OK, it’s finally time, Apple’s big iPhone announcement day is, so here’s what’s new with the iPhone 12.
Starting with the standard iPhone 12’s, the $1,349 iPhone 12 screen is staying the same at 6.1-inches, for 2020 Apple is introducing new Super Retina XDR OLED panels that produce brighter and more vivid colours, up to 1,200 nits of brightness, and double the resolution of previous iPhones.
Apple has also completely overhauled the iPhone 12’s design, ditching the curvy rounded sides used on previous iPhones in favour of flat edges reminiscent of the old iPhone 4 and similar to what’s available on current iPad Pros. And thanks to a partnership with Corning, Apple is introducing a new Ceramic Glass screen that’s significantly more durable then before with 4 times better drop performance. That said, while Apple has slimmed down the iPhone 12 Face ID system slightly, Apple’s distinctive notch is still definitely there.
Inside, the iPhone 12 will use Apple’s A14 Bionic processor which provides faster performance and enhancements to Apple’s Deep Fusion and Night Mode photo features, along with full support for 5G across the entire line (at least in the U.S.). Apple says the six-core A14 Bionic features 40% more transistors, increasing 50% better performance and 70% faster machine learning speeds.
Around back, while the iPhone 12 still only has two rear cameras, Apple had added a new ultra-wide angle camera with a wider aperture to capture brighter and sharper images. Apple has also added some new modes include a new Night Mode Timelapse feature.
Meanwhile, to help make wireless charging a bit easier, on the iPhone 12, Apple is introducing MagSafe for iPhone, which features a built-in magnet to centre the iPhone 12 onto wireless charging pads, while also letting you attach a number of add-ons like sleeves for cards or cash. And with new wireless charging speeds of up to 15-watts, topping the iPhone 12 up wireless will happen even faster.
However, one big change for the iPhone 12 are a couple things you won’t get in the box, including Apple’s usual power adaptor and wired headphones. Thankfully, you will still get a USB-C to Lighting power cable, so won’t be totally stranded without a way to charge your iPhone.
Meanwhile, for anyone who thinks the iPhone 12’s 6.1-inch screen is a little large for your tastes, Apple is also introducing the new $1,199 iPhone 12 Mini, which has the same specs and features as the standard iPhone 12, but with a smaller 5.4-inch display.
Of course, Apple didn’t stop there though, because for people who want the best tech Apple can put in a phone, there’s the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Featuring 6.1 and 6.7-inch screens respectively, both the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max feature triple rear camera modules with an additional zoom camera and support for LiDAR.
Notably, for anyone who fancies themselves a mobile photography fanatic, the iPhone 12 Pro will have a 2x optical zoom, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max gets even longer reach thanks to a 2.5x optical zoom. Apple also claims that the iPhone 12 Pro features 87% better performance in low-light, while an improved OIS system can adjust to movement up to 5,000 times per second, five times more than what you get from the iPhone 11.
And if that’s not enough, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max will also get support for Apple’s new ProRAW format sometime later this year, which will give users even more control over image quality, things like tone mapping, and camera settings, across all of the iPhone 12 Pro’s four cameras. On the video side, you can now also recording videos in HDR too, including support for Dolby Vision HDR recording at up 4K resolution at 60 fps — which is a first for any phone.
For 2020, Apple has also improved iPhone 12’s LiDAR scanner to better help with autofocus in low-light and to improve depth perception, even in very dark environments.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini will be available with 64GB of base storage starting at $1,349 and $1,199 respectively, with options for 128GB or 256GB models and will come in five colours: black, white, red, blue, and green.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max will feature 128GB of base storage (with options for 256GB or 512GB version) starting at $1,699 and $1,849, and will be available in gold, silver, graphite and Apple’s new signature Pacific blue hue.
Pre-orders for the new iPhones will begin October 16 at 11 p.m. AEST starting with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro in advance of their official release on October 23.
Then, later in November, iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available for pre-order on November 7, with orders shipping out on November 13.