Apple had a good Q3 in 2018 earning US$11.5 billion in profits. There have been rumours of a Dual SIM iPhone set to launch this year. For Apple, a Dual SIM flagship smartphone would bode well for its sales figure, especially in the emerging Asian markets like India and China. However, a recent report suggests that Apple fans waiting for a Dual SIM iPhone, especially in India, may not be able to buy it. This Dual SIM smartphone will likely be launched with a 6.1-inch LCD display, this could be the iPhone 9. The other variants will likely sport a 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch display which would be the iPhone XI and iPhone XI Plus.
BEST OFFERS ON Apple iPhone X
According to the reports, Apple wants to launch the Dual SIM iPhone exclusively in China. The reason, as the report claims, is that the company plains on growing a strong foothold in the Chinese market. Currently, the major players in the Chinese market are companies like Huawei and Xiaomi. Apple iPhones account for less than 5% of the Chinese smartphone market share, hence this could be Apple’s strategy to rope in more customers. However, China is not the only market where Dual-SIM smartphones are popular. The Indian mid-range smartphone segment provides a buyer with plenty of Dual-SIM smartphone options. The fact that Apple may not be planning to sell a Dual SIM iPhone in India might disappoint a lot of loyal Apple fans eagerly waiting for the company to launch a Dual SIM flagship smartphone.
Apple’s Dual SIM iPhone will quite likely be the less costly variant in the 2018 iPhone lineup. Especially since the company is planning to launch it in a market where mid-range smartphones dominate the flagship lineup. With that said, the best bet for Apple fans in India should wait until Apple launches the new iPhone in its September event. In all likelihood, the news about a China exclusive Dual-SIM smartphone could be fake. So, stay tuned for our full coverage of the story.
It was with the release of the Apple iPhone X in 2017, that the rumours about the next Apple iPhone began. While Apple reported record profit earnings, the company dipped to the third position as a smartphone seller behind Samsung and Huawei, with 20.9 & 15.8% respective market shares. It is an undeniable fact that overall smartphone sales have taken a hit and are relatively low in the last two years. This is also one of the reasons why HTC recently decided to quit the Indian market. However, as Apple’s September iPhone event approaches, more leaks emerge for next generation devices from the company.
The leaked images showcase both the front and rear panels of these iPhones in black and white colour variants. The three alleged screen sizes are, 5.8-inch for the iPhone XI, 6.1-inch for the iPhone 9, and 6.5-inch for the iPhone XI Plus. It has become apparent from these images that the iPhone with 6.1-inch display also has a single camera, so, it’s safe to assume that this is the alleged more affordable 2018 iPhone 9.
All three devices appear to have a notch, so it is safe to assume that even the cheaper iPhone 9 along with the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch iPhones will have Face-ID. In the image it appears that the left most device will be iPhone XI and the right most will be the iPhone XI plus, both of which have a vertical dual camera. The middle one will have a single camera, may be dubbed the iPhone 9 and will be the most affordable of the 2018 iPhones. This naming system will also eliminate any confusion as Apple may continue to sell the iPhone X, hence in 2018 Apple iPhone 9, iPhone X and iPhone XI may be sold.
According to previous leaks, emerging markets like India and China could receive dual-SIM 2018 iPhone variants. These markets are also the key sales places for Apple and a dual-SIM iPhone could help improve the smartphone’s sales. Apple projected that it will bag even more profits in the fourth quarter of this. Since the company has been at the forefront of bringing feature-rich smartphones, albeit, at a hefty price, we look forward to see how the 2018 iPhone lineup performs. While there’s still a month before the new iPhones launch, you can go back to our Apple iPhone X vs Samsung Galaxy S8 Feat. Galaxy Note 8 video.
A smartphone case maker out of New York, Ghostek has leaked a design render of a smartphone case which shows an iPhone with a single rear-mounted camera and a display panel with a notch which looks same as the one found on the iPhone X. Apart from the beautiful case, what is also worth noting is that the phone follows the iPhone X design pattern yet it is rumored to be relatively cheaper. While there is no word on what the device will be called, we speculate that it could be the iPhone 9.
iPhone 9 Case Renders
Apple may have finally decided to bring up to speed the entire iPhone lineup, as suggested by image of the Ghostek case. The new device will be priced similar to the iPhone 8 while still retaining features from the iPhone X, primarily the notch.
This is exciting news for the people who wanted the iPhone X experience, but were not willing to spend the high price of the flagship. The iPhone 9 ( as we call it) will still miss out on a few features of Apple’s 2018 flagship, like the decision to stick with a single camera and other features like the portrait mode. It is also rumored that the iPhone 9 will have FaceID but it won’t be the same as the one found on the more expensive 2018 devices.
A few schematics of the phone show that the notch is a little more highlighted on this new iPhone and it will also sport a larger 6.1 inch display in comparison to the iPhone 8’s 4.7 inch display. The dimensions of the phone are said to be about 147.12 x 71.52 mm. To no surprise, the render does not show a headphone jack on this iPhone either.
It should be kept in mind that the device will be released alongside the new flagship iPhone. Nonetheless, we will be closely covering this story till both the phones are released in September this year.
The 2018 iPhone lineup is gearing up to be an exciting one. After years of similar design language across the board, Apple changed things up with the iPhone X. With its new lineup of iPhones, Apple will completely drop the home button and adopt Face ID for all the iPhones. Out of the three that are rumoured to launch in September, the iPhone X Plus will be the biggest and priciest.
The iPhone X Plus is expected to have a 6.5 inch OLED TrueTone display. If true, it will be the largest display ever on an iPhone. A new report not only claims that the iPhone X Plus will indeed have a 6.5 inch display, that this display will be fit into an iPhone 8 Plus body. The report is also accompanied by images, revealing the similarities in size of the two iPhones.
For context, the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5 inch display. This means that Apple will be able to increase the screen real estate by an inch, without tampering with the size of the iPhone 8 Plus. There is obviously going to be a notch on the display as well which will house the tech required for Face ID to function.
The report also touched upon the other two iPhones slated to release along with the iPhone X Plus. The most affordable of the three iPhones will have an LCD panel. However, the size will be slightly smaller at 6 inches, rather than the 6.1 inch size which has been floating around on the internet. The smartphone will have the same design as the other two iPhones and feature Face ID as well.
The refresh to the existing iPhone X will have a larger camera sensor and larger lens.
Next model of iPhone X 5.8 inches uses the same body as current model, but along with growing the size of the camera sensor, the lens will become bigger.
The report concludes with the information about iOS 12. It claims that iOS 12 will bring horizontal support for Face ID. This does make sense for Apple to add to iOS considering the future iPad lineup will also have Face ID. The launch of the 2018 iPhone lineup is still a few months away. However, we expect Apple to unravel key iOS details at the WWDC 2018 and also launch the iPhone SE 2 before that.
Launched in September 2017, the iPhone X was a big design shift for Apple. One of the most eye-catching features of the iPhone X is its display notch. Unlike a lot of phones that might launch with a notch this year, the iPhone X’s notch has a purpose. It houses the front camera, earpiece and all the hardware required for Face ID.
At the time of its launch, the iPhone X received mixed reviews for its notch. However, people soon realised that the notch blends into the UI pretty soon. For the majority of people, the notch doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. For the minority of people that are annoyed with it, Apple might have good news for you.
The next generation iPhone X will have a smaller notch. This was claimed in a research note issued by analysts Andrew Gardiner, Hiral Patel, Joseph Wolf, and Blayne Curtis at investment bank Barclays. While they believe that the 2018 iPhones will only have a slightly improved Face ID, this could result in a smaller notch. Along with that, the note also claims that Face ID will be introduced in the upcoming iPad Pro:
We remain confident that Apple is set to deploy its TrueDepth 3D sensor across the iPhone range in 2018 and to also add it to the pending iPad Pro refresh as well.
Given the complexity and multiple years spent developing the current generation of module, combined with supplier comments over the past month regarding multi-year customer commitments, we do not envisage a major change to the architectural make-up in 2018 […]
We do expect the sensor to evolve slightly, potentially reducing in size (i.e., smaller notch) and improving in specificity […] helping to further drive very strong growth [for some Apple suppliers] in 2H18 as the second generation of sensor ships in this year’s new iPhones.
2018 iPhone Lineup: What To Expect
2018 will see three new iPhones being launched at the Apple annual launch event. One of them will be the 2018 iPhone X, iPhone X Plus and an iPhone X SE. Interestingly, the naming of the upcoming smartphones suggests that the successor to the iPhone SE will indeed be a large iPhone that has design elements similar to the iPhone X.
iPhone X Plus Concept
Kuo claims the 2018 iPhone X will again start at US$ 1000, the iPhone X Plus will be priced higher (likely US$ 1200-US$ 1350) while the iPhone X SE will be priced at around US$ 700-US$ 800.
The iPhone X 2018 (tentative name) will have the same 5.8 inch OLED display found on the current iPhone X. It will have a 2,700 to 2,800mAh battery, supplied primarily by Unimicron. The 2018 iPhone X will also be powered by a new chipset and is expected to feature advanced Face ID.
The iPhone X Plus will have a 6.5-inch OLED display in a body that might not be much bigger than the iPhone 8 Plus’. It is expected to have a 3,400 to 3,500 mAh battery supplied Unimicron.
iPhone X SE?
The cheapest iPhone of the lot will be the iPhone X SE. It will be the successor to the iPhone SE and feature considerable upgrades over the predecessor. Although, these updates might end up costing the essence of the ‘SE’ series. The iPhone X SE will have a 6.1 inch LCD display with a design similar to the iPhone X. This means that Face ID will be introduced in this smartphone as well.
The iPhone X SE will be powered by the latest chipset, just like the iPhone SE was. However, unlike the 2018 iPhone X and iPhone X Plus, it won’t feature wireless charging. It will also miss out on 3D Touch.
As for investor reaction to the 2018 iPhone lineup, Kuo says that there is an air of “conservative sentiments due to concerns about a lack of major spec upgrades.” However, Kuo predicts the market will appreciate the 6.1 inch iPhone X SE, which he says will account for around 50% of the new iPhones sold in the second half of 2018.
2017 was a great year for smartphones. The bezels shrunk, dual cameras became a norm, and AI gained a few strides. 2018 promises to be another great year for a smartphone enthusiast and the early leaks and rumours are very promising. Let’s take a look at the top five upcoming smartphones of 2018:
Samsung Galaxy S9/Galaxy S9+
The first big launch of 2018 will be that of the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+. The smartphones will be launched at MWC 2018 and will possibly be the first to run on the Snapdragon 845 chipset. After weeks of renders and leaks, Samsung will finally unveil two of the most anticipated smartphones of 2018.
Design wise, the two phones won’t look different than their predecessors which is not a bad thing. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are still two of the most stunning devices on the market. The top and bottom bezels will be slightly thinner and the fingerprint sensor will be repositioned. Unlike last year’s, the fingerprint sensor will now be placed below the camera module instead of next to it. That is a great design change which was called for by many Galaxy S8 and Note8 users.
To compete with Apple’s Face ID, Samsung is rumoured to introduce Smart Scan as well. Apparently, the new feature is a combination of face and iris scanning. This extra layer will improve accuracy and security of the system in extremely dark or lit up environments. These are the situations where iris scanning and facial recognition systems fail. There have been reports that suggest the Samsung Galaxy S9 devices might have a 3D sensor equipped front-camera for improved biometrics.
There are no rumours or leaks about an upcoming Xiaomi Mi A2 or Mi A1(2018). However, considering the popularity of the Mi A1 in India, the company will be hard-pressed to launch a successor in 2018. The Mi A1 had a more 2016 design with thick bezels but, with budget smartphones also moving on to an 18:9 aspect ratio, the Mi A2 will also have a modern design.
The Xiaomi Mi A1 was launched as the Mi 5X in China and the Mi 6X could be the Mi A2 in India. So far, there have been a few leaks pertaining to the Xiaomi Mi 6X. According to leaked images, the Mi 6X will have an iPhone X-like vertically placed dual-camera setup along with fingerprint sensor and an aluminium unibody build.
Up until the Xiaomi Mi A1 was launched, Motorola’s Moto G5 Plus and G5s Plus had the best cameras in the segment. However, the Xiaomi Mi A1 had a great dual-camera setup as well and the Mi A2, in order to sway customers will have to have a great camera performance as well. The Xiaomi Mi A2 is expected to have the same “wide-angle and telephoto lens” combination for the primary cameras. The dual-camera setup on the front is becoming popular as well, meaning the Xiaomi Mi A2 could also have a dual-camera setup on the front as well.
If Xiaomi does launch the Mi A2 or Mi A1 (2018) in India, it is expected to do well, considering budget smartphones from Honor will have EMUI and a lot of consumers still prefer stock Android OS.
The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T saw a rise in price which many people weren’t happy about. There was also no water resistance even though OnePlus decided to increase the price of its new flagship considerably. However, early rumours of the OnePlus 6 are in and it appears that the company will be refreshing its smartphone lineup earlier than expected. A report from Android Marvel claims that the OnePlus 6 will be launched in March of 2018 and have a few new features which the OnePlus 5T is missing.
Inspired by Face ID, the OnePlus 6 will also have its own version of facial recognition. The OnePlus 6 is expected to have a camera hardware setup similar to the iPhone X, complete with a 3D camera module that will use infrared light to measure depth. However, the OnePlus 6 will not have an iPhone X-like notch. Instead, the handset is expected to have a full top bezel where the extra sensors should be found.
The OnePlus 6 is expected to have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset under the hood along with 6GB or 8GB of RAM. Storage options will most probably be the same with 64GB or 128Gb variants of the phone. OnePlus has shown its tendency to launch limited edition variants of its devices and it is fair to assume that the company will do something similar with the OnePlus 6 and possibly, the OnePlus 6T.
Apple iPhone X Plus
2018 Apple iPhone lineup
It’s tentative but, we might see a bigger version of the iPhone X in September of 2018. The iPhone X, launched in September 2017 saw a radical shift from the traditional iPhone design we were accustomed to, since the launch of the iPhone 6. While the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were similar to their predecessors, the iPhone X was the special 10th-anniversary device, billed as the true successor to the original iPhone which was launched back in 2007.
Early reports claim that Apple will continue the trend and launch three new iPhones in 2018. While two of them will continue to have an OLED display, the smallest of the three iPhones will be cheaper thanks to the LCD display. However, the design of all the three iPhones will be similar to the iPhone X with the notch at the top of the display and vertically placed dual cameras.
Under the hood, an upgraded A12 (tentatively named) chipset is expected which will, as always, perform better than the previous generation and go toe-to-toe with the Snapdragon 845 chipset.
Apple made it clear that it will emphasise a lot on the use of AI and machine learning with the introduction of ARKit. This is expected to be taken a notch higher with the next generation iPhones. What will be interesting to see is the nomenclature of all the three iPhones.
Google Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL
The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL launched amidst a lot of anticipation. Google was expected to deliver two of the best Android phones of the year and while the software and AI integration of the two phones was commendable, Google lost the race in the hardware department.
In 2018, especially after having the HTC smartphone personnel on board, Google will be expected to rectify those mistakes and deliver great Android devices which will compete with the likes of the Galaxy S9 and the OnePlus 6.
Similar to the Pixel 2, the Pixel 3 and its bigger sibling will focus a lot on AI and machine learning, and deliver smooth software experience thanks to the stock Android OS. 2018 will see the launch of Android P and the Pixel 3 devices will be the first Android phones on the planet to run o the new Android OS.
The Pixel 2 smartphones had the best camera on smartphones and achieved dual-camera capable features on their single camera setup thanks to Google’s incredible machine learning and AI implementation. We expect similar results from the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
It is hard to imagine that the iPhone X only went on sale about three months ago. There have been plenty of rumours regarding the 2018 iPhone lineup and it appears that there might be some clarity now. Ever since a report claimed that Apple will discontinue the iPhone X before the next launch event, the speculations surrounding its successors have been soaring high.
iPhone X
Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most trusted Apple analysts has released new information about the 2018 iPhone lineup.
The Tale Of Three iPhones
2018 will see three new iPhones being launched at the Apple annual launch event. One of them will be the 2018 iPhone X, iPhone X Plus and an iPhone X SE. Interestingly, the naming of the upcoming smartphones suggests that the successor to the iPhone SE will indeed be a large iPhone that has design elements similar to the iPhone X.
iPhone X Plus Concept
Kuo claims the 2018 iPhone X will again start at US$ 1000, the iPhone X Plus will be priced higher (likely US$ 1200-US$ 1350) while the iPhone X SE will be priced at around US$ 700-US$ 800.
The iPhone X 2018 (tentative name) will have the same 5.8 inch OLED display found on the current iPhone X. It will have a 2,700 to 2,800mAh battery, supplied primarily by Unimicron. The 2018 iPhone X will also be powered by a new chipset and is expected to feature advanced Face ID.
The iPhone X Plus will have a 6.5-inch OLED display in a body that might not be much bigger than the iPhone 8 Plus’. It is expected to have a 3,400 to 3,500 mAh battery supplied Unimicron.
iPhone X SE?
The cheapest iPhone of the lot will be the iPhone X SE. It will be the successor to the iPhone SE and feature considerable upgrades over the predecessor. Although, these updates might end up costing the essence of the ‘SE’ series. The iPhone X SE will have a 6.1 inch LCD display with a design similar to the iPhone X. This means that Face ID will be introduced in this smartphone as well.
The iPhone X SE will be powered by the latest chipset, just like the iPhone SE was. However, unlike the 2018 iPhone X and iPhone X Plus, it won’t feature wireless charging. It will also miss out on 3D Touch.
As for investor reaction to the 2018 iPhone lineup, Kuo says that there is an air of “conservative sentiments due to concerns about a lack of major spec upgrades.” However, Kuo predicts the market will appreciate the 6.1 inch iPhone X SE, which he says will account for around 50% of the new iPhones sold in the second half of 2018.
It still feels very early to predict what Apple will do in September. Pricing the iPhone X SE at such a price will only make sense if Apple does indeed discontinue the iPhone X. If not, then an iPhone X at a price of around US$ 800 will eat up the potential iPhone X SE sales since it provides an OLED display, and the A11 Bionic chipset is still very capable.
