Apple 2019 iPhones: Everything We Know So Far

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is expected to launch three new smartphones in September. Here is a list of changes believed to be in store for the 2019 iPhone line-up:

Cameras

Apple is hedging its bets on better photo-taking capabilities convincing more customers to upgrade their iPhones in 2019.

People familiar with the company’s plans told Bloomberg that the tech giant plans to launch successors to the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and budget iPhone XR this year, adding that at least one of these models, believed to be the second-generation iPhone XS Max, will feature a three-lens camera.

Putting three cameras on its back will enable owners of the larger of the new high-end iPhones to capture a larger field of view, access a wider range of zoom and capture more pixels, the sources added, meaning that Apple software will be able to automatically repair a video or photo to fit in a subject that may have been accidentally cut off from the initial shot.

To coincide with these developments, Apple also plans to release an enhanced version of its Live Photos feature, doubling the length of videos from three to six seconds.

Bloomberg reported that the company’s drive to improve iPhone photo-taking capabilities is likely to be an ongoing theme over the next few years as cameras have become an important feature in a saturated smartphone market and one of the main reasons why consumers choose to upgrade their handsets. Sources said all iPhone handsets will eventually be upgraded to better cameras, noting that work is underway to introduce a more powerful 3-D system as early as next year.

Upgraded Processor

Sources told Bloomberg that this year’s iPhone models will include an upgraded processor. According to MacRumors, the new handsets will likely feature Taiwanese manufacturer TSMC’s next-generation A13 chips.

Updated Face ID sensor

Speculation is also circulating that Apple plans to update its Face ID sensor. Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted that 2019 iPhones will feature a new flood illuminator to lower the impact of invisible light. Bloomberg sources didn’t mention specifics, but did confirm that Face ID will be improved.

LCD and OLED Displays

At the beginning of the year, people familiar with the matter told the The Wall Street Journal that Apple’s new budget smartphone will once again use a liquid-crystal display (LCD), even though the XR’s screen resolution was widely criticized. Sources said Apple is persisting with LCD because the planned handset has been in the pipeline for months and it is difficult to change course at this late stage. The other two handsets are expected to continue featuring better quality OLED displays.

Same Sizes

In 2018, Apple launched the XS, the XS Max and the XR. They measured in at 5.8 inches, 6.5 inches and 6.1 inches and MacRumors expects their successors to be of similar size.