Apple Inc. is planning to release three new iPhone models again this fall, including a successor to the struggling XR, the lower priced 2018 device with a liquid-crystal display that has fallen short of Apple's sales expectations, people familiar with the matter said.
Both Greg Joswiak, Apple's head of product marketing, and Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, have said iPhone XR was Apple's best selling iPhone every day since becoming available, so how "struggling" it really is notwithstanding, planning a follow up isn't in the least bit surprising.
Apple plans to introduce some new camera features, including a triple rear camera for the highest-end model and a double rear camera for the two other models, the people said.
The triple camera has been rumored for a while. It would again give the bigger phone better features (Max would become like Plus) but if it gets me a wide angle or better low light, I'll take it.
Meanwhile the LCD model is likely to be upgraded to a dual-camera system from the single camera on the rear of the XR, they said.
The current XR has a good single camera system (and so does Google's Pixel, so turning camera count into the new megapixel race is just weird — stop that WSJ!) but having at least two cameras does allow for much better and more widely applicable depth data.
Apple is also considering trimming functions from its 2019 lineup to cut costs, people familiar with the matter said. That includes the force-touch module, which makes the display sensitive to fingertip pressure, the people said, though the function could live on in other components, one of the people said.
Haptic Touch, which may eventually replace 3D Touch, just isn't a good enough replacement, yet. But it is a cheaper solution. I'd miss 3D Touch but I'm not sure how many would. Especially if Haptic Touch gets better and becomes useful for Home screen shortcuts and the like.
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