The two iPhones that have been released have a number of differences. Some of these are more difficult to find as Apple highlights the big changes and doesn’t always touch on the other information that is still valuable information to the consumers.
Some of the changes, or more little known facts include their OLED display brightness, MagSafe compatibility, improved cameras, battery life, 5G, ProRaw abilities, and their form factor.
OLED Brightness
The two phones have the exact same OLED, Super Retina XDR display. Although, when it comes to brightness their abilities vary. The iPhone 12 is capable of 625 nits peak brightness (typical) and 1200 nits in HDR. As for the 12 Pro, it performs with 800 nits of peak brightness (typical) and the same 1200 nits in HDR. This 28% difference in typical peak brightness, is actually hardly noticeable so don’t make any buying decisions thinking that this is a game-changer.
MagSafe Compatibility
One new interesting component is the MagSafe, it’s compatible with all the new iPhones and will cost an extra $40. The 20W charger is also sold separately which will cost another $20. This set-up can charge the iPhones at 15W, the speeds are impressive and it could be Apple’s way of planning to remove the lightning cable eventually. The MagSafe snaps on and latches onto the device well, and the new cases support this charging method as well. Qi-based wireless chargers will also have a maximum of 7.5W of charging power when paired with an Apple device, which will push consumers to stay in the Apple ecosystem. The fast-charging is only available with the new models as well, don’t expect an old model of an iPhone with wireless charging to have improved charging on a MagSafe.
Improved Cameras
The iPhone 12 Pro still has three 12-megapixel cameras and the iPhone 12 will just have its two. The main difference a consumer will notice is their ability to let in more light as the main camera has an f/1.6 aperture sensor. This causes a little bit more detail and better lighting while trying to capture a subject. The low-light camera is where the bigger improvement was seen. The new LiDar sensor also improves the autofocus speeds which is something new this year. Comparing these devices to last year’s flagships you can see a slight improvement, but not enough to upgrade solely for this purpose. Although, for those holding onto phones from years prior, you will notice a substantial change and the camera will certainly impress.
Battery Life
Last year, the iPhones saw a sizeable difference when it came to the topic of battery life. For the first time we were really able to see their phones provide a full day of use on its 1 charge. This year, unfortunately the battery didn’t continue on its trend. In fact, the battery life is the the same or possibly even slightly worse. A contributor to this is the new 5G abilities. The 4G/5G switching is featured to improve speeds and it switches to optimize the use of the new feature since it drains the battery quite significantly. Essentially, Apple’s improvements to the battery are not really seen due to the added features to the device. They will need to improve the batteries soon though, especially if they want to catch up to other flagship phones that have 120Hz refresh rates.
5G
This feature came at the expense of another. Which was hinted at above, Apple could not yet feature both 5G and 120Hz displays without compromising battery life heavily. So they opted for the introduction of 5G, which is going to be growing over the years but isn’t totally optimal at this moment. It will provide faster speeds for data use, although certain areas will not be compatible and the devices will automatically switch between 4G and 5G when necessary. So the change is quite subjective to where you are and if that region supports 5G, but one benefit is that this technology is future proof. When buying this phone, don’t consider this enough of a feature to upgrade as you won’t always see the benefit. But once again, if you’re someone who uses phones for a couple of years or longer. It’s a reason to purchase this over last years’ devices.
ProRaw
This feature is only seen on the Pro models. This upgrade gives users the ability to change ISO and white balance. It means that while taking pictures you’re given more raw information which in turn leads to more data that can be edited and altered. Depending on how you use your device, this is a differentiating feature that will really draw in the creatives and force them to use Pro models.
Form Factor and Price
Apple opted to size these two devices exactly the same. The display is 6.1 inches on both, and they are the exact same depth as well. The only difference being the weight and that is due to the stainless steel frame and the extra lens in the Pro. This difference is just 25 grams. They both have the same ceramic shield protective glass on the front as well which is 4x tougher than previous technology
The price difference is actually $170. The iPhone 12 retails for $829 completely unlocked at 64GB, and the iPhone 12 Pro comes unlocked with 128GB for $999. The reason the starting price for the 12 is listed as $799 is only if you buy it from a carrier. If you want to add storage, the iPhone 12 is $879 equipped with 128GB making the difference just $120 between the 12 and 12 Pro at the same storage configuration.
Decision Time
Hopefully, if you’re looking to purchase one of these new devices, the above information helps guide you in the right direction. The different additions and changes Apple made definitely improve upon prior years’ devices but the different upgrades don’t necessarily feel like technological outbreaks. The decision more clear if one of the phones in this year’s line-up is for you