IT’S OFFICIAL: Apple has unveiled its 2019 iPhone lineup: the iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and, er, iPhone 11.
The Pro-branded models are being touted as the “most powerful iPhones ever”, naturally, and are the first to sport triple-camera arrays. They also feature a new “Pro” design that’s crafted from matte stainless steel, all-new 5.8in and 6.5in Super Retina RDX displays and Apple’s newly-debuted A13 Bionic CPU.
The lesser-spec iPhone 11 also features an “all-new” design, with its reworked glass and aluminium chassis said to be the toughest on a smartphone to date. There’s also a new camera setup comprising 12MP wide-and ultra-wide lenses, and an array of new colour options including yellow, purple and green.
We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about Apple’s trio of new iPhones below.
Release date
The iPhone 11 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone 11 started shipping set on begin on 20 September, with pre-orders kicking off a week earlier on 13 Septem er.
However, for those who didn’t get their pre-order in early, shipping times have slipped here in Blighty. All iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max models are now shipping between 2 and 9 October, while the iPhone 11 is shipping from 25 September.
Price
Apple has announced that, here in Blighty, the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max is available from £1,099 and £1,149, respectively, despite fetching $999 and $1,099 in the US.
The “entry-level” iPhone 11, which can be picked up in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB configurations, will be available £729; that’s £70 less than last year’s iPhone XR.
Here in the UK, the new iPhones are being offered, unsurprisingly, by all of the major networks.
Over at BT, the iPhone 11 is available for £30 from £55 a month, the iPhone 11 Pro for £100 from £68 per month and the iPhone 11 Pro Max for £100 on tariffs starting at £73.
Aat EE, the iPhone 11 can be picked up from £44 per month, while a pricier £64 plan bagging you unlimited data. The iPhone 11 Pro is available from £64 a month, or £84 for unlimited data, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at £69 per month, with endless data available on an £89 tariff.
O2, which has just started offering unlimited data contracts for the first time, is offering all three iPhones and all come with a £29 upfront cost. With O2’s recommended 90GB data, the iPhone 11 can be picked up for £51.55 per month, the iPhone 11 Pro for £61.44 per month and the 11 Pro Max for £64.31.
Three is offering the iPhone 11 for £49 on tariffs starting from £41 per month, with its most-expensive £58 contract offering unlimited 4G data. The iPhone 11 Pro will fetch £79 on tariffs ranging from £55 to £85, while the top-of-the-line Pro Max will be available for the same price from £73 to £89 per month.
Sky Mobile is selling the iPhone 11 from £36 per month with 10GB data for a “limited time”, though a cheaper £32 plan with 1GB data will also be available. The unsurprisingly more-expensive iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will be available for £37 and £41 upfront on tariffs from £43 and £47 per month, respectively.
Virgin Mobile, the lesser-known of the UK networks, has started selling the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max with 50GB data for £39, £50 and £54 per month, respectively. It’s also offering buyers AirPods for an extra quid a month.
Vodafone has started taking orders and is flogging the iPhone 11 for £29 from £45 per month, and the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max for £49 on tariffs starting at £57 and £63, respectively.
Latest news
19/9/19: It’s not even out yet, but someone has already managed to pull apart an iPhone 11 Pro Max. The teardown, courtesy of DChannel on YouTube, reveals that the Apple’s highest-spec iPhone 11 model packs a 4,000mAh 15.04 watt-hour battery – that’s almost 25 per cent larger than the XS Max’s 12.06 watt-hour offering. Apple once again has used an L-shaped battery to stuff in as much capacity as possible, a design it first debuted with the now-defunct iPhone X.
10/9/19: Apple has unveiled its 2019 iPhones: the iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and entry-level iPhone 11.
The Pro-branded models are, naturally, being touted as Apple’s most-powerful iPhones to date and both handsets sport an all-new “Pro-grade” surgical-grade stainless steel chassis with a matte finish that will be available in midnight green and gold finishes.
More interestingly, the handsets are first to sport triple-camera arrays, with Apple adding a new 12MP wide-angle lens alongside the main and telephoto lenses. While this setup will allow you to capture more of a scene, it also means you’ll have to put up with a bulge on the backside of the handset thanks to its Pixel 4-esque square camera hump.
Like Google, Apple is also souping-up its camera software. The iPhone 11 lineup will ship with a dedicated Night mode to improve performance in dark lighting, which kicks in automatically when you’re shooting in the dark.
Underneath the bulging hood, the new iFlagships sport Apple’s 13 Bionic CPU, which it’s proudly touting as the “fastest CPU ever in a smartphone,” adding that it also has “the fastest GPU in a smartphone,” too. As well as equipping the iPhone 11 Pro with more power, Apple is promising four hours of extra battery life when compared to last year’s iPhone XS.
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max also feature 5.8in 6.8in and “Super Retina XDR” OLED screens with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and up to 1,200 nits of brightness and, finally, a fast charger included in the box.
The simply-named iPhone 11 is Apple’s new entry-level model. It features an anodised aluminium and glass chassis the Apple claims the toughest found on a smartphone to date and is available in a number of new colours including purple, white, yellow, green, black, red.
While it doesn’t boast the same triple-camera setup as its flagship siblings, it does feature an upgraded dual-camera setup that comprises 12MP wide and ultra-wide sensors.
10/9/19: Analyst Ming Chi-Kuo has spouted some last-minute iPhone 11 predictions, and it’s not good news. As reported by 9to5Mac, Kuo believes that Apple will drop the long-rumoured wireless power-sharing functionality from this year’s iPhones because “charging efficiency may not meet Apple’s requirements”, though he notes that the new handsets will offer fast charging support out of the box. He’s also thrown out previous rumours of Apple Pencil support for the iPhone 11.
9/9/19: Apple has announced that, for the first time, you’ll be able to stream its 10 September iPhone event on YouTube; previously, Apple forced watchers to use an Apple device or Microsoft’s Edge browser on Windows 10. The event will kick-off at 6pm UK time on Tuesday, and we’ll be bringing you all of the news as it happens. Natch.
6/9/19: We’re just a few days away from the official launch of the iPhone 11, so – naturally- images have appeared online that allegedly give us a look at the devices’ final design.
The snaps (above), which come via accessory maker Nood Cases, show off the handset’s familiar, sleek design, and show off the long-rumoured triple-lens camera system that’s housed in a square bump in the iPhone 11’s rear. Interestingly, the casemaker refers to the three incoming iPhone models as the iPhone XIR 11, iPhone XI 11 Pro and iPhone XI 11 Pro Max.
4/9/19: A leaked internal document has confirmed that Apple has three iPhones lined up for next week; the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The document, spied by AppleBeta2019 also states that the new iPhones will run iOS 13.0 out of the box, with 13.0.1 rolling out as an OTA update in October followed by the stable release of iOS 13.1.
The 10-page document, seen by AppleInsider, also says that four new Apple Watches will be unveiled in September, with two new iPad models set to arrive the following month.
3/9/19: The iPhone 11’s A13 chipset has prematurely appeared on Geekbench. The benchmarks, which confirm the new iPhone will boast 4GB RAM compared, show the iPhone 11 scoring 5,415 for single-core and 11,294 for multi-core. If legit, this means Apple’s new iPhones are about 12 per cent faster for single-core tasks, but the multicore score remains unchanged hinting that the A13 chip will continue to include six cores, presumably in an identical setup to the A12.
28/8/19: Apple has reportedly culled the iPhone 11’s rumoured ‘Walkie-Talkie’ feature just weeks ahead of the handset’s launch. So says The Information, which reports that the feature, dubbed ‘Project OGRS (Off-Grid Radio Service)’ internally, was being developed in partnership with Intel and would have allowed messages to be sent between iPhones over long-distance radio waves that bypass cellular networks.
It’s unclear why Apple scrapped the feature, though The Information notes that the departure of the executive in charge of the project, Ruben Caballero, may have been a factor, as could Apple’s decision to ditch Intel in favour of a Qualcomm modem.
27/8/19: With just weeks to go until Apple’s next iPhone launch, a YouTuber claims to have posted the first hands-on video with the iPhone 11 Pro. The clip, shared by ConceptsiPhone, shows off a dummy iPhone 11 unit, all-but-confirming its bulging square-shaped camera array that’s surrounded by the same gold stainless steel that runs around the edges of the device. The two-minute-long video doesn’t tell us much else we don’t already know, but one thing’s for sure: you’re going to need a new case.
22/8/19: A new mega-report from Bloomberg claims Apple’s incoming iPhones will feature triple-camera systems, reverse wireless charging functionality and a new multi-angle Face ID sensor.
The report also affirms rumours about the “Pro” naming scheme for Apple’s OLED models. Both the Pro and the so-called Pro Max will feature triple cameras comprising wide-angle, telephoto and ultra-wide lenses, according to the report, while the iPhone XR sequel will be upgraded from a single to a dual-camera system.
The iPhone 11 Pro’s camera software is also getting an upgrade; it’ll be able to take three images simultaneously from each of the lenses and combine them together to create higher-resolution pictures “rivalling some traditional cameras”, according to Bloomberg, and will boast improved low-light capabilities.
Reserve wireless charging is also coming, allowing users to juice AirPods on the back of the handsets, as is an upgraded “multi-angle” Face ID system that captures a wider field of view so that users can unlock the handsets more easily, the report claims.
Bloomberg also confirms earlier rumours of a new matte design, noting that “at least some colours” will feature the dull finish. The design will be more durable too, with souped-up water resistance and better shatter-resistance.
22/8/19: Images of cases for the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, revealed by retailer MobileFun, have added weight to earlier rumours that the handsets will boast Apple Pencil support.
The Olixar case (above) features a cutout to hold an Apple Pencil, though it won’t be the same version that ships with the iPad Pro. Rather, the casemaker expects the iPhone 11 Pro to feature a shorter, lighter design that will be optimised for Apple’s smartphone line-up.
21/8/19: Yet another rumour is claiming that the iPhone 11 will drop the long-standing 5W charger in favour of the same USB-C charger that ships with the iPad Pro. CharerLab has tweeted (below) that the new iPhones will ship with an Apple USB-C plug and a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box, which – if correct – would mark the first time the iPhone has shipped with a fast charger.
However, as per 9to5Mac, it’s worth noting that ChargerLAB tweeted a similar prediction last year, incorrectly claiming that the charger would ship with the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.
20/8/19: Apple’s iPhone 11 lineup will boast an all-new design and double the storage of last year’s models, according to YouTuber EverythingApplePro and XDA Developers’ Max Weinbach.
Echoing recent predictions from Ming-Chi Kuo, the tipsters claim that certain 2019 iPhone models will feature a new “rainbow” design; Apple isn’t planning a multicoloured iPhone, but the handsets will reportedly feature a new coating that will give them a rainbow-like “shimmer” appearance, similar to that seen on the Galaxy Note 10.
They also point to a new matte back on the iPhone 11 lineup, that will feel “very different” compared to Apple’s current crop of handsets.
Seperately, the leak points to more storage on this year’s iPhones; while the iPhone XS and XR come with 64GB base storage, the incoming models will allegedly boast 128GB base storage, along with 256GB and 512GB configurations.
19/8/19: Apple may have inadvertently revealed the iPhone 11’s launch date in its latest iOS beta. iOS 13 beta 7 was pushed out to developers last week, and iHelp BR spotted an asset that suggests the iPhone 11 will debut on 10 September; an image, titled HoldForRelease, includes that date on the Calendar app of the iOS 13 home screen. While by no means confirmation, it’s worth noting that iOS 12 had a similar image with a 12 September date – the date when Apple announced the iPhone XS and XS Max.
12/8/19: Apple’s highest-spec 2019 iPhone could arrive as the iPhone 11 Pro. So says reliable Twitter tipster CoinX, who last year accurately predicted the names of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, tweeted: “‘Pro’ for iPhone? Crazy naming schemes over the past few years.”
Separately, MacRumours received a tip from an anonymous source claiming that: “The square camera iPhone will be called the iPhone 11 Pro. This is a fact.”
6/8/19: According to Softbank president Ken Miyauchi, via Macotakara, the iPhone 11 will go on sale on 20 September.
Speaking during an earnings call, Miyauchi let slip the date while replying to a question on how Softbank plans to handle next month’s release of the iPhone with Japan’s new law that would require carriers to separate data and device plans going into effect on 1 October: “Honestly, I am wondering what should I do for 10 days,” he said. “No, I shouldn’t say that… Anyway, I don’t know when the new iPhone will be released. However, after almost 10 days, it will be unbundled.”
As 9to5Mac speculates, this likely means the iPhone 11 will make its official debut on 10 September, with pre-orders to kick off on 13 September.
1/8/19: Apple’s 2019 iPhones could be the first to support the Apple Pencil. So says a report from Citi Research, seen by Business Insider, which includes “support for iPhone pencil/stylus” in the list of features it’s expecting to see in the iPhone 11. The stylus was first introduced in 2015 alongside the first-generation iPad Pro, and support has since been extended to the iPad Air and iPad mini.
City also expects the iPhone 11 lineup to include larger batteries, a bezel-free screen similar to that seen on the current iPhone XS, a triple rear camera array and a 10MP front-facing camera. It says that pricing of the 2019 iPhones will remain the same as last year’s models.
23/7/19: Apple’s iPhone 11 lineup will comprise of three models that pack an A13 chip, Lightning port and an ‘all-new’ Taptic Engine that will enable improved haptic feedback, according to 9to5Mac.
While the screens on the handsets – known as ‘D42’ (iPhone 11), ‘D43’ (iPhone 11 Max) and ‘N104’ (iPhone 11R) will remain unchanged, you can expect an upgrade in the camera department. The report claims that the square-shaped system will include a wide-angle lens that will enable a new feature called ‘Smart-Frame’ that captures the area around the framed part of pictures and videos so that the user can adjust the framing and perspective.
Around the front, the iPhone 11 will boast an upgraded camera capable of capturing 120fps slow-mo footage.
Unsurprisingly, 9to5Mac notes that Apple’s 2019 iPhones will be unveiled at a yet-to-be-scheduled September event.
17/7/19: YouTuber MKBHD has got his mitts on dummy models of the so-called iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11R (below), which he mopes offer an “underwhelming” upgrade over last year’s models.
Still, his hands-on fondling gives us our closest look at the iPhone 11 line-up yet and confirms that all three models will feature a square-shaped camera bump. On the iPhone 11 and 11 Max this will house three lenses – standard, telephoto, and ultra-wide, while the iPhone 11R likely will boast only standard and ultra-wide sensors.
Beyond that, the dummy models show that the handsets will feature a similar design to the iPhone XS and XS Max; there’s a Lightning port flanked by asymmetrical bottom speakers, and a notch around that front that houses “new” sensors for faster Face ID.
