New iPhone 12 design with in-built projector is absolutely bonkers

Can Apple do what Samsung and Huawei have so far failed to accomplish?

iPhone 12
(Image credit: ConceptsiPhone)

Although it seems as though the iPhone 11 (and its bigger sibling, the iPhone 11 Pro) has only just landed in our pockets, Apple is already looking generations ahead to its next device. With the iPhone 12 set to be unveiled in September and serious competition like the Samsung Galaxy S20, it's no surprise Apple is hard at work on its 2020 smartphone.

With leaks beginning to emerge, such as Apple's intentions for the 12 to be the first 5G iPhone, one render artist has taken all the leaked info and rumours available so far and created a stunning iPhone 12 concept for us to drool over while we wait.

ConceptsiPhone has based their render on leaks from reputable sources, such as well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The iPhone 12 design sports softer curves more in line with the old-school iPhones, which is a rumour we've previously heard in the past, but it remains cutting edge. For starters, there's an under-screen selfie camera in addition to the fingerprint scanner, creating a truly seamless face and greater screen-to-body ratio than ever before. 

The under-screen camera is something we've been expecting from top-end phones for a while, so it's nice to see it finally makes its way to Apple. The Silicon Valley giant is all about innovation, so to be the first smartphone with a flawless edge-to-edge display (no punch-holes, notches or otherwise) would be a real coup for the brand. 

The iPhone has also ditched the lightning cable and opted for USB Type-C. This may be in response to upcoming EU legislation requiring future mobile phones to have standardised charging. If this legislation passes, can we expect several regional-exclusive models (for example, European models carrying USB-C and US iPhones having lightning cables), or will Apple ditch the lightning entirely?  

USB C

As other smartphone makers like Google transition to USB-C, will Apple follow suit?

(Image credit: Google)

Elsewhere, the biggest leap ConceptsiPhone has made here is an in-built "projection mode". Two inserts pull out from either end of the phone and project in both directions, allowing you to broadcast your display onto the nearest flat surface for watching movies, gaming and YouTube videos. It's also projecting a keyboard in the other direction, allowing you to use a flat surface to operate the phone and play games with motion technology. 

It seems very out there and nothing like it is comparable on the market at the moment. However, who knows what Apple have cooked up? If it can perfect the technology as an addition rather than a gimmick, we're all for a little experimentation. 

Without further ado, check out the leaked trailer below:

There's plenty in this design to like, especially in the almost-retro design of the phone (if we can call any smartphone retro yet, that is) and the under-screen camera, both of which could be likely additions to the 12. However, there's a few out-there elements we wouldn't be comfortable predicting as very likely to occur, the main one being that projection mode. For now, let's file it under "wait and see".

Liked this?

Matt Evans

Matt Evans now works for T3.com sister brand TechRadar, covering all things relating to fitness and wellness. He came to T3.com as staff writer before moving on, and was previously on Men's Health, and slightly counterintuitively, a website devoted to the consumption of Scotch whiskey. In his free time, he could often be found with his nose in a book until he discovered the Kindle.