Video showcases all this year’s new iPhone models

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2019 iPhone
Get ready for the 'bug eye' camera setup.
Screenshot: Marques Brownlee

A new video serves up what could be the best glimpse so far at Apple’s next-gen handsets.

YouTuber Marques Brownlee gives his thoughts on dummy models of the iPhone 11, 11 Max and 11R. While these aren’t working units, they are dimensionally correct mockups created for iPhone case-makers. As such, you can put decent stock in these being pretty accurate.

The biggest change, as Brownlee notes, is the new “tile-looking, Apple Watch-looking, alien eye, bug-looking” camera on the back. This reportedly will house three lenses for the iPhone 11 and 11 Max, possibly including an exciting ultra-wide angle lens. The iPhone 11R upgrade, meanwhile, likely will include just two cameras.

A triple-lens camera already showed up on the Huawei P20 Pro. However, on that handset, Huawei’s designers centered the sizable camera. That makes it look less lopsided than Apple’s supposed design.

2019 iPhone design seems familiar

Aside from this, however, the 2019 iPhone design looks very similar to current models. This leads Brownlee to suggest that Apple “kind of mailed it in” with the new handset.

That’s a potentially unfair statement, given that it doesn’t take into account improvements under the hood. But it’s not the first time we’ve heard that this year’s iPhones may not bring a drastic redesign.

Big redesign coming next year

Apple’s new iPhone upgrade strategy seems to release a major redesign every three years instead of every two. The iPhone 6 design hung around for a few years after debuting in 2014. The iPhone X design now appears likely to do the same for at least one more year.

Right now, it seems like 2020 is likely to be a much bigger upgrade. That’s the year that should bring us an all-OLED iPhone lineup. It’ll also bring 5G technology to the iPhone. Finally, it’ll be the first new iPhone to undergo its development cycle without Jony Ive in command.

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