Apple Inc. plans to launch a trio of iPhones this year that will be headlined by a flagship with three rear cameras, according to a new report.

The information leaked this morning by way of anonymous “people familiar with the matter” who spoke with the Wall Street Journal. On Thursday, a separate report revealed that Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. likewise will launch three new phones at its Unpacked event next month.

The South Korean company, Apple’s biggest competitor in the mobile market, is said to be planning to introduce a fourth device as well. Word is that Samsung will unveil the buzzed-about foldable handset that it briefly previewed in November.

Apple’s 2019 phone lineup may be more evolutionary than revolutionary, judging by the details that have been made public so far. Besides the triple-camera flagship, the company will reportedly introduce a successor to the current iPhone XS model with a higher-quality organic light-emitting diode or OLED display. The tipsters said it’s also working on a new iteration of the iPhone XR, the most affordable of last year’s models, with two rear cameras instead of one.

The latter device will reportedly sport an LCD display much like the 2018 version. Apple has switched its more expensive devices to the sharper OLED technology, which is expected to return in the 2019 lineup. Today’s report indicates that the company is considering to start using OLED in its entry-level devices as well starting in 2020.

The leaked details line up with an earlier forecast from respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a reputation for accurately predicting the specifications of upcoming iPhones. The rumor that Apple’s next flagship will have three rear cameras is also backed by a separate leak from earlier this week.

Phone makers have been experimenting with new camera configurations in an effort to stand out from the pack. Several upcoming devices, including Samsung’s Galaxy S10, are expected to ship with a so-called punch hole front camera embedded at the top of the display, while other models will offer extra lens to provide better image quality.

Both Samsung and Apple have had to cut their profit projections recently due to slowing global demand for handsets. The companies’ 2019 product lineups will have to make a strong impression on consumers if they are to achieve the kind of growth they saw in previous years. 

Photo: Apple