Carrier leak suggests iPhone 12 release in late October with 5G

Apple said its next iPhones would be weeks late due to the pandemic, and rumors have swirled of 5G support. Now, however, a leak appears to have both narrowed down the release date for the iPhone 12 (or whatever it may be called) and supported rumors the new handsets would be 5G ready.

Well-known tipster Evan Blass has posted what looks to be a leaked UK carrier’s email ad for the iPhone 12. The promo is clearly early and has more than a few placeholders, but it indicates that pre-orders end on October 20. That hints at a possible October 23 launch given Apple’s penchant for Friday releases.

The ad also declares that the iPhone 12 will support 5G, and invites customers to be “the first to experience” it on the provider’s network. This isn’t a shocking revelation, but there hasn’t been direct evidence the iPhone 12 will be 5G ready until now — just reports from credible sources.

You’ll also find a mention of Apple Watch Series 6, although there’s nothing to see beyond its name.

Apple is slated to hold a virtual media event on September 15 and might mention the iPhone 12 line there, but that would be roughly a month in advance of release if the leak is accurate.  Otherwise, you might be waiting until mid-October to find out more.

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The company would be relatively late to 5G, which first started reaching phones in 2019. It’s a staple of high-end Android phones released in 2020, and is starting to reach mid-range devices.

There’s less of a wait than there was for LTE (which didn’t arrive until the iPhone 5 in September 2012), though. The timing might be more apt as well. Carriers’ 5G networks are only now fleshing out, and the earliest 5G phones made significant compromises on battery life and design. Remember how you needed to buy the largest Galaxy S10 to get 5G? If the iPhone 12 does ship with 5G, it might come just as the wireless tech hits its stride.