New 'iPhone 11 Max' case renders back triple-lens camera, Lightning port

New case renders from accessory maker Olixar reiterate an expected triple-lens rear camera for the "iPhone 11 Max," but may disappoint people hoping Apple will switch from Lightning to USB-C.

Apple also appears to be reverting the mute switch back to a circular slider, according to vendor MobileFun, which is already taking preorders for the cases. The company is selling both clear and solid designs, even though Apple isn't due to announce new iPhones until September. Buying any of the cases now is therefore a gamble.

The designs could stem from real-world information however, since iPhone specifications regularly leak to third-party casemakers looking to get a jump on the competition. Mainstream makers like Otterbox, Griffin, and Incipio tend to wait until launch or later to reveal their products.

The renders are also consistent with most rumors about this fall's iPhones. Apple is once again expected to ship two OLED models and one with LCD, the former adding a super-wide lens to existing wide and telephoto lenses on the iPhone XS and XS Max. The LCD model should improve on the iPhone XR by adding a second lens, giving it telephoto capabilities.

Apple has come under increasing criticism for leaving Lightning on iPhones and cheaper iPads. USB-C is now de facto on Macs and the iPad Pro, not to mention many Android phones and Windows PCs.

17 Comments

HeliBum 8 Years · 129 comments

About 5 years ago

I don't know about anyone else, but I find USB-C connections to be a lot looser than Lightning connections. On one hand, using USB-C means that magnetic connectors are unnecessary. On the other hand, mobile devices tend to get moved around a lot while tethered, which increases the likelihood of a USB-C connection pulling out.

xyzzy01 15 Years · 145 comments

Originally, I intended to upgrade my 7 plus this year. I've had a change of heart recently - waiting one more year to get 5G seems to make sense. If they're not moving off lightning yet, that's one more reason to wait - no reason to be stuck with a connector that hopefully should become obsolete soon.

Ligthning was superior to USB micro, but USB C works pretty well and I'd rather have a need for less chargers to handle/cables to handle everything (headsets, computer, iPhone, iPad, game controllers etc etc). They've already migrated the iPad Pro and laptops to USB C micro, iPhone should follow.

ireland 18 Years · 17436 comments

xyzzy01 said:

Originally, I intended to upgrade my 7 plus this year. I've had a change of heart recently - waiting one more year to get 5G seems to make sense. If they're not moving off lightning yet, that's one more reason to wait - no reason to be stuck with a connector that hopefully should become obsolete soon.

Ligthning was superior to USB micro, but USB C works pretty well and I'd rather have a need for less chargers to handle/cables to handle everything (headsets, computer, iPhone, iPad, game controllers etc etc). They've already migrated the iPad Pro and laptops to USB C micro, iPhone should follow.

The hope is inevitably iPhone moves to USB-C. One connector to rule them all, and all that. What I find more annoying that Lightning in iPhone is Apple took away SD Card slot, without a better solution to replace it. They should have announced either an SD Card that wirelessly connects to iCloud, or a firmware update they worked out with various camera manufacturers that wirelessly mounts you camera when it's close to your Mac. Something! Needing a cable is worse.

techsavy 5 Years · 34 comments

I do hope iPhones move to USB-C so people do not have to run around with as many cables.

mac_128 12 Years · 3452 comments

techsavy said:

I do hope iPhones move to USB-C so people do not have to run around with as many cables.

Except, what people are we talking about? There's only a small percentage of Apple customers who would need another cable besides Lightning. The vast majority of iPhone users do not own Macs or iPad Pros, or even iPads. So a wholesale switch to USB-C would mean a billion customers would have to replace all of their cables and accessories with USB-C, when they otherwise don't need USB-C for anything else they own. Maybe that won't be true in 10 years, but in 10 years, I also expect Apple to go fully wireless. So why introduce a cable standard that will inconvenience the majority of its customers for a few short years before the standard moves to wireless and eliminates cables completely anyway?