iPhone 12 mini for me. I don’t care about the camera upgrades, and the rest of the upgrades are incremental. I’ll take that smaller price and smaller phone.
With no earphone and charger it is a price increase
Like most humans with a phone, I already own a USB cable. And with double the entry-level storage on my Pro it's still a decrease. Try again.
It was kind of outrageous that they only included a paltry 64gb on a £1099 phone last year, 128gb is the least they could do for that price, really it should be 256gb.
A design change that I’m sure many will like , and others not.
A very small camera improvement, I guess.
5G almost worthless.
Rest.... shrug.
Best upgrade is the regular 12 and it’s new screen.
Otherwise all pretty meh.
Minor camera changes? Added stops of low light, Night Mode on wide angle, LiDAR focusing, Dolby Vision with 60x more color capture, 7-element lens for edge-to-edge sharpness, etc etc. You're just ignorant about the changes.
Not ignorant. Fully aware of them. In general usage , still don’t think they matter that much at all. Hardly ever use the wide angle lens compared to the telephoto.
I cared more about high refresh screen and longer battery life and neither of these were delivered. So yeah , a pretty meh update.
A design change that I’m sure many will like , and others not.
A very small camera improvement, I guess.
5G almost worthless.
Rest.... shrug.
Best upgrade is the regular 12 and it’s new screen.
Otherwise all pretty meh.
Minor camera changes? Added stops of low light, Night Mode on wide angle, LiDAR focusing, Dolby Vision with 60x more color capture, 7-element lens for edge-to-edge sharpness, etc etc. You're just ignorant about the changes.
It's very subjective but, not counting 5G, I don't see massive changes either.
It could be argued that some changes were long overdue (on iPhones) but still aren't great (the whole battery situation, refresh rates, still no on SoC modem ...).
Rather than 'massive' I'd put them into the normal upgrade practice of iPhone to iPhone.
Low light on the wide angle should have been on last year's phone together with better zoom. The notch still hasn't seen major changes. Still no alternative biometric option etc.
I'm a fan of the design but as it isn't new, it's hardly breaking any new ground.
It's very subjective, but I haven't ever seen you as anything but biased wrt to the iPhone.
Apple follows its own roadmap for hardware and software development, whereas the Android OS hardware market is commoditization of massive numbers of models isn units of low margin hardware plus limited production of Flagships outfitted with margin killing features to differentiate amongst all of the other flagships.
As I have oft stated, Apple is its own market, and sees very little real competition from Android OS flagships; different business models.
Personally I was never a fan of the square sided phones. Nothing against the looks, I just found that I dropped my 4s(?) a whole lot more often than I did my 3G with rounded sides, or my 6s that I got after it. A case generally negates that issue, though.
Agreed on form factor, the 3G and 3GS were my personal favs. I have the 12 Pro and the flat sides seem to provide less surface area to grip, you're gripping the edge point rather than entire wrap around touch points. Pros and cons.
AT&T wants me to upgrade my service in order to use the 5G network. Funk dat. I don't recall having to pay into a new plan to use LTE, it just became available when I had a phone with an LTE radio.
IIRC, 4G was the same way, initially. Eventually it became standard. I expect it will be the same with 5G. For the time being, there’s absolutely no point in paying extra to get 5G. You’ve already got 5Ge for free, anyway, right?
I find that the flat sides are a huge benefit to video and photography, but otherwise, I believe that I will prefer the ergonomics of the iPhone 12's to previous rounded edge models.
In all my years with an iPhone, I've only had two issues when it comes to durability. The glass back has cracked -- twice and I continue to have scratches on the upper edge of my display. What is so infuriating about these is that they simply should not be happening. I've never dropped my phone, yet the back glass cracked on me twice now.
I have no idea if it is from an accidental bump or what but it somehow happened without the phone tumbling to the ground. For those who are already wondering, one of these happened while donning a case.
I do know where the scratches on the top of the phone come from though. I typically store my iPhone 11 Pro Max in my back left pocket, and I repetitively place it against my pants with the screen facing my body and slide it down as to catch the top of the back pocket and continue sliding it down before letting it go.
I repeat the same motion dozens of times a day, typically while wearing jeans, causing a set of faint wear marks on that top edge. It is absurd that sliding the phone in and out of your pocket could cause these scratches on the display, but here we are.
The new ceramic shield will aid in drop protection but will do nothing to remedy either of my outstanding issues. To make it more frustrating, the cracked back can't be easily replaced and requires an entire exchange of the phone and a higher out-of-pocket cost compared to a normal screen replacement.
We applaud Apple for increasing the durability of the new phones, but it isn't enough.
Andrew: You might try buying a larger size of jeans the next time you're in the market.
We've known since Bendgate of the iPhone 6+ era that carrying a large phone in a back pocket tends to bend it -- and iPhones were never meant to bend.
And, as you state: you carry yours in your back jean pocket with the screen facing your body -- and it's not unreasonable to assume that those jeans are fairly tight, particularly if they are tight enough to scuff the display as you slide the phone into your pocket. So, it makes perfect sense that you put lots and lots of pressure on that phone every time you bend or sit with it in your back pocket -- and that it would be the rear glass that cracks.
Another alternative, the one I favor, is to wear your LTE watch and leave the phone at home.
I do know where the scratches on the top of the phone come from though. I typically store my iPhone 11 Pro Max in my back left pocket, and I repetitively place it against my pants with the screen facing my body and slide it down as to catch the top of the back pocket and continue sliding it down before letting it go.
You probably should check all of your pants. For there to be scratches on the top edge of the glass, and secondarily, the cracks in the back glass, it implies there is something harder than than iPhone glass in them. .....
iPhone 12 mini for me. I don’t care about the camera upgrades, and the rest of the upgrades are incremental. I’ll take that smaller price and smaller phone.
I agree with the meh comments. I have an iPhone XR and I don't see a huge benefit of having flat sides and an OLED screen that isn't that great, as OLEDs go. At least the mini is something new. I just think the display is going to be too small (2mm narrower than an iPhone 8) for most people. It also feels like completely the wrong time to be increasing prices.
As far as 5G being nearly useless, it will depend on where you live and your carrier, of course.
My experience is that these first generation products seldom live up to their potential, even later in their lives. Everything has to be ideal.
This, coupled with Apple’s desire for better battery life, means the first gen power-hungry 5G chip, will forever be limited somewhat.
That’s said, I’m at the 4-year mark and buying anyway.
I worked for a computer company who called that "Bleeding Edge Technology" and avoided it like the plague. Very simply, they got more bang for their buck buying second generation hardware: it was cheaper and the bugs had been worked out.
AT&T wants me to upgrade my service in order to use the 5G network. Funk dat. I don't recall having to pay into a new plan to use LTE, it just became available when I had a phone with an LTE radio.
I would say "Funk AT&T"
Aren't they the ones selling Fake 5G?
If I were upgrading a plan it would be to a better carrier. A more honest one.
With no earphone and charger it is a price increase
Like most humans with a phone, I already own a USB cable. And with double the entry-level storage on my Pro it's still a decrease. Try again.
It was kind of outrageous that they only included a paltry 64gb on a £1099 phone last year, 128gb is the least they could do for that price, really it should be 256gb.
Yeh, when they upgraded the cameras to high end 4G 4K they should have upgraded the storage needed to hold those videos. The typical, non-technical user simply won't make that connection.
Apple has always been stingy with base level storage.
But, the flip side of that is that with 5G (slowly) opening up, it will enable more effective use of cloud storage and minimize the need for on-board storage.
A design change that I’m sure many will like , and others not.
A very small camera improvement, I guess.
5G almost worthless.
Rest.... shrug.
Best upgrade is the regular 12 and it’s new screen.
Otherwise all pretty meh.
Minor camera changes? Added stops of low light, Night Mode on wide angle, LiDAR focusing, Dolby Vision with 60x more color capture, 7-element lens for edge-to-edge sharpness, etc etc. You're just ignorant about the changes.
It's very subjective but, not counting 5G, I don't see massive changes either.
It could be argued that some changes were long overdue (on iPhones) but still aren't great (the whole battery situation, refresh rates, still no on SoC modem ...).
Rather than 'massive' I'd put them into the normal upgrade practice of iPhone to iPhone.
Low light on the wide angle should have been on last year's phone together with better zoom. The notch still hasn't seen major changes. Still no alternative biometric option etc.
I'm a fan of the design but as it isn't new, it's hardly breaking any new ground.
It's very subjective, but I haven't ever seen you as anything but biased wrt to the iPhone.
Apple follows its own roadmap for hardware and software development, whereas the Android OS hardware market is commoditization of massive numbers of models isn units of low margin hardware plus limited production of Flagships outfitted with margin killing features to differentiate amongst all of the other flagships.
As I have oft stated, Apple is its own market, and sees very little real competition from Android OS flagships; different business models.
Biased?
The points are objective. The overall upgrade opinion is subjective.
What you describe as 'Apple's own roadmap' is no different from anybody else's 'own roadmap'.
This has nothing to do with roadmaps per se.
It's got everything to do with adapting to market realities and trends and they are being forged on Android now and have been for a few years now. That's why tri-cameras, night mode, fast charging, computational computing etc haven't come over as 'big news' on recent iPhones. It's also why some of the big neutral reviewers have had a rather 'meh' attitude to some of the 'new' iPhone features, too.
With this refresh Apple has even adopted what many here said was 'impossible' just three years ago: having a new model at almost every price point. There were people who gloated that Apple had no need to change its iPhone business model because of its proven success.
Roadmaps sometimes have to change and often, they change due to external factors.
Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have been out for a week. In that short time they have shown themselves to be Apple's best year-over-year iPhone upgrade yet, even not including the future impact of 5G.
Rating: 4.5
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Andrew, Very compelling phone. Do we know who is the OLED screen supplier? In past year's it was Samsung. Has apple moved away from them? There were rumors that Apple has been trying to source more suppliers for years but never could get their quality up. If only these phones had a way of doing TouchId. I would be upgrading today from my iPhone8Plus but I'm going to try to wait 6 more months for Covid to be over.
It makes me smile when I read or hear that the flat sides of the new phones are "modern". How subjective and actually could the return to the iPhone 4 style be instead considered "classic" ? The truth is nothing is wrong with either style, rounded or flat. They both look very good. I've actually become very used to the rounded style and it could indeed be considered "modern". Ultimately it's more important how they feel in the hand for those that go without case. The writer of the article puts 5G both as a Pro and a Con ? Perhaps better to not list it at all if you are doing that, clearly 5G is not really rolled out and appears to be a power hog to boot.
If you have repeatabily cracked the back screen by having the phone in your back pocket then perhaps change your behavior. My suggestion would be to use a case. The other consideration is if your jeans are on the tight side then don't use the back pocket. The stress on the phone body could create enough flex to crack the glass. I generally put the phone in my front pocket, primarily because my wallet is generally in the back and also I have been concerned that bending over or sitting could damage the main screen. I have had an iPhone since the 3GS days and haven't cracked a screen yet. Never used a screen protector but generally do have a case. Scratches do occur for sure and generally because I have put coins or keys in the same pocket as the phone. I try to avoid that but sometimes it does happen.
AT&T wants me to upgrade my service in order to use the 5G network. Funk dat. I don't recall having to pay into a new plan to use LTE, it just became available when I had a phone with an LTE radio.
I would say "Funk AT&T"
Aren't they the ones selling Fake 5G?
If I were upgrading a plan it would be to a better carrier. A more honest one.
I would be interested in hearing more on what AT&T are planning to charge for 5G. I'm considering to switch to Verizon. They have finally provided an easier way to switch online if you come with your own screen with clear information on the services available and cost for each program. It will cost about $10 more for 2 phones on 5G and 1 phone on standard but Verizon generally has better coverage for my home and also comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ (which I pay $5 a month for now). So seems like a wash for me. I will switch to Verizon when my new phone arrives.
The new MagSafe system makes wireless charging seem even more impractical than it already did. Apart from the fact that the name doesn’t really make sense, since unlike the previous system for laptops there’s no clear safety advantage, the new MagSafe is also clunky and inefficient. You need a bunch of magnets in the phone and a big puck on the other side, and it’s slower and less efficient (more wasteful) than a lightning cable. A better solution would be something more like the original MagSafe, or the Smart Connector on an iPad, which would be every bit as easy to connect and disconnect, would not require as many magnets in the phone or the big puck on the cable (saving weight and bulk in both), and would charge just as fast as the Lightning cable and would waste less energy than Qi, because there would be a direct connection of metal to metal. Yes, you would still need an internal coil if you wanted support for Qi charging, but value of that is arguably a separate discussion.
I’m always amazed at all of the “I’m unimpressed” comments that come every year when Apple updates the iPhone, as if they expect the world to be reinvented overnight on an annual basis. Except for the original iPhone each iteration of the iPhone has arguably been incremental. That doesn’t mean that the phone isn’t worthy. I just bought the iPhone 12 Pro, which I plan on keeping 3-4 years just like I did my last phone. I don’t buy a new car, refrigerator, or TV every year either. Yet somehow the cars, appliances, and TVs that I own today are many times better than the ones I owned many years ago. Same with this phone. If you are ready to buy a new phone, then it is fantastic. If you are happy with the one you own, then wait a few years.
Don’t know about anyone else here, but smartphones are just boring iterative updates now.
I tend to buy whatever is “the best” iPhone at the time and then keep it for 5 years, just like my MacBook Pro.
Every year it’s just slightly faster this, slightly better that. Man, I miss the 2007 to 2014 run, every year was exciting and then there were no more game changing leaps forward.
The game change come from the long haul. The boredom comes from the individual.
The new MagSafe system makes wireless charging seem even more impractical than it already did. Apart from the fact that the name doesn’t really make sense, since unlike the previous system for laptops there’s no clear safety advantage, the new MagSafe is also clunky and inefficient. You need a bunch of magnets in the phone and a big puck on the other side, and it’s slower and less efficient (more wasteful) than a lightning cable. A better solution would be something more like the original MagSafe, or the Smart Connector on an iPad, which would be every bit as easy to connect and disconnect, would not require as many magnets in the phone or the big puck on the cable (saving weight and bulk in both), and would charge just as fast as the Lightning cable and would waste less energy than Qi, because there would be a direct connection of metal to metal. Yes, you would still need an internal coil if you wanted support for Qi charging, but value of that is arguably a separate discussion.
Yes, it's curious why the original MagSafe idea didn't spread out to iPads and iPhones. Perhaps the higher risks for electrical shorts and corrosion of the contact pads on devices that ostensibly are exposed to a lot more fluids, dust, and who knows what else kills the idea every single time. Maybe that's why the Smart Connector never made it to iPhones. Interestingly, the idea of magnetically latching contact charging pins are in AirPods, and many in-ear cordless headphones. I'm not enamored with contact pin charging on headphones. Just not good for people who workout and sweat gets all over the contact pads and the speaker covers. So, it's not a big win, imo.
The modern MagSafe is essentially the Apple Watch magnetic latching inductive charging idea, but designed for the iPhone 12. It trades out the convenience of zero force lifting of a phone off its inductive charging pad for the convenience knowing that the inductive charging coils are properly aligned, so that inductive charging would be at its most efficient. People who have a inductive charging pad at the desk need to go find some heavier MagSafe compatible pads or tape down the Apple one. Or, perhaps you can slide the iPhone 12 off it very easily and the MagSafe charger will stay where its at.
After more than a year with the Apple Watch, I think this type of charging design is a net win. Too bad about AirPower though. Wish they made that work.
Comments
Apple follows its own roadmap for hardware and software development, whereas the Android OS hardware market is commoditization of massive numbers of models isn units of low margin hardware plus limited production of Flagships outfitted with margin killing features to differentiate amongst all of the other flagships.
As I have oft stated, Apple is its own market, and sees very little real competition from Android OS flagships; different business models.
I find that the flat sides are a huge benefit to video and photography, but otherwise, I believe that I will prefer the ergonomics of the iPhone 12's to previous rounded edge models.
I worked for a computer company who called that "Bleeding Edge Technology" and avoided it like the plague. Very simply, they got more bang for their buck buying second generation hardware: it was cheaper and the bugs had been worked out.
The points are objective. The overall upgrade opinion is subjective.
What you describe as 'Apple's own roadmap' is no different from anybody else's 'own roadmap'.
This has nothing to do with roadmaps per se.
It's got everything to do with adapting to market realities and trends and they are being forged on Android now and have been for a few years now. That's why tri-cameras, night mode, fast charging, computational computing etc haven't come over as 'big news' on recent iPhones. It's also why some of the big neutral reviewers have had a rather 'meh' attitude to some of the 'new' iPhone features, too.
With this refresh Apple has even adopted what many here said was 'impossible' just three years ago: having a new model at almost every price point. There were people who gloated that Apple had no need to change its iPhone business model because of its proven success.
Roadmaps sometimes have to change and often, they change due to external factors.
Very compelling phone. Do we know who is the OLED screen supplier? In past year's it was Samsung. Has apple moved away from them? There were rumors that Apple has been trying to source more suppliers for years but never could get their quality up. If only these phones had a way of doing TouchId. I would be upgrading today from my iPhone8Plus but I'm going to try to wait 6 more months for Covid to be over.
I generally put the phone in my front pocket, primarily because my wallet is generally in the back and also I have been concerned that bending over or sitting could damage the main screen. I have had an iPhone since the 3GS days and haven't cracked a screen yet. Never used a screen protector but generally do have a case. Scratches do occur for sure and generally because I have put coins or keys in the same pocket as the phone. I try to avoid that but sometimes it does happen.
The modern MagSafe is essentially the Apple Watch magnetic latching inductive charging idea, but designed for the iPhone 12. It trades out the convenience of zero force lifting of a phone off its inductive charging pad for the convenience knowing that the inductive charging coils are properly aligned, so that inductive charging would be at its most efficient. People who have a inductive charging pad at the desk need to go find some heavier MagSafe compatible pads or tape down the Apple one. Or, perhaps you can slide the iPhone 12 off it very easily and the MagSafe charger will stay where its at.
After more than a year with the Apple Watch, I think this type of charging design is a net win. Too bad about AirPower though. Wish they made that work.