Apple event: iPhone 12 series, HomePod Mini, and other announcements
Apple has finally announced its latest clutch of iPhones. The line-up includes the iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, and a new iPhone 12 mini. All the handsets feature a new design with flat edges, a wide display notch, OLED screens, an A14 Bionic chipset, 5G support, and MagSafe wireless charging technology. Here are more details.
iPhone 12 features a flat-metal frame and the screen is protected by a "Ceramic Shield" that is touted to offer four times better drop performance. Apple also claims that it has "the most 5G bands in a phone." It offers a 6.1-inch OLED screen with 1170x2532 pixels resolution. Under the hood, there is an A14 Bionic chipset.
The iPhone 12 offers a dual rear camera setup comprising a 12MP (f/1.6, OIS) main sensor and a 12MP (f/2.4) ultra-wide lens. The cameras support computational photography, Smart HDR 3, Night mode time-lapse, 4K video recording and other features.
Joining the iPhone 12 is an all-new iPhone 12 mini which sports the same hardware as the standard model but in a more compact form-factor. It has a 5.4-inch OLED screen with a 1080x2340 pixel resolution.
Further, the line-up includes iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max. The former has a 6.1-inch (1170x2532 pixels) OLED screen while the latter sports a 6.7-inch (1284x2778 pixels) display. The duo has a stainless steel body, IP68 dust and water-resistance, Ceramic Shield protection, MagSafe technology and the A14 Bionic chipset. In the US, iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1,099, respectively.
The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max have a triple rear camera setup including a 12MP main lens, a 12MP telephoto sensor, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera lens. These sensors are also aided by a LiDAR scanner. The "Pro Cameras" are touted to be the first-ever smartphone cameras to offer 10-bit HDR and Dolby Vision HDR video recording support in 4K resolution at 60fps.
The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max start at Rs. 1,19,900 and Rs. 1,29,900, respectively, for the 128GB model. The iPhone 12 mini and 12 cost Rs. 69,900 and Rs. 79,900 for their respective 64GB base models. The pre-orders for the iPhone 12 and Pro will start from October 23, while the Pro Max and mini will be available for booking starting November 6.
Apple also announced a new, smaller and cheaper version of its HomePod smart speaker, called the HomePod mini. It costs Rs. 9,900 ($99 in the US). It has a spherical shape with touch controls mounted on top, U1 chip for spatial awareness functions, an S5 chipset, and "computational audio" that adjusts sound based on the environment. Of course, it also offers support for Siri.
To recall, Apple had removed MagSafe charging from the MacBook four years ago to favor USB Type-C. However, the name is back now, but only for the new iPhones. MagSafe uses magnets to automatically align to compatible chargers and is capable of juicing up the batteries at up to 15W. Apple has also made a combo folding charger for the iPhone and the Watch.
