Apple has unveiled its first 5G iPhones. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models go on pre-sale from 16 October in over 30 countries and will be in stores from 23 October. The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max start orders 06 November and launch on 13 November. Prices range from USD 799 to USD 1,099, and availability in more countries will start from the end of October.
The new range is divided into the lower-end iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 and the more advanced iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max models. All four come with iOS 14; 5G, including support for mmWave spectrum in the US; the latest 5-nm A14 Bionic processor from Apple and IP68 water resistance. The new flat-edge design comes with the durable Ceramic Shield front cover to protect the Oled displays.
The iPhone 12 and 12 Mini differ only in the size of the screen, at respectively 5.4 inches for USD 699 and 6.1 inches for USD 799. They come in a choice of five colours and 64, 128 or 256 GB of internal storage. The models come with a dual 12 megapixel camera with wide-angle lens and another 12-megapixel shooter on the front.
MagSafe charger and cases
All four phones come with the new MagSafe system for wireless charging and detachable accessories. This introduces an array of magnets around the wireless charging coil to connect the charger or a phone case. MagSafe chargers provide up to 15W of power and are compatible with existing Qi-enabled devices.
Apple is offering its own Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger for use with the iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as new silicone, leather and clear cases that snap onto the back of iPhone, and a leather wallet. It expects third-party manufacturers to introduce additional accessories.
Notably the new iPhones will not come with a power charger, nor the usual set of EarPods. Apple said this is part of its efforts to reduce packaging and lower its carbon emissions.
Its brand Beats announced separately a new set of Beats Flex wireless headphones for USD 50. These are available initially only through Apple, with other retailers getting the product from late November.
New camera, more storage on Pro models
The iPhone 12 Pro en 12 Pro Max offer respectively 6.1- and 6.7-inch screens. The prices start at USD 999 and USD 1,099 for 128 GB of storage, with 256 and 512 GB models also available. The phones come in the colours graphite, silver, gold or pacific blue.
The other major difference with the lower models is a more advanced camera. The iPhone 12 Pro features the new seven-element lens Wide camera with f/1.6 aperture, the fastest ever on an iPhone, according to Apple. It offers improved low-light performance, a 120-degree ultra-wide angle sensor and a 52mm telephoto camera with up to 4x optical zoom. The iPhone 12 Pro Max offers an even bigger sensor with 1.7μm pixels and also includes the ultra-wide camera and a 65mm telephoto with up to 5x optical zoom.
Apple also promises improvements to Night mode, now available on the wide-angle and depth sensors and with time-lapse options. In addition, the Deep Fusion function comes to all cameras, along with Smart HDR 3. Later this year the Pro phones will get the new feature Apple ProRAW, a new feature to give users options to edit photos in RAW format.
The Pro line also offers a new Lidar scanner to measure light distance and use pixel depth information of a scene. This is expected to introduce improved AR experiences on the iPhone, as well as supporting low-light bokeh effect on the camera.
Apple will also continue to offer one year free of its Apple TV+ service for all customers buying the new phones. From 22 October, customers also get three months of Apple Arcade free when buying a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac.
HomePod Mini for USD 99
Apple also unveiled a smaller, cheaper version of its smart speaker, the HomePod mini. Powered by the Siri digital assistant, the new speaker can also control smart home devices and serve as an intercom when multiple HomePods are placed around the home. It measures just 3.3 inches tall and will be available in space grey or white for USD 99.
The speaker goes on pre-sale 06 November and will be in shops from the week of 16 November in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US, with more countries to follow.
