Apple Reveals New iPhone 12 Models, Including Mini, Pro, And Pro Max

Although some of the wind was taken out of its sails by way of a leak, the Apple event has delivered the official word on the new line of iPhone 12 devices, which will sport 5G functionality that Apple says will be beneficial for gaming.

iPhone 12

Apple started out by showcasing the iPhone 12. It has smooth, flat edges and a 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display, with twice as many pixels as iPhone 11. Apple claims this will lead to better-looking photos, sharper text, and higher brightness. The physical size of the device is 11% thinner, 15% smaller, and 16% lighter than the iPhone 11. iPhone 12 is said to offer tougher smartphone glass than any other phone, making it the most durable on the market. Apple heavily touted the phone's 5G support (more on that below), though it noted that peak speeds of up to 4Gbps will vary by region and carrier.

iPhone 12 is equipped with an A14 Bionic chip, which uses 5nm technology. Apple claims it's faster than the chip found in any competing phone, which it said will prove beneficial for playing video games. This was touted specifically in regards to League of Legends: Wild Rift, an iOS version of the hit MOBA.

As for the iPhone 12 camera, it features a dual camera with an ultrawide 120-degree field of view in the top camera. The bottom one is a wide camera with a seven-element lens and 26mm focal length. Both rear cameras and the front camera will support Night mode, allowing for better low-light picture-taking.

Improvements are also coming to wireless charging. MagSafe, the beloved tech used in older MacBook devices, is coming to iPhone 12. Without losing support for existing Qi chargers, the charging coil now supports magnets. MagSafe chargers essentially snap onto the rear of the phone to ensure you're getting a good charge. This will work with several new iPhone 12 cases Apple is releasing alongside a charger that can be used with phone the phone and an Apple Watch.

As part of Apple's effort to help the environment, certain items will not be included in the iPhone box, namely an AC adapter and headphones. This will lead to a smaller box and benefits to the environment. The iPhone 12 will, however, come with a USB-C/Lightning cable.

iPhone's 12 pricing starts at $799 and comes in black, blue, green, red, white. Preorders begin this Friday, October 16, and iPhone 12 will be available on October 23.

iPhone 12 Mini

Next up is iPhone 12 Mini, which has all the same features as iPhone 12, like A14 bionic, MagSafe, Super Retina XDR display, and 5G. It has a 5.4-inch display, leading to a much smaller overall device. Apple says it's the smallest, thinnest, and lightest 5G smartphone in the world. Its pricing starts at $699 and comes in black, blue, green, red, white. Preorders begin on November 6 and will release on November 13.

iPhone 12 Pro And Pro Max

The iPhone 12 Pro comes in silver, graphite, gold, and blue. It's compatible with MagSafe accessories and has a Super Retina XDR display. It has a 6.1-inch display, while the Max has a 6.7-inch display, both of which are larger than their existing counterparts without significantly increasing the overall dimensions of the devices. The iPhone 12 Pro Max features the largest display ever in an iPhone.

Both phones feature the same cameras outlined above for the iPhone 12, but it also has a 52mm telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom range. The Pro Max takes the camera setup even further, allowing for a 5x telephoto zoom with the equivalent of a 65mm focal length. The wide camera also has a 47% larger sensor. Apple also touted optical image stabilization and other benefits for those looking to really take their photo-taking seriously. In terms of videos, you can record in 10-bit HDR, with support for Dolby Vision, too.

iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999 for 128GB, while the Pro Max starts at $1099 for the same capacity. Preorders for the iPhone 12 Pro start on October 16 and release on October 23, while Max preorders begin on November 6 before it releases on November 13.

5G for iPhone

Apple started out the iPhone portion of its event by talking about the benefits of 5G, touting 4Gbps peak download speeds in ideal conditions (a figure that will rise over time). It also said you can expect 200Mbps peak upload speeds in ideal conditions. Low latency will also lead to better gaming experiences, Apple said. Verizon

These iPhone reveals come later than is usual. While Apple did host its usual event in September, that was focused on revealing two new iPad models and the latest Apple Watch devices. iPhone skipped the event entirely for this October premiere, which also brought news on the new HomePod Mini.