Don't expect iPhone 12 5G with Smart Connector or iPhone SE Plus in 2020
The iPhone SE Plus won’t arrive until March 2021
Prosser now expects the iPhone SE Plus announcement to take place in March 2021, possibly at a big press event like the one planned for the iPhone 9 before COVID-19 led to its cancelation. But despite waiting nearly a full year to unveil the device, no major internal upgrades are expected.
The Plus-branded smartphone will retain the A13 Bionic featured inside the standard iPhone SE. The differentiating factors will come on the outside because, as the name indicates, it will feature a noticeably bigger display.
The Smart Connector is coming in a future iPhone
On a separate note, recent CAD-based iPhone 12 Pro Max renders revealed what appears to be some sort of iPad-like Smart Connector. Unfortunately, the information received by Prosser indicates that it won’t be happening on the final product.
Apple has no plans for a Smart Connector on the iPhone 12 series but is looking into an implementation on the portless iPhone, which may well be the 2021 iPhone 13 Pro Max. Specifics aren’t yet available, but Prosser thinks it will be used for a MagSafe-like magnetic charging system.
Early iPhone 12 Pro Max CAD file
That means buyers won’t be forced to purchase a compatible Qi charger or an AirPower charging mat but it also removes the need for a physical Lightning port. Whether the Smart Connector-like feature will work with accessories too remains to be seen.