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Apple Announces the iPhone 12

Is It Worth the Upgrade?

Apple Announces the iPhone 12 at the 2020 Fall Summit

Finally, it’s here. Apple officially announced the highly anticipated iPhone 12 series on October 13th, 2020 during their Fall summit event. The new generation includes four new iPhone models: the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

The standard iPhone 12 stood out among the crowd due to its affordable price and attractive color selection. We predict that this particular model is going to drive a lot of demand. Last year many iPhone users decided to pass on the iPhone 11 and opted to wait for the iPhone 12’s release this fall. But before making the upgrade it's important to consider, what's changed since previous generations?

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 11 - Camera Comparison

Apple continues to impress with their commitment to innovation and design. But many agree the feature they're most excited to see upgraded with each new iPhone is its camera.

iPhone 11 Camera Specs

The iPhone 11 features a dual optic lens and that includes a 12 megapixel wide angle and ultra wide angle lens. This was a significant change from the standard wide angle lens and telephoto lens seen on the iPhone X. Many people considered the loss of the telephoto lens a downgrade.

Although the camera doesn’t feature a telephoto lens, it does include portrait mode which uses an artificial bokeh and 2x optical zoom.

The iPhone 11 was the first generation to feature night mode which allows for shooting in low light and improved two tone flash. Along with the addition of the ultra wide lens, the iPhone 11’s camera is overall a higher quality lens then the iPhone X.

iPhone 12 Camera Specs

The iPhone 12’s camera has the same fundamental build as the iPhone 11. Both models feature a 12 megapixel wide and ultra wide lens on its rear camera and a TrueDepth front camera. Both models shoot in 4k up to 60 frames per second and 1080p at 240 frames per second.

However, the wide angle lens has been updated with a ƒ/1.6 aperture that allows for 27% more light to enter the camera and improves the night mode function. With the addition of computational photography, now every new iPhone 12 model experiences faster performing Deep Fusion which improves the overall function of the Wide, Ultra Wide, and TrueDepth lenses.

The iPhone 12 camera is designed with machine learning which will intelligently adjust contrast, texture, white balance, and saturation. Combined with the improved night mode for low light photography and deep fusion for better texture and less noise, the iPhone 12 camera simplifies the process of capturing high quality content. Now iPhone photographers and cinematographers can shoot, edit, and share their work without wasting time in post production.

Honest Camera Comparison

If you’re someone who’s current iPhone is in need of retirement the iPhone 12 is a worthy replacement. The new iPhone features a high quality camera which would be a major upgrade from all of the iPhone generation prior to the X. It’s also priced comparably to previous years making it a good time to buy.

However, if you recently upgraded to the iPhone X or iPhone 11 you may not be ready to abandon a perfectly good iPhone. If you would like to improve the camera quality on your current iPhone camera I would suggest researching lens and filter attachments.

An Wide Angle Lens attachment can elevate the iPhone X to have all the same camera capabilities as the iPhone 11. And with the addition of a Telephoto Lens attachment to the iPhone 11 it now has all the same features as the iPhone 11 Pro. If your want to control light exposure a Hybrid Filter is perfect for reducing glare and reflections while simultaneously improving saturation.

Display Technology

Perhaps the most heavily rumored upgrade to be made to the iPhone 12 was concerning its display technology. Apple has varied the type of retina display they use in their iPhone models in the past. Previously, only the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max models were built with the preferred OLED display technology. However, every model in the new iPhone 12 release is designed with the super retina XDR display technology.

OLED Display vs LCD Panel

The iPhone 11 is built with a “liquid retina display” which is an advanced design of LCD panels. The display technology of the iPhone 11 is identical to that of the iPhone XR but inferior to the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max which both have an OLED display.

This year Apple decided to do things differently by including the higher end display technology in all four iPhone 12 models. The super retina XDR display of the iPhone 12 improves brightness and creates a more immersive experience due to its expansive edge to edge technology. For someone using an iPhone with outdated display technology, the OLED display is definitely an influential variable when deciding to upgrade.

Updated Build on the iPhone 12

This year Apple went all out with updates to the build of the iPhone 12. This generation included both old and new design features that make this generation the most durable and dynamic series to date.

Flat Edge Design & Aluminum Enclosure

For the first time since the iPhone 5, the iPhone 12 is designed with flat edges. This popular design trait is what had iPhone consumers holding onto their generation 5 models for as long as they possibly could. Like the iPhone 11 the outer borders are still made of aerospace-grade aluminum. Apple made the switch from stainless steel to aluminum with the iPhone 11 due to its lightweight and protective qualities.

Ceramic Shield

Do you have nightmares about shattering your phone screen? What if your screen was tough as metal? With the new ceramic shield designed into every iPhone 12 there's no longer a reason to worry about the durability of your iPhone’s glass.

Apple was able to improve the drop performance of the iPhone 12 by 4x that of the previous generation. This is all due to the nanoscale ceramic crystals that they’ve built into the glass. Nano-ceramic crystals are comparable in hardness to that of metal. However, due to ceramic’s lack of transparency this design was never able to be done before.

The designers over at Apple however have discovered a way to control the type of crystals and degree of crystallinity of the ceramic shield to be compatible with the OLED display on the iPhone 12. Aka these screens were built to last.

New Color Options

One of the less technical but equally exciting updates to the new iPhone build is the color selection! The iPhone 12 comes in five colors including white, black, bright red, light green, and navy blue.

Apple has since ditched the yellow and purple color options from the iPhone 11 series and instead replaced both colors with a navy blue option. Other than this change, the color has remained relatively consistent with the return of four of the colors from last year's launch. Perhaps the biggest difference is the chromatin finish of this generation colors as compared to the matte finish seen on the iPhone 11.

Never Before Seen Features

Although it's helpful to compare the new iPhone generation to previous models its also important to acknowledge the never before seen features that make each new generation unique. The iPhone 12 comes with four brand new advancements that set it apart from the competition. These features include 5G, Smart Mode, A14 Bionic, and MegaSafe.

5G

Perhaps what the innovators at Apple were most excited to announce during the summit this morning was the introduction of 5G compatibility to all iPhone 12 models. 5G is rumored to blow LTE out of the water when it comes to speed, quality, and accessibility. Network partners are working with Apple to launch 5G networks in highly populated cities and stadiums across the world.

Smart Data Mode

Smart Mode is a feature that goes hand in hand with 5G. In an effort to conserve battery, Apple designed the iPhone 12 with Smart Mode which automatically switches to LTE when 5G speed isn't needed. This feature was designed so that user won't even notice as their phone switches between 5G and LTE.

A14 Bionic

Perhaps the most innovative feature if the new iPhone 12 is the A14 Bionic chip that runs on a 5-nanometer process. This little chip is a big deal. the A14 Bionic will improve the speed and quality of console gaming and computational photography by 80%. A14 Bionic features a 16-core Neural Engine that is capable of completing 11 trillion operations per second.

MagSafe

A unique new design feature introduced with the launch of the iPhone 12 is MagSafe. MagSafe refers to a new magnetic design incorporated into the iPhone 12 and wireless chargers. Now charging pads will effortlessly click into place onto the back of your iPhone. The new magnetic technology also comes with two new accessories designed by Apple. These include silicone, leather, and clear cases and a leather wallet that snap into place on your iPhone 12.

Honest Review - is the iPhone 12 worth the upgrade?

The new iPhone 12 generation made a lasting first impression at Apple’s fall summit. Last year many people felt underwhelmed by the iPhone 11 series. However, the buzz around this year's release hums a different tune. The affordable price, attractive color selection, and improved build and display technology make it hard to resist the upgrade. If you just got your hands on an iPhone 11 or aren't ready for a new phone yet there are more affordable options to help upgrade your current model.

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