Today is the anticipated Apple’s virtual product launch event. The event has been tagged ‘Hi-Speed’. Recall that TechNext reported that 4 new models of the iPhone 12 are expected along with 5G capability.
Well, these are the products and features that were announced at the launch:
Homepod Mini
First up is the Homepod mini. It has a spherical shape, comes in colours white and space grey and is the newest smart speaker to join the Apple family. When it is connected to Siri, the top glows in different colours.
Apple said that if two Homepod mini speakers are connected in a room, they can function intelligently like a ‘stereo pair’ and play in sync. If the mini speakers are in different parts of the home and connected, they can also play in sync throughout the home.
Each Homepod mini speaker comes at $99 and can be ordered starting from November.
iPhone 12 sails in on 5G
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, has announced the arrival of the iPhone 12. It comes in 5 different colours; white, black, red, green and blue. It is quite thinner, smaller and flatter than the iPhone 11 and has rectangular edges that are similar to that of the iPhone 4.
Apple says all the phones announced today are 5G-enabled which means that they have faster internet speeds and will give users a new level of performance.
The iPhone 12 has two cameras and double the pixel of iPhone 11.
Suggested Read: New iPad Air, Apple Watch, Fitness+ and A12 Chip – A Review of Major Announcements from the 2020 Apple Event
It also has an upgraded XDR display and a ‘Ceramic shield’, which Apple says is a new tougher screen material that will make the glass last longer and increase the drop performance four times.
iPhone 12 starts at $799.
iPhone 12 Mini is quite… well, mini
With dramatic music playing in the background from the James Bond movies, Apple opened a briefcase which had a series of smaller sections inside that finally revealed the iPhone 12 mini.
It is the same as the regular iPhone 12 and comes with the 5G-capability, dual-camera as well as the ceramic shield which is a tougher glass-protector.
It is smaller and lighter than the iPhone 12 with a 5.4″ display and starts at $699.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are built for pictures
Apple highlighted the features of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The higher-end models were presented in 4 different colours: black, gold, silver, and blue.
Both models have the LiDAR scanner which increases focus by up to six times, among other things. Similar to what LiDAR technology is used for in self-driving cars, it uses laser pulses to measure distances between objects and create a better augmented-reality experience for users of the iPhone 12 Pro.
Apple will also use it to enhance the autofocusing of the phone’s camera to capture low-light scenes in photos and videos.
According to the tech company, the iPhone 12 Pro is the first and the only phone that allows cinematographers and regular users to shoot movies in double vision, edit, watch and share with viewers.
In the case of a rough ride, while taking pictures or shooting a scene, the image stabilization feature in the iPhone 12 Pro comes in handy for shaky hands.
The Pro version has a 6.1″ display and the Pro Max has a 6.7″ display, both of which are larger screens than the earlier models.
They also have a wider camera, increased optical zoom range while the Pro Max lens has 87% low light improvement.
Apple adds magnets to iPhones
With the new iPhones, Apple is ditching the headphones and charging port as part of its bid to reduce carbon emissions, waste and attain net-zero climate impact by 2030.
In line with this, the new iPhones come with magnetic elements added to the back to help it fit well with wireless chargers for efficient charging. The magnet allows some phone accessories to snap on to it, like the slim wallet that Apple showed at the event.
League of Legends comes to iPhones
Popular game ‘League of Legends’, which has only been available to PCs until now will now be available on the iPhone 12. The selection of the game showcases the gaming capabilities of the new iPhones.
The forthcoming League of Legends: Wild Rift” will be available to android and iOS players later this year as the hugely popular game finally comes to mobile after 10 years on PC.
The iPhones will be available for pre-order from October 16 with iPhone 12 Mini starting from $699 and iPhone 12 Pro starting from $999.
In all, the #AppleEvent was eventful but not all fulfilling. What do you think?
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