‘iPhone 12S’ Lineup to Feature 5G, Remain Limited to Maximum 512GB of Storage: TrendForce

TrendForce analysts have laid down their expectations for Apple’s iPhone lineup due to launch in September this year.

According to TrendForce analysts, Apple will enjoy a bumper year of iPhone sales with the easing of the pandemic, with the fall iPhone launches said to benefit from ProMotion support in the Pro models as well as sensor-shift OIS, though with less attention paid to the “mini” model.

Starting with the production of the iPhone 13, the analysts project up to 223 million units due to increased vaccinations and the impending easing of lockdowns in the US and Europe.

“Furthermore, Apple is expected to benefit from Huawei’s abandonment of some market share for high-end smartphones, and the sales of the new iPhone devices in 2H21 will likely be boosted, thanks to this development,” reads the report.

“Apple will prioritize the optimization of existing functions with the iPhone 12s series, while retail prices are expected to remain on par with last year’s release of iPhone 12 models,” the report continues.

The analysts believe the iPhone 12s series will consist of four models, with all of them featuring a smaller notch. Barring this, the outer design of the new iPhones is not expected to change much from the iPhone 12 series.

As for the display, the analysts believe Apple will be using AMOLED panels with on-cell technology. In addition, they believe Apple will keep the 120Hz refresh rate technology for the display exclusive to the iPhone Pro models. Other rumours have also indicated that the 120Hz display will be exclusive to the Pro models this year. Contrary to rumours, TrendForce does not expect Apple to bump the iPhone 12s to 1TB this year.

Other changes that will be a part of the iPhone lineup include sensor-shift stabilization for the primary rear camera, a new 6P lens with autofocus for the ultra-wide angle camera of the Pro models. TrendForce analysts believe Apple will keep the LiDAR scanner exclusive to the iPhone Pro lineup for another year. All iPhone models will feature 5G, with Apple focusing more on the sale of the three non-mini models following the poor performance of the iPhone 12 mini.