New iPhone 12 (2020) release date, price, specs, leaks and everything we know
The iPhone 12 is almost here, as Apple is holding an event on October 13 - that's tomorrow - where it will almost certainly be unveiled - and joined by the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, if rumors are to be believed.
The iPhone 12 Mini is the odd one out there as Apple has never launched a phone with mini in the name, but there's plenty of evidence to suggest it might do so this year. Alternatively, we'd previously heard of an iPhone 12 Max which could land instead, but either way there will probably be four phones in the range.
So what do we expect from the new iPhone for 2020 when it does arrive? Beyond there being a new model in the range these are also very likely to be the first iPhones with 5G, while a LiDAR scanner, new screen sizes, and more power in the form of the A14 Bionic chipset that debuted in the iPad Air 4, are all rumored too.
Apple’s upcoming launch follows hot on the heels of a September 15 event that focused on the Apple Watch 6, Apple Watch SE, iPad Air 4, a new iPad, the Apple One subscription services, and the launch of a new service called Apple Fitness+. That likely means the October 13 iPhone 12 launch will be dedicated purely to the phone, but the Apple event may feature other launches too.
Below you'll find everything we've heard so far about the iPhone 12 range, including possible prices, specs and features.
Plus, the iPhone 12 event is set to take place very soon. It's on October 13, and it's very likely to be revealing the new iPhone family to the world.
We've been invited to a virtual stream - there's no event because of the pandemic - and we're almost certain this will be where we hear about the new phone.
iPhone 12 release date
When is the iPhone 12 release date?
Tuesday, October 13 is the reveal date for the iPhone 12. Apple has yet to confirm that we'll hear about the new phones tomorrow, but the company is hosting an event on that date and it matches all the rumors of when we'll be hearing about the handsets.
Want to tune in yourself? We'll have a how to watch guide ready on October 13 when it's set to start at 10am PT, 1pm ET or 6pm BST. That's 4am AEDT in Australia on October 14.
When is the iPhone 12 release date? That's a different question, and a variety of rumors suggest you'll be able to pre-order handsets on Friday, October 16, but you may not be able to get them as quickly as in previous years.
(Image credit: Apple)
According to Jon Prosser (a leaker with a mixed track record) the standard phones would apparently ship on the week commencing October 19 (likely meaning Friday, October 23).
However, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max apparently won't be up for pre-order or ship until sometime in November. So an exact new iPhone release date is still a little unclear at this time.
Check back on October 13 when we expect to hear details from Apple, including when you'll be able to buy them and, perhaps most importantly, how much they're going to cost.
New iPhones 2020 price
How much will the iPhone 12 cost?
The iPhone 11 from 2019(Image credit: TechRadar)
The price of the iPhone 12 series is a little unclear at the moment with one leak from Jon Prosser claiming certain prices, and another leak claiming there will be 4G variant for other prices.
Our preferred price leak at the moment has presented the prices for 5G versions of the phone. The information comes from Apple Rumors on Twitter and it presents a lot of similar information to what we've heard before.
We've put all the prices together in an easy to read chart below:
Leaked prices
Model
64GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
iPhone 12 Mini
$649
$699
$799
Not available
iPhone 12
$749
$799
$899
Not available
iPhone 12 Pro
Not available
$999
$1,099
$1,299
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Not available
$1,099
$1,199
$1,399
There's no clear information about prices for the UK or Australia, but we'd expect those to broadly fall in line with last year's models if the information above is accurate.
For reference, the iPhone 11 started at $699 / £729 / AU$1,199, the iPhone 11 Pro starts at $999 / £1,049 / AU$1,749, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $1,099 / £1,149 / AU$1,899.
However, a detailed price leak from @komiya_kj suggests higher prices than the chart above, with the 5G iPhone 12 apparently starting at $699 (roughly £540 / AU$975) for 64GB of storage, and rising to $749 for 128GB.
The source doesn't have much of a track record, so we'd take this with a pinch of salt. But this theory does line up with a previous report that suggested that the cost of materials for the iPhone 12 range might go up, which could mean higher prices at retail.
Indeed, Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a good track record for iPhone information) has said that the cost of 5G components could add up to around $220 (roughly £165 / AU$305) to the production price of each iPhone 12 unit.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max(Image credit: Future)
That's not to say the phones will cost that much more at launch, especially as Apple seems to be cutting costs elsewhere, with reports of the battery board being a lot cheaper than in the iPhone 11, and the phones potentially not coming bundled with earbuds or a charging plug, but it could mean a price increase of some amount.
Still, for now we'd say prices in line with those in the chart above are the most likely considering so many sources have said similar information. You should probably wait for the iPhone 12 range to launch before buying any new iPhone, as our guide explains.
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The iPhone 12 design looks set to be a big change from the latest few generations of Apple’s handset. Remember the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5? Reports suggest that the iPhone 12 range will be in part inspired by those phones, and there's supposedly even some elements of the iPad Pro 2020 mixed in.
Specifically, consistent leaks have suggested that the iPhone 12 will have a flatter metal frame than the iPhone 11 range, with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who's a very trusted source, being among those to say this.
The rear of all four phones is still expected to be made of glass, but the edges are expected to be more squared than the rounded ones on current models.
Some sources speaking to Bloomberg claim similar, and they make comparisons to the design of the iPad Pro, saying that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will have flat stainless steel edges, more sharply rounded corners, and flat screens.
For an idea of how that might look in practice, check out the CAD renders below, made by EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach.
Image 1 of 2
iPhone 12 Pro (left) and iPhone 12 potential design renders(Image credit: EverythingApplePro)
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iPhone 12 series potential design renders(Image credit: EverythingApplePro)
We've now seen dummy units of all four models, which you can see below and which match what we've seen from another source. These are non-functioning devices that case makers use to design accessories for the phones ahead of launch, so they could well be accurate, but they could just as easily be fake.
In any case, there are certainly some errors with them, as the camera setup doesn't match what we're expecting (more on which below), but you can see that the design appears less curvy than the iPhone 11 range, lining up with other leaks.
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(Image credit: HaAppelistim / 9to5Mac)
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(Image credit: HaAppelistim / 9to5Mac)
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(Image credit: HaAppelistim / 9to5Mac)
Cases for the iPhone 12 range have started being listed too, and these also show flatter sides than the iPhone 11 range.
Elsewhere, we've heard that the entire new iPhone range could be thinner than the iPhone 11 range. A specific thickness is only given for the iPhone 12 Pro Max though, which is apparently 7.4mm (down from 8.1mm on the iPhone 11 Pro Max).
And the phones might not just be slim - a separate leak has suggested the standard (supposedly 5.4-inch) iPhone 12 looks smaller than the iPhone 7, but isn't as small as the original iPhone SE. You can see a video comparing those three phones here, while the tweet below provides another look at the possible 5.4-inch iPhone 12.
People who love tiny phones are in for a treat with the new 5.4-in iPhone. Smaller than a new SE! pic.twitter.com/cTSH2LBzKAJune 18, 2020
We've also heard from Jon Prosser - a leaker with a so-so track record - that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will have aluminum frames, and that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will have stainless steel ones, and that all four phones will have smaller notches than the iPhone 11 range.
All that said, leaked renders that are more recent than most of those above show some significant design differences to earlier leaks, as you can see below.
Based on these - shared by EverythingApplePro - the iPhone 12 Pro at least could have the old notch design (rather than a smaller notch), a large mmWave antenna cut-out, and a different camera arrangement to what we've seen in other leaks.
iPhone 12 design will likely not be what we thought. Recent iPhone 12 CADs paint a completely different picture. Did Apple pull a fast one on the leak community? pic.twitter.com/bPYoij4V41June 18, 2020
Sonny Dickson (a leaker with a good track record) has also now shared iPhone 12 range dummy units that appear to be in line with this - as well as having flat edges, as rumored above. You can see these here.
That said, other reputable sources seem skeptical of these leaks, particularly when it comes to the camera, so we'd take them with a pinch of salt. For now, we'd say the leaks and details towards the top of this section are more likely to be right.
Finally, one thing that we are expecting is that the iPhone 12 range will be water-resistant. It's very likely that Apple will retain the IP68 water and dust resistance rating found on the iPhone 11 range for the next iPhone, which means it will be able to be submerged in water but it won't be entirely waterproof.
And looking beyond the phone itself, it's possible that the charging cable will get a redesign, with a source pointing to a braided cable. Braided cables tend to be more durable, but we'd take this with a pinch of salt, and even if it's accurate it's unclear whether all or just some iPhone 12 models would get this.
New iPhone 2020 colors
What iPhone 12 colors should you expect?
As for the iPhone 12 colors, we've heard a rumor that Apple will be debuting a navy blue on its top-end models. Reports say the Midnight Green color that debuted on the iPhone 11 Pro sold beyond Apple's expectations, so the company may also decide to keep that or it may be replaced in the lineup by this navy shade.
That dark blue rumor has actually resurfaced more recently, which makes us think that there might be something to it.
A concept of what a Dark Blue iPhone may look like(Image credit: Max Weinbach / EverythingApplePro)
Having said that, a retailer claims that the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 will be available in green, blue, gold, grey and silver shades, with the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max landing in grey, gold and silver, suggesting that - if there is a dark blue at all - it will be the cheaper models that get it instead.
WinFuture meanwhile has said the iPhone 12 Mini will be available in black, white, blue, red, yellow and coral colors, with the rest of the iPhone 12 range being sold in black, white and silver.
So there's really no agreement on colors at all, but it does sound like the cheaper models might be available in more and brighter shades than the Pro handsets, which would be in line with what Apple did for the iPhone 11 range.
New iPhones 2020 display
What screen will the iPhone 12 have?
The iPhone 12 screen is likely to differ a lot to the iPhone 11, especially the sizes it's available in. According to almost all leaks so far, the phones below will be included:
iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 Mini with a 5.4-inch display
iPhone 12 / iPhone 12Max with a 6.1-inch display
iPhone 12 Pro with a 6.1-inch display
iPhone 12 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch display
The only thing that there's some disagreement on is whether the small model will be called the iPhone 12 Mini, with the next model up being called the iPhone 12, or if the small one will be called the iPhone 12, with the next model up going by iPhone 12 Max, but most of the latest leaks point in the direction of Mini.
Whatever it's called though there's strong evidence of the 5.4-inch model (which would be a new size for Apple), as 9to5Mac has found an update to the Display Zoom feature in an iOS 14 beta, which adds support for a smaller screen size.
The iPhone 11 features an LCD display, while the iPhone 11 Pro features OLED technology. So a move to OLED on all of them may allow for a far stronger screen on the standard iPhone 12 models.
The other big rumored change for the 2020 iPhone display is the move to a 120Hz refresh rate. The current iPhones - and a lot of other smartphones - sport a refresh rate of 60Hz, so upping that to 120Hz makes the screen reload quicker and gives you a smoother experience when scrolling through social media feeds or gaming.
Max Weinbach shared some leaked information on the iPhone 12 Pro that suggested this was the model that would get the improved screen tech. Prosser since suggested that tech would also come to the iPhone 12 Pro Max. This is a claim we've now heard more than once.
The iPhone 11 Pro(Image credit: Future)
As of late August, Prosser has doubled down on his 120Hz claims, backing them up with footage that supposedly shows the option on a settings screen on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
All of this said, the source that provides information to Prosser has said that Apple may "nerf" the technology. A more recent leak also suggests the iPhone 12 Pro Max might be the only model to get the 120Hz refresh rate display.
And we've also heard, via YouTuber EverythingApplePro, that Apple is apparently struggling with the 120Hz tech in the Pro model. And one analyst has said they've heard from sources that Apple won't be including the necessary component tech to make it a reality.
We've also heard from a display supply chain expert (Ross Young) that none of their contacts could corroborate reports of a 120Hz display, so they don't think any iPhone will get one until 2021.
As of late August, Young has said that Apple can get the 120Hz panels, but won't be able to source the 120Hz driver integrated circuits in time, meaning that unless the company comes up with a fix or delays the phones, they will only have 60Hz screens.
So it's unclear right now whether or not we'll see a 120Hz iPhone 12 screen, with two major sources (Ross Young and Jon Prosser) seemingly being in disagreement.
Finally, we've also heard from another source that the two Pro models will use a form of OLED that's both thinner and cheaper to produce than the screens used in the iPhone 11 Pro range. That could mean lower prices and thinner devices, as well as potentially better battery life, and it's a claim we've heard more than once.
New iPhones 2020 specs
What iPhone 12 specs should you expect?
We're expecting the iPhone 12 range to use a 5nm A14 Bionic chipset, which is almost certain to be included in the new iPhones thanks to it being debuted with the new iPad Air 2020.
The new processor inside will be capable of greater power efficiency, with six cores inside and a 16-core Neural Engine that's twice as fast as before.
An A14 Bionic leaked benchmark showed it had a single-core and multi-score score that was ahead of the Snapdragon 865, the processor we've seen in almost all Android flagships in 2020, so it seems set to be, again, one of the most powerful mobile chipsets around.
Having said that, a more recent benchmark supposedly for the iPhone 12 Pro Max reveals scores that are lower than the Snapdragon 865 Plus (the top Android chipset of 2020). That said, the scores are still good, and the iPhone 12 range is sure to be very powerful.
The RAM could also get a boost, with analysts claiming that the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will have 6GB of the stuff, up from 4GB in their predecessors - though the standard phone will apparently stick with 4GB. This is something we've now heard again, and again, so it may well be true.
How much storage will you have? A pricing leak from Prosser showed us the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 will apparently come in 128GB and 256GB models while the Pro and Pro Max will supposedly come in both of those and 512GB. Though elsewhere there's evidence that the basic two models will start at 64GB.
One leak may also have given us a clear picture of batteries you can expect in each of the iPhone 12 models:
iPhone 12 Mini may have a 2,227mAh battery
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro may have a 2,775mAh battery
iPhone 12 Pro Max may have a 3,687mAh battery
If this leak is accurate, it may not be positive news for the iPhone 12's battery life.
The iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery, the iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,046mAh one, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969mAh one – and that’s despite the iPhone 11 Pro Max having a smaller screen than the iPhone 12 Pro Max is rumored to have.
In other potentially bad battery news, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that Apple might use a cheaper battery board for the iPhone 12 range than for the iPhone 11 - one that costs roughly half as much. This doesn't necessarily mean the battery life will be worse, but it's a worry - though it could also reduce the cost of the handsets.
Having said all that, one other rumor states that the batteries in the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max won't exceed 4,400mAh - a figure which in both cases would be an improvement on the battery sizes in their predecessors.
Plus, the A14 chipset inside looks like it's going to be one of the most power-efficient ever from Apple - and that could offset those lower battery sizes some users might be worried about.
Wireless charging is expected to be included in the iPhone 12, and one leak suggests the phone will come with magnets that allow it to more easily line up with wireless chargers.
Another report from Chinese publication Caifa news also suggests Apple and other manufacturers may soon use GaN power adapters. These are currently used by Xiaomi, and allow for fast-charging speeds up to 65 watts.
There's no guarantee this will debut on the iPhone 12 - or any future iPhone for that matter - but it may mean we see an improved fast-charging experience along the line.
So, what's the takeaway on the new iPhone specs? Check out the chart below for a distilled look at what we're expecting. Note that it includes 5G information, more details of which can be found in the next section.
iPhone 12 specs, according to leaks
iPhone 12 Mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Chipset
A14 Bionic
A14 Bionic
A14 Bionic
A14 Bionic
RAM
4GB
4GB
6GB
6GB
5G
Just Sub-6
Just Sub-6
Both Sub-6 and mmWave
Both Sub-6 and mmWave
Storage
128GB + 256GB
128GB + 256GB
128GB + 256GB + 512GB
128GB + 256GB + 512GB
New iPhones 5G
Will the iPhone 12 be 5G ready?
5G is expected to make its debut on an Apple phone with the iPhone 12. In fact, rumors suggest we'll see all the models feature some form of 5G connectivity, powered by a custom-made 5G antenna. Prosser has suggested as much in information that he apparently learned from a source at Apple.
The big caveat here is that the base iPhone 12 models may not support mmWave 5G technology. It's expected this will be a feature reserved for the two top-end models.
Those models are thought to support both mmWave and slower Sub-6 5G, while the cheaper two models might just support Sub-6. Not only is that slower, but some carriers such as Verizon in the US only offer mmWave, so customers of that network may have to opt for a pricier model.
A more recent report goes against that information though and suggests that only the iPhone 12 Pro Max will be built with mmWave 5G connectivity. If that's the case, that'll seriously limit the phones people can use with US network Verizon.
Further evidence that every iPhone 12 model will get 5G of some sort though is a leak revealing 3D-printed models of all four iPhones, which suggests that all four have had their SIM slot relocated from the right side to the left, with a source stating they were moved to make room for 5G antennas.
A final leak on the topic of 5G is that the iPhone 12 Mini / Max and iPhone 12 may both come with 4G options. That's from an unverified source, but it may allow you to get a cheaper device than the top-end 5G options.
Having said that, with 5G being far more future-proofed, you might want to think hard before buying a 4G iPhone 12, especially if the costs aren't much lower.
A lot of the new iPhone leaks suggest that we're going to see some big changes to the camera on each device.
The main change is likely to be the addition of a LiDAR scanner, just like we've seen on the iPad Pro 2020. This can accurately judge distances and therefore depth, and would allow for improved augmented reality and Portrait mode. There has been talk that a LiDAR scanner might be an iPhone 12 Pro Max exclusive though.
That said, we've also heardspecific mentions of a LiDAR scanner being included on the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max (alongside three lenses), while the basic iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max are said to have two camera lenses and no LiDAR scanner.
These claims have been made by multiple sources, and the below image (made by Phone Arena) shows how the camera could look on the Pro model.
An example of what the iPhone 12 Pro camera could look like(Image credit: Phone Arena)
We've also seen a leaked sketch seemingly showing four rear lenses on the iPhone 12 Pro. This sketch supposedly came from a build of iOS 14, and is backed up by lots of other sources.
Three of the lenses look like those on the iPhone 11 Pro, if perhaps slightly bigger, but the new fourth lens looks like the LiDAR scanner found on the iPad Pro 2020, just like in the render above.
A leaked chassis for the iPhone 12 Pro further suggests the LiDAR scanner will be included. A LiDAR scanner then is looking very likely, at least on the Pro models, and we're also quite confident of the lens numbers, given the large amount of leaks.
The table below lays these details out clearly. Note that the LiDAR scanner is in addition to the number of cameras listed below.
iPhone 12 camera spec rumors
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Max
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
How many cameras?
Two
Two
Three
Three
LiDAR scanner?
No
No
Yes
Yes
Having said all that, the image below supposedly shows a case for the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and it doesn't have as many lens holes as we were expecting, so there are still some questions over camera numbers.
(Image credit: Reddit / Amn09)
As for the specs of the camera, that's something we're less clear on so far, but one source says the iPhone 12 might have a 64MP main camera, over the 12MP snapper on the previous few versions, which would be a huge upgrade. This leak also suggests that the phone will have multiple lenses that support night mode shooting, and that the ultra-wide snapper could have a dedicated macro mode.
Plus, reputable leaker Max Weinbach says he has heard that the iPhone 12 Pro will feature Smart HDR functionality for improved low-light performance. That's alongside a 3x optical zoom, which is an increase from the 2x zoom capability featured in the iPhone 11 range.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a respected tech analyst, meanwhile has said he believes Apple will be making big improvements to autofocus on the iPhone 12 by using new parts from a different supplier.
We've also heard that the top-end new iPhone (likely the iPhone 12 Pro Max) will get a new image stabilization tech called 'sensor-shift', which would allow the sensor to move in order to counteract camera shake.
And we've also heard that all four new iPhone models might get a camera improvement in the form of a 7-element wide-angle lens. That's one more element than current models, which could lead to fewer aberrations and less distortion.
On the video front, a leak suggests that both 4K footage at 120fps and 4K slow motion footage at 240fps will be possible.
We haven't heard much about the front-facing camera yet, but what we have heard suggests big changes could be coming to that too.
A pair of Apple patents detail a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor seemingly designed to replace the current depth sensor on the front. ToF sensors send out optical beams and judge how long it take them to bounce off an obstacle in order to sense depth.
Switching to this sort of sensor might improve Face ID (which we've elsewhere heard might be faster and work from more angles than currently), but it also opens up new possible features, such as in-air gestures for touchless navigation, as seen on the likes of the LG G8 and Google Pixel 4.
It's worth noting however that while Patently Apple, which unearthed these patents, specifically links them to the iPhone 12, there's no guarantee that they'll actually make it to that - or any - iPhone.
iOS 14 is the latest version of the iPhone's operating system, and it's available now on your existing iPhone. It's only suitable for certain models, but all the most recent devices Apple has released are able to download the upgrade.
It's almost guaranteed that any new iPhones released in 2020 will come with this from day one.
So, what new features should you expect? Improved home screen widgets so you can better personalize your phone's main page for one, plus there's also a new way of filing your apps away called the App Library. This sits at the end of your home screens.
iOS 14 also debuts "light and fast" versions of certain apps that allow you to use some features without downloading the full app. These are called App Clips, and Apple believes they'll be useful in scenarios such as hiring electric scooters or paying for parking.
Other minor improvements are such things as tweaks to the Messages app, Apple Maps, Siri, and a variety of other first-party applications. There's a lot that's being tweaked, and while iOS 14 may not bring any hugely game-changing features to the iPhone 12 it's the best software from the company so far.
The short answer to the above question is no. It's very unlikely Apple will put a pair of AirPods in the box with a new iPhone as they've been a major money maker for the company when sold separately.
Apple may choose to unveil the rumored AirPods Studio alongside the new handset at its event, but it's heavily rumored that the company will not be including a pair of earbuds of any kind in the iPhone 12 box - not even cheap ones.
Apple's AirPods Pro(Image credit: Future)
Similarly, we've now heard that Apple might not include a power adapter either (though you'll still get a charging cable). This could however mean costs will be reduced. It could also allow for smaller packaging and make it lighter and therefore cheaper to ship, though how much of this saving will be passed on to consumers is unknown.
However, another report has also suggested that Apple is working on a 20W charger, and that may be included in the box alongside the new phone. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max both featured an 18W charger, while the iPhone 11 had a 5W option.
Leaked images have shown the 20W charger, but it's unclear if it's made to be included with the top-end devices or the whole range. If it is just for the top-end devices, we're hoping Apple increases the wattage for the standard models over 5W.
It may be that these chargers are sold separately in the end; we likely won't know anything for certain until Apple mentions it on stage at the launch event.
Should you buy the iPhone 11 or wait for iPhone 12?
Now that we're expecting the new iPhone this week, it's well worth waiting to see what Apple announces. Even if you don't want the new phone, you may find a better deal on an older device, and that date is very soon.
Alex Hughes, Phone Deals Editor at TechRadar, says, "One of the most exciting financial factors of the iPhone 12 is the effect it will have on the price of last year’s iPhone 11.
"New phone launches are the ideal time to buy older models with prices rapidly falling. When the iPhone 11 launched, the iPhone XR was dropped by £100 in the UK, and we'd expect a similar effect to kick in this year for the iPhone 11 range."
