What you need to know
- A rumor claims that Apple's upcoming 5.4-inch iPhone will be an updated version of the iPhone 8
- Japanese outlet Mac Otakara apparently spoke to several Apple suppliers at CES 2020.
- The phone will reportedly feature an A13 chip and Face ID.
A rumor suggests that one of Apple's 2020 5.4-inch iPhones will be an updated version of the iPhone 8, featuring an A13 chip and Face ID.
According to Japanese site Mac Otakara:
According to several Apple suppliers involved at CES 2020, Apple may be developing a Face ID model separately from the Touch ID model as an updated version of the iPhone 8 using A13 Bionic chip. There seems to be. The case size returns to iPhone 7, and the size of the receiver part seems to be an intermediate size between the iPhone 11 series and the iPhone XS series. The rear camera is slightly larger than the iPhone 8, and the LED True Tone flash seems to return to the iPhone 7 size.The adoption of a TrueDepth camera has increased the display's vertical active area size, which has led to a 5.4-inch size, which may be a rumored model. (Translated)
Translation aside, the rumor is super confusing for a number of reasons. Up until now, Apple had been rumored to be releasing a budget "iPhone SE 2" sometime in the spring of 2020. Prolific leaker and renderer @OnLeaks then shared a mockup of what he believes to be that device, except that he also referred to it as the iPhone 9. However, that rumor also suggested that the iPhone 9/SE 2 (are you keeping up with all this) would feature two distinct features, a 4.7-inch display, and a Home Button, presumably housing Touch ID. Up until now, this Spring iPhone was Apple's only rumored "updated iPhone 8 phone."
The phone Mac Otakara is referring to reportedly has a larger 5.4-inch display and Face ID, but will also be based on the iPhone 8. The most likely explanation is that either, Mac Otakara is mistaken, or that they are referring to a later, Fall 2020 iPhone that will also be reminiscent of the design of the iPhone 8. That is, there will be an iPhone in the spring of 2020 with Touch ID, Home Button, and a 4.7-inch display, and another 5.4-inch iPhone later in the year. Both will be similar in size to the iPhone 8 of old and will slot in alongside several other touted iPhones, including Apple's new 5G lineup. Previous rumors have pointed to a 5.4-inch and a 6.7-inch iPhone with OLED, Y-OCTA technology displays and a 6.1-inch iPhone, around which there are conflicting reports that it will feature the improved Y-OCTA display tech.
Confused? Yeah, we don't blame you. What the rumors do seem to agree on is that Apple is still planning a Spring 2020 iPhone, the iPhone SE 2/iPhone 9. Later in the year, it will then release its main lineup of iPhones, featuring OLED displays and 5G. The most logical application of this latest rumors seems to be that Mac Otakara is referring to a Fall iPhone.
