New iPhone 12: Features That Singaporeans Will Confirm Like
Finally, after dozens of rumours and a delayed expected announcement, the iPhone 12 was formally introduced to the world on October 14, 1am. And yes, the rumours are true: we are getting four different iPhone models this year.
Apple has unveiled the 6.1-inch iPhone 12, along with a tinier 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini reminiscent of the older iPhone 5 from years back. Both these iPhone specs are exactly the same.
Then there’s the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max for those with the cash to splash for the best iPhone. The insides of both these Pro models are similar, but there are a couple of differences in the camera system. We’ll get to that below.
Thinking of buying the new iPhone 12? Here’s our roundup of all the cool new iPhone 12 features that every Singaporean confirm plus chop will appreciate.
Super speeds with the A14 Bionic Chip and 5G
Don’t need to be kiasu, all the iPhone 12 models come with the same features. All four iPhone devices will feature the latest A14 Bionic chip built-in for faster performance (15% faster than the A13) and 30% less power for extra battery life. For all the sai kang warriors, that’s one less worry for you if you have to OT in the office.
The entire line-up also comes with 5G to watch Netflix or play games without lag on the MRT or bus. Plus, the iPhone 12 is smart enough to quickly switch back to 4G LTE when there’s poor 5G coverage. Our local telcos, Singtel, Starhub, and M1 are 5G ready.
With 5G speeds and the new A14 Bionic chip, now iPhone gamers won’t be left behind when playing "Mobile Legends" or the brand-new "League of Legends: Wild Rift", which was showcased on the Apple iPhone announcement video. Unfortunately, you still can’t play "Fortnite" on the iPhone.
Super Retina XDR display OLED
Speaking of watching Netflix and playing games, all iPhone 12 owners will be able to enjoy the same Super Retina XDR display OLED screen this year – now you don’t have to “settle” for an LCD screen when it comes to owning the “cheaper” iPhone models like the iPhone XR and the iPhone 11.
Ceramic Shield
For all the clumsy, blur like sotong Singaporeans out there - you’ll be pleased to know that all four models sport a new Ceramic Shield glass which Apple claims to be four times stronger for drop performance. I’ve no idea how to quantify drop performance, but this sounds perfect for clumsy fellas who constantly drop their phones. You should still splurge on a sturdy phone case though for extra peace of mind.
Like the previous models, the iPhone 12 line-up is also dust, spill and splash resistant, and able to withstand a maximum depth of 6m up to 30 minutes. That staycay pool selfie with bae? Still possible!
Better cameras for photographers and Instagrammers
There’s plenty to be excited about if you want to up your Insta-game. First, the Night Mode feature is now available in all iPhone 12 models and works on the selfie camera as well. This works automatically when the iPhone senses low light. There’s also Smart HD3 to adjust your photo’s sharpness, colour and white balance automatically through machine learning. Talk about Insta-worthy shots to boost your likes.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini sport two cameras - a Wide and Ultra Wide lens on the rear. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max has an additional Telephoto lens for 2x and 2.5x optical zoom in respectively – no more blurry zoomed-in portrait shots!
The iPhone 12 Pro Max also boasts an added Sensor Shift OIS on its wide lens (optical image stabilisation) that’s one step better than the regular OIS on the other iPhone 12 models.
The Pro models will come with Apple ProRAW tech in the future, for professional photographers who only want to shoot and edit photos in RAW.
LiDAR - what’s that?
The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max also comes with LiDAR – first seen on the iPad Pro, LiDAR can accurately measure the depth of a space. This doesn’t only give 6x faster autofocus, it also enables accurate AR tech in your hands. For example, with the IKEA Place app you can virtually place true-to-scale 3D IKEA furniture models to see how it fits in your HDB décor.
4K HDR video with Dolby Vision for your Instagram Stories
On the video side, all the iPhone models will be able to record in 4K HDR video with Dolby Vision, the format used by film studios — up to 4K at 30 FPS on iPhone 12 models and up to 4K at 60 FPS on Pro models. Academy Award winning videos of your doggo, anyone?
MagSafe
Another cool feature is MagSafe – if you’ve heard this word before, yes it’s the name for the magnetic chargers used for older MacBooks. This time, MagSafe is built right onto the back of all the iPhone 12 models. No more fumbling with cables or not placing your phone on the wireless charger correctly – all the iPhone 12 models will line-up perfectly on the MagSafe wireless charger (sold separately, in typical Apple fashion) using the power of magnets.
Other accessories
Of course, MagSafe opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to personalising the exterior of your new iPhone 12. Apple will release dozens of new phone cases and card cases in various colours, all of which connect securely with MagSafe. You’ll still be able to charge your phone wirelessly using MagSafe through the case too.
And that’s only from Apple. I’m sure there will be a lot more third-party Apple cases and accessories that will take advantage of MagSafe.
Fast charging out of the box (sorta)
Do you own an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro (and Max), iPhone XS (and Max) or iPhone XR, and wondered why your phone charges so slow? That’s because it doesn’t come with fast-charging out of the box — you need to buy a USB‑C to Lightning cable plus a USB-C adapter to get it to work. For the iPhone 12, Apple will include this cable with every purchase (finally!) but you still need to buy a USB-C adapter (boo!).
On the flip side, Apple will no longer package the slow power adapter or a pair of EarPods. Honestly though, when was the last time you used those EarPods?
A colour for every one
Colour-wise, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini come in White, Black, Blue, Green, and Product (Red). Blue’s my favourite, it’s a darker shade compared to my blue iPhone XR. As for the iPhone 12 Pro, it comes in Graphite (fancy name for black), Silver, Gold, and a new Pacific Blue. Talk about being spoilt for choice.
How to buy the iPhone 12?
Head over to the official website on October 16 from 8pm onwards to place your pre-orders for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. Those who successfully pre-ordered and those who prefer to buy the phone in person will have to wait until October 23 for a chance to get their hands on both models.
For those interested in the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, pre-orders for those devices only start on November 6. 9:00 PM, but you don’t have to wait too long for these iPhone models to be released – mark November 13 on your calendars if either one of these are on your wishlist.
Want to score a good contract deal with a telco? Check out the Circles.Life deal or pre-register for the iPhone 12 at Singtel. Starhub orders begin tomorrow, while we await M1’s announcement. Do note that these are for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro only.
The iPhone 12 Complete Price Guide
iPhone 12
• 64GB: S$1,299
• 128GB: S$1,369
• 256GB: S$1,539
iPhone 12 Mini
• 64GB: S$1,149
• 128GB: S$1,219
• 256GB: S$1,389
iPhone 12 Pro
• 128GB: S$1,649
• 256GB: S$1,819
• 512GB: S$2,149
iPhone 12 Pro Max
• 128GB: S$1,799
• 256GB: S$1,969
• 512GB: S$2,299
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