Apple Reportedly Planning Major iPhone Design Overhaul For Fall Launches

Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhones could be in for a major design overhaul.

The tech giant is redesigning its top-tier iPhones to align with the design of the latest iPads and planning to launch at least four 5G phones along with two key new accessories, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the plans.

Flat Forms In Fashion

The successors to the high-end iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are likely to sport flat stainless edges instead of the current curved design, the report said.

The new high-end iterations have sharply rounded corners like the iPad Pro introduced in 2018, according to Bloomberg. 

The new iPhones will feature flat screens like that of the iPhone 5 design, the publication said. 

The high-end phones will reportedly have three rear cameras and a 3-D LIDAR system that was included in the iPad Pro launched in March, which would facilitate AR functionality. 

Apple will also launch two new low-end models to replace the iPhone 11, according to the report.

See also: Apple Gets Another Price Target Hike, Analyst Predicts Strong Services Trends

HomePod Speaker, Apple Tags On The Way

Apple is also working on a new HomePod speaker, which would have the same design as the current version but at half the size, Bloomberg said. After being in the works for several months, the product is likely to see the light of the day in the second half of the year, the report said. 

Cupertino is reportedly planning to market the product at a competitive price to rival smart speakers from Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN and Alphabet Inc GOOGL GOOG. 

Apple is also likely to release Apple Tags, which would allow users to track real-world objects such as keys and wallets, Bloomberg said, citing people who had seen the prototype.

An iPhone 9 Launch April 15?

Even as the upcoming launch details roll out, there are rumors that Apple will launch a sub-$400 iPhone to be named either iPhone 9 or iPhone SE Wednesday. The price point could be an added attraction as the COVID-19 pandemic squeezes consumer finances.

Apple shares were trading down slightly at $267.81 at the time of publication Monday. 

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Photo by Daniel Lu via Wikimedia.