It’s finally here: Apple’s newest iPhone was unveiled along with a new iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro – and the iPhone Pro Max – at the October event, and pre-orders are open.
The new iPhone replaces the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro as the tech company’s flagship phone.
There were a number of exciting new features announced for both the standard and Pro devices. Some of the most exciting being the 5G connectivity and A14 bionic chip capabilities as well as camera performance and more.
You can also expect the new phone to come with iOS 14, which means you get the new translate app, and changes to your home screen.
We also now have pre-order dates, with iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro coming 16th October, while the iPhone Mini and iPhone Pro Max coming on 6th November.
We break down all of latest news on the iPhone 12 including price, release date, specs and features below.
iPhone 12 facts
- What is the new iPhone called? iPhone 12, but there’s a new Mini too.
- When is the iPhone 12 release date? 23rd October
- When can I pre-order the iPhone 12? pre-orders from 16th October for iPhone 12 and Pro, iPhone Mini and iPhone Pro Max are later on 6th November.
- What is iPhone 12’s price in the UK? Prices start at £699 for the iPhone 12 Mini up to £1099 for the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
- What colours are the iPhone 12? black, white, red, green and a new blue (standard and mini), plus metallic colours for the Pro models.
- Is iPhone 12 5G? Yes.
iPhone 12 release date
The new iPhone 12 will be released on 23rd October. You can pre-order iPhone 12 and iPhone Pro from 16th October and the Mini and Pro Max slightly later, pre-orders on 6th November and release on 13th November.
iPhone 12 price: How much will the iPhone 12 cost?
Apple has now confirmed the price starts at $799 US, that’s $100 more than iPhone 11 – but expected thanks to the new 5G tech.
In the UK the iPhone 12 is £799. The iPhone Mini comes in at £699, making it the cheapest model of the four.
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max were significantly more expensive, at £999 for the Pro and £1099 for the Pro Max.
UK
64GB – £799
128GB – £849
256GB – £949
USA
64GB – $799
128GB – $849
256GB – $949
More specific pricing will become clear as networks announce their contracts too. We’ve broken down who will be opening pre-orders and selling iPhone 12 below.
iPhone 12 design and display
The new iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch display and a notch at the top of the display. The notch doesn’t seem to have changed in size.
The iPhone 12 Mini fits in the palm of your hand and features a 5.4-inch display. However, thanks to removed borders and more streamlined designs, it is a smaller device than the 4.7-inch screen models of the past.
This model has exactly the same features of the standard iPhone 12, the only difference is the size. There is a $100 launch price difference between the two devices, with the larger handset coming in as slightly more.
The iPhone 12 comes in five colours – black, white, red, green and blue.
There’s also a new aluminum frame around the outside of the iPhone 12 – and the edges seem less rounded (think iPhone 5S).
The devices are all splash resistant and have four times better durability, thanks to a brand new screen that merges glass and crystal to be even stronger than the iPhone 11 and earlier models. Apple has named this the ceramic shield. The Pro can even be submerged up to 6 metres of water for up to 30 minutes at a time.
The screens also feature a super retina XDR display which has a higher resolution and twice as many pixels as the previous iPhone 11 model. That means clearer and crisper images as well as shaper colours.
It’s also 11 percent thinner, 15 percent smaller, and 16 percent lighter than the previous model.
The standard and mini devices have two back cameras, while the Pros have three on the back.
iPhone 12 screen size
There are various screen sizes available on the different models:
- iPhone 12 mini – 5.4-inch
- iPhone 12 (standard) – 6.1-inch
- iPhone 12 Pro – 6.1-inch
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – 6.7-inch
iPhone 12 5G connectivity
One of the most exciting moments of the launch was the demonstration of the 5G capabilities of the new smartphone, which have been tested to work with 100 networks, including T-Mobile, Orange and Vodaphone, in more than 30 regions.
In ideal conditions, download speeds can reach 4GB per second, with upload speeds of 200MB per second thanks to the new 5G Ultra Wideband created in collaboration with Verizon. This means higher quality video, more responsive gaming, less network congestion and higher speeds.
However, during the Apple event, it was noted that in typical (rather than ideal conditions) download speeds would be 1GB per second, not 4GB.
To help facilitate the still very fast speed, 5G antennae have been placed all the way around the iPhone device and Apple has optimised IOS frameworks so they work with 5G without using excess energy.
The handsets will also only use 5G when needed and automatically switch to LTE when it isn’t needed.
iPhone 12 processor
Another one of the biggest updates is the brand new A14 bionic chip which, according to Apple during the release event on 13th October, is the fastest in the world. It means the phone should be able to perform faster but more energy efficiently while doing so.
There’s also good news for gamers, as the PC game League of Legends Wild Rift will now be available to play on the super fast device, thanks to the highly sophisticated processing powers and associated graphics capabilities.
iPhone 12 cameras
The standard iPhone 12 features a dual camera with ultra wide lens (top) plus a wide 12mp lens (beneath). The lower lens has seven elements which produce a 27 per cent improvement in performance.
The ‘computational photography’ features allow the camera to pick up smaller detail even in difficult lighting conditions. Night mode is now even faster than previous models and can take great images which are super clear even with no flash.
On the Pro, the ‘deep fusion’ feature allows pixel by pixel texture and precision for the highest quality images, all achieved through a number of high-tech processes. There are four cameras in total, three on the back and one on the front. All four have the deep fusion feature and the three on the back consist of an ultra wide lens, wide lens and additional telephoto lens which is for portrait taking.
The Pro Max is slightly larger in size, which allows for a 5X optimal zoom range. There are new systems and sensors which allows more stable images and larger, faster pixels for the best quality. There’s also a 87 per cent performance improvement in low light conditions. The benefits extend across still photography and video capture.
iPhone 12 battery
We’ve simply been told the iPhone 12 has a bigger battery, but no specifics yet. Apple has said that it will last for 16 hours of video playback (that’s not streamed).
Fast-charging is available that can take the battery from zero to 50 percent in half hour – but that’s with a separate 20W charger.
iPhone 12 port – Magsafe charging
Charging has changed, thanks to the new iPhone Magsafe system. The magnetic charging facilities mean you can snap your charger onto the back (it’s a circular, flat pad) rather than needing to plug it into a port.
Cases and wallets can also attach magnetically to the device and chargers still work though both. All magnets in the phone are also made from recycled sources.
iPhone 12 colours
The new iPhone 12 comes in five colours, black, white, red, green and a new blue. There is an aluminium frame on the outside.
The iPhone 12 Pro comes in four different, metallic colours including gold and the brand new pacific blue shade. The Pros also have a surgical steel frame around the edge.
There’s plenty to choose from with iPhone 12 colours. We expected changes as when the iPhone XR was released in 2018, there were blue and coral colourways that the later iPhone 11 was not sold in. These colours were replaced with a more pastel palette of purple and green.
iPhone 12 accessories
No free headphones in the box this time, but you do get the USB-C lightning cable to charge. You can use the existing charging bricks or use wireless charging. You get a slimmer box too.
Can you pre-order iPhone 12?
Yes, soon. Pre-order dates were announced at the launch event on 13th October: the first is 16th October for the standard iPhone 12 and Pro models. The Mini and Pro Max are available from 6th November.
O2
Pre-order the iPhone 12 from 16th October, pre-order Mini and Pro Max 5G from 6th November.
- iPhone 12 – pre-order at O2
- iPhone 12 Pro – pre-order at O2
- iPhone 12 Mini – pre-order at O2
Mobiles.co.uk
Pre-order from 16th October at 1pm.
- iPhone 12 – £799 at Mobiles.co.uk
- iPhone 12 Pro – starting at £999 at Mobiles.co.uk
- iPhone 12 Mini – starting at £699 at Mobiles.co.uk
Currys
Register your interest for iPhone 12 and the Pro – or check back here.
Carphone Warehouse
Register your interest for the iPhone 12 and Pro – or check back here.
Three
Register your interest for iPhone 12 and Pro on 16th October, iPhone Mini and Pro Max on 6th November.
Vodafone
Register your interest for iPhone 12 and Pro, iPhone Mini and Pro Max.
Apple October event
The iPhone 12 launch event was called ‘Hi, Speed’ and was held on 13th October 2020 at 6pm UK Time (10am PDT).
The event name was a reference to the iPhone 12’s speedy new processor (the A14 Bionic chip) as well as the support for the ultra-fast 5G data network.
Good news travels fast. Join us for a special #AppleEvent on October 13 at 10 a.m. PDT. Tap the ♥️ and we’ll send you a reminder on event day. pic.twitter.com/jxal9gXpKA
— Apple (@Apple) October 6, 2020
Latest iPhone 11 deals
If the iPhone 12 doesn’t sound like something you want or you just cant wait for the release date, we’ve rounded up some of the best iPhone 11 deals in a full list below. Here’s a snippet of what’s on offer this month from the 64GB models:
iPhone 11 64GB, £38 per month (£19.99 upfront)
The 64GB device at no upfront cost and a charge of £47 per month, with which you get 100GB data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts on Three. A one-year Apple TV+ subscription is also included.
iPhone 11 Pro 64GB, £44 per month (£249 upfront)
For £44 a month (and a reasonable £69 upfront), this Three contract offers unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and a sizable 100GB of data. Get free roaming and access to London Underground wi-fi too.
iPhone Pro 11 Max 64GB, £60 per month (£84.99 upfront)
For the larger screen version of the Pro, you are usually looking at a much higher monthly cost (24 month contract) – not with this deal. For £60 a month, you’ll get unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and a decent chunk (15GB) of data.
The release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X edges closer and closer and, with Prime Day here and Black Friday and Cyber Monday on the way, as these are great opportunities to pick up new tech at a bargain price.
from Radio Times https://ift.tt/31dbCWM
