5G iPhones may feature a smaller bezel and flat edges, and a smaller HomePod may arrive this year

Apple introduced a major redesign for the iPhone with the iPhone X, ditching the bezels and adopting “the notch” at the top of the screen. Since then, there has been plenty of speculation that Apple will shrink the notch over time.

And the iPhone 12 could be the first handset to do just that. With the initial rumors cropping up almost immediately after the iPhone X was unveiled, the idea has been a simple one: over time, Apple would shrink the bezel until it ultimately got rid of it completely. The hard part here is that Apple’s TrueDepth camera is in that notch, which makes the biometric security measure Face ID a reality. So the company has to keep that feature going –and improve it!– while also shrinking the notch at the same time.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is now on that path and we may see the notch start to shrink in at least two 5G-enabled iPhone 12 models later this year. The report says Apple will follow a similar design philosophy of the current generation iPad Pro models) and adopt flatter, stainless steel edges and “more sharply rounded corners”.

In today’s report, Bloomberg also states that at least two iPhone 12 models (the higher-end, more expensive models) will feature “flat screens” similar to the iPhone 5:

This year’s successors to the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max will be joined by two lower-end models to replace the iPhone 11. At least the two high-end devices will have flat stainless steel edges instead of the current curved design as well as more sharply rounded corners like the iPad Pro introduced in 2018. Reminiscent of the ‌iPhone‌ 5 design, the new handsets will have flat screens rather than the sloping edges on current models, said the people asking not to be identified because the plans aren’t public.

This report also corroborates rumors that Apple is going to introduce a LiDAR Scanner into the high-end iPhone 12 models, of which there will (probably) be two to choose from.

Interestingly, according to Bloomberg‘s sources Apple may be planning to delay the launch of some of the iPhone 12 models by several weeks. The company is reportedly still aiming to release the handsets in the fall launch window, but it may not get all four new iPhone models out the door in late September. This would appear to line up with earlier rumors suggesting we could see a delay into October or November for new iPhone models.

Bloomberg also says that Apple is working on a smaller, less expensive HomePod that will launch before the end of 2020. And finally, Apple’s Tile-like tracking device called AirTags (basically confirmed by Apple at this point) will launch this year, too.

Are you looking forward to seeing what kind of design changes Apple introduces with the iPhone 12 this year? Let us know in the comments below.