Apple's set to launch iPhone 11 Next week

Here's everything we know about the iPhone 11 – likely named the iPhone XS – from it release date to its price, news and biggest rumours.
Apple's iPhone 11 – or iPhone XS, as it's more likely to be named – is set to launch on Wednesday 12 September. That’s the date of Apple’s annual iPhone gathering at its California headquarters, which is where the iPhone X was launched last year.
Predictably, the new iPhone 11 has been generating a lot of buzz as the launch draws near. So when can we expect it to ship? What new features will it have? Will it become one of the best smartphones for creatives? And how much will it cost?
Here, we take a look at everything we know about the Apple iPhone 11 so far, and reveal what we'd like to see.
iPhone 11 release date
The iPhone 11 launch date will be the 12 September 2018, with preorders rumoured to open on 14 September, and a release date around two weeks after that – possibly the 21 or 28 September.
We’re actually expecting three new phones in 2018: the iPhone XS (aka the iPhone 11), iPhone XS Max (the iPhone XS Plus/iPhone 11 Plus), and a cheaper 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD screen (potentially named the iPhone 9).

However this doesn't mean a delay won't occur, which is exactly what happened with the iPhone X. Apple is rumoured to have been trialling production earlier in the year, though, so it looks like the company is taking every step to ensure the launch goes off without a hitch.

iPhone 11 price

Ok, so what's the damage? While we don't know officially, it's likely to be a fair amount. This is Apple we're talking about, after all. If the Apple iPhone XI is priced the same as the previous iPhone X, we could be looking at $999 / £999 / AU$1,579 at least. Better get saving.
That said, the iPhone X hasn’t sold as well as Apple hoped – potentially due to its eye-watering price tag. This might explain some of the latest reports, which claim that a less-expensive LCD screen iPhone will debut this year, possibly costing $699/£699.
And there's always a chance that rumoured iPhone 11 manufacturing costs could be passed on to buyers – but we're not holding our breath.
iPhone 11 design

Changes to the iPhone design were some of the biggest talking points of Apple's last release. We waved goodbye to the Touch ID home button and said hello to a notch at the top of the display, which housed the new FaceID technology.

Given that Tim Cook said the iPhone X laid the foundations for the next 10 years of iPhone design, it's fair to assume that the Apple iPhone 11 will feature these updates. That said, the top notch caused a lot of controversy, so perhaps Apple will listen and refine the look.

As for the overall look and feel of the iPhone 11, it will probably be similar to the iPhone X. Apple isn't in the habit of redesigning its phones every year, although the 11 might have a smarter front-facing camera than its predecessor. An Apple patent suggests that we could be treated to a single-lens camera system that can sense depth as well as a dual-lens one – which could be a potential boon for creatives. Will this arrive in time for the iPhone 11? We'll have to wait and see.
iPhone 11 rumours

Perhaps the biggest rumour surrounding the Apple iPhone 11 is the idea that two OLED-based devices will debut this year alongside a less expensive LCD screen iPhone. While the latter should appeal to shoppers with tighter budgets, it's sure to sting users who value the apparent crispness of OLED screens – are they worth the extra pennies?



Is this what the Apple iPhone 11 will look like?

Analyst Ming-Chi Kup has raised the possibility that the iPhone 11 will come with stainless steel frames and that Apple probably won't put a version of the TrueDepth camera on the back of the phone. (Sorry, Face ID and Animoji users.) And judging by an exclusive first look video leak, he could be on the right track.
He also said that the iPhone 11 might support faster mobile download speeds and come equipped with a dual-SIM card slot. Only time will tell.

iPhone 11 what we want to see

Nothing's ever perfect, so while we're excited about the iPhone 11, there are a couple of things we'd like to see fixed in this new version.

01. Lower price

First up, let's be honest, a lower price is always going to be welcome. And considering that the iPhone X didn't perform quite as expected in terms of profit, it seems that we're not the only ones who were hesitant to part with their cash. Reality check though: this is Apple, it's going to be pricey. But hopefully worth it.

02. No notch at the top of the iPhone

Speaking of unpopular, the notch at the top of the iPhone X screen divided opinion enough for us to hope that Apple ditches it for the iPhone 11. This might be a technical impossibility if it needs to house the TrueDepth camera, but if Apple can find a way around it, we'd be happy customers.
03. Better positioned camera

While we're on the camera, it would be great if the shutter on the back could be flush with the rest of the handset. As well as making it more easy to hold and place, it would just look nice.

04. Dual front-facing speakers

Finally, we'd love to see dual front-facing speakers. Sure, the iPhone X has stereo speakers, but with one of them firing downwards we can't help spot some room for improvement. High quality speakers that face forward to bring the sound towards you would make for a much better listening experience and would be perfect for designers wanting to show off their animations or videos on the go.

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