This year’s iPhones will reportedly sport a new, more rectangular design inspired by the iPad Pro, as well as an improved processor that will provide extra computing power for augmented reality and artificial intelligence apps.

The enhancements were detailed this morning by Bloomberg, which cited the usual unnamed insiders. 

Previous reports have suggested that Apple Inc. plans to launch four new iPhones. Today’s leak indicates that the two top-end models will sport a rectangular design with flat sides and a flat display, a notable departure from the slightly curved design of the current iPhone 11 line. Apple is furthermore said to have made the corners more “sharply rounded,” changes that are expected to make the new devices similar in appearance to the latest iPad Pro (below.)

According to the tipsters, the most expensive of the four 2020 iPhone models will feature a “slightly larger” display than the 6.5-inch panel on Apple’s current flagship handset, the iPhone 11 Pro. This lines up with a prediction from last year that claimed the company was readying a 6.7-inch display.

The processor Apple will ship with its 2020 phones was described in similarly broad terms as a “significant upgrade.” However, the tipsters did specify that Apple’s chip designers are placing an emphasis on speeding up apps that provide AR and VR features. Such a performance boost could help the company provide a smoother experience for users of its rumored AR assistant app, which will reportedly make it possible to view information about nearby objects by pointing the iPhone camera towards them.

It’s believed that the company will unveil the new iPhones within its usual fall launch window. However, orders may reportedly start shipping to customers a few weeks later than usual due to supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The four new iPhones aren’t the only devices on Apple’s launch roadmap. The company is also said to be working on a smaller, more affordable HomePod smart speaker about half the size of the current version, as well as a new series of accessories dubbed Apple Tags. Previous leaks have described the Apple Tags as compact tracking devices that can be attached to objects such as wallets and keys to track their location via an app.

New versions of the MacBook Pro, Apple TV and the iMac are in the works as well, according to Bloomberg, along with an update to the low-end versions of the iPad. 

Photos: Apple