Pro and the 11 Pro Plus.

The look

There aren’t too many expectations for a drastically different design, although there should be some new colours. There is talk of a more shatter resistant case though, which will come as a relief to those who have been burned by that particular repair on more than one occasion. And if you are the type of person who likes to submerge their phone in water, the news that Apple may be introducing better water resistance for the phones will be welcome.

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The camera

As always, the cameras are the prime feature to get a bump in power and functionality. If the rumours are true, the 2019 iPhone will come with a triple camera set-up, expanding on the current dual camera in the Xs and Xs Max. An ultra-wide-angle lens would join the telephoto and wide angle 12 megapixel cameras currently on the Xs and Xs Max.

Going on previous camera improvements, it’s likely that there will be a better low-light performance.

Expect the camera to be smarter too - according to Bloomberg, there will be AI include that can correct a photograph combined from the three sensors. No more cutting out someone's head accidentally from those all-important family shots.

Video is also expected to get a bump, with some new editing abilities that can be applied live, according to Bloomberg.

The XR is likely to have a dual camera system on the rear of the device.

According to MacRumours, the front facing camera will be upgraded across the board to 12 megapixels, and there may be some improvements to Face ID to make it more accurate.

The display

Could we about to see the end of the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch in iPhones? Maybe. Bloomberg says the new iPhones will have OLED screens - apart from the XR replacement, which sticks with LCD - with Haptic Touch technology instead. That is effectively the same for users when it comes to the long press, but it doesn’t differentiate the pressure, so it may mean the loss of some functions for users. Haptic Touch is used in the XR.

There’s some bad news for notch-haters - it looks likely to be sticking around.

The rest

The new iPhones will almost certainly include the next generation of Apple’s chip, so we may be looking at the A13 here.

The battery is likely to get a boost, although that may not necessarily translate into noticeably longer battery life. Apple may also introduce reverse wireless charging, as seen in Huawei and Samsung handsets. Handy for charging the wireless AirPods.

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist