Apple iPhone 12 rumors include slimmer phones, smaller batteries, and new colors

Xinhua News Agency/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
Impact
ByTebany Yune

The Apple rumor mill sprung into action on Tuesday when Twitter users noticed a new #appleevent hashtag. It's the season for iPhone announcements, and many people were anticipating this could be the big unveiling of the iPhone 12. But judging from Apple's official tagline for the event, "Time Flies," it appears the new Apple Watch will be the star of the September 15 show.

This isn't terribly surprising. Apple told investors in July that the iPhone 12 launch would be delayed until October, but fans had hoped more information about the phones would be released the month before. It looks like both new info and the phone will have to wait until next month.

In the meantime, let's look over what we've heard about the iPhone 12 so far.

iPhone 12 in 4G and 5G flavors

Rumors have consistently suggested that the number of iPhone 12 models will range from four to six different options. This is because half might only be compatible with 4G technology and the other half could be compatible with 5G. Although it was predicted (during the pre-pandemic days) that the 4G models would release earlier than the 5Gs, it seems like folks are now expecting both to appear in stores at around the same time.

Android phones have already gotten a head start with 5G, which means Apple will need to hop into the market fairly quickly to keep up.

Slimmer iPhones and new color choices

The larger iPhone 12 models could be up to 10 percent slimmer than the iPhone 11 Pro Max, according to later rumors, with larger screens that have higher refresh rates to make scrolling and app browsing feel smoother. There were also hints that the cameras could be improved for better augmented reality and other features.

A new navy blue color may also be in line to replace the midnight green that was available for iPhone 11 models.

No wall chargers and EarPods

Another surprising rumor was one that implied the loss of wall chargers and EarPods from the new iPhone boxes. Analysts believe this could be due to cost-cutting measures intended to keep the phones around the same price as the iPhone 11s.

It's also possible that this is an effort to be environmentally conscious, as studies have shown that most people already have a spare charger lying around and are willing to take a lighter box when offered.

A smaller-sized battery

Lastly, there's also the rumor that the iPhone 12 battery sizes could be a little smaller than expected. These sizes would be smaller than the ones used in the iPhone 11, which might mean the iPhone 12 requires more frequent charging than previous models. If true, this change might be necessary due to the iPhone 12's slender frame.

However, some analysts aren't terribly concerned about the size of the battery; the iPhone 11 and iPhone Pro Max have smaller batteries than their competition, but still manage to maintain a good charge in comparison to other phones. The iPhone 12 could be more optimized, which would negate the negatives of a possibly smaller battery.