This fall's iPhone 12 is expected to bring a significant camera upgrade, especially in the form of a LiDAR scanner that is rumored to be included in the higher-end Pro models But for those who take a lot of photos and videos with their iPhones, an even bigger boost may be coming next year

According to a Digitimes report (via MacRumors), future iPhone cameras may feature liquid crystal polymer (LCP) circuit boards, which will allow images to be transferred at even higher speeds This could be a particular boon for live streaming over 5G or when using demanding augmented reality (AR) applications

Digitimes notes that these LCP-based substrates will be implemented in 5G mmWave antenna modules in future iPhones, which is expected to increase demand The report specifically mentions that "image data will become increasingly complex in the 5G era, requiring high-speed transmission to enable high-resolution images in live streaming and AR applications"

This means that the iPhone 13 and future iPhones could process images even faster for streaming to Twitch or watching Apple TV Plus shows in AR

The iPhone 12 is expected to feature mmWave 5G technology in the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max models, but it is unclear if these LCP-based circuit boards will be implemented in this year's phones

Even without high-speed image processing, the iPhone 12 is likely to be a notable camera upgrade over the iPhone 11 series Rumored features include a new 7-segment lens for the main camera, which should improve overall image quality; the Pro and Pro Max models are expected to feature three lenses, in addition to the LiDAR scanner found on this year's iPad Pro

The iPhone 12 is expected to be available this fall in four variants, with prices starting around $649 All models will be 5G-enabled and feature OLED displays, and it is said that the refresh rate may be increased to 120 Hz on the high-end models However, this year's iPhone could be a longer wait than in previous years, and the ongoing pandemic could delay the launch event to October