Apple is likely to unveil its all new entry level iPhone later this week, with leaks in the run up to the arrival of the handset hinting at the features buyers on a budget can expect to see when it lands.
Pegged as an updated counterpoint to the iPhone XR, this phone should sport many of the features found on earlier flagship handsets, with benchmarks suggesting that it will be a worthy successor on the performance front as well.
Raw power
While the new budget iPhone will be less impressive on paper than its costlier cousins, it should still sport a healthy 4GB of RAM in combination with a six core processor clocked at 2.66GHz.
This may not mean much to most users, but the upshot should be a decent user experience which is underpinned by hardware that is capable of running iOS 13 in all its glory.
A bigger battery with a 3110mAh capacity is thought to be housed within the new iPhone to help keep all of this hardware adequately energised. There are even suggestions that Apple will dispense with its proprietary charging port and instead adopt a USB-C interface, which would be great news for owners who want to share cables with Android fans.
Storage should range between 64GB for the most affordable model, right up to 512GB for the range-topping example. And of course, while this is technically a budget iPhone, coming in at a lower price point than the Pro and Max variants, it will still cost over £750 to buy SIM free.
Camera capabilities
Another major change expected for the next iPhone is the addition of multiple camera lenses on the rear surface in a new configuration, allowing Apple to compete with Huawei and other manufacturers which are really pushing the envelope in this area at the moment.
Leaks suggest that there may even be a little protuberance on the rear to accommodate the array of lenses which is positioned in the leftmost corner at the top of the device, overtaking the last gen iPhone XR’s solo lens while also adding to the thickness to a small degree.
Security & durability
Apple will certainly make Face ID available on the new iPhone, but there are also rumours that it is introducing an integrated fingerprint scanner to allow for Touch ID functionality without requiring a separate home button. This is possible because the scanner will be hidden beneath the surface of the screen, which would be a real step forwards.
The design of the phone should be similarly high tech, with better protection against shattering and screen damage in combination with the likelihood of improved water resistance and even the ability to capture images and videos while completely submerged in water, complete with official support for such activities. Of course having gadget insurance will almost always be sensible for anyone who wants to avoid issues which occur outside of the warranty period, or as a result of accidental damage.
Apple will soon reveal all there is to know about its new range of iPhones, but the most affordable model looks to be the most appealing for the time being.