Apple's iPhone 12 comes with Ceramic Shield display "tougher than any smartphone glass"

Apple has taken the wraps off its new iPhone 12 lineup today, and a standout feature is a new ceramic-hardened display named Ceramic Shield, available on the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple says Ceramic Shield is “tougher than any smartphone glass,” with four times greater resistance to damage from drops.

Apple isn’t the first smartphone manufacturer to incorporate glass-ceramic. The Essential Phone, Xiaomi’s Mi Mix series, and Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus all have ceramic panels, but they’re located on the rear of the handset (optional on the Galaxy). By using glass-ceramic for the display itself, though, Apple can claim greater utility for customers. After all, protecting your screen from smashing is more important than protecting your phone’s rear.

According to glass-ceramic manufacturer Corning, which Apple worked with on Ceramic Shield, glass-ceramic is a material that excels because it’s tough, lightweight, and “virtually impervious to heat and electricity.”

The company tells The Verge that the new Ceramic Shield is “the world’s first transparent and color-free glass-ceramic,” which is probably the reason it’s suitable for a smartphone screen now. Here’s a larger explanation from the company:

Corning’s new material consists of nano ceramic crystals embedded in the glass matrix. The crystals embedded in the glass matrix are an order of magnitude smaller than the wavelength of light, and index matched to the glass. This makes the material highly transparent, unlike other glass ceramics. Additionally, the crystals form interlocked structures that result in high flaw resistance and provide a mechanism to deflect and arrest cracks. The glass matrix is strengthened by ion exchange to provide a high degree of retained strength after damage.

That all sounds great, but we’ll be curious to see how these displays stand up to real-life rough and tumble. As any smartphone owner knows, manufacturers may talk a big game about tougher screens, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be silently praying to God when you turn over your phone after an unexpected drop test.

Other big features coming to the new iPhone 12 lineup include 5G connectivity, OLED screens, updated processors, and a refreshed industrial design with flattened metal rims (that looks an awful lot like older iPhone 4 handsets).

Apple's new iPhone 12 camera systems could offer some serious upgrades

Image: Apple

Apple has just announced its iPhone 12 lineup, and as part of today’s announcements, the company introduced a dizzying amount of camera tech scattered amongst the new iPhones. If you’re coming from an iPhone that currently has a single camera, or even a pair, you may find some serious upgrades here.

But first, let’s establish the baseline.

The iPhone SE’s camera.

ONE CAMERA: IPHONE SE (2020) AND IPHONE XR

The iPhone SE turned heads earlier this year at a $399 price, and the iPhone XR is now $499. Both have a single 12-megapixel f/1.8 “wide” camera, though they’re not quite the same — the XR has a larger sensor, while the iPhone SE appears to be a smaller one similar to 2017’s iPhone 8. Neither has ultrawide or telephoto lenses, nor fancy Deep Fusion techniques; your portrait-mode shots are also limited to what Apple’s machine learning algorithms can guess about depth, since there’s no second camera to verify.

Still, each offers a six-element lens with optical image stabilization, 4K60 video recording, and a basic portrait mode.

TWO CAMERAS: IPHONE 12 AND IPHONE 12 MINI

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini come with two cameras each, but perhaps even more importantly, that single main camera has changed. While it still offers 12 megapixels like prior phones, the lens now has 7 elements and a larger f/1.6 aperture that lets 27 percent more light hit that sensor compared to the previous gen — which should mean brighter, less noisy and/or blurry images in low light, and slightly less depth of field.

You also get:

• A second 12-megapixel f/2.4 ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view, a 5-element lens, and a 13mm-equivalent focal length, which sounds like the same ultrawide we got in the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro
• Apple’s Deep Fusion computational photography system, which can now be used on either camera (instead of just the main) and which Apple says runs faster on the iPhone 12
• Night mode, which you won’t find on the iPhone SE, can be used on both the ultrawide and front TrueDepth cameras here, meaning you’ll be able to take night mode shots no matter which iPhone 12 camera you’re using. (The iPhone 11 didn’t support night mode with the ultrawide.)
• A new night mode time-lapse feature
• Apple’s Smart HDR 3 system, which will automatically adjust things like white balance and contrast in photos to make them look more natural, according to the company
• The ability to shoot HDR video with Dolby Vision at 30 fps

THREE CAMERAS + LIDAR: IPHONE 12 PRO

Like the iPhone 11 Pro, the iPhone 12 Pro adds a third telephoto camera to the package, and as far as we can tell, it’s the same f/2.0, 52mm telephoto as last year except you can now also use it to take Deep Fusion photos. But perhaps most interestingly, the iPhone 12 Pro also has a LIDAR sensor, which could have a big benefit in low-light situations — Apple says the LIDAR sensor can do up to 6x faster autofocus in low light and let you take Night Mode portrait photos.

You also get:

• The same main and ultrawide cameras found in the iPhone 12, and the same new modes
• 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom, thanks to that 52mm-equivalent telephoto lens
• HDR video with Dolby Vision, like the iPhone 12, but at up to 60fps instead of being capped at 30

IPHONE 12 PRO MAX

The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s primary camera seems like it will be a notable upgrade over the main camera in the other iPhone 12 models — and that camera was already an improvement over the SE and the iPhone 11 lineup. The 12 Pro Max’s 12-megapixel f/1.6 aperture wide camera has a 47 percent larger sensor, which Apple says translates to an 87-percent improvement in low-light photos. The main camera also has sensor-shift optical image stabilization, which means the camera’s sensor moves inside the camera to offset any movement. That, in theory, should make for more stable photos and videos.

Here’s what else you get:

• A longer 2.5x optical zoom compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, thanks to a longer 65mm-equivalent focal length lens, but with a slower f/2.2 aperture
• The same ultrawide camera as the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro
• The same LIDAR sensor found on the iPhone 12 Pro
• 12x digital zoom — higher than the iPhone 12 Pro
• All the same software features as the iPhone 12 Pro, including Dolby Vision HDR at 60fps

Both iPhone 12 Pro models will also get an added software feature at some point later this year: support for Apple’s ProRAW format, which combines Apple’s computational photography with RAW. Until that’s available, though, it’s hard to know exactly how it could improve your photos or how much control it will give you while editing them.

Free three-month Apple Arcade - Apple bundles trial with new device purchases

 

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Anyone who buys a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch, or Apple TV after October 22nd gets free three-month trial of Apple Arcade, Apple has announced. Apple’s games subscription service normally costs $4.99 a month, and gives you access to over 100 downloadable games with no ads or in-game purchases.

Apple has long used lengthy free trial periods to advertise its subscription services. When it launched Apple TV Plus last year it gave customers a whole year of the service for free with the purchase of an eligible device, and recently extended these trials by up to three months. Three months is also the standard trial period for Apple Music. Until now, however, Apple has only offered a one month free trial of Apple Arcade with new sign-ups.

The company’s year-long Apple TV Plus trial is also continuing this year, Apple says, though 9to5Mac notes that you can’t claim the Apple TV Plus trial again if you already claimed it last year. Both trials must be claimed within three months of activating an eligible device, and only one Apple Arcade trial can be claimed per Family Sharing group. However, each family group allows you to share a trial with up to five people. In both cases, the $4.99 per month subscription enables automatically at the end of the trial period.

Later this year Apple will start offering a new bundle of subscription services called Apple One. This will include subscriptions to Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, Apple News Plus, and iCloud storage in bundles ranging in price from $14.95 to $29.95 a month.

Apple announces iPhone 12 with OLED screen and 5G speeds

Image: Apple

It might be happening a bit later than usual, but Apple has just announced the iPhone 12. Featuring the same 6.1-inch display size as the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR before it, the latest “main” iPhone — and likely the model most people will gravitate toward — is making the transition from an LCD screen to OLED. And as rumored, the phone has flat aluminum sides for an overall look that more closely matches the iPad Pro and iPad Air (plus the iPhone 4 from years ago).

The iPhone 12 will come in black, white, blue, red, and green. Pricing starts at $829. Preorders start this Friday, and the iPhone 12 will be available on October 23rd. For storage, you can pick between 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Aside from the flat sides, it still largely resembles the iPhone 11. There’s still a notch at the top that houses Apple’s Face ID technology, though the bezels around the screen have been reduced — another perk of the OLED switch. (Crushingly, the combo Touch ID / power button from the new iPad Air didn’t make it to the iPhone this year.) Around back, the iPhone 12 has two cameras housed in a matte glass squircle, which makes for a nice contrast with the rest of the glossy back panel.

The iPhone 12’s OLED screen has a peak brightness of 1200 nits and supports Dolby Vision, HDR 10, and HLG. The glass is coated with what Apple describes as a “ceramic shield” for better durability when dropped. Water resistance has also been improved.

Apple’s latest iPhone is powered by the company’s new A14 Bionic processor, which the company says is the first smartphone chip built on a 5nm process, leading to improved performance and efficiency. Apple claims it’s “up to 50 percent faster” than the leading chips in Android smartphones. Same goes for the GPU, which Apple says is the best in any mobile phone.

The iPhone 12 represents Apple’s first major foray into 5G cellular technologies. Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg was on hand during the event to announce the nationwide launch of the carrier’s sub-6 5G network. Apple says it has designed the iPhone 12 lineup to achieve ideal network performance while balancing battery life. A “smart data mode” uses LTE when your current activity doesn’t demand 5G speeds. Apple says it has tested 5G performance with 100 carriers across 30 countries to ensure a smooth launch. The iPhone supports both millimeter wave and sub-6 5G. The former offers ultra-fast speeds (but spotty coverage), while the latter provides a more consistent signal — but at speeds that very between good LTE and 500Mbps.

The iPhone 12 has a 12-megapixel f/1.6 main camera — the fastest aperture in any iPhone yet — and a 12MP ultrawide. Apple says low-light performance has improved, and the company has continued its advancements in computational photography to maximize detail and dynamic range. The front camera on the iPhone 12 is gaining Night Mode, as well.

Apple has also sought to improve wireless charging on the iPhone 12, which contains a “MagSafe” system with built-in magnets to guarantee that the iPhone properly lines up with supported MagSafe accessories. Cases, charges, and other accessories snap onto the iPhone 12 magnetically. Apple is introducing a dual wireless charger for the iPhone and Apple Watch that utilizes the new MagSafe tech.

 

Image: Apple

As rumored, Apple is removing the charging brick from its iPhone 12 boxes, a move it says is meant to push forward the company’s environmental goals.

Alongside the 6.1-inch iPhone 12, Apple also introduced a smaller 5.4-inch model that it calls the iPhone 12 mini.

7 biggest announcements of Apple's iPhone 12 event

Apple has just finished its “Hi, Speed” event, where it finally took the wraps off the four new iPhone 12 phones, which have all-new designs and will all support 5G wireless networks. Apple also unveiled the HomePod mini, a smaller and more affordable version of the HomePod smart speaker.

If you want to read the play-by-play of the event, check out our live blog with commentary from Dieter Bohn and Nilay Patel. But if you just want to read the biggest news from the show, we’ve got you covered right here.

Image: Apple

APPLE UNVEILS THE IPHONE 12, WHICH HAS A BRAND-NEW DESIGN AND 5G

The iPhone 12 has a new design with flat edges that harkens back to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. The standard 6.1-inch iPhone has two rear cameras, and both of them will now support night mode. It, and the entire iPhone 12 line, support 5G. And the iPhone 12 lineup’s screen also has a new “Ceramic Shield” glass cover that Apple claims will make the screen more durable. You can preorder the iPhone 12 on October 16th for $829 ahead of its October 23rd release.

Image: Apple

THE IPHONE 12 MINI IS A SMALLER IPHONE WITH AN EDGE-TO-EDGE SCREEN

Apple also revealed a new smaller iPhone, the iPhone 12 mini, which has a 5.4-inch screen and similar specs to the full-sized iPhone 12. You can preorder it on November 6th for $729, and it will be released on November 13th.

Image: Apple

THE IPHONE 12 PRO MAX IS APPLE’S BIGGEST IPHONE EVER

Apple announced a new Max-size iPhone, and its 6.7-inch screen is the biggest on an iPhone yet. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has three back cameras that offer a 5X optical zoom range, a LIDAR sensor for things like improved augmented reality apps and faster autofocus, and a stainless steel outer band. It will be available to preorder on November 6th for $1,099 and will launch on November 13th.

Apple is also launching a 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, which will cost $999 and will be available for preorder on October 16th ahead of an October 23rd release date.

Image: Apple

APPLE EXPANDS THE HOMEPOD LINE WITH THE NEW HOMEPOD MINI

The new HomePod mini is smaller than the original model with a new rounded shape. Like the full-size HomePod, the mini has touch controls on the top, integration with Siri, and comes in two colors (space gray and white). It’s powered by an S5 chip, which first debuted in the Apple Watch Series 5. The HomePod mini will be out on November 16th for $99, and you can preorder it on November 6th.

VERIZON ANNOUNCES ITS NATIONWIDE 5G NETWORK

Verizon said that it’s now rolling out its nationwide 5G network, which it says will reach 200 million people. Previously, Verizon 5G exclusively used mmWave technology, which can be very fast but has limited coverage. Verizon’s nationwide 5G will take advantage of dynamic spectrum sharing” (DSS) technology, which allows the carrier to run both LTE and 5G side by side.

MAGSAFE IS BACK AS A NEW WIRELESS CHARGING OPTION FOR THE IPHONE 12

Apple has reintroduced MagSafe charging, though this time, it’s in the form of wireless charging pads for the new iPhone 12 lineup. There are two different options: the MagSafe Charger for charging one device at a time and the MagSafe Charger Duo for charging two at a time, including a flip-up spot to charge your Apple Watch.

Apple’s iPhone 12 cases also have a magnet inside so you can still use MagSafe chargers and also attach additional accessories like a wallet clip.

APPLE IS REMOVING THE WIRED HEADPHONES AND WALL CHARGER FROM THE IPHONE’S BOX

Like with the Apple Watch, Apple has chosen to remove the wall charger from the iPhone 12’s box, and the wired EarPods won’t be included, either. The included cable will be USB-C to Lightning.