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iPhone 12

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The iPhone 12 includes 5G speed, an A14 Bionic chip, an edge-to-edge OLED display, and it comes in multiple color options starting at $699.

iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 is Apple’s flagship smartphone introduced in the fall of 2020. The iPhone 12 lineup consists of four devices ranging from 5.4-inches to 6.7-inches in screen size, with flagship features including 5G connectivity, OLED displays, and more.

5G and A14

One of the flagship features of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro is support for 5G connectivity. There is support for mmWave 5G in the United States exclusively, and support for sub-6GHz 5G in other countries as well as in the U.S.

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are also both powered by a new A14 Bionic processor that uses a new 5 nanometer process to reduce transistor size. Apple says the new six-core CPU is up to 50% faster than any other smartphone. The iPhone 12 also includes a new 4-core GPU, which is up to 50% faster than the competition.

iPhone 12

Design and display

The iPhone 12 features a flat-edged design with aluminum edges. The iPhone 12 mini packs a 5.4-inch display while the iPhone 12 features a 6.1-inch display.

Compared to the iPhone 11, the 2020 iPhone is 11% thinner and 15% smaller in volume. Apple has adopted OLED displays across the board, improving contrast and brightness over last year’s LCD display iPhone 11 model. The display itself is a Super Retina XDR panel with a “Ceramic Shield” cover for improved durability and 4x better drop performance.

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The iPhone 12 features a 2532×1770 pixel resolution display at 460 pixels-per-inch. The mini display is 2340×1080 in terms of resolution, equating to 476 pixels-per-inch.

Camera

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini feature a dual-camera setup with wide and ultra wide lenses, alongside more capable Smart HDR and improved Night mode with support for the selfie camera and the ultra wide for the first time. There is also a new Night mode Time-lapse feature on the iPhone 12.

iPhone 12 colors

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Both the iPhone 12 and the mini were initially available in five colors: blue, green, black, white, and (PRODUCT)RED. In April, Apple launched a new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini in an all-new purple color variant. Here it is:

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Pricing and release

Apple has secured special deals with Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon to offer the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 at $699/$799, respectively. If you’re buying for any other carrier, or buying the unlocked version, you’ll pay $729 for the iPhone 12 mini and $829 for the iPhone 12. That’s a $30 price increase based on your carrier.

The iPhone 12 mini was released on November 13, 2020 while the iPhone 12 was released on October 23.

iPhone 12 Pro

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Design

The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max feature a glass and stainless steel edges. The iPhone 12 Pro measures in at 6.1-inches in terms of screen size, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch display.

Apple says the form factors of the larger iPhone 12 Pro devices are “nearly the same” than the smaller iPhone 11 Pro models they replace, even though the screen sizes have increased. The frame of the iPhone 12 Pro is made out of a durable and shiny stainless steel material available in four different finishes.

Camera

As has become the norm over the last several years, the camera hardware is what differentiates the iPhone 12 Pro from the iPhone 12. The iPhone 12 Pro features a triple-lens camera setup on the back with a telephoto lens, an ultra wide lens, and a wide lens.

Apple says that the new wide camera features the fastest ever aperture on the iPhone, for 27 percent improved low-light performance in photo and video. The ultra wide features a 120-degree field of view, which Apple says is even better for expansive landscape shots.

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The iPhone 12 Pro Max features an even larger wide camera sensor, making for an 87 percent improvement in low-light photography. Combined, the Ultra Wide and Telephoto lens system offer 5x optical zoom range, Apple says. You also get all of the same software improvements as the iPhone 12, including Dolby Vision video recording, 10-bit HDR video recording, improved Smart HDR and Night mode, and more.

Finally, both devices also feature an all-new LiDAR Scanner on the back. The LiDAR Scanner enables object and room scanning, AR features, and more. The LiDAR Scanner also contributes to low-light auto focus and improving capture time.

Colors

Both devices are available in four colors, including graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue.

Pricing and release

The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999 for 128GB of storage, $1,099 for 256GB of storage, and $1,299 for 512GB of storage. The iPhone 12 Pro Max goes for $1,099, $1,199, and $1,399 for the same storage configurations.

The Pro was released on October 23, 2020 and the Pro Max was released on November 13.

iPhone 12 Accessories

Citing environmental concerns, Apple is no longer including headphones or a charging brick in the iPhone 12 box this year. Here are some accessories you might consider picking up to help fill that gap.

Best charging accessories:

Best iPhone 12 cases:

AT&T satellite service to work with iPhone 12 & later; voice calls too

AT&T satellite service for 5G phones on the way | Illustrative shot of NASA satellite

An upcoming AT&T satellite service promises to bring satellite comms to the iPhone 12 and 13 for the first time. Unlike Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite service, it will support phone calls as well as text messages.

As such, it will offer more functionality to more people than the Apple satellite comms feature, but there are a number of unanswered questions …

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iPhone 12 Qi2 charging is a surprise upgrade in iOS 17.4

iPhone 12 Qi2 charging | iPhone 12 shown on desk

There was a surprise upgrade for some in iOS 17.4: tests reveal that it enabled iPhone 12 Qi2 charging, at the full 15W speed.

Support for 15W Qi2 charging was first announced for the iPhone 15, and then extended to the iPhone 13 and 14 through the iOS 17.2 update back in December of last year – and is now available for the iPhone 12 too …

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iPhone 12 users are running out of time to use Apple’s free service program

Regain clarity with CleanMyPhone by MacPaw — the new AI-powered cleaning app that quickly identifies and removes blurred images, screenshots, and other clutter from your device. Download it now with a free trial.


Apple first launched its service program to fix faulty iPhone 12 and 12 Pro devices at no cost in 2021. Now after almost three years, the recall is coming to a close. Follow along below for all the details, including checking if your device is eligible.

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French iPhone 12 drama set to end, as Apple issues software update

French iPhone 12 drama

The iPhone 12 enjoyed some unexpected time in the spotlight, some three years after launch, when French authorities suddenly announced that it was found to have exceeded legal radiation exposure limits. There was talk of having the model withdrawn from sale.

The drama now looks set to end, as Apple has delivered a promised software update to resolve the issue, and the French government is now testing it …

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Apple reportedly told employees to keep quiet about iPhone 12 radiation levels

iPhone 12 mini

Apple this week had to deal with France urging the company to halt all sales of iPhone 12 units and even announce a recall due to concerns about radiation standards. While the company disagrees with the accusations, other European countries seem to agree with France. Amid this situation, Apple has reportedly asked its employees to keep quiet about the radiation levels of the iPhone 12.

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Is 5G worth it? Consumer hype is over, and carriers worried, says report

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When 5G was first launched, the big question for smartphone users faced with the prospect of replacing their devices to use it was: Is 5G worth it?

The huge popularity of 5G devices seemed at first to indicate a resounding yes, but there are now concerns that the novelty has worn off, and that many are still seeing little real-life difference between 4G/LTE and 5G speeds …

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Refurbished iPhone 12 mini may still be available from Apple after today’s event

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The Apple Store is now down ahead of today’s Far Out event, but if you were hoping to buy an iPhone 12 mini direct from Apple, you may continue to be able to do so.

The company added refurbished models to its online store back in July, and new stock was added just ahead of today’s event. A restock so close to the iPhone 14 launch suggests that the company may be planning to keep the mini available for sale …

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AT&T 5G Plus will now be fully usable by the iPhone 12 and up, not just iPhone 14

AT&T 5G Plus | iPhone 12 lineup

Enhanced 5G services offering higher speeds aren’t yet available to many, but there’s good news for AT&T 5G Plus – the faster service will now be fully usable by the iPhone 12 and up.

The carrier had previously indicated that only 2022 devices would be able to take advantage of the full range of frequencies …

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iPhone sales ban in Colombia over patent infringement; more countries likely to follow

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Ericsson has been seeking an iPhone sales ban in multiple countries due to 5G patent infringements, and has now succeeded in obtaining the first of these, in Colombia. The ban applies to the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPad Pro models with 5G capabilities.

Apple is of course fighting the injunction but has been accused of double standards for objecting to three separate legal tactics that it has used itself in the past …

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iPhone trade-in values dominated 2021; only one Android phone made top 5

iPhone trade-in values dominated 2021

iPhone trade-in values have always been higher than those for Android phones, and last year was no exception. Only one Android smartphone made the top five, and the worst-performing phones lost more than 80% of their value in a single year.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max held its value best, with owners able to recoup more than two-thirds of the price they paid a year later…

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Apple sued in China for not including iPhone chargers in the box

Apple sued for not including iPhone chargers

Apple is being sued in China for failing to include iPhone chargers in the box. The report says that the lawsuit has been put forward for ‘public interest’ status, suggesting that it could be fast-tracked or given a higher profile.

It follows a consumer protection fine in Brazil for the same issue, and Apple being forced to continue to supply EarPods with iPhones in France …

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