Apple’s annual fall iPhone event is mere hours away, but the rumors are still coming in. First, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is predicting that Apple will be dropping the number from the higher-end iPhones, leaving the naming as: iPhone 11, iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max. Previous rumors suggested “11” would be included in all three names.
However, the new devices might not be as “pro” as we think. As Macrumors reports, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has some predictions of his own, and is debunking two rumored features we were counting on. Most notably, he says the new devices will not support the Apple Pencil, so you won’t be able to take notes or draw on the screen.
Also seemingly axed from the release is reverse wireless charging, which would allow you to use the back to charge another device, such as another iPhone or an AirPods case. Samsung already offers this feature on the Galaxy S10 and Note 10, but according to Kuo, “the charging efficiency may not meet Apple’s requirements.” Apple canceled AirPower earlier this year for similar reasons.
But while they won’t be able to share their battery, the new phones might be able to charge faster out of the box. According to Kuo, the iPhone Pro models will ship with an 18W USB-C-to-Lightning power adapter to support fast charging without needing to buy extra equipment. However, the cheaper 6.1-inch iPhone will continue to ship with the same 5W adapter, Kuo says.
Kuo also claims that all three iPhones will offer ultra-wideband (UWB) support for better indoor navigation. That will be helpful for mapping purposes and will presumably play a big role in Apple’s rumored Bluetooth trackers that will likely debut at the event. With UWB, Apple could use augmented reality to track lost items that are out of Bluetooth range.
Finally, Gurman says that Apple will announce its long-rumored 10.2-inch iPad today. He describes it as entry-level, so it will presumably replace the existing sixth-generation 9.7-inch model and retain a similar form factor with Touch ID. The current model starts at $329 and hasn’t been updated since March 2018.
Be sure to tune into the event at 10a.m. PT/1p.m. ET, and check out Macworld after the event for full coverage of everything that’s announced.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.