Apple Unveils Four New iPhone 12’s & a New HomePod Mini
Was it worth the wait? Many would say so as Apple unveiled a range of new iPhone 12’s including a new HomePod Mini.
The iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max made its much anticipated debut at an event dubbed “Hi, Speed” on Tuesday.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini with 5G technology feature edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays and a new Ceramic Shield front cover, providing the biggest jump in durability ever on iPhone.
iPhone 12
Apple says the iPhone 12 has the most 5G bands in a single smartphone.
The new 5G devices features an aluminium frame with smooth edges and a glass back, making it 11% thinner, 15% smaller, and 16% lighter than the iPhone 11.
It boasts a 6.1-inch size display with Apple switching from an LCD screen to an OLED panel on the offering a peak 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.
The iPhone 12 sports a new dual-camera setup comprising a 12MP wide lens and 12MP ultra-wide sensor and a front facing selfie camera. All three cameras now support Night Mode with an added time-lapse feature for long-time shots.
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 mini
The iPhone 12 Mini boasts a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display which has a 2,340 x 1,080 resolution and despite its size, the iPhone 12 Mini has the exact same features as the iPhone 12.
The Apple-designed A14 Bionic, the fastest chip in a smartphone. iPhone 12 models also introduce MagSafe, offering high-powered wireless charging and an all-new ecosystem of accessories that easily attach to iPhone.
The iPhone 12 Mini uses a dual-camera system, with a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a new 12MP wide camera, which has a f/1.6 aperture.
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini will be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB models in blue, green, black, white, and PRODUCT(RED), starting at £799 (approximately R17,050) and £699 (approximately R14,909), respectively.
Pre-orders for iPhone 12 start on 16 October with availability beginning 23 October. iPhone 12 mini will be available for pre-order beginning 6 November and in stores on 13 November.
iPhone Pro & iPhone Pro Max
Apple has unveiled two models, a 6.1” iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7” iPhone 12 Pro Max, featuring the biggest display we’ve ever seen in an iPhone,
The iPhone 12 Pro will support both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, meaning that both phones should work with all the various types of 5G networks from all three major US carriers. Apple says that it offers “the most 5G bands of any smartphone” promising that it’ll support a wide array of cellular carriers around the world and their various 5G standards.
The new devices also include the A14 Bionic chip, featuring a 16-core Neural Engine — for an 80% increase in performance and is capable of completing 11 trillion operations per second, and is faster and more efficient than prior iterations.
Both displays have the same “Super Retina XDR” technology featuring Apple’s Ceramic Shield technology, which Apple says offers glass that’s tougher than any other smartphone display, with four times better “drop performance” when it comes to preventing your phone from cracking when dropped.
It also has the MagSafe accessory tech Apple showed off with the iPhone 12, which will let cases and other accessories magnetically attach to the phones.
This year’s devices feature a new, flat-edged design, stainless steel case designs and LiDAR sensors which adds depth mapping technology 3D augmented reality mapping.
iPhone Pro and Pro Max feature three cameras, a 12 megapixel wide angle lens, a 12MP ultrawide and a telephoto lens
Apple’s new Deep Fusion feature also taps into the new A14 Bionic processor for photo processing. Apple ProRAW, a new file format gives users more editing flexibility like other RAW formats. You’ll also be able to shoot and edit 10-bit Dolby Vision content right from the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max.
It’s been rumored for months, but now it’s official: Apple will no longer be including headphones or a wall power adapter with the iPhone. The company cites the potential environmental impact as their reasoning, noting that there are already “billions” of compatible chargers out in the world.
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 12 Pro will be available in 128GB – $999 (approximately R16,467); 256GB – $1,099 (approximately R18,115); 512GB – $1,299 (approximately R21,412) while iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in 128GB – $1,099 (approximately R18,115); 256GB – $1,199 (approximately R19,763); 512GB – $1,399 (approximately R23,060).
The iPhone 12 Pro will be available for pre-order on 16 October and will roll out from 23 October, while the Max model will be up for pre-order on 6 November and in stores on 13 November.
HomePod Mini
Apple also announced the HomePod mini, the company’s latest Siri-powered smart speaker featuring a new circular bowl-shaped design, wrapped in mesh fabric and backlit touch surface for controls.
The HomePod Mini delivers a 360-degree array and is powered by the Apple S5 chip. It supports AirPlay 2 with multi-room capabilities, so you can pair multiple speakers.
Apple says the HomePod mini analyses music and optimizes loudness, dynamic range, and more. Apple new mini speaker automatically integrates with the Home app and works with CarPlay.
Apple says HomePod mini is designed to work with Apple Music, podcasts, radio stations from iHeartRadio, radio.com, and TuneIn, and in the coming months, popular music services including Pandora and Amazon Music.
A new Intercom feature offers a quick and easy way for family members to connect with each other at home. One person can send an Intercom message from one HomePod to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone, or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker. Intercom works with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay,
HomePod Mini costs $ 99 (approximately R1,632) and it will start shipping on 16 November.
