Apple launches 5G-ready iPhone 12 handset

It’s the moment so many fans of Apple have been waiting for all year, the release of the latest incarnation of the iPhone - the coveted iPhone 12.

With a whole new look, display, cameras, as well as finally being built for 5G, the latest addition to the iPhone family from the worldwide tech company certainly did not disappoint.

With fans eager to get their hands on the product (despite its hefty price tag, as usual), we’ll take you through some of the new phone’s key features, including its release date in Ireland, and more!

A new look

The new iPhone 12 was announced by Apple in a rather unconventional way this year - online. Rather unusual for the tech giant who is more familiar with seismic, sold-out launches in rather large auditoria. But I guess we all have to adapt.

And adapt they did. Apple ‘made do’ this year by announcing its brand new iPhone 12 via a rather impressive, hour-long virtual launch entitled 'Hi, Speed'. But enough about the launch, to the phone itself!

Apple revealed that it would be launching not one, but four new models of the new iPhone 12 handset, as well as a range of new smart speakers, including the Home Pod Mini.

The new mobile models are as follows:

• iPhone 12 Pro Max - €1,260
• iPhone 12 Pro - €1,160
• iPhone 12 - €913
• iPhone 12 Mini - €815

The latest addition to the iPhone family bears a similar resemblance to iPhones past, with its flat edges bringing back memories of iPhones 4, 4S, and 5, although that seems like light years ago now with the technology that’s gone into this masterpiece. 

But before we get to the tech, some more on the new look.

The new iPhone 12 comes in four different colours: gold, silver, graphite, and the brand new pacific blue, which is sure to capture the imagination of those looking for a new aesthetic.

Each phone also has bigger and better displays, with the Pro Max, Pro, 12, and Mini getting considerably bigger display sizes at 6.7”, 6.1”, 6.1”, and 5.4” respectively.

Also, the iPhone 12 Mini, despite its name, has a display size which comes in at 5.4”, and is still almost as large as that of the display on the iPhone 8 Plus, 7 Plus, and 6 Plus.

The new iPhone 12 is also built with Apple’s ‘Ceramic Shield’ technology which is four times more effective in protecting your phone against damage if dropped, that’s according to Apple anyway. 

The phones are also splash and dust resistant, not to mention being water resistant to a depth of up to 6 metres and for up to 30 minutes. That being said, we wouldn’t advise anyone on going scuba-diving with it anytime soon because Apple has yet to launch its iSnorkle (it’s in the pipeline).

The specs

For many Apple fans and iPhone enthusiasts the release of the 12th addition of the well-known phone brand will finally quench fans' thirst for a 5G-ready iPhone, which has been long-awaited and much-anticipated.

It was surprising that Apple hasn’t launched its 5G phone sooner, as it usually holds its releases in September each year but this was understandably delayed due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

On the face of it, quite literally, the new iPhone 12 screen is bigger and better. Each edition will include a Super Retina XDR, OLED display with the smallest screen being 5.4” - and that’s still 0.7” bigger than, say, the iPhone 7.

When it comes to the camera, well, it’s rather impressive. Each phone has a 12Megapixel Ultra Wide and Wide lens, while the Pro and Pro Max versions also have a Telephoto lens included. This includes the ability to record video in stunning 4K at 24fps, 30fps, and 60fps. And here’s where things start to get interesting.

The Pro Max will have an advanced optical image stabilisation (OIS) technology called ‘sensor-shift’. In a nutshell this technology allows for enhanced image stabilization through a moving of the image sensor within the camera itself, helping to compensate for camera shake, and effectively transforms the iPhone into a video-making machine.

The iPhone Pro, Mini and 12 will also have similar capabilities in this regard but not as good, with dual optical, and plain old optical image stabilization only available. Pah!

Customers who buy the new phone will also be able to enjoy up to 20 hours of video playback on the Pro Max, with up to 17 hours on the Pro and 15 on the 12 and 12 Mini.

One rather questionable decision Apple has made with the launch of its new phone has been deciding to remove the power adapter and EarPods “that often go unused” from the box, only choosing to include the charging Lightning Cable.

The decision by Apple was, on the face of things, taken on environmental grounds, with the worldwide conglomerate seemingly wanting to shrink its packaging and make the world a better place. However, it’s a fairly ludicrous decision from a company which prides itself on innovation, yet seems incapable of fitting earphones and a plug into smaller packaging.

Overall, the new iPhone is as impressive aesthetically as it is technologically speaking. With the advancements it has made in its camera, as well as its display, and let’s face it, how appealing it is to look at, it will be hard to beat.

Battery life

As usual Apple hasn’t mentioned much about the battery life of the iPhone 12.

It would certainly be hard to beat the 11 for sheer battery longevity and it's hard to imagine that having slimmed down the new apparatus, and including 5G (which is a known drain on appliances) that the battery life will exceed that of its predecessor. 

iPhone 12 comparison

For your convenience we’ve included a brief table to compare the four new phones against one another, as we know how difficult it can be to see the apples from the trees (sorry, not sorry).

When is it available in Ireland?

And now, the question you’ve all been waiting for...when is it going to be available here?

For fans of the new device who are looking to get their hands on one as soon as possible, the earliest time you’ll be able to see an iPhone ‘in the flesh’ as it were is on October 23rd.

Pre-orders open from Friday October 16th for the iPhone Pro and iPhone 12, while customers will have to wait a small while longer for the iPhone Pro Max and iPhone Mini, with pre-orders starting on 6th November and release scheduled for November 13th.

Choosing a phone plan

If you’re considering purchasing the new iPhone, you may be looking at mobile phone plans too.

Cost is undeniably a huge factor when choosing a mobile plan, however there are other things to take into consideration. Here are 10 other important factors to keep in mind when making your choice.

If you’re curious about what mobile providers offer 5G services currently, check out this blog where we outline what 5G plans are on offer from Irish providers.

You might be considering buying the phone outright, in which case you may be interested in a SIM-only plan.

You can research the best SIM-only plans on the market by checking out our blog post which compares the current offerings from all the providers. Alternatively, you can listen to the episode of our bonkers.ie podcast series, where we discuss the best SIM-only deals on the market.

Use our free comparison tool to compare phone, broadband and TV deals in your local area to find a deal that best suits your needs.  

Get in touch

What do you think of the iPhone 12? Will you be upgrading to Apple’s latest handset? Let us know in the comments below.

If you have any questions on the iPhone 12, 5G or mobile phone plans, you can reach out to us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.