Apple launches new iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max
Apple announced the launch of its new iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max during its virtual Hi-Speed event at Apple Park.
According to the tech giant, all three of these devices bring a range of improvements over its predecessor, including faster performance, a better camera system, and 5G cellular connectivity.
Apple said the iPhone 12 has the most 5G bands in a single smartphone to best utilise the next-generation technology.
The iPhone 12’s design features an aluminium frame with smooth edges and a glass back, which makes it 11% thinner, 15% smaller, and 16% lighter than the iPhone 11, despite offering the same 6.1-inch size display.
The iPhone 12 now features an OLED panel instead of an LCD screen, which comes with a brightness of 1,200 nits, HDR10, and Dolby Vision support.
The display includes what Apple calls a ceramic shield consisting of crystals which improves drop damage resistance.
The iPhone 12 is powered by the A14 Bionic, the first smartphone chip to be built using a 5nm manufacturing process.
Apple said this means it has improved performance and power efficiency and offers the fastest CPU and GPU performance of any smartphone, claiming up to a 50% speed advantage over premium Android chips.
iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
The iPhone 12 Pro will be available in four colours: Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue. It is available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch models named the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, respectively.
Both new devices will sport Ceramic Shield glass, which Apple said is the toughest out of any smartphone to date and improves the drop survival rate of the smartphones by a factor of four.
This A14 Bionic also includes a new machine learning system that performs far better than previous generations, and it has the fastest GPU of any smartphone on the market.
Apple said it has tailored its 5G networking capabilities and proprietary beamforming experiences to deliver the best 5G experience possible from its new smartphones and both of these models are powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset.
Camera system
On the iPhone 12, users will find a new dual-camera setup featuring a 12MP wide lens and 12MP ultra-wide sensor.
According to Apple, the wide camera featured on the device delivers 27% better low-light performance and employs computational photography which leverages machine learning to improve photo quality.
All three cameras now support Night Mode with an added time-lapse feature for long-time shots.
Three storage options are available – 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB – while there will also be five colours to choose from – black, white, red, blue, and green.
The iPhone 12’s battery supports wireless fast charging which can be performed using the company’s new range of MagSafe magnetic chargers.
iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max Camera
The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max both have triple-lens rear camera systems which also include a depth sensor, delivering the best image quality ever offered by an iPhone.
Apple noted that its Night Mode functionality is also available on both the rear and front-facing cameras, allowing users to take high-quality low-light photos without using a flash.
The iPhone 12 Pro’s triple-camera system delivers 4x optical zoom, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers 5x optical zoom.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max also includes Sensor-Shift technology, which is used to stabilise the actual image sensor in the device to improve photo quality under movement.
Apple’s new iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max devices are also the first smartphones to support video recording using the Dolby Vision HDR standard.
Both iPhone 12 Pro smartphones also come with Lidar scanners, which improve camera functionality across almost all photo and video capture scenarios – especially when taking low-light shots.
The new iPhone models also support Apple’s new MagSafe system.
Apple also rolled out a new MagSafe Duo charger which uses this technology to charge your iPhone 12 Pro or Pro Max and Apple Watch simultaneously.
The company confirmed that it will no longer ship earphones or a charging brick with its new devices, citing the positive environmental impact of this decision.
Instead, the smartphones will ship with a new USB Type-C to Lightning cable.
Pricing and availability
iPhone 12 pre-orders will open on 16 October, and it will ship from 23 October.
The iPhone 12 Pro will be available for pre-order on 16 October and will roll out from 23 October and the Max model will be up for pre-order on 6 November and in stores on 13 November.
Pricing for the iPhone 12 is as follows:
- iPhone 12 128GB – $799
- iPhone 12 256GB- $849
- iPhone 12 128GB – $949
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max:
iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro 128GB – $999
- iPhone 12 Pro 256GB – $1,099
- iPhone 12 Pro 512GB – $1,299
iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro Max 128GB – $1,099
- iPhone 12 Pro Max 256GB – $1,199
- iPhone 12 Pro Max 512GB – $1,399
Apple will not include a charging brick or its wired earbuds in the box, which it claims will help reduce carbon emissions, however, a USB-C to Lightning charging cable will be included.
South African availability, launch dates, and prices are yet to be confirmed.
Here are specifications of the devices:
| Specifications | Apple iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Display | 6.1-inch 2,532 x 1,170 OLED | 6.1-inch 2,532 x 1,125 OLED | 6.7-inch 2,778 x 1,242 OLED |
| OS | iOS 14 | iOS 14 | iOS 14 |
| Processor | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP + 12MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Lightning | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, Lightning | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, Lightning |
| Network | 5G | 5G | 5G |
| Biometrics | FaceID | FaceID | FaceID |
| Battery | Up to 17 hours video playback, 65 hours audio playback | - | - |
| Durability | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm |
Written by: Gabriella Steyn.
Guzzle Media
