Two of the iPhone 11’s most exciting rumored features have been scrapped, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo released a report yesterday evening outlining the changes to the iPhone 11 release, suggesting that the device will not support Apple Pencil input nor feature USB-C charging ports, as previously reported.
The two “premium” iPhones, the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, however, will come with a faster charger in the box. The “affordable” XR successor will not.
The reliable analyst has also indicated that one of the most rumored new features, bilateral wireless charging, won’t be coming to the new iPhones after all, as Apple was not happy with the “charging efficiency” of the technology as it went into production.
Bilateral wireless charging was set to be one of the stand-out features of this year’s iPhone, allowing users to charge their AirPods, Apple Watch and other peripherals on the back of their iPhone – and steal “juice” from other iPhone and Samsung users with the same tech.
The technology allows Qi-enabled devices to charge, and although Kuo previously reported that Apple would add a larger battery pack to accommodate the technology, it appears as though this is no longer happening.
Kuo’s report was backed up by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who added that Apple had problems finalizing the bilateral charging technology and had scrapped the concept ahead of its event this week.
Kuo’s report also shed some light on the appearance of this year’s iPhone range, which as expected is unchanged. The new iPhones will introduce new colors, with the iPhone XR expected to ship in green and lavender colors for the first time, and all three will feature ultra-wideband technology to improve indoor mapping functionality.
Finally, Kuo added that he expects Apple to ship 5 to 10 percent fewer iPhones this year than last year, at around 65-70 million units.
That’s because of a “lack of innovative selling points” over previous models.
However, he added that Apple could still ship 180 million units before the year is out due to price cuts on older iPhone models, such as the iPhone 7 and 8.
Are you disappointed to hear about the changes to this year’s iPhone? Do you even listen to rumors or take everything with a pinch of salt until it’s officially announced? Let us know on Twitter and check back soon as we bring you coverage of this year’s September Event.
