CUPERTINO, Calif. – Apple announced its next generation of iPhones on Tuesday.
The company introduced its iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, both of which will deliver an “advanced 5G experience” and several other impressive updates.
Release dates and pricing
Pre-order for the iPhone 12 Pro will begin Friday, Oct. 16, with availability beginning Friday Oct. 23. As for the iPhone 12 Pro Max, it will be available for pre-order starting Friday, Nov. 6, and will be in stores starting Friday, Nov. 13.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models, starting at $999 and $1,099, respectively. Customers can also get iPhone 12 Pro for $29.12 a month or $699 with trade-in and iPhone 12 Pro Max for $30.37 a month or $729 with trade-in.
Design and display
Both new models will be available in four stainless steel finishes, including graphite, silver, gold and pacific blue. The devices feature a surgical-grade stainless steel band, a precision-milled matte glass back, and a new incredibly durable “Ceramic Shield.”
Apple says the “Ceramic Shield” front cover is tougher than any smartphone glass, goes beyond glass and is infused with nano-ceramic crystals to dramatically improve toughness and increase drop performance.
The iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch displays and the Pro Max boasts a 6.7-inch screen, which Apple says is the largest display ever on an iPhone. It’s also the highest resolution featuring nearly 3.5 million pixels.
5G
Apple says 5G on the new iPhone boasts will bring improved speeds for faster downloads and uploads, higher quality video streaming, more responsive gaming, real-time interactivity in apps, and FaceTime in high definition.
Consumers will also be able to enjoy a secure, fast connection, reducing the need to connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Apple says the iPhone 12 Pro models will offer the broadest 5G coverage worldwide, with the most 5G bands on any smartphone. They’ll be able to reach speeds up to 4Gbps, even in densely populated areas.
Fastest chip in a smartphone
The new iPhone also runs on the A14 Bionic, the fasted chip in a smartphone and the first in the industry built on 5-nanometer process, according to Apple.
“Faster and more efficient than ever, A14 Bionic has the fastest CPU and GPU by up to 50% compared to the fastest competing smartphone chips, enabling console-quality gaming experiences, powerful computational photography, and more, while delivering great battery life,” wrote Apple.
Improved camera system
Apple says the A14 Bionic drives increased image quality and enables powerful computational photography capabilities not possible with traditional cameras.
The new models also feature the new Apple ProRAW, coming later this year, which combines the company’s multi-frame image processing and computational photography with the versatility of a RAW format.
“Users can experience full creative control over color, detail, and dynamic range natively on iPhone or with other professional photo editing apps,” Apple wrote.
Apple has also improved its night mode on these phones, allowing for an even brighter picture. And night mode time-lapse delivers longer exposure times for sharper videos, better light trails, and smoother exposure in low-light scenarios when used with a tripod.
The new phones offer the highest quality video in a smartphone and are the only devices in the world to enable an end-to-end experience for HDR video with Dolby Vision, up to 60 fps, Apple says.
New accessories with MagSafe
Apple is also introducing new accessories for wireless charging, which feature MagSafe technology.
“MagSafe chargers efficiently provide up to 15W of power while still accommodating existing Qi-enabled devices,” wrote Apple. “Charging solutions include the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger for use with iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as new silicone, leather, and clear cases that easily snap onto the back of iPhone, and a leather wallet.”
Consumers can also expect innovative MagSafe accessories from third-party manufacturers.
Apple video explaining new features
