Apple recently announced the iPhone 12 which comes in four flavours: base, mini, pro, and pro max. To keep it simple I’m only going to look at the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 mini here. To make it easy, let us compare Apples to Apples.
The iPhone 12 is RM1,000 more than the iPhone 11 across the board. The upgrade gets you improved connectivity, display, processor, durability, camera features, and MagSafe. In turn, you lose the charger and the wired earbuds. Let’s look at the features one by one.
Starting from the top, the upgrade to 5G still feels optional. The service isn’t as widespread here in Malaysia, so this feature doesn’t feel like a must-have, yet.
The A14 Bionic chip is a tempting upgrade. It is the same Apple Silicone that debut in the new Apple Air and the reason why the iPhone 12 can do more compared to the iPhone 11.
Display matters and the Super Retina XDR does make a difference. The specifications read similar to the one on the iPhone 11 Pro. Look at it side by side next to an iPhone 11 and you will be able to see the difference.
Apple built the iPhone 12 tougher with Ceramic Shield, and that is a good thing. Something that I want. As tough as the iPhone 11 was, the one I use still get micro scratches on the display and it taunts me each time I see it shimmer in the bring sunlight.
I wonder this is the same tech that they use on cars. Probably not.
The ability for the iPhone 12 to dive deeper for longer is nice insurance to have, but not something I’d ever want to put to the test.
With new cameras comes a lot of new jargon. Night mode with Deep Fusion and TrueDepth, Smart HDR 3, and HDR video with Dolby Vision, just to name a few.
In English, it means the iPhone 12 takes objectively improved pictures and videos. I expect no less from a new camera with an improved f1.6 lens paired with the A14 Bionic. And I can enjoy all that on the gorgeous display. Do I want it? Yes. Do I need it? I’ll have to test it first.
Now let’s talk MagSafe. It is an interesting innovation. The concept of magnets to align and attach a phone to an accessory is nothing new. However, they are usually implemented in cases, not phones. This is the one feature that I feel that I do not need, but once I start using it, I will not be able to live without it.
Expect a slew of copycats to follow suit, that is if Apple’s implementation works as advertised. I am the tiniest bit sceptical.
The iPhone 12 brings back the flat edge design and comes in five colours. This time the hero colour looks to be Blue. Price starts at RM3,899 for the iPhone 12 and RM3,399 for the iPhone 12 mini.
Although they call it mini, a 5.4in display used to be a standard. And don’t underestimate the practicality of having a small-sized phone.
I like the idea that the iPhone 12 now comes in a smaller box with less packaging. I don’t mind that it does not comes with a charger or a wired earbud. Which stings for someone who is switching. Can you imagine having to buy an essential accessory after paying that much for your first iPhone?
What is actually a good idea that I thought was a mistake at first is Apple including a USB-C to Lightning Cable. This cable is probably something that most people do not have as most chargers use full-sized USB ports, and it nudges users to take up wireless charging.
Think about it. Existing iPhone users would either use their existing chargers or will upgrade to MagSafe. New users will either buy a third-party charger and cable set or try MagSafe. Either way, someone who just switched will have to spend more, but that is beside the point.
My thoughts on the iPhone 12 are that it is a nice upgrade. If you already have an iPhone 11, the 12 may increase your social and content creation game, but it is not a must-have. Even if you are upgrading from something older than in iPhone X, the RM1,000 price difference just makes the iPhone 11 that much more desirable to me.
However, if you want all the power but in a smaller package, you can’t beat the iPhone 12 mini.
Azizul Rahman Ismail 