Apple Unveils 5.4-Inch iPhone 12 mini Starting At $699, iPhone 12 Pro Rocks LIDAR And Dolby Vision HDR Video Capture
As in previous years, the iPhone 12 lineup is being split into two distinct families: the mainstream iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12, along with the flagship iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12
These are the entry-level models in the new smartphone family, and they are both powered by Apple’s new A14 Bionic SoC. Apple’s new A14 Bionic SoC is a 6-core design that is claimed to be 50 percent faster than any other CPU and GPU in competing smartphones. In addition, the Neural Engine has doubled from 8 to 16 cores, resulting in 80 percent faster performance than the unit found in the preceding A13 Bionic.
Like its predecessors, these phones feature a lightweight aluminum unibody, but they have now been upgraded to feature OLED displays (instead of an LCD). We also see the introduction of a new, smaller 5.4-inch SKU that joins the 6.1-inch form-factor that was first introduced with the iPhone XR (2018) and continued with the iPhone 11 (2019). Apple says that the iPhone 12 mini is the thinnest and lightest 5G smartphone in the world.
The new 1200 nits peak brightness Super Retina XDR display offers 1200 nits of peak brightness, and supports Dolby Vision, and HDR 10 standards. That display is covered in what’s called Ceramic Shield, which was developed by Corning. This strengthens the display glass, making it tougher than any smartphone glass along with 4x better drop performance.
As have been widely rumored, 5G is now included across the iPhone 12 family, with support for both sub-6GHz and mmWave spectrum. Apple is also introducing Smart Mode, so when you don’t need 5G speeds, it falls back to 4G LTE to conserve battery life.
Better low-light performance is also on deck with the new camera system, along with updates to computational computing with Smart HDR 3 technology, and enhanced Night Mode (thanks to the faster aperture). Night Mode also extends to the ultra-wide camera and the front-facing FaceTime HD camera.
MagSafe is making a return, this time on the iPhone 12. It is compatible with existing Qi wireless chargers, but uses magnets to properly align the charger with the phone. This optimizes charging performance and should hopefully allow you to charger faster. The company is introducing a new Dual Wireless Charger that will charge both your iPhone and the Apple Watch at the same time.
iPhone 12 mini
- 5.4-inch OLED display
- A14 Bionic SoC
- Dual cameras
- 64GB, 128GB, 256GB capacities
- Available in Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White
- Priced from $699
iPhone 12
- 6.1-inch OLED display
- A14 Bionic SoC
- Dual cameras
- 64GB, 128GB, 256GB capacities
- Available in Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White
- Priced from $799
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
These are Apple’s newest flagship smartphones, and they of course throw in all of the latest display and camera technology at the company’s disposal. Whereas the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 use aluminum in their construction, both the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.5-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max use stainless steel.
In addition to their more premium materials, the three cameras on the rear have also been upgraded, and are now augmented by a LIDAR scanner. There’s a new 12MP telephoto lens with a 65mm focal length along with a new wide-angle lens (now with a 47 percent larger sensor) with f/1.6 aperture and a new optical image stabilization system. The iPhone 12 Pro can shoot, playback, and edit 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR. As for the LIDAR scanner, Apple says that it can help in low-light photography thanks to advanced depth mapping capabilities.
iPhone 12 Pro
- 6.1-inch OLED display
- A14 Bionic SoC
- Triple cameras including 4x optical zoom + LiDAR
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB capacities
- Available in Blue, Gold, Graphite, And Silver
- Priced from $999
iPhone 12 Pro Max
- 6.7-inch OLED display
- A14 Bionic SoC
- Triple cameras including 5x optical zoom + LiDAR
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB capacities
- Available in Blue, Gold, Graphite, And Silver
- Priced from $1,099
Tying up some loose ends, the iPhone lineup now starts with the iPhone SE priced at $399, while last year's iPhone 11 falls to just $599, leaving the new iPhone 12 mini to take the ball from there starting at $699.
