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Apple A-Z » iPhone

• iPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro review: Massive upgrade in every regard

The iPhone 12 Pro is the smaller of two pro-level phones in Apple's 2020 iPhone lineup. It has a glass and stainless-steel design with flat edges. The three-camera system and LiDAR sets this model apart from the standard edition.

● Flat-edged, stainless-steel design ● 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display ● Launched on October 23 ● Find great iPhone 12 Pro deals ● Starting at $999

Page last updated: 1 year ago

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Apple launched the iPhone 12 Pro alongside the iPhone 12 , iPhone 12 mini , and iPhone 12 Pro Max  at Apple's October 13 "Hi, Speed" event. The models differentiate themselves with screen size and camera technology.

The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro released on October 23 after pre-orders began on October 16. The larger iPhone 12 Pro Max released in November.

The iPhone 12 lineup has been discontinued from sale besides the base 6.1-inch model. The  iPhone 13  and  iPhone 13 Pro  were released in 2021 as replacements, then the  iPhone 14  and  iPhone 14 Pro  in 2022.

iPhone 12 Pro Features

There are four new iPhone models in the fall lineup, with this model as the smaller of the two pro-level phones. This device has a bigger 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display compared to the iPhone 11 Pro. It also has a triple-camera system and LiDAR.

Apple changed some iPhone design characteristics in its fall 2020 lineup. The new models have the same edge-to-edge screen with a notch, but an old design paradigm returned: flat sides. The last iPhone with that design was the original  iPhone SE.  It gives the new iPhones a distinctive yet classic look and feel. This follows the  iPad Pro , which also moved to a flat-sided design in its third generation.

It ships in four stainless steel finishes, including graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue.

All four models use OLED Super Retina XDR displays this year with the pro-level models receiving more advanced displays.

The smaller Pro model increases from 5.8-inches to 6.1-inches this generation. The screen size increase further differentiates it from the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini at the bottom of the lineup.

For 2020, Apple has also ensured the Pro models have superior video quality, with the inclusion of support for 10-bit color depth imagery in HDR video. The wide-color P3 screens also boast a 2-million-to-1 contrast ratio, 800 nits maximum brightness, 1,200 nits of max brightness for HDR, and TrueTone support.

All the iPhone 12 models use Apple's Ceramic Shield front cover, which the company developed in partnership with Corning. It adds "a new high temperature crystallization step that grows nano-ceramic crystals within the glass matrix, increasing drop performance by 4x."

• Rear Cameras

Around the back, Apple has gone with the same camera arrangement as in 2019, with three 12-megapixel cameras covering Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto ranges, with a 4x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, and a 10x digital zoom in. Equipped with dual optical image stabilization, it has Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting effects, a Night mode, Smart HDR, and Panorama features.

The optical image stabilization has been upgraded to a DSLR-style Sensor Shift, where the sensor moves but the lens does not, enabling the image to stay sharper, and for longer exposures to be made that capture more light, even up to two seconds long when hand-held. It can adjust up to 5,000 times per second, approximately five times as many adjustments than similar systems used in the iPhone 11 Pro range.

Apple also introduced Apple ProRAW for its Pro line, a new imaging format combining RAW photography with computational photography features like Deep Fusion and Smart HDR. This includes having full control over color, details, and dynamic range, all from the iPhone's Camera app.

Video has been boosted to include the ability to record in 10-bit HDR, and is the first to record in Dolby Vision HDR, something that can even be edited on the iPhone and even played through a compatible screen over AirPlay. It is able to do this even at 4K resolution at 60fps, as well as supporting 1080p slo-mo at 240fps, records stereo audio, and supports Audio Zoom.

At the top of the screen is the standard notch and TrueDepth camera array, which can capture 12-megapixel images complete with Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting effects, 4K video recording at up to 60fps with cinematic video stabilization, 4k 30fps HDR with Dolby Vision, and 1080p slo-mo video at 120fps.

New for 2020, the pro-level iPhones are also equipped with a LiDAR sensor, which can perform time-of-flight calculations to generate a 3D map of the surrounding area. This is similar to the TrueDepth camera's capabilities, but on the back of the iPhone.

Using the new sensor, users can take advantage of the depth data to create enhanced Portrait Mode imagery, among other photographic effects. It is able to assist the autofocus in low-light situation, making it gain focus 6 times faster.

It is also likely to have serious utility for ARKit applications that can use the added depth data, including room scanning.

Apple introduced the A14 alongside the iPad Air 4 at its September "Time Flies" event, and the new chip is also inside the iPhone 12 series.

TSMC supplies some of the current A-series processors for Apple using a seven-nanometer process. The company announced a new 6nm process is ready for mass-production as of April 2019, and the 5nm process was in a pre-production phase. It was then no surprise to learn that the A14 Bionic used the 5nm process.

A benchmark for an unknown A-series processor showed up in Geekbench that may be for the A14. This benchmark showed a 50% gain in single-core performance over the A12Z Bionic used in iPad Pros. This benchmark indicates the A14 would also be the first A-series chipset to ever clock over 3GHz.

Apple announced that it is moving its Mac processors from Intel to Apple Silicon . This process will likely not affect the iPhone 12 mini or other models' chips, but what Apple learns from producing Mac-class processors will likely trickle down to the mobile line.

• 5G and wireless connectivity

Apple upgraded from 4G LTE to 5G in the next-generation iPhones. Qualcomm will provide the modems this year since Intel has exited the 5G modem business.

Apple may start making modems after acquiring the patents from Intel in a billion-dollar deal. However, the Apple-designed modems wouldn't be ready until 2022 at the earliest.

MagSafe returns for the iPhone 12 lineup. Apple has added a magnetic charging and accessory solution to the new iPhones which allow users to easily attach and swap cases and other objects.

Cases purchased for iPhones with MagSafe will need to have a special magnetic charging coil in order to be compatible with MagSafe charging. The charger can output up to 15W to the iPhone, and will still charge Qi compatible devices at 7.5W.

Accessories like wallets and stands can be attached via MagSafe as well, which will open up an entirely new category of iPhone accessories.

• Size and Weight

Apple slightly reduced the borders in the new models. In the iPhone 12 Pro, this makes for a slightly bigger device with an even bigger display size.

Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the iPhone 12 Pro is 1.9% taller and 9.4% thinner. The new model is also slightly heavier than its predecessor.

• Additional Features

• Includes Lightning-to-USB-C cable
• Does not include a charging plug in the box
• Does not include EarPods in the box to cut costs, boost AirPods sales, and reduce carbon footprint
• Dark Blue color replaces Midnight Green
• Seven-element lens system for increased image quality

iPhone 12 Pro review

In our review ,  AppleInsider gave the handset a 4.5 out of 5 score. We praised the new design, slightly larger display, speedy A14 chip, and camera.

On the update design:

This year, Apple's iPhone undertook its biggest design overhaul since... the last time it used this design. It feels very familiar to anyone who has used the iPhone 5 or iPhone 5s.

That isn't a dig by any means because the design looks fresh and feels great in the hand. It makes the phone feel slimmer and more substantial.

Apple wasn't necessarily trying to copy its used design. The flat sides just look more modern, just as they do with the iPad Pros and now iPad Air.

We also can't overlook that it has made it easier to stand up our phone to take photo thanks to that flat bottom.

On the new camera:

The cameras on the iPhone 12 line are simply stunning. Apple once more dedicated a significant amount of time during its unveiling touting the incredible capabilities of the handsets.

These new buffs aren't a marketing ploy but massive new capabilities to capture unparalleled images.

While the competition continues to oversaturate its images and toss on near-unusable 100X zoom capabilities, Apple has focused on the core cameras, which is what most people tend to use in day-to-day shooting. When it does introduce new features, they are technologically impressive and practically useful rather than just marketing fodder to mock the competition in social ads.

What may prove to be one of iPhone 12's biggest features is near invisible to the naked eye, and one that won't mean diddly if you don't drop down some change on additional accessories.

MagSafe is a new accessory protocol that allows for everything from cases, to docks, to chargers, to wallets, and much more to be integrated right onto the phone.

It is only a matter of time before a plethora of MagSafe accessories start hitting the market, from MagSafe-enabled PopSockets, car mounts, docks, multi-chargers, wallets, folio covers, tripod mounts, lighting rigs, and so much more.

There's no limitation on what a MagSafe accessory can be and we are very excited by what accessory makers will come up with.

A14 chip performance:

That represents about a 20 percent improvement on the single-core score and about 15 percent gain on the multi-core. These are the kinds of improvements that don't just sound good on paper, you can actually appreciate them in real use.

Launching apps — such as the camera — can be a second or so faster. At this point, that seems fairly small, but for something like the Camera app, it makes a noticeable difference when you're trying to fire off a shot before the moment has passed.

We also need that additional processing power for those new Dolby Vision 4K videos we are shooting. Once more with Apple, it is more about the future than the present. These processors will still be kicking in several years other than creating a processor that is only suitable for today's needs.

The decision between pro-level and standard handset is tougher than ever, with more casual shoppers being more than fine with the iPhone 12. However, this smaller Pro model offers significant camera upgrades with a more premium design. While 5G has a promising future, don't expect to see dramatic wireless improvements in the short-term.

iPhone 12 Pro Pricing

The 6.1-inch handset starts at $999 for 128GB storage. That moves up to $1,099 for 256GB and $1,299 for 512GB.

• 1. Features
• 3. Price guide

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iPhone 12 Pro

The iphone 12 pro is still a top iphone with great specs.

TechRadar Verdict

At first glance, the iPhone 12 Pro looks like a phone that's caught between two stools. With the same dimensions and chipset as the iPhone 12, it’s easy to wonder whether the Pro is worth the extra cash – especially when the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 13 range are out there with better features. There are some useful upgrades here – not least the camera, and the jump to 128GB of storage in the cheapest model, and it also comes in more muted, premium-looking colors. It's the more mature iPhone for sure – but it's tough to say it's got enough to encourage you to upgrade.

Nice color choices

Most powerful smartphone out

MagSafe technology works well

No charging block in box

5G still an expensive luxury

Battery could be better

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Two-minute review

The iPhone 12 Pro was one of the most feature-rich iPhones you could buy when it launched. It offered some of the greatest features inside and was a tempting proposition for anyone needing more raw power than the iPhone 12 .

While it's no longer the best Apple handset you can get now that the iPhone 13 Pro has been released, given how few features have been added, you're safe opting for the iPhone 12 Pro instead if you can find it a bit cheaper. Apple has taken the 12 Pro off its official lineup, though, so you'll only be able to buy it at third-party retailers.

Announced alongside the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max , the iPhone 12 Pro's key upgrades over the standard iPhone 12 are subtle: there's slightly more RAM, but the same chipset inside. There are three camera sensors on the rear, not two, so you can now get closer to subjects and scenes with 2x optical zoom. 

Release date and price Design Display 5G MagSafe Camera Specs and performance Software Battery life Should I buy it?

The addition of LiDAR - that's a new sensor on the rear camera to judge distance - brings more focusing options, and paves the way for more advanced augmented reality features in the future. But otherwise, the Pro is largely the same as the 'standard' iPhone 12 – it has exactly the same size, shape, screen technology and resolution, and debuts 5G and Apple's MagSafe tech on an iPhone too.

The iPhone 12 Pro design is both futuristic and retro at the same time: the 6.1-inch OLED display is clear, bright, and extends further to the edges of the phone, meaning the 12 Pro is actually smaller than the iPhone 11 Pro in the hand.

However, you'll notice instantly that the curved edges are replaced with stark, flat, industrial-looking sides – you lose the feel of the phone nestling into your hand when you pick it up, but it does feel more compact.

5G is an interesting addition. Apple clearly knows that it needed to bring the super-fast connectivity standard to the non-Android masses, and by including it in every new iPhone, it's given the still relatively new tech a big shot in the arm .

However, we're 5G still isn't available everywhere, and it's a noticeable drain on battery life – as 5G becomes more prevalent, and cheaper, so will the iPhone 12 Pro become a more useful phone.

The same can be said about the new MagSafe ring inside the rear of the phone. This lets you connect a variety of accessories to your iPhone, and it'll intelligently know what those are. Currently you're limited to a fast wireless charger, cases that tell the phone what color they are, and a clip-on credit card holder, but we're excited about the potential for this technology – and, as with 5G, as more MagSafe items are made, so will the utility of the 12 Pro improve.

The key thing you'd buy the Pro for is its cameras, and both the photos and videos they capture are superb. The vibrancy of the movies we shot, and the clarity and smart processing of the snaps, made us eager to share them with friends, and encouraged us to experiment more with the camera. Night mode is absolutely stunning too, if not a little slow to process your snaps.

In our iPhone 12 Pro review we found that battery life could be better – it's distinctly average in the 2020 smartphone environment. It's fine if you're not moving around too much, but if you're on the go and using the phone moderately, you'll see the charge meter dropping a little faster than you'd like. It feels like a tradeoff for the addition of 5G, so you'll need to decide whether that's a compromise you want to make.

That said, if you're upgrading from a iPhone from several generations earlier, you'll still see an improvement in battery life.

We've been struggling to see what in particular is great about the new iPhone 12 Pro, especially compared to the iPhone 12. The camera experience is the main thing that stands out, and the extra hardware in the form of the 2x zoom and the LiDAR feel like good reasons to spend a bit more.

If those things aren't important to you, the iPhone 12 is probably a better buy; but, if you want those things and more, you might want to spend extra and opt for the iPhone 12 Pro Max instead.

Of course, if you're not married to Apple there are also Android alternatives to consider, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 and OnePlus 9 ranges, which also offer compelling flagship experiences. But the iPhone 12 Pro largely holds up well against them - despite these phones being newer than Apple's.

It remains one of the best iPhones , but if you just want the best phone from any brand then consider the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra .

iPhone 12 Pro review: price and release date

• Starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699

Weight : 189g Dimensions : 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm Display size : 6.1-inch Resolution : 1170 x 2532 Chipset : A14 Bionic RAM : 6GB Storage : 128/256/512GB Rear camera : 12MP + 12MP + 12MP Front camera : 12MP Pre-installed software: iOS 14 Battery : 2,815mAh Charging : 15W wired, 7.5W wireless 

The iPhone 12 Pro was announced alongside the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max on October 13, 2020. While we originally expected to see the phones at the September Apple Event, in line with the typical iPhone launch window, the handsets were unveiled a month later, likely owing to the coronavirus outbreak’s impact on manufacturing and supply schedules. 

The iPhone 12 Pro release date was October 23, 2020, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max followed later in November, but of course they're both readily and widely available now.

The iPhone 12 Pro price starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 for the 128GB model – that's an improved minimum storage offering over both the iPhone 11 Pro and the base model of the new iPhone 12 – with the price rising to $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,869 for 256GB, and $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,219 for 512GB. 

However, it's no longer available directly from Apple. Instead, you'll have to look for a price drop at third-party stores with retailers likely keen to shift ageing stock, despite its prowess.

iPhone 12 Pro review: design

• No charging block or EarPods in the box
• Tough Ceramic Shield protection
• Flat sides, unlike the previous model

The iPhone 12 Pro design is different from 2019’s iPhone 11 Pro. Like all the handsets in the iPhone 12 range, it has flat sides with sharp, 90-degree edges.

It's hard to tell whether this is something that's primarily functional – more on this below – or just a change to the design language, to emphasize that this is a new iPhone, and an upgrade over the previous model.

That's actually rather key, because otherwise the iPhone 12 Pro looks similar in size to 2019's Pro, and many buyers will want something that screams 'Hey, look at me! New iPhone!', so aping the design of the new iPad Pro range is a smart move.

It's also unconfirmed whether the flatter design allows for better 5G signal strength - given that Apple wants the new iPhone range to become synonymous with the new speedy connection standard, it'll have been keen to implement anything that helps in that area.

Another new addition is the Ceramic Shield on the front, which replaces the glass from the iPhone 11 . Apple has worked with Corning to create a structure that it says isn't actually glass, but rather a 'nano-crystalline' structure that has four times the strength of the iPhone 11's screen, so it should be harder to break your new iPhone.

And while the rear of the iPhone 12 Pro is still the same glass as used in 2019, the new edge design will apparently make it twice as resilient as its predecessor in the event of a drop.

It's important to note that Apple isn't calling these iPhones unbreakable – it’s just saying they're more robust. The IP68 rating has been improved to allow you to submerge your iPhone 12 Pro deeper than before, which in reality means it's more water-resistant (not waterproof, of course). 

If the iPhone 12 Pro lands at the wrong angle after a slip or a drop, it can still break – our first unit suffered a crack across the rear glass after landing flat on concrete following a heart-stopping slip from a table, and small scratches landed on the rim. 

So if you're thinking that you can do without a case and / or a screen protector, think again – the new iPhone 12 Pro screen can still be scratched by sharp objects, or the glass broken, even if it has a far greater degree of protection (especially on the front screen and with greater water resistance than ever before) than the iPhone 11 range.

The flatter edges of this 6.1-inch-screened phone do make it easier to press the buttons on the sides, as they feel slightly more pronounced; the phone isn't more comfortable to hold than the iPhone 11 Pro, but it is a little easier to use.

And let's not forget about the new colors: the iPhone 12 Pro comes in Graphite, Silver, Gold and Pacific Blue, which are more muted and, well, professional-looking than the more garish options on offer with the iPhone 12.

One of the other big pieces of news here is the omission of a charging block and EarPods from the box. Apple claims this will have a huge environmental impact (and it probably will), and believes there's no need to include a charger because everyone already has one lying around.

That’s true – most of us have a drawer full of them. And if your Lightning cable is still functioning fine, then you've got nothing to worry about.

However, if you need a new Lightning cable and were waiting to get a new iPhone to get one, or if this is your first iPhone, you'll need to buy a new charging block, as the cable in the 12 Pro box is USB-C to Lightning, which is a newer type of connection, and relatively few people are currently likely to have a charger with a USB-C port.

We understand that Apple is trying to reduce the environmental impact of its products, with so many of these charging blocks going unused – but surely it would make more sense for Apple to do this once USB-C blocks are more ubiquitous? Otherwise this feels like an effort to get people to upgrade to the faster charging experience, which the $19 / £19 / AU$29 20W USB-C charging block offers.

iPhone 12 Pro review: display

• 6.1-inch OLED screen
• 1170 x 2532 resolution

The iPhone 12 Pro has, essentially, the same OLED screen technology as the iPhone 11 Pro. The big change is to the screen size, which increases from 5.8-inch to 6.1-inch without adding to the size of the iPhone 12 Pro's chassis compared to the previous model.

It's now the same size as the display on the iPhone 12, which is surprising. We'd have expected Apple to do more to differentiate between those two models, given that they share the same design, and a slightly larger screen would have been a good way to do that.

With OLED technology used here you're getting one of the best screens around; it’s able to display deep blacks, vivid whites and a vast range of colors, especially when you’re viewing HDR footage.

We find that anything packing an explosion always looks good in HDR, as the bright fireballs are clear, while faces or other dark objects nearby are still visible.

That said, we're not entirely convinced that HDR is really needed on a phone – some of the non-HDR Netflix content we watched looked brilliant, but some of the movies on iTunes (which are automatically upgraded to HDR for free) looked a little too dark in parts.

But the iPhone 12 Pro display is one of the best out there, whether you're looking at high-quality photography from Instagram or just want to enjoy your home movies, which can be captured in the high-end Dolby Vision format in 4K , at a buttery-smooth 60 frames per second.

It would have been nice to see 120Hz display technology debut on an iPhone with the Pro and Pro Max. This higher refresh rate makes scrolling around your phone look and feel much more fluid, and considering that a lot of top-end Android phones now have this feature it’s a shame that it's missing from a 2020 Apple model.

iPhone 12 Pro review: 5G

• 5G is a big upgrade - if there's coverage in your area
• Many places don't yet have 5G, and using it is a battery drain

5G has been a tricky feature to review, because some people will find it to be brilliant, and others won't be able to use it fully, if at all. 

If you buy any of the new iPhone range, you're getting 5G connectivity as standard, and that's an excellent thing. Apple is smuggling the next-gen connectivity tech into your next phone, whether you want it or not.

When it works as it can, it’s game-changing. Downloading a 110MB audio book took us just 30 seconds, and where our 4G phone couldn't connect to Spotify thanks to network congestion in the middle of a city, we were able to instantly connect and start streaming over 5G on the iPhone 12 Pro (on EE in London, UK).

5G might seem flashy, and it's hard not to be dazzled by promises of speeds of 200Mbps on the go, but it's actually a really useful and robust technology. It'll allow you to connect seamlessly to the internet in crowded environments – if you've ever tried to browse the web at a sports event, or upload a photo while at a concert, you'll appreciate being able to do those things with ease over a 5G connection.

At least, that's the theory. The issue here is that while the iPhone 12 Pro can connect to a huge variety of different 5G networks, including mmWave in the US with Verizon, these networks haven't fully rolled out yet in many locations.

We had to switch towns to try out 5G speeds, and while they're great to have when you can access them, if you don't have 5G in your home, or reliably on your commute, then it's currently not worth getting a 5G phone just for that tech. But it will be pretty much everywhere one day – and the data plans will become cheaper too, so your iPhone 12 Pro will become more useful as time goes on.

Just don't go thinking that right now, 5G is going to change your life. It's an expensive luxury that, as you'll see later on, comes at the cost of battery life – but when it works, it is next-generation stuff.

iPhone 12 Pro review: MagSafe

• Lets you magnetically attach accessories
• The selection of MagSafe accessories is limited

We've observed many times how Apple rarely invents a new technology – more often it just takes existing tech and puts its own stamp on it it (and then the world seems to think that Apple did in fact invent it).

That's the case with MagSafe, a set of magnets under the casing on the back of the iPhone 12 Pro. It’s named after the magnetic power adaptor supplied with older-generation MacBooks: this safe magnet (wait… we just got the name) would snap out if you snagged the power lead, rather than pulling your laptop onto the floor.

The new MagSafe works a little differently, ensuring a very firm hold when you snap on an accessory. Currently, these accessories are limited to cases, a charger and a wallet add-on. MagSafe accessories can also communicate what they actually are to your iPhone, which has a number of benefits.

With the MagSafe charger, for example, the magnets align the phone right in the center of the charging pad, and because the iPhone 12 Pro knows it's a compatible charger, it’ll juice up your phone with twice the wireless power of the previous model.

Returning to our point about Apple putting its own stamp on existing tech, many smartphone fans will remember the magnetic accessories for the Essential Phone, or the snap-on Moto Mods range. These were the trail-blazers for clip-on accessories, and – especially in the case of the Moto Mods, which have now been discontinued, and can be found on sale on Motorola’s website– we lamented the fact that they were never more of a success.

Actually, that's unfair. The Moto Mods program unleashed so many cool ideas: clip-on smart speakers, high-end cameras, even a projector. While Motorola couldn't generate the scale to make its system viable, Apple certainly can, and in a few months we could be up to our eyes in third-party MagSafe accessories.

But, as with 5G, this feels like a feature for the future, rather than one to be excited about right now. Currently, buying an iPhone 12 Pro so that you can enjoy the benefits of MagSafe will only make sense if you also invest in a wireless charger, which costs $39 / £59 / AU$89, and one of the newer (and slightly more expensive) cases that have a MagSafe ‘passthrough’ so you can leave the cover on and still wirelessly charge. (For us, that’s a game-changer, and will encourage users to leave a protective case on, rather than eventually giving up and leaving it off after having to remove it for the hundredth time in order to wirelessly charge their phone).

Using MagSafe is really cool when you feel the charger snap into place – it's like lobbing the Apple Watch 6 onto its charging pad, but with much stronger magnets. But we’d recommend waiting a while to see what new accessories appear – if the ecosystem really flourishes, it’ll become a great reason to make the upgrade.

iPhone 12 Pro review: camera

• Three 12MP cameras on the back
• Wide, ultrawide and telephoto lenses

The iPhone 12 Pro camera array consists of three distinct snappers: there’s a regular 'wide' option, an ultra-wide sensor, and the telephoto 2x zoom for getting closer to your subjects (which also makes the iPhone 12 Pro's portrait mode more efficient).

There's a fourth sensor here: the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max come with a LiDAR scanner, which makes it easier for the iPhone to work out what it's looking at. While that sounds like you'll be able to scan whole rooms and rearrange them virtually in an instance (and in fairness, that capability is available right now, it's just that, basically, no apps are using it well), it's actually more useful for detecting people's faces in low light, enabling the camera to auto-focus speedily.

In good lighting, we didn't notice the cameras focusing appreciably faster thanks to the LiDAR sensor, but when it comes to Night Mode portraits (which we'll get to in a moment) it really was a useful feature.

The other big change on the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, cameras-wise, is the introduction of the ProRAW file format. If you want to know more about this, then check out our Cameras Editor Mark Wilson's excellent explainer on it .

Basically, it's similar to the raw format that many photographers use, which preserves all the image information captured by the sensor to give you greater flexibility when editing. However, if you don’t know how to take advantage of this extra information by processing your raw images, they can look flat and dull compared to JPEGs, which are process in-camera, or in your phone.

Apple's ProRAW bridges the gap, as images are computationally improved by the phone's software, but you're still able to edit and enhance them in your favorite photo editing app, or directly from within Photos itself apparently.

We say 'apparently' as ProRAW wasn't available when the iPhone 12 Pro first launched, instead being added later as a software update. As it wasn't ready when the bulk of this review was being written, we haven't fully tested it yet.

While the iPhone 12 Pro cameras don't seem to be that much of an upgrade from the 2019 11 Pro range, with the same 12MP sensors on all three, the big news is that you can now use Night Mode with all of them, rather than just the main camera.

Night Mode was a really impressive feature when it landed on the iPhone 11, and it can dramatically brighten any photo – even ones taken in almost pitch-black conditions, as long as you're able to hold the phone still for 1-15 seconds (depending on how dark it is).

It's truly impressive when you see the results, as it can literally turn night into day (on your phone’s screen). However, if there's any shake in your hand while you're capturing a shot it can quickly become a blurry mess, especially when you're using the zoom or ultra-wide cameras.

The primary wide camera on the iPhone 12 has been upgraded for better low-light performance – thanks to a wider f/1.6 aperture it does make the average indoor photo at night that little bit brighter, as well as giving the Night Mode function a brighter start image to work from.

Night Mode has been extended to the front camera too, so you can capture better-looking selfies in darker conditions. You can also use portrait mode in the dark, with the Retina Flash (where the screen illuminates to brighten your face) slowly dimming to capture the moment.

This is one area where the iPhone 12 Pro has a clear advantage over the iPhone 12: the additional LiDAR sensor allows you to take clear, in-focus Night Mode portraits, where the iPhone 12 simply can't take in enough light to apply accurate background blur effects.

The selfie camera, in general, is a step up from previous years – it's got nearly every feature that the rear sensors are offering, with things like Smart HDR 3 for better image processing, Dolby Vision video recording and Deep Fusion image enhancement too. However, we still see annoying thing like strands of hair being blurred as part of the background, and sometimes a soft 'halo' effect around subjects.

One of the big features that Apple is touting for the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max is the ability to record, edit and watch Dolby Vision content in 4K at 60 frames per second, such is the enormous grunt of the iPhone 12 Pro.

As we're not seasoned filmmakers, this is something that's a little hard to test with confidence, but the image stabilization, even when we were running, is something to behold; and the results were vibrant, and looked far more realistic when shot at 4K and 60 frames per second, to the extent that they appeared almost too true to life.

iPhone 12 Pro review: specs and performance

• Powerful A14 Bionic chipset
• 6GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage

As the iPhone has been one of the most powerful smartphones in the world for a while now, it almost feels redundant talking about the grunt of the iPhone 12 Pro. However, given that many will be buying it for this reason, it's worth diving into.

The phone is powered by the A14 Bionic chipset, and appears to come with 6GB of RAM (according to our diagnostics) to allow for maximum capability when doing things like the aforementioned video editing on the fly.

This is more than enough power to get through pretty much any task, although it does feel like the iPhone 12 takes a small while to process photos to get them fully sharp and looking great as part of the Deep Fusion optimization. 

However, let's not beat around the bush: the iPhone 12 Pro was the most powerful smartphone we've ever tested at the time of launch, thrashing the competition when it comes to raw power. It's still surprisingly potent.

Whether most people will be able to get the most out of that power is another question, but if you know that you'll need a phone that can withstand the most demanding of apps, this is the one to go for (although, curiously, we didn't see any difference in performance between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, despite the latter packing 6GB of RAM, compared to 4GB - and that usually confers a big power boost).

There's also the improved storage to talk about: the iPhone 12 Pro starts at 128GB capacity, and goes up to 512GB for the most expensive option.

This feels like one of the most compelling reasons to spend a little more to buy the 12 Pro – where the iPhone 12 costs $799 / £799 / AU$1349, that's only for the 64GB model, and moving up to 128GB is pretty much essential if, for example, you're going to be recording a lot of high-resolution video files.

iPhone 12 Pro review: software

• Ships with iOS 14
• Updated to iOS 15

We won't dwell on the software, as like all remotely recent iPhones this runs the latest version of iOS, which at the time of writing is iOS 15 .

That's several small updates on from the iOS 14 software that the phone launched with, and these tweaks have added things like Apple Fitness Plus, which gives subscribers access to a range of workout videos, ProRaw, which we've detailed in the camera section, App Tracking Transparency , new emojis, and more. 

iOS 15 has also added FaceTime improvements, SharePlay, better notifications, a redesigned Safari , and quite a lot more. 

iPhone 12 Pro review: battery life

• Can last 48 hours with light use
• Life is more middling with mixed or moderate use
• 5G drains it faster

The battery life of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro is something of a mystery, insofar as we're hearing reports (currently unconfirmed) that the latest iPhones have smaller batteries than the previous generation.

That would add up, as surprisingly the iPhone 12 Pro is confirmed by Apple to last one hour less for video playback compared to the 11 Pro from 2019.

In terms of overall battery life, we noticed that with light use (as in not using the phone much during the day for browsing and playing games, just photography and listening to music via Spotify) we could easily make it to midnight with more than half the battery remaining, and the phone can actually make it through 48 hours before desperately needing a charge.

However, don't let that fool you into thinking that the iPhone 12 Pro battery life is excellent – it's not. It's just that when spending most of their time on standby, the iPhone 12 range are super-efficient – so if you're spending more time at home connected to lovely, stable Wi-Fi you might be very pleased to discover that you don't need to constantly worry about battery levels.

But when you're out and about, it can be more of a mixed bag. Especially when we were using the phone for web browsing, playing games, or generally keeping the screen fired up when going in and out of 5G signal (a common occurrence while the networks are still being rolled out), battery life was much 'slippier'.

When things are quiet in the office or at home, the iPhone 12 Pro won't be drawing much power at all; but when you're moving, expect to lose between 10-15% per hour, even if you're not using the phone constantly (and more if you're playing an intensive, connected game or browsing the web, for instance).

That's not as good as some iPhones, like the iPhone 11 or iPhone XR , and certainly not at the same level as many Android phones – but we'd call it 'acceptable'.

In our testing benchmarks, there's also a clear drop in battery life when using 5G networks compared to 4G, which means one of the big new features of the iPhone 12 Pro comes with something of a drawback. You'll get 15-20% less battery life if using 5G signal only on the iPhone 12 Pro, which is likely why Apple has added in a smart data mode that slows 5G speeds to 4G levels if 5G isn't needed.

One thing to remember: if you've not got an old Lightning cable and charging block lying around, you're going to need to go out and buy a fast charging block, as the iPhone 12 Pro doesn't come with one in the box.

That's not the end of the world, as they're reduced in price and you genuinely will get a much more rapid charging experience. However, the need to pay an extra $19 / £19 / AU$29 feels a bit galling, especially when you've paid so much for the iPhone 12 Pro.

iPhone 12 Pro review: verdict

At first glance, the iPhone 12 Pro is a tough sell over the main iPhone 12. The phones look identical, and a glance at the spec sheet shows them to be similar on the inside too. However, there are some key areas that impressed us more: the iPhone 12 Pro colors are lovely to look at, with the Pacific Blue one of the nicer shades we've seen on a phone.

Scratch the surface and you'll actually see a more compelling phone. The telephoto zoom is quite useful – arguably more so than the ultra-wide sensor. The LiDAR scanner, while still in its infancy as technology for an iPhone, is already proving to be helpful when shooting in low light, and there's that issue of storage too – starting at 128GB is far more palatable than 64GB for the modern smartphone user.

If you're thinking you'll need that extra bit of RAM, or just want to make sure you've got one of the best phones Apple has put out, then you may well feel it's worth paying that bit extra. If you want even more than that, you may prefer the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Also consider

If our iPhone 12 Pro review hasn't totally sold you on the phone, here are some alternatives that are worth considering.

iPhone 13 The iPhone 13 is newer than the iPhone 12 Pro, but it's also a more basic model. It has more power, but its screen is similar and it has fewer cameras, so which to buy would depend on what your priorities are. Check out our iPhone 13 review

iPhone 13 Pro The iPhone 13 Pro is the successor to the iPhone 12 Pro, and upgrades include a 120Hz refresh rate, a faster chipset, a bigger battery, and slightly improved cameras. It's not a dramatic improvement but it's undeniably better, though also more expensive. Check out our iPhone 13 Pro review

iPhone 12 Pro Max The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a bigger screen and battery than the iPhone 12 Pro, but in most other ways is a very similar phone. If you want a massive display it's the better choice, but it costs a bit more too. Check out our iPhone 12 Pro Max review

First reviewed: October 2020

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.

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Article updated on September 24, 2021 at 2:15 AM PDT

iPhone 12 review: In 2021, it's still an excellent buy

5G support, a new striking design, improved cameras and four models all add up to make the iPhone 12 an absolute unit.

Our Experts

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• New square-sided design
• 5G support for both sub-6 and mmWave
• Low-light photos and videos
• MagSafe everything
• $829 off-carrier price is high for the 12
• Baseline 12 only has 64GB of storage

iPhone 12 Pro

• Premium fit and finish
• Fantastic autofocus for photos and videos
• Solid build quality
• Fastest phone we've ever tested
• iPhone 12 offers most of the same features, design and build for less money

Update, Sept. 24, 2021 : Apple announced the iPhone 13 series  earlier this month. The new phones follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 12 series with four models: the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max . Last year's iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max have been discontinued, but the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini hang around at a lower price. That means you can get an iPhone 12 Mini with 64GB of memory for $629, which is $100 less than its original price and the cost of the new iPhone 13 Mini with 128GB of storage. The iPhone 12 with 64GB starts at $729, which is $100 less than the 128GB iPhone 13. Those prices don't include carrier discounts.  My review of the iPhone 12 from Oct. 20, 2020, follows.

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro mark the beginning of a new generation of iPhone. Support for 5G , a new hardware design and camera improvements are a significant step away from the iPhone X generation of devices. This is nothing new. Apple did something similar in 2010 with the iPhone 4 and in 2014 when it released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus . 

There is one big difference with the iPhone 12 generation , though. It's the first time there are four new iPhones at once : the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini , iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max . If you want to go small and reap the benefits of a lower price there's the Mini. If you want the biggest iPhone with the newest in iPhone cameras, get the Pro Max. But that leaves the 12 and 12 Pro which are similar (like basically-the-same-phone similar). That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Read more:  iPhone 12 drop test results are in: Ceramic shield is as tough as it sounds

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are the same size. They both have the same design, the same display, the same insanely fast A14 Bionic chip, the same 5G support , the same selfie, wide and ultrawide cameras. Heck, they both come in blue. (Technically, the 12 Pro is Pacific blue.) This is a departure from the base and pro models from the previous year. The $699 iPhone 11 and $999 iPhone 11 Pro were similar but had enough differences to distinguish themselves from each other.

Read more:  The best phone to buy for 2021

The $829 iPhone 12 (or $799 if you activate it on a carrier when you buy it) is $130 more than the iPhone 11 when it was released. An iPhone 12 with 128GB of storage (the same as the baseline 12 Pro) costs $879 (sans carrier discount) which is only $120 less than the $999 iPhone 12 Pro. It's best to think of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro as "better" and "best" versions of the same phone. Here's how to buy each iPhone 12 model .

Prices start in the UK at £799 for the iPhone 12 and £999 for the 12 Pro. In Australia they start at AU$1,349 for the 12 and AU$1,699 for the 12 Pro. See the chart at the bottom for a full pricing breakdown.

iPhone 12 vs. 12 Pro vs. iPhone 11

Now there are many people who will just get the iPhone 12 because it doesn't cost a thousand dollars and it's a great phone. Which it is. And there are many people who will get the iPhone 12 Pro because it is more premium. Which it is. Either way, you're getting an amazing phone with the best overall camera system you can find.

During my time with both phones, I found myself picking the 12 Pro more. Not because it had a telephoto camera or lidar, which the 12 lacks: I preferred the matte textured back, the shiny stainless steel band around the sides and the fact that the 12 Pro, despite weighing nearly an ounce (25 grams) more, felt solid and premium in my hand.

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have the same 5G support

It's brilliant that both the 12 and 12 Pro can connect to sub-6 and mmWave 5G here in the US . One phone doesn't have better 5G support than the other. They are both the same.

I tested these phones in Greenville, South Carolina on both T-Mobile's 5G network and Verizon's Nationwide 5G (the non-mmWave version without the bonkers speeds). I was impressed with the coverage both carriers offered, but not always with the consistency of 5G speeds. Using the app SpeedTest, the iPhone 12 on T-Mobile recorded download speeds between 10.4 and 14.9 megabits per second, while the iPhone 12 Pro on Verizon clocked in between 97.9 and 104Mbps for downloads.

The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 both offer the same support for 5G.

Speed tests aside, there isn't a killer app that can show off how 5G is pushing things forward . Right now, you'll see a lot of reviews showing you SpeedTest scores and how fast you can download season 3 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon. That said, most iPhone owners tend to keep their phones for years. Even if you don't experience fast 5G speeds now, at least your phone will be able to handle them when they arrive down the line.

Connecting to 5G can tax your phone's battery life. Apple implemented a clever software feature called Smart Data mode, which balances data needs, speed and power. Smart Data looks at a number of factors to determine whether you need to use 5G. If you don't, your iPhone will switch to a 4G connection. Smart Data can even switch between different bands of 5G. You can override Smart Data and select to have 5G connectivity all the time. 

One cool thing about 5G on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro was that it let me make HD FaceTime calls over cellular. More 5G things like that, please. 

Apple iPhone 12 Pro has a bold, striking no-frills look

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have an iPhone 5 design

One of the first things I noticed about the iPhone 12 is its "slabular" beauty. Apple's idea of premium differs from the flash and spectacle we see in flagship Android phones. Body colors don't appear to morph from one to another depending on the light. The screen doesn't wrap around the edges. In fact, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro don't have curved edges at all.

Instead, a straight-edged polished stainless steel band defines the iPhone 12 Pro (it's matte aluminum on the 12), much in the way it did on the iPhone 5, 5S and SE, just without the chamfered edges. The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have a bold, striking look without any frills. The build and finish on the 12 Pro are extraordinary.

The squared-off edges of the iPhone 5 are back.

The iPhone 12 is also defined by a stunning OLED panel, which Apples calls a Super XDR display. Gone is the LCD found on the iPhone XR and 11. Besides the contrast and resolution, the squared-off sides seem to push the display up and forward. When the phone is on its back, it's as if the rest of the phone is holding up the display while trying not to be seen.

Both phone screens are covered with a ceramic shield, a new material that starts off as glass and is infused with nano-ceramic crystals. (After the infusion, it's no longer considered glass.) Apple claims it offers four times the protection when dropped. I'm not sure exactly how that number was calculated by Apple, but I look forward to my colleagues putting the 12 and 12 Pro through a series of drop tests. The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are both rated IP68 for water- and dust-resistance and can withstand being submerged in water to a depth of 6 meters for 30 minutes. In the time I had the phones, both handled spills, light rain and minimal submerging in water just fine.

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro capture excellent photos and videos

The cameras received hardware, software and processing upgrades. While other phones might have a standout camera feature (like the Galaxy S21 and  S20 Ultra's 100x Space Zoom ) that these iPhones lack, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro can capture excellent photos and video and deliver consistently fantastic images. Here's a sample taken in a range of different environments and lighting.

Read more:  S21 Ultra vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max vs. Pixel 5: Which phone has the best night mode?

The iPhone 12 Pro nails the texture of the clouds and the highlights on the left side of the steeple.

This scene is a computational photography obstacle course. There's moving water, a cloudy sky, brick patterns in the background and red and pink flowers. And the iPhone 12 handles it all like a champ.

The amount of detail that the iPhone 12 Pro was able to capture in this photo is impressive.

The iPhone 12 was able to capture the texture of the light colored bricks and the shine of the black sign.

This scene really shows off the dynamic range of the iPhone 12.

The iPhone 12 has the exact same cameras as the iPhone 12 Pro, except for the telephoto camera and lidar. But these phones aren't just dependent on hardware to take good photos and videos. Apple's new A14 Bionic chip, along with software and machine learning, adds improvements to everything.

For example, the 12 and 12 Pro have the same hardware for their ultrawide-angle camera as 2019's 11 and 11 Pro. But the 12 and 12 Pro have software to correct the lens distortion. Take a look below at these ultrawide-angle photos of a brick wall. in the iPhone 11 photo, notice how the corners of the brick wall look like they're bending.

Timed selfie taken with the rear ultrawide-angle camera on the iPhone 12. Getting my Beastie Boys pose on.

Apple added software to reduce the distortion on the ultrawide-angle camera. Lucky the dramatic perspective remains unchanged in this photo taken with the iPhone 12.

The ultrawide-angle camera on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro now has Night Mode support.

The main wide-angle camera on both phones has a faster lens that lets in more light. The new lens, combined with Smart HDR 3, yields truly amazing photos with accurate colors and solid dynamic range. Night Mode is now on the ultrawide and selfie cameras. I'm shocked at how good some Night Mode photos came out, even the selfie portraits I took! The telephoto camera on the 12 Pro is a huge step up in zoom compared to the iPhone 12. But there are a number of phones that offer much longer zooms with better results.

Without a lot of light, the iPhone 12 Pro was able to render this scene beautifully.

Despite being downtown with lots of light, the iPhone 12 Pro was even able to find some stars in the sky.

In terms of video, especially on the iPhone 12 Pro, the focus is fantastic and was able to track me even when I was shooting at night. And that's because of the lidar sensor . In fact, some of the clips in my review video were shot on the iPhone 12 Pro.

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are the fastest phones

The cameras aren't the only thing that the A14 Bionic chip improves. It's fast, but it's hard to see the increased speed over the A13 chip, which is still peppy. The A14 chip is as much about power now as it is about future-proofing your phone so it can handle iOS 17 in a few years.

In performance benchmark tests, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro recorded the highest scores of any phones we've ever tested. See the results below.

3DMark Slingshot Unlimited

Geekbench v.5.0 single-core, geekbench v.5.0 multicore.

In terms of battery life, I typically got through a day and the next morning OK. I was able to run a single battery test with looped video playing at half brightness in airplane mode. The iPhone 12 Pro lasted 15 hours, 56 minutes and the iPhone 12 lasted 17 hours, 14 minutes. I want more time to evaluate the battery life on the 12 and 12 Pro once I'm done reviewing the phones and we have more battery tests to run, so check back to this article for updates.

The phone comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable, which can offer super fast speeds. Apple no longer includes a pair of wired earbuds in the box or a power adapter , the idea being to minimize hazardous electronic waste. It's likely this won't be a problem for you as most people will already have a pair of earbuds and a wall charger to use.

Read more:   iPhone 12 takes us a step closer to Apple's portless future

iPhone 12 has perfectly flat sides and it's wonderful

But here's where that doesn't necessarily add up: Since 2012, all iPhones have come with a 5-watt charger USB-A power adapter, which isn't compatible with the included USB-C cable. Yes, if you already have an old Lightning cable you could use that, or you could buy a USB-C power adapter. Or you could try out Apple's new MagSafe wireless charging system , but the MagSafe charger (without a wall charger) is $39.

MagSafe uses magnets inside the phone and charger to nestle them into a position that is the most efficient for charging. I really enjoyed using MagSafe. The sound the phone and charger make when they connect is beyond satisfying. There's even an animation that pops up on screen showing that everything is properly connected. I tried out some MagSafe cases, which work well and allow for wireless charging through the case without losing power.

From left to right: MagSafe charger, MagSafe clear case on an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and MagSafe detachable wallet.

The magnets can also connect to noncharging accessories like a detachable wallet, which you can use with or without a MagSafe phone case. This little business card-sized wallet won me over. I'm excited to see what Apple and third-party companies use MagSafe for.

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are amazing phones, but we only have half the picture right now. There's also the iPhone 12 Mini (which I'm particularly excited about, given its size and price) and the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which maxes out the size of the phone's display and offers camera improvements that none of the other iPhones 12 have. But that's just what we know based on the specs. We'll have to wait until November to see how they work out in reality.

iPhone 12 vs. 12 Pro vs. Mini vs. 12 Pro Max

First published Oct. 20.

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Apple iPhone 12 Pro

• 6.1" 1170x2532 pixels
• 12 MP 2160p
• 6 GB RAM Apple A14 Bionic
• 2815 mAh PD2.0 15W

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iPhone 12 review

A good value if you don't need the latest bells and whistles.

Tom's Guide Verdict

The iPhone 12 sports a gorgeous design, full 5G support, great cameras and strong performance. However, you don't get a 120Hz display or telephoto lens, and the newer iPhone 14 offers better cameras.

Attractive new design with MagSafe

Comprehensive 5G coverage

Impressive dual cameras

Fastest performance in this price range

Solid battery life

Only 64GB of base storage

Lacks 120Hz display

No optical zoom

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Current price: $599 on contract Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2532x1170) CPU: A14 Bionic Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB Rear camera: 12MP wide (ƒ/1.6), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4) Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2) Battery: 2,815 mAh Battery life: 8:25 (5G), 10:23 (4G) Size: 5.78 x 2.81 x 0.29 inches Weight: 5.78 ounces

Editor's Note: The iPhone 12 is worth a look if you're on the hunt for a cheap iPhone, but it will likely be discontinued once the iPhone 15 arrives. Our advice is to buy the newer iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 instead.

The iPhone 12 offers an attractive, flat edged design surrounding a crisp OLED display. Also bundled in is 5G connectivity, great cameras and the power of the A14 Bionic chipset. The battery life isn't great, and it lacks a 120Hz refresh rate, but nobody's perfect.

The iPhone 12 is a good iPhone, particularly given its relatively low price tag. Read on for our full iPhone 12 review to find out more.

iPhone 12 review: Release date and price

The iPhone 12 was released in October of 2021 and it remains available from Apple as well as a number of carriers. The newly reduced price starts $599/£649/AU$1,049 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB and 246GB options avaiable. To save some money, make sure you check our Apple Store coupons page for the latest offers and discounts. 

If you want the lowest price, we continue to track iPhone 12 deals for all of Apple's phones. You can save anywhere from $40 to $720 on an iPhone 12 when you buy from Apple and trade-in your current iPhone, assuming you've got an iPhone 7 or later. (Newer models fetch the highest return.)

Note that the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini remain in Apple's lineup at lower prices of their own. The iPhone 13 costs $100 more than the iPhone 12, as you would imagine. The iPhone 13 shares that $599 price, though, so Apple is asking you to either pay for newer features or a bigger screen.

Apple doesn't shipping a charging adapter or headphones in-box with the iPhone 12, so you'll need to pay extra if you need one. But that's true of all iPhones that have come out since the iPhone 12's release.

iPhone 12 review: Design

Apple rarely alters the physical design of the iPhone from generation to generation, and thus any change — no matter how small — is typically received with enthusiasm. You can chalk up the iPhone 12’s flat-edge aesthetic as one of those more modest revisions from previous editions.

Sure, the flat edges look nice enough and offer a much appreciated change of pace from the last several consecutive years of rounded iPhones. What’s more, they improve the iPhone 12’s durability in tandem with Apple’s new Ceramic Shield material, as the rounded frames of previous iPhones actually made them more fragile.

The Ceramic Shield display held up well in EverythingApplePro 's torture test on YouTube . Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro did not crack at hip or shoulder height when dropped, and the display on the regular iPhone 12 didn't even crack from 10 feet, though the back did. 

All that said, I can’t say my hands have really taken to the sharper design. Few smartphones employ flat sides these days, and the iPhone 12 reminds me why. The edges dig into your palm, and make the entire device a bit harder to grip. For example, the iPhone 12 measures 0.29 inches thick — which is perceptibly identical to the 0.31-inch-thick Pixel 5. However, the Pixel 5 feels more slender in the hand, because it naturally fits the curvature of your palm.

Additionally — and I won’t blame you for dismissing this as a nitpick — as a longtime iPhone 11 Pro user, I couldn't help but feel the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 is a hair taller than it really needs to be. I find the 5.8-inch size the perfect compromise between display real estate and pocketability, but with the iPhone 12 series, Apple has left that form factor to die. Now, those who desire a more compact device will have no choice but to go for the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini. (The iPhone 12 mini is no longer around.) And though I commend Apple for continuing to offer a small flagship phone, I can’t help but feel a 5.4-inch display might be a bit too tiny for modern users.

Nevertheless, I’m generally smitten by the iPhone 12’s design. I like that Apple’s shaved down the bezels considerably compared to the iPhone 11 and XR, though a slightly reduced notch would have been appreciated. And while I’m not a huge fan of the new blue color — I find this sort of navy a bit dull — I like the mint green on offer, and I especially like the elegant simplicity of this design. The iPhone 12 comes in four other colors — black, white, red and purple.

iPhone 12 review: MagSafe

While the miracle of magnets continues to baffle the world’s top minds , Apple has made them a fundamental aspect of the iPhone 12’s design. A ring of magnets centrally placed on the back of the iPhone 12 enable Apple’s MagSafe ecosystem of accessories, from wireless chargers to cases and wallet attachments that simply snap on and off.

There’s nothing inherently unique about Apple’s brand of wireless charging here. The company’s own $30 MagSafe charging puck uses the very same Qi standard as any other wireless charger for any other phone — it just incorporates magnets, too. Your iPhone 12 will still be compatible with whatever wireless chargers or Qi accessories you already have, though to get those peak 15-watt speeds, you'll need a first- or third-party solution that incorporates MagSafe.

The bad news is that MagSafe is slower than Apple's 20W wired charger. Much slower. In a third-party charging test , the iPhone 12 charges to 50% full in 28 minutes using the 20W fast charger. The 15W MagSafe charger took an hour.

Still, that’s not to discredit the philosophy behind MagSafe, which makes a lot of sense. The magnets help localize the iPhone 12 on chargers and makes accessory attachment more convenient. And it’s surely easier to top off your phone by setting it down a puck that instantly aligns itself perfectly, rather than fumbling around at your bedside to plug in a tiny Lightning connector.

I think it’s going to take more third-party involvement and experimentation before we really see MagSafe reach its full potential — and that's happened a little bit in the two years since the iPhone 12's release. Still, the magnets within my iPhone 12 weren't quite strong enough to keep Apple's MagSafe wallet rigidly attached in all instances. In fact, the friction of pulling the iPhone 12 out of my jeans pocket was enough to knock the wallet off center on a few occasions, which to me doesn’t evoke very Apple-like design.

iPhone 12 review: Display

The iPhone 11’s LCD display was unquestionably the Achilles' heel of Apple’s entry-level premium iPhones, but the iPhone 12 alleviates that. It’s all thanks to a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display that matched what you got in the iPhone 12 Pro.

This panel packs a 2532x1170 resolution, making for a dramatic increase in the clarity of on-screen content compared to the iPhone 11’s dated 1792x898 display. It’s also HDR10 rated, allowing you to watch any videos recorded with the device’s Dolby Vision-equipped rear camera the way they were intended to be seen.

Watching the trailer for the Monster Hunter film that really looks as though it never should have been made, I at least came away pleased by the fidelity of the scales, horns and teeth on a Black Diablos glinting in the desert sun. The black smoke from an explosion also contrasted heavily against the otherwise bright daylight scene in a way that wouldn’t have looked nearly as alluring on the iPhone 11’s LCD panel, with its inability to display true black.

The iPhone 12’s screen still isn’t perfect, and the reason why is clear to anyone who has used a recent Galaxy, Pixel or OnePlus phone for any length of time. Following months of rumors suggesting the opposite, Apple decided to forgo high refresh-rate displays on the entire iPhone 12 line, which have actually become quite common in the flagship smartphone space over the past year. (You'll need to get one of Apple's Pro phones to experience faster refresh rates on an iPhone — even if you opt for the new iPhone 14 lineup.)

As a result, animations aren’t as smooth and taps and scrolls don’t respond with the same immediacy on the iPhone 12 as they do on, say, the 90Hz Pixel 5 or 120Hz Galaxy S20 . Even though the iPhone 12 is more powerful than those devices — as we’ll soon see later in the review — it feels slower to use at times, simply because the display isn’t as athletic. 

In terms of brightness, under our light meter the iPhone 12 topped out at 569 nits at its highest setting, which actually falls considerably short of Apple’s 625-nit estimate. It was able to render 114.5% of the sRGB color space — just shy of the 122.8% of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 — indicating slightly more restrained and natural hues, rather than oversaturation.

Looking to the Delta-E color accuracy test, the iPhone 12 scored a result of 0.29, which is surprisingly a bit worse than the iPhone 11’s 0.22 result. (Numbers closer to zero indicate more accurate hues.) Nevertheless, colors seemed appropriate to my eye, and the switch to OLED alone makes this a massive leap compared to the previous generation, generally speaking.

iPhone 12 review: Cameras

Judging from the outside, you wouldn’t think a whole lot has changed in the camera department for the iPhone 12. The dual-lens rear shooters are arranged in a similar fashion as they were for 2019, and both of the wide and ultrawide optics are backed by 12-megapixel sensors.

Don’t let your eyes deceive you, however, as upgrades have been made. The primary camera in particular benefits from a 7-element design with an ƒ/1.6 aperture, the largest at the time in an iPhone. The upshot of both of these changes is a 27% improvement in low-light performance, which, coupled with advancements to Smart HDR and Deep Fusion, should translate to more detail in even the least favorable conditions.

So let’s begin, then, with a couple of Night Mode shots that illustrate what a year’s worth of improvements have done for the iPhone’s low-light performance. Both of these photos make for dramatic, stunning night scenes, but the iPhone 12’s rendition is slightly sharper across the board, with more lifelike hues inside the shadow-clad brick and better sensitivity to specular highlights, evident in the way the brick picks up the light from the lamps above. Still, the iPhone 11 Pro doesn’t lose out by much at all to the newer handset.

That said, Apple’s got some work to do. Google looks to have the upper hand at night, judging by how the iPhone 12’s best work compares to the Pixel 5’s in the example above. While Apple’s software emboldens object boundaries, giving everything in the frame a tinge more depth, Google’s algorithms deliver a universally more visible result, in tandem with far less overall noise. There’s some ugly vignetting going on around the edges of the iPhone 12’s shot that plainly isn’t there in the Pixel’s shot.

In daylight, the iPhone 12’s main camera gives you little to complain about. While the Note 20 painted this idyllic lakeside scene a bit more sharply, particularly within the distant trees, I largely prefer the iPhone 12’s attempt for its more realistic treatment of colors, from the deep blue mid-afternoon sky to the yellows, oranges and greens encircling the water. Samsung once again went overboard with post-processing here, as it has a habit of doing.

When we zoom into that fountain off to the right, though, the iPhone 12’s limitations become painfully obvious. There’s no optical zoom on offer with the iPhone 12 — for that, you have to spend more on the iPhone 12 Pro or Pro Max. But even then, you wouldn’t get the same crystal clarity provided by the Note 20’s 3x hybrid zoom, which nails the beads of water, the ripples on the lake’s surface and the wall of trees in the background.

Here we see the very same lake, now viewed through the ultrawide lenses of the iPhone 12 and $749 OnePlus 8T . Both of these shots fall astray in different respects; the iPhone 12 bungles the white balance, producing a green cast in the water and clouds, while the OnePlus 8T’s photo just isn’t sharp enough at all, and heavily distorts the image along the perimeter.

Rounding out this fall-themed photo op is a pair of portraits of my colleague Jesse, taken with the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5. Interestingly, the iPhone 12 defaults to a more pulled-out perspective for portraits than the Pixel 5, which automatically applies some cropping.

Still, the iPhone 12’s version still looks a bit sharper to my eye, with better treatment of Jesse’s skin tone, and Smart HDR deftly managing the contrast between the deep shadows blanketing his right shoulder and the rest of his hoodie. The iPhone 12 also applies a more precise bokeh around Jesse’s hair and ears, which is often the challenge of simulated shallow depth-of-field portraits like these.

To test out the capabilities of Apple’s Deep Fusion mode, which favors scenes with granular details in medium-light scenarios, I used the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5 to grab a shot of a painting on canvas. Deep Fusion is designed to composite various exposures of different lengths for optimal sharpness, but I was surprised to find Google’s handset actually generated the most precise output here, drawing the hatchwork texture of the canvas with a crispness the iPhone 12 couldn’t quite match. However, I think the iPhone’s treatment of colors at large — and the warmth it lends to the reds, whites and the neutral-toned background — ultimately results in a more appealing image.

A better example of Deep Fusion at work may be this selfie I took as the sun was going down, where the iPhone 12 rendered the individual fibers in my sweater with richness and nuance compared to the Note 20’s blurry output. The iPhone 12’s 12MP front-facing camera unsurprisingly captures more detail than the Note 20’s 10MP sensor, but Apple’s algorithms also don’t uncannily over-brighten shadows and drain contrast from my face like Samsung’s do. If I was forced to post one of these to Instagram, the choice wouldn’t be difficult.

Overall, the iPhone 12 lands among the top tier of its price bracket where camera performance is concerned, but it’s not the best in every scenario. For night shots, I’d still rather have a Pixel, which can paint the same challenging scenes with less noise. And if I was working from a distance, I’d rather have the Pixel 5 as well for its superior digital Super Res Zoom, or one of Samsung’s devices — either the Galaxy S20 FE or the Note 20 — for their 3x optical and hybrid zoom systems.

iPhone 12 review: Video

Apple went all in on 4K HDR video recording with the iPhone 12 line. Like the iPhone 12 and Pro Max, the regular iPhone 12 (and the smaller iPhone 12 mini) can record Dolby Vision video, albeit only at 30 frames per second to the Pro models’ 60. Dolby Vision is a type of HDR encoding that goes beyond the standard HDR10 format to provide superior color depth, while ensuring a consistent visual presentation as closely aligned to the source material as possible, no matter where or how the content is viewed.

It may be hard to visualize, but trust us on this one — the difference is immediately clear when observing the same content side-by-side in HDR and SDR. I recorded a short video in a park as the sun descended behind the trees, and the gap in contrast in each instance was eye-opening. For one, the sky was markedly brighter in the Dolby Vision capture, and I could actually make out individual leaves and trees reflecting the sun. These aspects were faded, washed out and obscured in the SDR take, and as someone who has been using an iPhone 11 Pro for video for the better part of a year, I had no idea what I’d been missing.

Now, to be fair, the iPhone 12 is far from the only smartphone out there that can shoot HDR video. However, it is the only Dolby Vision-certified one, and I can definitely say that HDR video I’ve shot on our Galaxy S20 Plus has never looked anywhere near as good unedited as what the iPhone 12 churns out by default.

iPhone 12 review: 5G

Lots of smartphones support 5G, especially in the two years since we first published this iPhone 12 review. You don’t even really need to pay more for the privilege anymore. However, Apple’s philosophy toward 5G is what distinguishes the iPhone 12 from all other 5G phones.

Whereas the vast majority of 5G handsets released at the time supported one kind of 5G and not another, or only the specific bands necessary to work on a certain network, the iPhone 12 went all out. It is built to run on the most bands of any 5G phone, which means a greater chance of 5G coverage, especially these days. What’s more, the iPhone 12 works on both sub-6GHz 5G — the nationwide 5G that has formed the backbone of T-Mobile and AT&T’s service as of yet — in addition to much faster and shorter-range millimeter-wave 5G, like what Verizon has focused on deploying in America’s cities.

This dual-pronged approach to 5G is critical, because it means when 5G eventually does become ubiquitous, your 5G-capable iPhone won’t be hamstrung with a modem that only supports some networks and not others. Mind you, that day was not when I first tested the iPhone 12 in 2020. On AT&T’s network in a Pennsylvania suburb, I tended to see downloads in the neighborhood of 85 Mbps on our iPhone 12 while pulling a two-bar signal. That’s serviceable, but only about as third as quick as the fastest LTE Advanced networks we’ve tested.

5G does increase demand on the iPhone’s battery, however, and so to that end, Apple developed Smart Data Mode . This feature intelligently switches between LTE and 5G depending on whether or not the device really needs the extra speed. For example, if you’re simply streaming music over Spotify with the screen off, your iPhone 12 may elect to remain on 4G to save power. But the second you begin actively web browsing or attempting a FaceTime HD call, 5G will kick in in full effect. Smart Data Mode is totally optional; if you'd rather have 5G firing at all times, you can deem it so in the phone’s settings.

iPhone 12 review: Performance

Armed with the first 5-nanometer processor ever embedded in a smartphone — Apple’s A14 Bionic — the iPhone 12 delivers best-at-the-ime performance that never wavered. The A13 Bionic chip in the iPhone 11 series was already faster than Qualcomm’s top-tier 2020 silicon, the Snapdragon 865 Plus, but the A14 extends that gap further still. As of 2022, Android phones are beginning to catch up, but the iPhone 12 still holds its own.

Most phones need about a minute or more to complete our video encoding test, where a short 4K video is transcoded to 1080p using Adobe’s Premiere Rush app. The iPhone 11 Pro needed 46 seconds to complete this task; the 888-equipped Galaxy S21 Ultra , 1 minute and 2 seconds. The iPhone 12, though? Just 26 seconds. Android phones have yet to match that time still.

The Geekbench 5 test, which measures overall system performance, shows a similar advantage for Apple’s newest CPU. Here, the iPhone 12 set a blistering pace with a score of 3,859 in the multicore portion of the benchmark. The Galaxy S21 Ultra garnered 3,440 points.

And Apple hasn’t skimped on the graphics side of things, either. Apple says the GPU inside the A14 Bionic is 50% faster than the one in the A13. While the latest mobile games don’t always take full advantage of phone makers’ rapid innovation, I can say that Asphalt 9 Legends — a game that can occasionally be chuggy on some higher-end Android phones — felt smooth and sharp on the iPhone 12. (Of course, a faster refresh-rate display would have heightened the illusion of responsiveness and immersion, but that’s another issue.)

A better measure of performance is 3DMark’s Wild Life graphics benchmark, which tasks devices with rendering complex, taxing scenes in real-time. The Galaxy S21 Ultra tops out at 34 fps in this test. The iPhone 12 hit 39 fps in our testing.

iPhone 12 review: Battery life and charging

Apple never reveals battery capacity figures for its devices, which makes it challenging to glean any insights regarding longevity from a spec sheet. A teardown suggested the iPhone 12 could be working with a 2,815-mAh unit, which translates to roughly 200 mAh less capacity than the iPhone 11 Pro had at its disposal. 

Nevertheless, larger screen iPhones tend to perform decently in our custom battery test, where devices continuously surf the web over cellular at 150 nits of screen brightness.

For a bit of perspective, the iPhone 11 tallied 11 hours and 16 minutes in this test, and we deem anything over the 11 hour mark to be very good. The iPhone 12, however, averaged 8 hours and 25 minutes in the very same test, which would appear to be a significant decrease.

However, there is a deeper story here. Like the iPhone 11, Apple rates the iPhone 12 for an identical 17 hours of video playback, along with 65 hours of audio. However, the iPhone 11 didn’t have 5G to contend with. And when we ran our test again with 5G switched off in favor of LTE, the iPhone 12 performed better — a lot better.

The iPhone 12 lasted 10 hours and 23 minutes on 4G — two hours longer than its 5G time. If we had to guess, the culprit could be that 5G consumes more power, or that the limited span of 5G networks makes it difficult for the iPhone 12 to maintain a consistent 5G connection, forcing it to switch back and forth between 5G and 4G. 

Apple dramatically improved battery life with the iPhone 13, so if you're considering a discounted older Apple device, know that long-lasting options are available to you.

The iPhone 12 battery story gets a bit worse as we approach the elephant in the room — Apple’s decision to forgo a charging brick and wired headphones with every iPhone going forward.

Say what you like about how much of this can be chalked up to Cupertino’s environmental initiative, but the fact of the matter is that this will leave prospective iPhone buyers without the fastest-charging solution for the iPhone 12 unless they shell out an additional $20 for Apple’s 20-watt USB-C adapter. And, to add insult to injury, the Lightning-to-USB-C cable that Apple does pack in with the iPhone 12 won’t work with older chargers, and won’t be of much use to you unless you buy a new brick.

The charger situation is the same for U.K. buyers, with Apple wanting £39 for the MagSafe charger and £19 for the wired 20-watt charging block.

In our testing, the 20-watt adapter got the iPhone 12 from empty to 57% in 30 minutes. That exceeds Apple's own 50% estimate, though you assuredly won’t see that kind of speed if you depend on your old 5-watt brick from iPhones of yore to charge your new device. The iPhone 12 can also now charge wirelessly at a peak speed of 15 watts, which is noticeably better than Apple’s lethargic old 7.5-watt mandate.

iPhone 12 review: iOS 16 

iOS 14 was the latest Apple phone software when the iPhone 12 debuted, but these days, it's all about iOS 16. And as you can see in our iOS 16 review , there are some noteworthy changes. You can customize the iPhone's lock screen, copy text out of a video in Live Text and even edit your texts in Messages after you've sent them. 

All of these capabilities are available to the iPhone 12 just as they are on newer iPhones. We imagine the iPhone 12 has at least three more OS updates, meaning you'll likely still have an up-to-date phone in 2025.

iPhone 12 review: Verdict

I’m of two minds about the iPhone 12. There’s no question this is a great phone overall, and many of the changes Apple has made to its most popular iPhone are for the better. The new Super Retina XDR panel is a phenomenal improvement over the disappointing LCD panels in previous models at this price, even if it lacks a high refresh rate. And the design, MagSafe system and excellent dual-camera system all earn the iPhone 12 high marks.

But Apple’s resistance to change in key areas is still disappointing. Practically every major phone maker has stopped being stingy with base storage. The fact the iPhone 12 still only starts with 64GB is borderline criminal, especially in light of the iPhone 13's expanded storage. 

In fact, some should opt for the iPhone 13 instead (or the iPhone 14 if you've got $799 to spend), even though the iPhone 12 costs less. The iPhone 13 delivers faster performance, better cameras, and a smaller notch, plus longer battery life. But two years after its arrival, the iPhone 12 is still worth buying if you're on a tight budget.

Adam Ismail is a staff writer at Jalopnik and previously worked on Tom's Guide covering smartphones, car tech and gaming. His love for all things mobile began with the original Motorola Droid; since then he’s owned a variety of Android and iOS-powered handsets, refusing to stay loyal to one platform. His work has also appeared on Digital Trends and GTPlanet. When he’s not fiddling with the latest devices, he’s at an indie pop show, recording a podcast or playing Sega Dreamcast.

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admin said: The iPhone 12 sports a gorgeous new design, full 5G support, great cameras and even better performance. However, the lack of a charger in box and limited base storage are drawbacks. iPhone 12 review : Read more

• ChrisGX Apple says the GPU inside the A14 Bionic is 50% faster than the one in the A13. Apple said no such thing. Apple claims a 30% GPU performance boost compared to the A12 generation. Furthermore, observed performance for the A14 in the iPhone and the iPad Air (4th Gen) looks different in some important respects. iPhone benchmark scores for multi-core/multi-threaded workloads and GPU workloads look more modest than those for the iPad Air. That might be explained by the power management logic in the A14 doing what it is meant to do - the improved passive cooling permitted by the larger tablet format/frame/skin probably also allows those elevated multi-threaded scores (at the cost of slightly elevated power consumption) without causing any run away thermal build up. Looking at the A14 GPU scores for the iPhone and the iPad Air, however, that are so sharply different, makes one wonder whether the GPU in the iPhone has been locked to a lower frequency. Reply
• HelloWorld\n I would put 60Hz in the positives. We know that 120Hz is unnecessary. It drains battery and reduced performance drastically. Some metrics show it drains the battery 35% faster. Many phones with 120Hz even let you turn it off and never to 60Hz. It makes sense to have 120Hz in monitors: (1) they are plugged into he wall where power is not an issues, and (2) GPU's are expandable on desktops. As for phones 120Hz does not make sense. It is just a temporary fad at best. Reply
• View All 3 Comments

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iOS 18 is coming, but which iPhones will support it?

At the June 10, 2024 Apple WWDC presentation, the brand revealed its latest software including iOS 18, as we speculated . While hardware updates only affect users gearing up for the new devices, most Apple users will see the benefits of the latest integrations and updates. Which iPhones are getting the iOS 18 update?

iOS 18 brings significant redesigns to the iPhone control center, as well as updates to the Messages and Photo apps. Later this year, Apple is bringing its own brand of AI called Apple Intelligence . Not to mention, ChatGPT is coming to Siri.

Here's what we know so far.

iPhones getting the iOS 18 treatment

Apple has officially announced which iPhone models are compatible with iOS 18. While all the phones here will get the software update, only iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max phones will be able to utilize Apple's AI.

iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max

iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max

iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max

iPhone SE (2nd or newer)

What to know about iOS 18

Before the announcement at Apple WWDC , we anticipated iOS 18 would bring heavy changes compared to other software updates. The updates to iOS affect the most frequently used apps like Messages and Photos.

With iOS 18 , you can customize your phone to the highest degree. Apps can be adjusted around the screen to frame your wallpaper, and you can adjust the color and tint of your apps for a more cohesive look. If you're sick of accidentally turning on the flashlight because of its place on your lock screen, you can swap it out for other options including Snapchat — even though we're not sure why you'd need such quick access to it.

Plus you can now lock and hide apps on your phone, which may or may not result in the end of a few relationships.

Messages is getting an upgrade, too. Your favorite tapbacks are getting redesigned — now you'll be able to react to a message with any emoji. Get vocal in your messages by using bold, italic, and strikethrough text and never forget a birthday text again with scheduled sends.

According to Apple, Photos is getting its largest redesign yet with a new single scroll photo grid. There are ways to filter your entire library, removing screenshots from cluttering your screen. Plus, it will recognize groups of people and your pets for better collections.

• Apple officially bringing ChatGPT to Siri, iOS 18, iPad OS, and macOS Sequoia
• Apple announces new era of AI with Apple Intelligence
• The official list of Macs that will support MacOS Sequoia
• iOS 18 gets a significant redesign: Dark Look, Control Center, and more announced at WWDC
• WWDC 2024: Genmoji lets you create your own emojis with 'Apple Intelligence'

When does iOS 18 come out?

During the June 10, Apple WWDC event, the fruit company debuted a lot of new features in thorough detail but provided no date for when iOS 18 will be rolled out.

The iOS 18 preview page says it's arriving this fall, but still, no exact date. Apple Intelligence is coming in beta this fall too, with a full roll out to come later. And for the time being, only iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models will get to experience Apple's foray into AI.

Shop iPhones with the iOS update

If you're giddy over the new developments coming to iOS 18 but your phone isn't covered, it's time for an upgrade. All iPhones currently for sale will support the new system, but if you're after Apple Intelligence, go for the iPhone 15 Pro .

Topics Apple iOS iPhone WWDC

Boston-based Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, covers all things tech at Mashable, rounding up the best products and deals. She’s covered commerce for three years, spending extensive time testing and reviewing all things home, including couches, steam irons, and washing machines. She thoroughly vets products and internet trends, finding out if those cozy gamer chairs are really as comfortable as TikTok claims.

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WWDC 2024: Everything you need to know before the big show

Of the big Apple events of the year, WWDC is the most reliable: In each of the past 17 Junes, like clockwork, Apple has held a big get-together for its developer partners and announced a raft of important software updates. The September iPhone launch and the March/April spring event (which didn’t happen in 2023) seem almost unpredictable by comparison.

In this article, we list the major announcements (and some of the smaller titbits) you can expect to hear about at WWDC 2024. Some of these–updates to the five big Apple operating systems, most obviously–are as predictable as the timing of the event. But we reckon Apple will spring a few surprises this year.

Apple has announced that WWDC24 will be held from June 10-14 . Apple has confirmed that the keynote is on June 10.

When is WWDC 2024?

Apple will kick off WWDC24 with a keynote at 10am Pacific Time on June 10, and the event for developers continues through June 14.

Apple traditionally holds WWDC during the first weeks of June and the keynote is always on a Monday. Here are the dates from the past few years:

• WWDC 2023: June 5-9
• WWDC 2022: June 6-10
• WWDC 2021: June 7-11
• WWDC 2020: June 22-26
• WWDC 2019: June 3-7
• WWDC 2018: June 4-8

What time does WWDC 2024 start?

The keynote event will start at 10 a.m. in California. If you are wondering what time will the WWDC keynote start where you are it translates to:

• US: at 10 a.m. (PDT), 11 a.m. (MDT), noon (CDT), 1 p.m. (EDT)
• Canada: at 2 p.m. (ADT)
• UK: at 6 p.m. (BST)
• Europe: at 7 p.m. (CEST)
• India: at 10.30 p.m. (IST)
• Singapore and China: next day at 1 a.m.
• Japan: following day at 2 a.m. (JST)
• Australia: following day at 1 a.m. (AWST), 2.30 a.m. (ACST), 3 a.m. (AEST)
• New Zealand: following day at 5 a.m. (NZST)

How to watch WWDC 2024

When WWDC starts Apple will live stream the opening keynote on its website and elsewhere, including on YouTube and on the Apple TV app. This means you’ll be able to watch the presentation on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and even PC.

Here is the WWDC keynote video from 2023:

Get in the mood for WWDC24!

To help promote WWDC24, Apple has created a music playlist “of summer sounds.” Go to the playlist .

#WWDC24 is almost here! Check out this playlist of summer sounds to get ready for the biggest Apple developer event of the year. https://t.co/6BxZT3Ozau pic.twitter.com/uSHqq4clN3 — Apple Music (@AppleMusic) May 29, 2024

What will Apple announce at WWDC 2024?

WWDC stands for the Worldwide Developers Conference and is dedicated to the third-party software and hardware developers that create apps and accessories for Apple’s platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and now Vision Pro . If you are a developer we have more information about getting an invite below.

While devs are at the heart of the event, it’s also a press event that Apple uses to announce its software plans and potentially some new Macs and other products to the world. A week before the event, Apple issued a reminder about the keynote with the phrase “Action packed,” so we’re expected quite a lot of new stuff. Read on to find out what we expect to see Apple unveil at the event, from software and hardware to some entirely new products.

WWDC 2024: Software releases

WWDC is all about the software, so we can be certain that Apple will reveal details of its upcoming operating system updates for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, and Apple Watch. Those updates will then be issued to developers as a beta to test, and then a few weeks later a public beta will start. Eventually, the new software will be available for everyone to download in the fall (usually September for iOS/iPadOS/watchOS and October for macOS, although in 2023 macOS Sonoma arrived in September). Here’s what to expect:

Apple Intelligence

AI will be at the forefront of WWDC, and the company is calling its AI feature set “Apple Intelligence,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman . Apple Intelligence features will be throughout iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15, and users will have to  opt-in to use them . So, if you rather not, you don’t have to.

Gurman also reports that even if you do want to opt in, you need to meet the hardware requirements, which are steep—iPhone 15 Pro or later. iPads and Macs will need at least an M1 chip or later. Apple Intelligence features will mostly be processed on the device, which is different from other platforms where AI processing is done in the cloud. But Apple Intelligence will be able to determine if cloud processing is needed and will use it when appropriate.

The headliner of the event simply because of the sheer number of iPhone owners across the planet. If you’ve got an iPhone made within the past five years, you’ll likely be able to install the new version of iOS when it’s released in the fall of 2024–though you may not be able to use the Apple Intelligence features unless you have an iPhone 15 Pr or later.

The rumors we’ve heard about iOS 18 so far indicate that it could be one of the biggest iOS updates ever. You can expect AI-specific features, including generative AI updates to Siri, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Sarafi, and Messages . RCS support is also said to be coming to iPhones in that time frame. User interface updates are also rumored, with new ways to organize icons on the Home screen.

But before then, there’s a whole beta-testing cycle to get through. iOS 18 will be announced at WWDC 2024, and then released as a developer beta (for registered app developers only) almost immediately after the keynote. Developers will then be able to install the iOS beta and a few weeks later a public beta version will be made available for all users who want to try the new features. Our advice is to be cautious and prepared for serious flaws with the beta software–it might even brick your device.

Over the course of the next few months, the developer and public betas will go through a testing process where features will be tweaked, changed, fixed, and updated until we reach the finished iOS 18.0 public release, most likely in September.

Read all the rumors and our hopes for iOS 18 in our iOS 18 guide.

The accompanying update for iPad owners, iPadOS 18 is likely to incorporate most of the new features of iOS 18 but adapted to a larger-screen interface. When Apple’s two mobile operating systems split in 2019 they were similar in most respects, but the iPad version is heading steadily into its own realm.

In 2022, Apple released iPad OS 16 a month after iOS 16, so it’s possible that the two versions don’t arrive at the same time.

What’s Apple got in store for its follow-up to macOS Sonoma ? We’ll find out at WWDC 2024.

This version will be numbered macOS 15, but what is less predictable is the California landmark Apple will name the version after. So far we’ve had: Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura and Sonoma. Based on the trademarks Apple has applied for , macOS Rincon or Skyline could be likely.

We’ll share all the rumors and our hopes for macOS 15 in our macOS 15 guide .

Now that the Vision Pro is on sale you can expect to hear about new software features coming to the device at WWDC. Apple is likely to have things to say about new apps being made for the device as well as third-party software that is being created for Vision Pro. Reports claims that visionOS 2 will fix some of the issues, including the lack of some native Apple apps.

The new operating system for the Apple Watch will be revealed at WWDC 2024. This is more of a niche than the iPhone, iPad, and Mac updates discussed above but could bring more health and fitness features to Apple Watch owners around the world. Expect AI to have an impact here as well.

The lowest-profile of the big Apple operating systems, tvOS is the platform that runs on the Apple TV. tvOS is generally light on new features, but the push into AI could change that, with new discovery and search tools.

HomePod software version 18

Apple is also likely to update the software on the HomePod and HomePod mini alongside the other operating systems. In 2022 Apple introduced HomePod Software Version 16 which didn’t bring a lot of new features at the time, but a later update: HomePod Software Version 16.3 brought temperature and humidity sensing to the HomePod mini and more. We may hear more about Apple’s plans for the HomePod during the WWDC event–especially as Apple is rumored to planning big changes to the HomePod .

Other software

You can also expect Apple to update its developer-focused apps, like Swift, Xcode, and TestFlight.

WWDC 2024: Hardware releases

WWDC tends to be a software-focused event, but Apple has often found time during its WWDC keynotes to launch hardware products too. The first few iPhone revisions—iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S—were all released at WWDC, and the HomePod had its unveiling at the event in 2017 as well.

However, the event has focused on Mac releases in recent years. Apple unveiled the iMac Pro in 2017 alongside updates to the iMac, MacBook, and MacBook Pro, and announced a new Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR in June 2019. At WWDC 2020, Apple announced the transition from Intel to Apple silicon, and WWDC 2022 saw Apple launch the M2 chip in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. WWDC 2023 saw Apple introduce the Vision Pro, 15-inch MacBook Air, and the Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M2 Ultra chip.

What’s in the hardware pipeline for Apple right now? Hardware seems unlikely for this event due to a heavy focus on AI, but there are still some possibilities for surprises:

The Vision Pro launched in the U.S. in February, but it’s still not available elsewhere in the world. We expect Apple to announce availability for the U.K., Europe, Canada and Australia at WWDC in June. Less likely is the launch of a cheaper model, which we’ve heard is in the work but not likely to launch until later next year. Read more here: Apple Vision Pro: Everything you need to know .

We already have M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max, and updates to the Mac mini and Mac Studio are overdue. However, the Mac Studio and Mac Pro aren’t on Apple’s 2024 release schedule . Apple introduced the M4 chip with the new iPad Pro, so it looks like Apple is done with the M3 series. The M4 MacBook Pro isn’t expected until later this year, so it’s possible we may not see any new Macs at WWDC24.

Over the years, including in 2023, new Mac Pro models have been launched at WWDC. However, a Mac Pro update may not happen at WWDC24. Read what we know about the M3/M4 Mac Pro .

A recent report stated that the Mac Studio is not on Apple’s 2024 release schedule, so it may not be upgraded at WWDC24. Read more here: Mac Studio M3/M4 rumors .

Now that the iMac and MacBook Air have an M3 chip, and the MacBook Pro an M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chip, it seems as if it’s only a matter of time before those same chips make their way into the Mac mini. However, Apple may decide to wait until 2025 to update the Mac mini with M4-series chips. Read our new Mac mini rumors .

For some time there have been rumors that the iMac Pro will make a return, in the form of a M3 Pro and possibly M3 Max version of Apple’s all-in-one. This could make an appearance at WWDC 2024, but rumors do seem to suggest we could be waiting a little longer for this larger iMac. Read the rumors about Apple’s plans for the iMac Pro .

How to attend WWDC

If you want to attend the WWDC Keynote in person you need to be prepared to enter a lottery and apply for a ticket alongside other developers. There is a lot of competition for those tickets, which are randomly selected from those to apply and aren’t transferable. The good news is that tickets are free. The bad news is they have already been allocated for 2024.

Apple invites developers to participate in a series of classes, workshops, and sessions to learn about the system-wide changes coming to the major software platforms in the coming year so they can update their apps. Some lucky developers even get to watch the event live in person.

Apple has stopped taking requests to attend the keynote. It was open to the following:

• Current Apple Developer Program members.
• Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni.
• Swift Student Challenge winners; 2024 challenge applicants will be included in a separate random selection process for winners (in early May 2023 Apple began alerting the lucky few of their status as winners).
• Current Apple Developer Enterprise Program members.

The lucky applicants were notified of their success in getting a ticket at the beginning of April 2024.

You can find out more about how to get tickets to WWDC in our FAQ.

WWDC keynote tickets have been free and randomly distributed for the past few years, but it previously cost $1,599 for developers to attend and those tickets sold out very quickly.

Even without a ticket, all registered Apple developers get online access to session videos, slides, and sample code throughout the week.

Apple will share additional conference information in advance of WWDC24 through the  Apple Developer app .

Further reading

We’ll update this article regularly in the run-up to WWDC, so check back to see the latest news.

For a broader view of the year’s plans, check out our guide to the new Apple products coming in 2024 .

Apple Devices User Guide

• Syncing overview
• Sync your content between devices
• Turn automatic syncing on or off
• Save storage space when syncing
• Sync music to your device
• Sync movies to your device
• Sync TV shows to your device
• Sync photos to your device
• Transfer files to and from your device
• Update the software on your device
• Back up and restore your device
• Restore your device to factory settings
• Turn your device’s accessibility features on
• If you have problems syncing a video or music
• If your device doesn’t appear in the sidebar when connected to your Windows computer

Sync your Windows computer and iPhone, iPad, or iPod

You can select the information you want to sync from your Windows computer to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod. You can sync all items of a specific type (for example, all your movies or photos). Or you can select specific items (for example, some of your movies and some of your books), which gives you more control over which files are synced.

After you select the content you want to sync, the items are updated whenever you sync your Windows computer to your Apple device.

When you set up syncing, you must connect your Apple device to your Windows computer using a USB or USB-C cable. After you connect the device, its icon appears in the sidebar, and selecting the icon displays syncing options. You then select which items to sync.

Sync all items of a content type

Connect your Apple device to your Windows computer.

You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable.

If you connect your device to your Windows computer using a USB or USB-C cable and don’t see the device in the sidebar, see If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod doesn’t appear in the sidebar .

Select the type of content you want to sync in the sidebar.

You must have the Apple TV app on your Windows computer in order to sync TV shows and movies, and the Apple Music app in order to sync music.

Note: If you use iCloud Photos and Apple Music, when you select Music or Photos, no options appear for syncing. Your photos and music are synced automatically using iCloud.

Select the “Sync [ content type ] onto [ device name ]” checkbox to turn on syncing for that type of item. For example, select the “Sync movies onto [ device name ]” checkbox to sync your movies.

With the checkbox selected, syncing is set to transfer all items of that type to your device.

You can also set up syncing to save storage space. See Save storage space when syncing .

Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each type of content you want to sync.

The bar at the bottom of the window shows how much free space remains on your device after you sync. Move the pointer over the bar to view details about the content you’re syncing.

When you’re ready to sync, click Apply.

You can choose to sync your Windows computer and your device automatically whenever you connect them. See Turn automatic syncing on or off .

Sync specific items of a content type

If you want to sync individual items instead of all items of a content type, see the following:

Sync music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod

Sync movies to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod

Sync TV shows to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod

Sync photos to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod

Sync files to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

• WWDC 2024 /

The best small updates Apple didn’t mention at WWDC

The iphone and the rest of apple’s ecosystem are about to get a slew of useful tweaks and fun ui updates..

By Wes Davis , a weekend editor who covers the latest in tech and entertainment. He has written news, reviews, and more as a tech journalist since 2020.

Share this story

Apple left out a lot of small updates at its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote this year. It makes sense: the company had a lot to talk about, with a third of its presentation entirely devoted to new AI features. But that doesn’t make the features that didn’t get airtime any less worth talking about.

From new bezel animations to better ways to manage widgets, there is plenty to discover in the first round of betas for iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and more. Here are some of our favorites so far:

If you’re not in a place to watch that video, that’s fine. I’ve also broken the new features out below (plus a few more).

The iPhone’s bezels come to life

When you press the side buttons while running the iOS 18 beta, there’s a clever new animation that makes it look like you’re pushing the bezel into your screen a little bit. At first glance, there’s not much purpose here other than to add a little whimsy. But it might also be a practical visual indicator if Apple eventually releases iPhones with solid-state side buttons that don’t move when you press them, simulating a click with vibration instead. And it’s hard not to think of the inky animations of the Dynamic Island (the pill-shaped selfie camera and Face ID sensor cutout from some recent iPhones).

You can type in Spanglish now!

Bilingual people might be pleased to hear you can type in two languages at once in the iOS 18 beta without toggling between them again and again by tapping the wireframe globe on the iOS keyboard and picking the new language. It takes some setup under the iOS keyboard language settings (Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard), but the change will stop bad autocorrect results just because you want to type a couple of words in Spanish in an otherwise English text!

A new way to see (with the iOS flashlight app)

Remember the Action Button picker that came with the iPhone 15 Pro? While not quite so over the top, people found that tapping the flashlight icon in the iOS 18 betas brings down a similarly fun little animation of a flashlight that you can swipe vertically to raise and lower luminance. You can also slide your finger left and right to adjust the actual shape of the beam! It only works with the iPhone 15 Pro phones, though, as they have a special flash not found on other iPhones.

Easier widget customization

Apple is also working on a better way to resize widgets in iOS 18. When you long-press, you’ll get a row of size options right there in the contextual menu, rather than having to pick “Edit Widget” and go through all the rigamarole of picking a size there.

The Vision Pro will see your keyboard now

One of the best quality-of-life upgrades for the Vision Pro is that the headset will show you your keyboard when you’re fully in a virtual environment now. It didn’t do that before, so if you wanted to, say, work on top of a mountain, you had to either use partial immersion in the scene or clumsily paw at your keyboard. It’s not perfect — it’s mainly designed to work with the Magic Keyboard and, in my testing, seems to inconsistently recognize my mechanical keyboard. But it’s a welcome change all the same.

Wallpapers, notifications, and charging limits

Apple is adding some new nostalgic “Macintosh” wallpapers in macOS Sequoia , and they come with a very pleasant animation.

Seeing voicemail transcriptions right in the notification will save you so many taps.

Beta users have also spotted a more granular set of charging limit options for iPhone 15 devices — instead of just choosing to limit charge to 80 percent, there’s a slider between 80 and 100 percent, with stops every 5 percent along the way.

While there are tons more updates hidden throughout Apple’s current set of betas, we have to stop somewhere. If you’re interested in trying out the new betas and don’t want to wait for their public releases, you’ll need to sign up for the developer program and then follow Apple’s instructions . (We have our own guide , if you find that easier!) Make sure you back up your device before you download the beta, though, and beware: betas can be buggy, and there’s potential for things to go seriously wrong. It’s fun to mess with betas on an old iPhone, but it’s not a great idea on your primary phone or computer.

Remote workers using ‘mouse-mover’ technology are getting caught

The surprisingly not so doomed effort to force us drivers to stop speeding, did apple just sherlock our favorite password managers, apple gives apple home users something they’ve been begging for, spreadsheet superstars.

More from this stream WWDC 2024: Apple Intelligence, iOS 18, macOS 15, and more

Mkbhd interviewed tim cook., the ai upgrade cycle is here, shareplay is coming to apple tv, homepods, and bluetooth speakers, apple ids are becoming apple accounts.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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Julian Chokkattu

Apple’s iPhone 15 Marks a New Era

Every new iPhone in the past few years may have felt like an iterative upgrade—slightly better camera here, slightly better performance there. But Apple's new iPhone 15 lineup is getting a few once-in-a-decade changes that make them stand out in a sea of visually similar iPhones. The company announced the new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max at its annual September event in Cupertino, California. From the addition of USB-C to the removal of the ill-famed notch, here are all the top features of the new iPhone .

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more .

There's a new port on every new iPhone. After 11 years of the Lightning charging port, its time has come to an end. Replacing it is USB-C , the reversible charging port that's available on Apple MacBooks , iPads , Android phones , Windows laptops , and many more types of devices across various categories. Often dubbed as the “universal connector,” its primary benefit here is that you can finally use the same cable to recharge most of your devices. 

By Christopher Solomon

By Julian Chokkattu

By Nena Farrell

The new port also adds the capability for faster data transfer. However, for the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Apple is limiting the data transfer speeds to the current 480 megabits per second. Upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro models and you're able to unlock up to 10 Gigabits per second thanks to USB 3 support. The company is including a braided and color-matching USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, though this cable is limited to the baseline 480 Mbps transfer speeds. If you want to unlock the full potential of the Pro models, you'll need to buy your own capable cable . 

Unfortunately, while USB-C could have opened the door to faster charging, Apple did not announce any improvement in charging speeds. On the company’s spec page, the official charging speed is still limited to 20 watts. 

Apple has been adding USB-C to many of its own devices since 2015, but it has been collecting licensing fees for the Lightning port, which may partly be why the iPhone has been the longest holdout. However, last year the European Union ruled that USB-C must be on all new phones, tablets, and cameras by the end of 2024, and so here we are. 

Along with USB-C, all four new iPhone models now have the Dynamic Island, which was first introduced and restricted to last year's iPhone 14 Pro models . This is the pill-shaped cutout at the top of the display housing the TrueDepth selfie camera. Gone is the notorious notch that debuted on the iPhone X . But the Dynamic Island, as its name suggests, is adaptive, almost acting like a second screen. If you're waiting for an Uber ride, the driver's arrival time will show up in the Dynamic Island. You can also see passive information from alarms, timers, flight information, and live sports game scores without ever having to hop into an app itself. 

The 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus retain the same size as their predecessors. They come in black, blue, green, yellow, and pink. Outside of the Dynamic Island and USB-C, these two models aren't too different. 

They still only have 60-Hz OLED screens when nearly every other phone at their price has smoother, more fluid 120-Hz refresh rate screens . They're powered by the A16 chipset, the very same that powered last year's iPhone 14 Pro models, and they're also stealing the 48-megapixel primary camera from the Pro, enabling them to capture more detail than ever before. The 12-megapixel ultrawide camera is largely the same. Apple, as usual, has announced improvements to its Photonic computational photography engine, so you should expect nicer photos overall, but time will tell.

Apple has saved many more of the upgrades for the Pro models to make them more worthy of the moniker. They are powered by the new A17 Pro chipset, which promises 10 percent faster performance cores, and a 2X faster neural engine. 

Apple says the graphics processor unit is also the “biggest redesign in the history of Apple GPUs,” citing a 20 percent speed bump over its predecessor. Apple says this new GPU can create more detailed environments in mobile games while drawing less power, and it now has hardware-accelerated ray tracing , which is 4X faster. Because of all this, Apple says you can play console games like Resident Evil: Village on the iPhone 15 Pro, and games like the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage will have an iPhone version alongside console and PC versions. It'll be interesting to see how the fidelity of these AAA games matches up to their console counterparts.

Nice brushed finish.

You still get the 120-Hz ProMotion screen on the Pro, but Apple has refined the design to slim down the bezels around the display and, more importantly, added a titanium frame. Instead of stainless steel, the titanium 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max are now much lighter and more durable, which should make the latter easier to wield with one hand. 

The big new camera change here is the addition of a periscope zoom camera exclusively for the iPhone 15 Pro Max model. This technology isn't new—Samsung famously has had a 10X optical zoom camera in its Galaxy Ultra phones for a few years, and last year's Google Pixel 7 Pro uses a 5X optical periscope zoom camera. Here, Apple says it enables 5X optical zoom, allowing you to capture subjects at a distance in high quality. The smaller iPhone 15 Pro is, sadly, still stuck at 3X zoom. 

Another exclusive for the Pro models is the Action Button. If this sounds familiar, it's the same name Apple gave to the extra customizable button on the Apple Watch Ultra , except on the iPhone, it's replacing the classic mute switch that has been on every iPhone since 2007. You can customize this button to trigger certain actions, like muting the phone, turning on the flashlight, or taking a photo with the camera open. 

Apple placed an emphasis on sustainability throughout its September event and announced that it was moving away from leather cases and straps for its devices. It announced a new sustainable fabric material called FineWoven, and it declared that its going to be phasing out leather in favor of recycled and plant-based materials. 

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus remain at the same price of $799 and $899, respectively. The iPhone 15 Pro stays at the same price of $999, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is getting a price increase to $1,199, a $100 jump from their predecessors. However, you now get 256 GB of storage on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and this is the same price as the 256-GB iPhone 14 Pro Max. These phones will be up for preorder on Friday, September 15, and will officially launch on September 22. Stay tuned for our review soon. 

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iPhone 15 Pro

• Action Button

Your iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button is getting more powerful in iOS 18

iOS 18 is a big release for new customization tools on your iPhone, enabling you to create a more personalized experience with your device than ever.

There’s one such enhancement that’s built specifically for users of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. It brings new powers to the Action button .

Upgrading the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button

When the iPhone 15 Pro first debuted and replaced the mute switch with an Action button, that new button was user configurable from the start.

iOS 17 users can currently set the Action button to trigger one of the following different types of actions :

• Silent Mode
• Recognize Music
• Accessibility

The most versatile of these options is Shortcut, since you can set any shortcut from the Shortcuts app to run when the button is triggered. And Shortcuts can do an awful lot.

However, the average iPhone user never opens the Shortcuts app. So Apple has created a new Action button option that takes some of the power of the existing Shortcut option but makes it more accessible.

Tying iOS 18’s new controls to the Action button

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max users using iOS 18 will see a new option when configuring the Action button in the Settings app.

The new option is labeled, simply, Controls. It pulls in the existing set of controls that are configurable in the new Control Center .

Here are the controls currently available in iOS 18 developer beta 1:

• Airplane Mode
• Cellular Data
• Personal Hotspot
• Tap to Cash
• Ping My Watch

The list is set to grow upon iOS 18’s public launch this fall, as third-party developers will be able to supply new controls that work inside Control Center, as Lock screen buttons , and with the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button.

Most of these functions can be triggered using the existing Shortcut option, but Apple making them easier to configure to a broader set of users is a very good thing.

What do you currently use your iPhone’s Action button for? Do you expect to set it to one of the new controls? Let us know in the comments.

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Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.

Manage push notifications

Introducing Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac

New Capabilities for Understanding and Creating Language

Image Playground Makes Communication and Self‑Expression Even More Fun

Genmoji Creation to Fit Any Moment

New Features in Photos Give Users More Control

Siri Enters a New Era

A New Standard for Privacy in AI

ChatGPT Gets Integrated Across Apple Platforms

Text of this article

June 10, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Setting a new standard for privacy in AI, Apple Intelligence understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Intelligence , the personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant. Apple Intelligence is deeply integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. It harnesses the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. With Private Cloud Compute, Apple sets a new standard for privacy in AI, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.

“We’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do.”

Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for users to enhance their writing and communicate more effectively. With brand-new systemwide Writing Tools built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.

Whether tidying up class notes, ensuring a blog post reads just right, or making sure an email is perfectly crafted, Writing Tools help users feel more confident in their writing. With Rewrite, Apple Intelligence allows users to choose from different versions of what they have written, adjusting the tone to suit the audience and task at hand. From finessing a cover letter, to adding humor and creativity to a party invitation, Rewrite helps deliver the right words to meet the occasion. Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while also suggesting edits — along with explanations of the edits — that users can review or quickly accept. With Summarize, users can select text and have it recapped in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.

In Mail, staying on top of emails has never been easier. With Priority Messages, a new section at the top of the inbox shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day dinner invitation or boarding pass. Across a user’s inbox, instead of previewing the first few lines of each email, they can see summaries without needing to open a message. For long threads, users can view pertinent details with just a tap. Smart Reply provides suggestions for a quick response, and will identify questions in an email to ensure everything is answered.

Deep understanding of language also extends to Notifications. Priority Notifications appear at the top of the stack to surface what’s most important, and summaries help users scan long or stacked notifications to show key details right on the Lock Screen, such as when a group chat is particularly active. And to help users stay present in what they’re doing, Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention, like a text about an early pickup from daycare.

In the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.

Apple Intelligence powers exciting image creation capabilities to help users communicate and express themselves in new ways. With Image Playground, users can create fun images in seconds, choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is easy to use and built right into apps including Messages. It’s also available in a dedicated app, perfect for experimenting with different concepts and styles. All images are created on device, giving users the freedom to experiment with as many images as they want.

With Image Playground, users can choose from a range of concepts from categories like themes, costumes, accessories, and places; type a description to define an image; choose someone from their personal photo library to include in their image; and pick their favorite style.

With the Image Playground experience in Messages, users can quickly create fun images for their friends, and even see personalized suggested concepts related to their conversations. For example, if a user is messaging a group about going hiking, they’ll see suggested concepts related to their friends, their destination, and their activity, making image creation even faster and more relevant.

In Notes, users can access Image Playground through the new Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool palette, making notes more visually engaging. Rough sketches can be turned into delightful images, and users can even select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area. Image Playground is also available in apps like Keynote, Freeform, and Pages, as well as in third-party apps that adopt the new Image Playground API.

Taking emoji to an entirely new level, users can create an original Genmoji to express themselves. By simply typing a description, their Genmoji appears, along with additional options. Users can even create Genmoji of friends and family based on their photos. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.

Searching for photos and videos becomes even more convenient with Apple Intelligence. Natural language can be used to search for specific photos, such as “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt,” or “Katie with stickers on her face.” Search in videos also becomes more powerful with the ability to find specific moments in clips so users can go right to the relevant segment. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject.

With Memories, users can create the story they want to see by simply typing a description. Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc. Users will even get song suggestions to match their memory from Apple Music. As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private on device and are not shared with Apple or anyone else.

Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri becomes more deeply integrated into the system experience. With richer language-understanding capabilities, Siri is more natural, more contextually relevant, and more personal, with the ability to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. It can follow along if users stumble over words and maintain context from one request to the next. Additionally, users can type to Siri, and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels right for the moment. Siri also has a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when Siri is active.

Siri can now give users device support everywhere they go, and answer thousands of questions about how to do something on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Users can learn everything from how to schedule an email in the Mail app, to how to switch from Light to Dark Mode.

With onscreen awareness, Siri will be able to understand and take action with users’ content in more apps over time. For example, if a friend texts a user their new address in Messages, the receiver can say, “Add this address to his contact card.”

With Apple Intelligence, Siri will be able to take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps. For example, a user could say, “Bring up that article about cicadas from my Reading List,” or “Send the photos from the barbecue on Saturday to Malia,” and Siri will take care of it.

Siri will be able to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to the user and their on-device information. For example, a user can say, “Play that podcast that Jamie recommended,” and Siri will locate and play the episode, without the user having to remember whether it was mentioned in a text or an email. Or they could ask, “When is Mom’s flight landing?” and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.

To be truly helpful, Apple Intelligence relies on understanding deep personal context while also protecting user privacy. A cornerstone of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, and many of the models that power it run entirely on device. To run more complex requests that require more processing power, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple devices into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence.

With Private Cloud Compute, Apple Intelligence can flex and scale its computational capacity and draw on larger, server-based models for more complex requests. These models run on servers powered by Apple silicon, providing a foundation that allows Apple to ensure that data is never retained or exposed.

Independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to verify privacy, and Private Cloud Compute cryptographically ensures that iPhone, iPad, and Mac do not talk to a server unless its software has been publicly logged for inspection. Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute sets a new standard for privacy in AI, unlocking intelligence users can trust.

Apple is integrating ChatGPT access into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between tools.

Siri can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise when helpful. Users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly.

Additionally, ChatGPT will be available in Apple’s systemwide Writing Tools, which help users generate content for anything they are writing about. With Compose, users can also access ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a wide variety of styles to complement what they are writing.

Privacy protections are built in for users who access ChatGPT — their IP addresses are obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for users who choose to connect their account.

ChatGPT will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o. Users can access it for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and access paid features right from these experiences.

Availability

Apple Intelligence is free for users, and will be available in beta as part of iOS 18 , iPadOS 18 , and macOS Sequoia  this fall in U.S. English. Some features, software platforms, and additional languages will come over the course of the next year. Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to U.S. English. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence .

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Ios 18: key new iphone battery feature apple could speed up charging.

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The slew of new features coming to the iPhone this fall is pretty impressive. So much so, that it’s easy to miss out on some of the cooler, smaller features that have just been announced. One of these refers to the battery section on the iPhone. And it could help you to make sure that you charge your phone optimally.

Apple iPhone battery charging information is about to become more extensive with iOS 18.

In the Settings app on the iPhone, the battery section will now show when that iPhone is connected to a slow charger. I mean, whenever I’m charging my iPhone, I always think it must be connected to a slow charger because it’s never quite fast enough. But maybe that’s just me. The new iPhone Settings app will give users extra options when it comes to charging limits and details of charging speeds, shown in the battery usage section.

As spotted by a user on Reddit who was using the developer beta of the software which went live on Monday, June 10, the words slow charger are followed by an information button, though as yet this button doesn’t yield any extra details. That will doubtless change before the software goes on general release in the fall.

As Apple Insider points out, there’s no damage done when you use a slow charger like the 5W charger once supplied with iPhones, except perhaps to your peace of mind if you become impatient.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

However, as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, for instance, can be charged at speeds of up to 27 W, a 5 W charger really is a slowcoach, so to have this information at your fingertips could be really useful.

The information is shown in the battery settings with an orange bar instead of a green one, when the charger is slow. You can look at this data over the last 24 hours or the last 10 days. While it’s not yet clear how Apple defines slow, that orange bar will be enough to persuade some to change their charging regime.

Wireless charging is slower than wired, and some wireless charges are slower than others, so again knowledge is power (no pun intended) in this situation.

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10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.

1. Under-Display Face ID

iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max

The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be the first ‌iPhone‌ to feature under-panel Face ID technology. The only external indication of the under-display ‌Face ID‌ technology will likely be a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. This will probably be Apple's last premium model to include a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. Apple is then expected adopt under-display cameras in 2027's "Pro" ‌iPhone‌ models for a true "all-screen" appearance. 2. New Display Sizes

iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus

This year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumored to be getting bigger display sizes, going from 6.12- and 6.69-inches to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For 2025, Apple is also expected to bring the larger 6.27-inch display size to its standard ‌iPhone‌ model, while the equivalent "iPhone 17 Plus" model could adopt completely new display dimensions . 3. 120Hz ProMotion (Always-on Display)

Apple intends to expand ProMotion to its standard models in 2025, allowing them to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that can show the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.

4. Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip

Apple's premium 2025 models are expected to be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip for the first time. Wi-Fi 7 support would allow the "Pro" models to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously with a supported router, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. The Wi-Fi chip would also allow Apple to further reduce its dependance on external suppliers like Broadcom, which currently supplies Apple with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip for iPhones.

5. 48MP Telephoto Lens

iPhone 17 Pro Max

An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto lens on Apple's largest premium device is expected to be optimized for use with Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset, which launches on February 2, 2024. (The current iPhone 15 Pro models feature 48-megapixel main, 12-megapixel ultra wide, and 12-megapixel telephoto lenses.) That would make 2025's "Pro Max" the first iPhone to have a rear camera system composed entirely of 48-megapixel lenses, making it capable of capturing even more photographic detail.

6. 24MP Selfie Camera

All iPhone 17 Models

The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a 24-megapixel front-facing camera with a six-element lens, according to one rumor. The iPhone 14 and 15 feature a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with five plastic lens elements, and this year's iPhone 16 lineup is expected to feature the same hardware. The upgraded resolution to 24 megapixels on the iPhone 17 will allow photos to maintain their quality even when cropped or zoomed in, while the larger number of pixels will capture finer details. The upgrade to a six-element lens should also slightly enhance image quality.

7. Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display

The iPhone 17 will feature an anti-reflective display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple's Ceramic Shield found on iPhone 15 models, according to one rumor . The outer glass on the iPhone 17 is said to have a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" that is "more scratch-resistant." It's not clear whether Apple is planning to adopt the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung uses in its Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the description of Corning's latest technology matches the rumor.

8. More Memory

Apple's Pro models next year will come with 12GB of RAM, claims Jeff Pu of investment firm Haitong. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro models have 8GB of RAM, while the iPhone 16 Pro models are also expected to have 8GB of RAM. Any such increase would allow for improved multitasking on the iPhone, as well as provide additional resources for any artificial intelligence features that require large-language models to be resident in memory.

9. Smaller Dynamic Island

Apple's highest-end 2025 iPhone will feature a significantly narrower Dynamic Island, thanks to the device's adoption of a smaller "metalens" for the Face ID system, claims Haitong's Jeff Pu. Assuming that's the case, it would be the first time that Apple has changed the Dynamic Island since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022.

10. iPhone 17 "Slim"

iPhone 17 Plus

Apple plans to launch an all-new iPhone 17 model with a "significantly thinner" design, reports The Information . The device will allegedly feature a "major redesign" that could see the rear cameras being relocated from the top-left corner of the device to the top-center, along with a narrower Dynamic Island. The device is rumored to have a 6.5-inch display size, and may replace the iPhone 17 Plus model. Other potential features include an aluminum chassis, an A19 chip, and an improved front camera.

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Xamarin Support Ended May 1, 2024

As of May 1, 2024, Xamarin is no longer supported or updated by Microsoft. See the Xamarin support policy for details.

We recommend you use .NET Multi-platform App UI (.NET MAUI), the evolution of Xamarin.Forms, which lets you create Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows apps with a modern, cross-platform framework. We have resources and guidance to help you migrate Xamarin apps to .NET MAUI.

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