Next-generation iPhones will come with the ability to wirelessly charge other devices, according to a new report.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a senior Apple analyst with years of correct predictions and reports, suggests that Apple will stick to tradition and release three new iPhones in 2019 in the same vein as 2018’s lineup.
That includes 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch OLED models (upgrades to the iPhone XS and XS Max) and a 6.1-inch LCD model (the successor to the iPhone XR, Apple’s affordable iPhone).
Kuo added that an upgraded iPhone XR may include 4G of RAM for the first time, signaling new iOS updates and an increased focus on augmented reality technology, something Apple has been keen to push since the introduction of ARKit several years ago.
The new models will also feature a frosted glass casing for the first time, suggesting a new look for the iPhone and encouraging users of the iPhone X and XS to upgrade to the latest model.
Apple traditionally updates the appearance of the iPhone every two years (4, 4S, 5, 5S and so on) although that changed with the introduction of the iPhone X, bringing a new all-screen look to the phone that put the focus back on content, rather than on the design.
Alongside that, larger battery capacities are also expected in all three 2019 iPhone models, helping Apple to compete against Samsung and its flagship smartphone products, which often outperform the iPhone on battery life.
Apple has faced criticism of its batteries in recent years, and announced a reduced-price battery replacement program in 2018, replacing more than 11 million during the period.
Lighting connector staying on iPhones
In a report contradictory to other rumors, Kuo says that the new iPhones will come with a Lightning connector as standard, rather than the USB-C port that some had been hoping for.
Following the iPad Pro in 2018, it was suggested that Apple was to phase out the Lighting port to streamline its connectivity, although Kuo’s insider knowledge suggests otherwise.
The new iPhone lineup is not expected to be announced until September, but rumors are already going into overdrive following Kuo’s reports.
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