There are a number of rumors claiming that the upcoming 2020 iPhone lineup will sport a new time-of-flight or ToF 3D sensor. Past reports have claimed that the tech giant is working with its suppliers in order to make sure that the sensors are ready in time for its 2020 launch.
Initial rumors claim that the 2019 iPhone will also have a ToF 3D sensor. However, this possibility was dismissed by many analysts claiming that there are a number of hurdles with regards to supply. As such, the feature was ditched and instead will find its way into the 2020 iPhone lineup.
Current generation iPhones already sport a TrueDepth camera system on their front-facing camera. This technology allows the phone to map a user's face. However, the same technology cannot be fitted on the rear-facing main camera as it requires a huge amount of data that can reach meters on end, not unlike the front-facing camera which only maps a handful of inches.
Should Apple succeed in integrating this technology into the iPhone's main camera, it will open up a lot of features like a high-fidelity 3D map, which in turn can improve virtual and augmented reality experiences.
In 2018, notable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the ToF 3D technology will be implemented by 2020. However, it is the iPad that will first get the feature and not the iPhone.
Apple fans are now excited to get their hands into 2020 iPhone in order to take advantage of this new ToF 3D technology. Aside from that, Apple is reportedly working on a handful of nice upgrades for the 2020 iPhone. Reports claim that the 2020 iPhone will be the first Apple product to come standard with 5G connectivity. Apple insiders have also noted that the phone will come with a smaller notch since the TrueDepth modules will be shrunk.
As for this year's iPhone, not much attention is being given to the upcoming flagship. There are rumors claiming that the phone will feature a triple-camera configuration, a feature that has received a lot of attention since last year. Apple iPhones do not typically adopt new features. Apple is known for adopting technologies that have matured and does not delve immediately into something.
The 2019 Apple iPhone is also expected to feature reverse wireless charging. This feature has been a staple to some flagship Android phones since last year.
