Apple will offer a new "dark blue" model in its upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, according to a new report today.
Hit-and-miss Taiwanese publication DigiTimes claims that a dark blue iPhone color will be available "for the first time" in addition to several new features and specification upgrades coming to Apple's smartphone lineup.
In addition to adding a dark blue model, for the first time, into the iPhone family products, Apple also brings a number of specification upgrades to new iPhones, including camera modules, displays and communications modules.
The claim adds another voice to early rumors regarding the iPhone 12 lineup and new colors becoming available.
XDA Developers writer and leaker Max Weinbach claimed in January that at least one of the iPhone 12 models will come with a new navy blue finish. Weinbach believes that Navy Blue could replace the Midnight Green finish that Apple debuted for iPhone 11 Pro models last year. Weinbach has accurately revealed a new iPhone color in the past.
Another rumor suggests the iPhone 12 models could come in light blue, violet, and light orange, among other colors.
Today's color tidbit appears in a report concerning the projected global shipments of Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, which are expected to reach 63-68 million in the second half of this year, according to DigiTimes Research.
If accurate, the figure would present a reduction of over 5 million units compared to the number of units Apple shipped a year earlier for the iPhone 11 lineup. The projection factors in an expected lag of four to six weeks for volume production and a later official launch of new iPhone models compared to years past.
Apple last month confirmed that its "iPhone 12" launch will be delayed this year due to the ongoing global health crisis and restrictions on travel. Apple last year started selling iPhones in late September, but this year, Apple projects supply will be "available a few weeks later," suggesting a release sometime in October.
Multiple rumors indicated the new iPhone won't launch on time due to development and production delays, as well as reports on delays from Apple suppliers like Broadcom and Qualcomm. DigiTimes has previously claimed Apple could target a phased iPhone launch, citing supply chain sources.
Apple is expected to offer four iPhones in three different sizes this year: A 5.4-inch iPhone, a 6.7-inch iPhone, and two 6.1-inch iPhones. One 6.1-inch model and the 6.7-inch model will be higher-end iPhones, while the other 6.1-inch iPhone and the 5.4-inch iPhone will be lower-end models and successors to the iPhone 11.
The report otherwise reiterates rumors about Apple's top-end 6.7-inch model, including the addition of a time-of-flight 3D camera similar to the LiDAR scanner seen in the 2020 iPad Pro, and a rear camera featuring sensor-shift optical image stabilization technology in the ultra-wide lens. Sensor-shift technology allows the optical image stabilization to be applied to the camera sensor, rather than the individual lenses.
