Introduction
On Tuesday, during its the company’s virtual October event, Apple finally confirmed the release of four new iPhone models in the iPhone 12 range including the 5.4 inch iPhone 12 Mini, the 6.1 inches iPhone 12, the 6.1 inch iPhone 12 Pro, and the 6.7 inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. The biggest addition to this series which sets it apart from the previous iPhones is its ability to support 5G connectivity.
Image Courtesy: Apple
Specifications
Essentially, the iPhone 12 is 11% thinner, 15% smaller, and 16% lighter than the iPhone 11. Let’s have a deeper look into the specifications that have been revealed.
- Color Variations:
For starters, it is available in five color variations – white, black, blue, green, and red. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max come with stainless steel bands and will be available in four variations- silver, graphic, gold, and pacific blue.
Image Courtesy: Apple
- Display:
The entire lineup comes in what is being called a ‘ceramic shield’, a front cover display which is “tougher than any smartphone glass” owing to the temperature crystallization process used to toughen the glass, says Apple. They also claim that it is four times less likely to crack if dropped as compared to previous models. This is also the only iPhone series to have OLED integrated into every model.
- Camera:
The iPhones 12 Pro and Pro Max comes with three rear-facing cameras and feature LiDAR. LiDAR is basically used for computational photography allowing for depth mapping, AR, and night mode with low-light autofocus. There are upgrades to the cameras here and there. The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a 2.5X optical zoom whereas the Pro Max gets a 5X optical zoom. The iPhone 12 features a dual 12 MP camera with an f.1.6 wide aperture.
- Storage:
Next, if we talk about storage, the iPhone Pro and Pro Max come with three storage options- 128GB, 256 GB and 512GB whereas the iPhone 12 is available in 64GB, 128Gb, and 256GB storage options. (The final iPhone 12 Mini is practically similar to the iPhone 12 but is somewhat smaller and comes with a reduced weight)
Image Courtesy: Apple
5G Data Capabilities
The largest addition is the 5G connectivity, a first for an Apple’s device lineup. 5G has the capability to run around 10-100X faster than the everyday 4G connection you use, making video streaming and downloads much much faster. Further online tasks will run smoothly as the network is far more responsive.
5G processers usually demand lots of power and are prone to overheating. The iPhone 12 lineup also has a solution to this. The iPhone switches between 4G and 5G to conserve power. Whenever it senses that 5G is required it will tap into that network otherwise it will function on 4G connectivity and so it will reduce the chances of overheating.
Apple claims that iPhone 12 has up to 20 5G bands and up to 32 LTE bands and this gives it the most extensive coverage around the world. Apple is expected to ship around 50 million 5G iPhones this year making it the second biggest 5G vendor this year and the biggest by next year. While the technology was not introduced by Apple, we do see major steps forward in its use thanks to the new iPhone lineup. Strategy Analytics analyst Ville-Petteri Ukonaho calls it the “Apple effect” – “Whatever Apple does, it almost immediately becomes a success.”
Accessories
Another major shocker to the iPhone stans was the removal of the EarPods and power adapter from the iPhone 12 series. Instead, the device will come with Apple’s MagSafe charger which uses magnetic pins to connect a wireless charging pad to your device. It not only allows for improved wireless charging but also acts as an attachment support system for various accessories.
Image Courtesy: Apple
The iPhone box will also include the lightning to USB-C cable. Apple stated the removal of the power adapter and EarPods is an aim to reduce its carbon footprint. It also claims that the iPhone 12 uses 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, including the MagSafe accessories.
Pre-Orders and Pricing
As for sales, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro preorders begin Friday, whereas the iPhone 12 Mini and Pro Max is expected to be available for orders by mid-November.
The pricing falls around the $699 range for the iPhone Mini up to $1,099 for the iPhone Pro Max. The iPhone 12 price is confirmed to start at $799 ($100 more than the iPhone 11 range) whereas the iPhone 12 Pro is set to be available for $999.