iPhone 12 leak reveals two major disappointments

iPhone 12 render from PhoneArena
(Image credit: PhoneArena)

Apple’s iPhone 12 might not be the phone were expecting it to be, as a new leak suggests the notch won’t be smaller, there’ll be no quad rear-camera array, and only the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 will get a LiDAR sensor. 

YouTuber EverythingApplePro tweeted an image that claimed to be a CAD render of the iPhone 12, which shows that while the next iPhone will have flat edges akin to the iPhone 5, EverythingApplePro reckons it won’t have a lot of the features that have previously been suggested in earlier leaks. That could be a disappointment to some iPhone fans expecting a big upgrade over the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro

The CAD renders appear to be one that case makers use to design their cases to be ready for a phone’s launch — in this case September for the iPhone 12. As such, these designs need to be taken with a pinch of salt, though they appear to at least give a good idea of what the phone could look like with a redesigned body.  

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From the rumors we’ve gathered so far, the iPhone 12 is not only going to have a new design, but come in three sizes for four models: 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max and 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Out of those the iPhone 12 Pro modes are expected to have a 120Hz refresh-rate display. And all four models have been rumored to have a smaller display notch, though this new render leak has caused EverythingApplePro to doubt that. 

The two ‘vanilla’ iPhone 12 handsets are expected to have a dual rear-camera setup, while the Pro models were tipped to have a triple camera array and a LiDAR sensor as seen in the iPad Pro 2020, However, some rumors have suggested a quad rear-camera layout for the Pro handsets. 

But going by the new render image, it looks like the iPhone 12 Pro will only have a trio of rear-cameras and no LiDAR sensors. Meanwhile, the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max will have the same camera configuration but also have LiDAR sensor added into the mix. This means people after the best next-generation iPhone 12 will need to go for the Pro Max, which isn’t likely to be cheap. 

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However, there’s a further twist here in the form of regular Apple tech tipster Jon Prosser. The reputable leaker tweeted a couple of responses to EverythingApplePro’s tweet and the replies to it, which indicated that he’s not convinced by the claims the YouTuber is making or the validity of the rendered image. 

Who you agree with will be up to your judgment, as there’s been no hard evidence to currently suggest that either tech leaker is in the right. 

We’ll have to wait until at least September to get an official look at what’s next for the iPhone. But with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 on the horizon, Apple will need to bring something special to the table if it’s to see the iPhone 12 in contention for the best phones crown. 

Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.