The pre-recorded event will be streamed from Apple Park and will take place at 1am, Oct 14, Malaysian time

by S BIRRUNTHA / pic by BLOOMBERG

APPLE Inc is finally lifting the curtains for its much-awaited iPhone 12 series in a digital event tonight.

The pre-recorded event will be streamed from Apple Park and will take place at 1am on Oct 14 (Malaysian time), which can be viewed live on Apple.com and YouTube.

Apple is expected to release four models of the iPhone 12 in the event, namely the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max.

According to tech reviewers, this year’s “Hi Speed” theme will reveal the upcoming models of iPhones that are focused on processor speed and its new A14 Bionic chip which is currently the most powerful chip from Apple.

Apart from a more powerful and fast processor, people can also expect a faster 5G connectivity on the latest iPhone 12 series.

It was previously rumoured that Apple would introduce a 120 hertz (Hz) display on all the new models, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believed that the iPhone 12 series will still retain the 60Hz display.

The number of Hz in a phone display determines how fast and smooth the phone screen feels when a user scrolls through apps and web pages. It also offers a smooth gaming experience.

However, some reports have suggested that the 120Hz refresh rate could be installed in the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max, while the base iPhone 12 and the mini will have a 60Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, Apple’s most reliable leaker, Kang predicted that all four models will have the new “Super Retina XDR” displays with the OLED technology.

He noted that it is in line with the 5G technology, which will bring Apple’s smartphones at the forefront alongside Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s and Google LLC’s latest smartphones.

Apple is also allegedly making its iPhone 12 series more durable with a ceramic front cover which will make the devices more drop resistant.

For the camera, Kang said the mini and the regular iPhone 12 will feature a wide and ultra-wide camera lens, while the Pro and Max will get a telephoto lens for 4x and 5x optical zoom, respectively.

Several other iPhone 12 features including water resistance, face ID, as well as LiDAR scanner and night mode for its cameras have been hinted.

Kang indicated that the iPhone 12 mini and regular models are expected to come in black, white, red, blue and green, while the 12 Pro and Max may come in gold, silver, graphite and navy blue.

With the inclusion of 5G, Kang expected a slight price increase for all the new iPhone models.

It was revealed that the mini and regular iPhone 12 will come with a starting price of US$699 (RM2,983) and US$799 for 64GB respectively.

Meanwhile, the Pro and Pro Max are expected to be priced at US$999 and US$1099 for 128GB respectively.

Another interesting thing to take note is that many foreign tech analysts have predicted that the upcoming iPhone 12 series might be the first one to ship without a charger and a pair of headphones.

Recently, Apple had conducted a survey asking users if they are keeping or using their original chargers, a sign that Apple could possibly exclude its accessories in the box.

Analysts are viewing the move as a sustainable way forward for Apple, as USB-C chargers are more common now and most users might want to use or buy their own preferred chargers.

Additionally, people can also anticipate a new wireless “MagSafe” charger during the launch, which could work with the new wireless charger-compatible iPhone cases.

Many are also predicting the launch of the HomePod mini at the event, which would be Apple’s second smart speaker after the original HomePod.

It is also believed that Apple will be delaying the launch of its other two highly anticipated devices, namely the AirTags, as well as the AirPods Studio until March 2021.

Maxis Bhd dropped a teaser for the iPhone 12 on its YouTube channel yesterday and it hinted that the official pre-order is coming soon.

The teaser could be an indication that Malaysians will be able to get their hands on the iPhone 12 very soon, even possibly by the end of this month.

In last month’s event, Apple unveiled its new Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE, iPad Air, as well as the eighth-generation iPad.