Getting a new iPhone is a surreal experience. More so than any other tech company’s debuts, Apple’s devices have always provided a special appeal. This year, however, with the introduction of the iPhone 12 lineup, there are few visible changes, making it hard not to wonder if anything new has been added.
The iPhone 12 Pro has its requisite wave of new features, but they don’t upgrade the phone in a meaningful way. While the new sleek design is a welcome change, many of the new updates, such as 5G and LiDAR, are technologies that won’t have many implications until further in the future.
The most noticeable change in the iPhone 12 Pro lineup is the flat edge design, combining the iPhone 5’s famous edges with the iPhone X’s all-screen design. The new design brings a block-feel to the iPhone that adds an extra sense of luxury and makes the phone easier to grip. Coupled with the new Pacific Blue color, the iPhone 12 Pro is one of the sexiest iPhones to date.
The iPhone 12 Pro features “surgical grade” stainless steel on the sides of the phone, which, theoretically, should make the phone more durable. Unfortunately, all I’ve noticed is how it's a super-magnet for fingerprints. Even with a case, I’ve had to clean this iPhone more often than any other electronic device I’ve had.
The iPhone’s screen also sports smaller bezels and a reduced notch on the screen. While the reductions are barely noticeable, they are significant enough to make you look twice. The screen is also made of a new material Apple calls “ceramic shield,” but I don’t trust their marketing, so I still use a tempered glass screen protector.
One of the most publicized new features of the iPhone is 5G connective ability. Apple and cellular carriers like Verizon have touted 5G’s benefits, but they are largely restricted to small areas in big cities that are equipped with special 5G networks.
5G is available in some areas in the Bay Area, but is largely on Verizon’s network, which has poor coverage in Saratoga. That, along with the ongoing pandemic and lockdowns, makes 5G relatively useless at the moment. While 5G will eventually be widespread, the technology is too young to be considered an important factor when buying a phone.
The iPhone 12 Pro also includes Apple’s annual camera upgrade. The three-camera system from the iPhone 11 Pro remains, but Apple increased the aperture of the wide camera, allowing it to capture 26 percent more light.
The camera array also includes a LiDAR scanner, which makes 3D depth maps. Both features help improve nighttime photography, which has proved useful to me when hanging out with friends and family outdoors due to the pandemic.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max includes a better camera, but it’s ginormous. I like the ability to use my phone with one hand, and the iPhone 12 Pro is the perfect size for that. Despite that, it’s annoying that Apple only includes the better camera on the larger phone.
Apple also added a new charging feature called MagSafe, a combination of the Mac’s former magnetic charging cable and the Apple Watch wireless charger. While this may seem cool, it’s a $99 scam to me. The hockey puck charger is an outrageously expensive alternative to normal wireless chargers and the Lighting cable, which both work just fine.
Speaking of that, Apple decided to stop including a wall charger in the iPhone 12 box in an effort to protect the environment. There has been controversy surrounding this decision, but I don’t understand the fuss. Don’t people already have enough chargers?
The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999 or $41.62/month. If you have a phone from the last two years and it’s working just fine, or if you upgrade often, the iPhone 12 Pro isn’t worth the money. But if you need a new phone and are looking for something that will last, the iPhone 12 Pro is worth every penny.
The pandemic has been a hard time for everyone with lockdowns, in-person school closures and more, and I’m beyond lucky to call the iPhone 12 Pro my new phone in these times. My gratitude, however, doesn’t equate to undying love; everything deserves its fair critique.
The 2020 iPhone lineup isn’t groundbreaking. There are a multitude of upgrades, but they’re only slight technological improvements. The phone is powerful, sleek and built for the future, but there’s nothing much that you’ll need before the next generation launches.