Apple Inc.’s hardware engineers have had a busy past year, judging by the latest leak about its 2019 product launch roadmap. 

Bloomberg reported today that the company is preparing to introduce three new iPhones, an equal number of upgraded iPad models, a supersized MacBook Pro and more. The iPhones will likely lead the lineup. Apple hasn’t provided a date for its customary fall smartphone launch event yet, but for the past seven years, the company has consistently introduced new devices either on Labor Day week or the following week. 

The three iPhones reportedly follow a new naming scheme. Bloomberg’s sources at Apple said the current top-end versions, the XS and XS Max, will be succeeded by upgraded “Pro” models with a triple-lens rear camera system. What sets it apart from the dual-lens setup of the 2018 iPhones is an ultra-wide-angle sensor for shots that require a large field of view such as group photos.  

The Pro models use all lenses at once to take photos and then stitch the image data together into a single picture. This is done by an artificial intelligence system that, according to the leak, will increase the overall resolution of users’ shots, including in low-light conditions. Another reported advantage of the system is that it can automatically fix certain photography mistakes.

It’s not clear if the AI will make its way to the third, non-Pro model Apple is said to be readying. The device is described as a successor to the entry-level iPhone XR from 2018 with an additional rear lens for a total of two. 

All the 2019 iPhone models will be powered by an upgraded chip Apple is said to be calling the A13. One big improvement over the current A12: an embedded coprocessor for speeding up matrix operations, a type of mathematical calculation that AI and augmented reality apps use heavily for data processing.

The new iPhones’ lenses and chip are set in a chassis that the tipsters revealed is quite a bit sturdier than before. It features “dramatically enhanced” water resistance and unspecified shatter-resistance technology to protect the display from falls, plus a matte finish. 

The other new devices that Apple has in store will presumably make their debut either during the iPhone launch event or not long after. Apple is reportedly preparing to unveil 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros that will have a similar set of upgrades as the upcoming iPhones: improved cameras supported by a beefed-up processor. Also in the pipeline is an updated version of the standard iPad with a slightly bigger 10.2-inch display.

Today’s leak would suggest that Apple has made it a goal to refresh most of the rest of its hardware lineup as well. The leak details a MacBook Pro with an enlarged screen measuring more than 16 inches diagonally, a cheaper version of Apple’s HomePod smart speaker and updated AirPods with noise cancellation technology.

The iPhone launch event in September will be followed by the October debut of Google LLC’s much-anticipated Pixel 4. Google has also invested a lot of effort into the latest version of its flagship phone: there’s a gesture-tracking radar sensor, two rear cameras and, if a recent leak is to be believed, a 90Hz display.  

Photo: Pixabay