Apple's iPhone 11 and 11 Pro are missing these 3 features that were rumored ahead of its launch

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Apple's iPhone 11 and 11 Pro are missing these 3 features that were rumored ahead of its launch

Apple Iphone 11

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

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When Apple announced its new iPhones on September 10, we had a pretty clear idea of what to expect.

Rumors about the iPhone's ultra-wide-angle camera and the triple-lens camera on the Pro models had leaked months before Apple's big reveal. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo even predicted that ultra-wideband technology would arrive in the new iPhones. That tech which will make it easier for your iPhone to understand who you may want to share a file with via AirDrop even when there are many other devices nearby.

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But there are also several predictions that didn't pan out, and it's unclear when and if we'll see them in future iPhones.

Here's a look at the iPhone features that were rumored ahead of Apple's launch that didn't end up coming to the iPhone 11 or 11 Pro.

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Bilateral wireless charging

Bilateral wireless charging

One of the most frequently circulated rumors about Apple's new iPhones was that they would support bilateral wireless charging.

Such a feature, also commonly referred to as reverse wireless charging, would make it possible to charge other devices by resting them on the back of your iPhone. You would, for example, be able to power up your AirPods or Apple Watch by placing them on the back of the phone.

Bilateral charging was another feature that Kuo predicted would be in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, although that didn't end up being the case. Other smartphones like Samsung's Galaxy S10 support this capability.

Read more: Apple's iPhone 11 launch is proof that the smartphone industry is going through a massive change

A switch from Lightning to USB-C

A switch from Lightning to USB-C

Apple had been testing versions of the iPhone 11 with a USB-C port instead of the Lightning connection the company has been using since 2012, according to Bloomberg. All of Apple's new iPhones, however, still use Apple's proprietary charging port.

But the new iPhones do come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, unlike older models which used a previous USB standard. That means you'll be able to connect the new iPhones to modern MacBook laptops for charging or transferring data without having to order a Lightning to USB-C cable.

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Apple Pencil support

Apple Pencil support

Analysts at Citi Research also suggested that Apple's new iPhones would come with support for the Apple Pencil, although that turned out to be untrue.

Following Apple's July earnings report, Citi Research shared a note outlining what it expected to see from the company's 2019 iPhone lineup. On the list of expected features was "support for iPhone pencil/stylus."

It's not the first time we've heard rumblings of Apple potentially extending Pencil support to its iPhones. Kuo mentioned it as a possibility in a research note from 2018, especially if Apple continues expanding the iPhone's screen size, as MacRumors reported.

The Apple Pencil still only works with various iPad models, as Apple outlines on its website.

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