iPhone 9 release date revealed? All the latest news and rumours about specs, price and more
Looking for info on the iPhone 9? We've scoured the web for rumours and spoken to the experts, and reckon we've got a good idea of what to expect from Apple's new iPhone for 2018
APPLE is gearing up for a brand new roster of smartphones, and we reckon we've got a good idea about what to expect from the iPhone 9.
If you're desperate to know what's in store, read on for the latest news and rumours about the iPhone 9 release date, specs – and most importantly, price.
iPhone 9 release date – when is the next iPhone out?
It's very easy to guess the iPhone 9 release date, because Apple very rarely strays from its traditional launch pattern.
Apple always announces a new iPhone in early September, typically on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
That means we're most likely to see the iPhone 9 revealed on Tuesday, September 11, or Wednesday, September 12.
For the actual release date, Apple tends to prefer a Friday in mid-September – usually around the 20th day of the month.
This year, the most likely date seems to be Friday, September 21, so mark your calendars.
iPhone 9 news and rumours – specs, features and design
Detailed iPhone 9 leaks won't emerge for a while, but there's plenty we can guess about, given the predictable nature of the phone industry.
For a start, Apple will definitely be upgrading its next phone with a new custom-built processor.
Last year we got the Apple A11 Bionic chip, which was around 25 per cent quicker than the old version. So for 2018, we'd expect an even faster Apple A12 chip inside the iPhone 9.
The phone is also set get a screen size bump, if the world's leading Apple analyst is to be believed.
The old iPhone 8 featured a dinky 4.7-inch display, buy Ming-Chi Kuo says we'll see a huge 6.1-inch screen on the iPhone 9.
Mobile expert Imran Choudhary told the Sun that this would be achieve by borrowing the new iPhone X design – a big screen that touches every edge of the device.
"We know from our research that consumers are steadily moving towards larger screened devices," he explained.
"Given Apple can now fit a 6.5-inch screen in a much smaller device given the reduced bezel, it wouldn't be surprising to see this device later this year."
And GBH Insights analyst Daniel Ives told us that there's lots of "demand in China" for big screen phones – and that's a country Apple really wants to improve sales in.
The bad news is that Ming-Chi reckons the new iPhone 9 will use a traditional LCD display, rather than the more advanced OLED screen from last year's iPhone X.
OLED panels generally display a wider range of colours and offer improved contrast, but they're expensive and hard to make.
What is OLED?
Apple's new iPhone might miss out on an OLED screen, but what does it mean?
- Last year's iPhone X was the first model to feature an OLED screen
- Unlike traditional LED-backlit LCD displays, the pixels inside OLED panels produce their own light
- This means that individual pixels can be turned on or off, allowing truer blacks to be displayed
- It also means the display is more power-efficient, because there's no need for a huge backlight
- These power savings can be converted into overall battery life improvements
- And the image is better too: deeper blacks, more colours and better contrast overall
- But OLED screens are expensive and hard to manufacture, so not all phones use them
- Apple may ditch OLED panels on some of its 2018 smartphones to save costs
Rather than drive the cost of the iPhone 9 up, Apple might use an LCD screen and keep prices (relatively) low.
The good news is that other iPhone X features might still trickle down on to the iPhone 9.
This includes Face ID, Apple's facial recognition feature that lets you use your face to unlock your phone, as well as use the animated Animoji emojis.
"Facial recognition is a potential silver bullet innovation area that will play a centre-stage role in the next few iPhone models," Daniel Ives told the Sun.
"It's a clear selling point around iPhone X, and Apple knows the next stage of innovation will be on the software and 'under the hood', rather than the design itself."
Other likely improvements include a battery life boost, and a next-gen version of Apple's iOS software with new features.
iPhone 9 price – how much will new iPhone cost?
We're sorry to say that the trend of ballooning smartphone costs looks set to continue.
Kantar analyst Dominic Sunnebo said: "We're expecting to see smartphone prices rise in 2018, particularly with the devaluation of the pound."
The iPhone 8 was Apple's most expensive entry-level flagship phone ever, costing £699 at launch – a big jump from the previous year.
According to Imran Choudhary, that price tag will grow even further for the iPhone 9, suggesting that we could see a retail price of "around £800".
MOST READ IN TECH
That would mean the iPhone 9 would still be cheaper than the £999 iPhone X, but still very expensive compared to rival phones.
After all, Samsung's Galaxy S9 launched at just £739, while the popular OnePlus 5T costs just £449.
Let us know what you'd like to see from the iPhone 9 in the comments.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
