Apple Inc. will be ringing in 2019 with declining sales, but there might be hope ahead as the first iPhone XI leaks appear.

The company launched its latest range of iPhones in September, but though they may have wowed with their specifications, they also wowed many with their excessively high prices as well.

By Nov. 12, Apple suppliers were warning of faltering demand, triggering a bloodbath on Wall Street. On Nov. 19 reports said Apple had scaled back production of the latest-generation XS, XS Max and XR models. Come Nov. 21, Foxconn, the largest manufacturer of iPhones, announced it was planning to cut operational costs by $2.9 billion following what it said was a “very difficult and competitive year.”

The outlook hasn’t improved since then. Citi Research analyst William Yang cut his overall iPhone shipment forecast by 5 million, to 45 million, for the first quarter, with demand for the iPhone XS Max predicted to drop by 48 percent.

Forbes summed up Apple’s issue well: “The problem is Apple is neither out-innovating its competition in the Android ecosystem, nor is it even remotely price-competitive any longer, even with the entry-level iPhone XR that starts at $749.”

Apple has always been able to demand premium prices for its products because it offered market-leading products, but it appears the market no longer sees the iPhone range as worth the price.

That could change, however, in 2019 with the first leaks of the iPhone XI finding their way online. The phone is expected to have three rear cameras and possibly two small front-facing cameras with a smaller notch, possibly looking something like the image above.

The biggest change in the phones may be its use of what’s being described as a “long-distance 3-D camera.” Bloomberg reported that Apple is now working with Sony Corp. on 3-D camera integration into with iPhone XI. The camera’s themselves are said to be expected to hugely impact mobile photography, gaming and phone user interface.

“Cameras revolutionized phones, and based on what I’ve seen, I have the same expectation for 3-D,” said Satoshi Yoshihara, the head of Sony’s sensor division. “The pace will vary by field, but we’re definitely going to see adoption of 3-D. I’m certain of it.”

Sounding futuristic, the 3-D cameras send out invisible laser pulses and measures how long they take to bounce back, allowing the phone to create 3-D models at distances of up to five meters.

The technology isn’t exclusive to Apple, but if Apple can bring it to market first, combined with a reinvigorated phone, there’s a chance the company Steve Jobs built could reverse its fortunes come September.

Image: Concept Creator