William Gallagher
An international regulator is showing nine as yet unannounced Apple iPhone models, assumed to be variants of the "iPhone 12" range due later in 2020, and one new Mac.
While Apple may delay the introduction or release of the "iPhone 12" range, it is already complying with the legal steps required first, including filing model information with the Eurasian Economic Commission. The EEC database never contains much in the way of detail, but it confirms Apple has nine iPhone models and one Mac that are at the stage where they can be certified.
Each of these headline entries links to a page that contains a little more detail, chiefly regulatory, but it's their presence at all that is significant. It means they have gone through at least a certain stage of engineering testing, which is significant because the coronavirus lockdown had been delaying that process.
The top entry is for what the EEC describes (in translation) as "Smartphones of the Apple brand A2176, A2172, A2341, A2342, A2399, A2403, A2407, A2408, A2411 models (iOS 13 software version)."
That's nine variations of iPhone — and the forthcoming "iPhone 12" is expected to come in four different models. Those four will ultimately have many different versions depending on the technology used in them, such as country-specific variations on cellular modems, or possibly different capacities.
The second entry concerns a "personal computer of the Apple brand A2330 (macOS software version 10.15) and spare parts for it." Apple is of course continually working on new Macs, and it has been rumored that there may be a 2020 iMac refresh. However, previous iMacs have had EEC serial numbers beginning A1, while previous MacBook Pro models have been begun A2.
The last new entry is for what the EEC describes as an "Apple-branded smartphone A2275 (iOS 13 software version)." However, A2275 is the Apple serial number for the 2020 refresh of the iPhone SE.
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Wesley Hilliard
AppleInsider Staff
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
11 Comments
Has Apple ever had an iPhone or computer that was listed with "an international regulator" that didn't make it to market? Not necessarily all markets, but to any at all?
They have had products that were never released, but AFAIK they weren't ever "listed", as in not making it off the lab benches.
Does this mean those products are a done deal as far as coming to market, anybody's market, is concerned?
That depends on what you mean by making it to market? Apple has submitted several devices to regulators that were meant for internal use.
Interesting about the Mac product number. Everyone has been talking about refreshing the iMac for WWDC, but, as the article says, it looks more like a MacBook. Could they be planning to release an ARM based MacBook (nul)?</rumourmongering>
More likely the MBP 16" refresh. Or maybe an Air refresh to bring the (Intel) chips up to parity with the 13".
As for the phones, 4 models in US and International versions (due to the weird frequency differences) would make 8. Not sure what the 9th one would be, unless that's the model with two SIM slots for whichever market doesn't allow for eSIMs still. Then it doesn't make sense there would be only one of them. So 3 models in US, International, and dual SIM versions? But the rumours were about both the Pro and non-Pro being in two sizes...