All of the new features iPhone 12 has — and 2 it got rid of
Apple held a special event on Tuesday to introduce the newest iPhone 12 models and a new iPod Home Mini smart speaker. The presentation focused on 5G compatibility, high-quality photography, and improved performance for gaming. The prices for the iPhone 12s will range from $699 to $1099, with discounts available for trade-ins.
Here's a look at the products announced in today's video.
HomePod Mini
The HomePod mini smart speakers are cute little mesh balls that will be available in white and space grey colors. The speakers will cost $99 and can be pre-ordered starting November 6 ahead of their November 16 release.
The HomePod mini will feature "computational audio" — meaning the speakers will automatically adjust its tuning based on the song. It can also detect another mini speaker in the area and pair up with it.
Siri will be a staple in the speakers as well. Users can ask the virtual assistant to do and answer almost anything, including searching for songs by lyrics, checking your schedule on your phone, and sending messages to family members in different rooms through an app called "Intercom."
iPhone 12
The iPhone 12 features a dazzling lineup of colors including blue, green, red, black, and white. Pre-orders begin on October 16 and shipments will go out October 23. The price starts at $799.
The phone has flat edges with a screen that's flush to the sides for a 6.1" display size that still keeps the phone 11 percent thinner, 15 percent smaller, and 16 percent lighter than previous models. The company also boasts that an improved and customized OLED display screen features twice as many pixels as the iPhone 11, which offers better color quality.
5G compatibility was the focus of the presentation, with Apple claiming that the super fast connection will encourage user privacy by keeping people off unsecured, public Wi-Fi networks.
Also in the announcement were some notable absences in the iPhone 12: headphones and a charging brick. As had been widely speculated, both of the items will be sold separately. Apple is painting the decision as an environmentally-conscious one, as many customers already have headphones and chargers lying around from previous models.
Improved processing chips have also improved gaming performance for the iPhone 12.
The event also announced the arrival of League of Legends: Wild Rift to the iPhone and placed emphasis on a smooth performance that gives players an enjoyable, portable experience.
iPhone 12 Mini
The iPhone 12 mini is exactly like the iPhone 12, but smaller. Customers can choose from the same five colors and can expect a starting price of $699 when pre-orders open on November 6. The phones will be available on November 13.
The minis have a 5.4" display and is the smallest, thinnest, and lightest 5G phone in the world, according to Apple. Just like its larger counterpart, it's more durable and can withstand water and fall damage thanks to its Ceramic Shield glass.
The dual cameras on the back offer wide angles and an improved night mode that takes better selfies in dim light.
Machine learning will kick in to help adjust photos for sharpness and color.
iPhone 12 Pro & iPhone 12 Pro Max
Apple is also opening pre-orders for the iPhone 12 Pro model starting at $999 on October 16. The phone will be available for sale on October 23 in graphite, gold, silver, and pacific blue colors.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max has an even larger, 6.7" display with the same features and colors as the Pro. It'll retail for $1099 when it goes up for pre-orders on November 6 and will be available on November 13.
The iPhone 12 Pro is larger than the regular 12 with a 6.1" display that is dust, water, and drop resistant. The focus of the iPhone 12 Pro and Max Pro seems to be their improved cameras. These models sport three cameras on the back and one on the front. This improves the quality of photos from various distances, whether you're taking selfies, pics of landscapes, or really wide shots.
Home videos are also improved; both models are capable of taking 4K resolution HDR videos at 60 FPS.
The iPhone 12 Pro and Max Pro also feature a LiDAR scanner that offers users a more accurate and precise Augmented Reality (AR) experience. The scanner also improves the accuracy and speed of the cameras' autofocus in low light.
