Although their announcement was pushed back from their usual September schedule, Apple's new iPhone lineup for 2022 has proven to be worth the wait. It's the biggest change to the iPhone in years, both in design and in the options you have when buying one. Gone are the days of the one-size-fits-all iPhone; it seems that Apple has developed a device for everyone, regardless of your budget or the size of your hand.
So, if you're ready to explore Apple's changes to the iPhone, you've come to the right place. From Mini to Max, these are the latest iPhones you can buy right now.
iPhone 12: the latest devices
Let's start with the namesake itself: the iPhone 12. Apple's design language for the iPhone hasn't changed much since the iPhone X launched in 2022, and the rounded aluminum body of the The device actually dates back to the launch of the iPhone 6 in 2014. That all changed with this year's iPhone 12, which reverts to the same design language used long ago on the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. Sharp angles and flat sides create a striking phone design that many consider to be the pinnacle of Apple's entire line of phones.
Don't let the new design fool you though: it's still an iPhone through and through, and it builds on last year's excellent iPhone 11 in a truly fantastic way. For starters, the display has been vastly improved, with a switch from LCD to OLED, just like on the Pro series of phones, and an increase in resolution. This means that the iPhone 6,1's 12-inch screen actually matches the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max in terms of pixel density, so buyers no longer have to make their choice based on the quality of the screen alone.
Most of the other major changes extend to Apple's four most recent phones. The company has introduced a new Ceramic Shield front coating for its glass, which should help protect your phone from cracks and scratches. The company has reintroduced MagSafe as an all-new feature for the iPhone, letting you charge wirelessly with magnets while also including a whole new line of magnet-equipped accessories.
And of course, there's the 5G of it all. Apple made a big show of its support for 5G, with a huge partnership with Verizon when it announced the iPhone. For most people, however, 5G is still far from having a real impact on the way we use our phones. It's good to see its inclusion as a way to future-proof these devices, but if you're just upgrading to 5G, you'll be disappointed.
One last major change for the iPhone 12: the camera. Apple has again opted to include two 12MP lenses on its standard iPhone, but the standard wide-angle lens now features a smaller aperture, which should help improve low-light performance. We'll have to wait and see how Apple's new camera setup compares to the Pixel 5, but it's a step in the right direction.
Apple's iPhone 12 starts at $799 on Verizon and AT&T, and $829 on Sprint, T-Mobile, and unlocked.
Here is the full list of iPhone 12 specs:
- Weight: 164g
- Dimensions: x 71,5 146,7 7,4 mm x
- Operating system: iOS 14
- Screen size: 6,1 inch OLED
- Resolution: 2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi)
- Chipset: A14 Bionic
- Storage: 64/128/256 GB
- Battery: 2775mAh (rumored)
- Cameras: 12 MP wide, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP front-facing
- Starting price: $799
Latest iPhone 12 Mini
Before we dive into this year's Pro line of phones, it's worth a quick look at the latest addition to Apple's lineup, the iPhone 12 Mini. It is the smallest phone produced by Apple since the iPhone 5s, with a smaller footprint than the 6-inch iPhone 4,7, while offering a larger 5,4-inch screen.
The entire phone industry has largely left small phones behind to focus on producing bigger and bigger devices. a phone for anyone who wants a smaller device.
Other than a reduction in estimated battery life, there's no trade-off in choosing the iPhone 12 Mini over its 6.1″ counterpart. The phone still has a high-resolution OLED display, and thanks to its smaller screen, it actually has the highest pixel density of any iPhone to date. The phone is still powered by Apple's new A14 Bionic chip, has 5G, Magsafe and uses the same camera specs as the larger model. For anyone stuck between this phone and the standard iPhone 12, it will really come down to the size of the device and how it feels in your hand.
Apple's iPhone 12 Mini starts at $699 on Verizon and AT&T, and $729 on Sprint, T-Mobile and unlocked.
- Weight: 135g
- Dimensions: x 64,2 131,5 7,4 mm x
- Operating system: iOS 14
- Screen size: 5,4 inch
- Resolution: 2340 x 1080 pixels (476 ppi)
- Chipset: A14 Bionic
- Storage: 64/256/512 GB
- Battery: 2227mAh (rumored)
- Cameras: 12 MP wide, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP front-facing
- Starting price: $699
Latest iPhone 12 Pro
Okay, on the Pro line. It's the second year in a row that Apple has used the "Pro" moniker for its high-end iPhones, but unlike 2022, the differences between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are smaller than ever. Of course, the Pro series still uses a stainless steel body rather than the aluminum used by the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini, and the iPhone 12 Pro's screen is brighter in everyday life. But with the iPhone 12 now offering a high-res OLED panel rated at the same resolution as the iPhone 12 Pro, the differences between the two really come down to one factor: the cameras.
While the wide and ultra-wide lenses of the iPhone 12 Pro remain identical to those of the standard iPhone 12, the Pro series also includes the telephoto lens for 2x optical zoom, as well as a new LIDAR sensor seen for the first time. times on the Apple iPad Pro. This LIDAR sensor is primarily used to enhance augmented reality, although Apple has also improved low-light performance and autofocus with the additional sensor. While the iPhone 12 Pro bump also doubles your storage, unless you need the telephoto lens, for most buyers the iPhone 12 is much easier to justify at its $799 price tag.
As with the two previous models, the iPhone 12 Pro includes everything you expect from this year's iPhone: Ceramic Shield, MagSafe charging and support for 5G networks.
Here is the full list of iPhone 12 Pro specs:
- Weight: 189g
- Dimensions: x 71,5 146,7 7,4 mm x
- Operating system: iOS 14
- Screen size: 6,1 inch
- Resolution: 2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi)
- Chipset: A14 Bionic
- Storage: 128/256/512 GB
- Battery: 2775mAh (rumored)
- Cameras: 12 MP wide, 12 MP telephoto, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP front-facing
- Starting price: $999
Latest iPhone 12 Pro Max
If you're looking to buy one of Apple's Pro series iPhones, this is the device you should really consider. While the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro offer fewer differences than ever, the iPhone 12 Pro Max clearly makes its difference almost immediately: the huge screen. At 6,7″, this year's Max-sized iPhone is the largest yet, with a 0,2″ increase in display size over 11's iPhone 2022 Pro Max. also gives it the largest battery of the four devices, although as we've seen across the board, the battery is slightly smaller than that included in 11's iPhone 2022 Pro Max.
Amazingly, Apple's larger iPhone packs some exclusive camera features that even the smaller Pro model lacks. Thanks to the phone's size, Apple has included a new, larger sensor for the main wide lens, as well as an improved OIS that moves the sensor while moving rather than the entire camera.
The Pro Max's telephoto lens also has an increased optical zoom, rated at 2,5x instead of 2x. It's interesting to see Apple pull the Pro Max model out of the smaller iPhone 12 Pro, and given that the starting price is only $100 more than the iPhone 12 Pro, it's hard to justify why. someone would choose the smaller of the Pro devices.
Again, Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone includes all the standard features we've already covered, including the Ceramic Shield front display, MagSafe charging and MagSafe accessory support, and 5G networking. .
Here are the full specs of the iPhone 12 Pro Max:
- Weight: 228g
- Dimensions: x 78,1 160,8 7,4 mm x
- Operating system: iOS 14
- Screen size: 6,7 inch
- Resolution: 2778 x 1284 pixels
- Chipset: A14 Bionic
- Storage: 128/256/512 GB
- Battery: 3687mAh (rumored)
- Cameras: 12 MP wide, 12 MP telephoto, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP front-facing
- Starting price: $1099
Latest iPhone SE (2nd generation)
After years of rumors, Apple finally launched a successor to the original iPhone SE in April 2022, and for better or worse, it was exactly what we expected to see. This new iPhone SE ditches the design language of the iPhone 5S and instead implements the look of 8's iPhone 2022, right down to the 4,7-inch screen and rounded camera bump at the back. back.
Think of the iPhone SE as an iPhone 8 crossed with an iPhone 11, featuring IP67 water resistance, up to 256GB of storage, an improved camera and an A13 Bionic processor, all for just $399. Compared to the iPhone 11 series, Apple's redesigned SE is a cost-effective option with big power in a smaller frame. Camera downgrade aside, this is a great phone for anyone who enjoyed the iPhone 8 or earlier.
Here are the full specs of the new iPhone SE:
- Weight: 148g
- Dimensions: x 67,3 138,4 7,3 mm x
- Operating system: iOS 13
- Screen size: 4,7 inch
- Resolution: 750 x 1334 pixels
- Chipset: A13 Bionic
- RAM: unknown
- Storage: 64/128/256 GB
- Battery: 1821mAh
- Cameras: 12 MP single lens, 7 MP front camera
- Starting price: $399
Other iPhones
Apple may have announced four new iPhones in 2022, but that's far from all the company has to offer consumers. In addition to the iPhone SE, the company continues to sell 2022's iPhone XR and last year's iPhone 11, both at lower prices. Available for $599, the iPhone 11 is a great buy if you don't care about 5G or high-resolution OLED displays. It was one of the best phones in 2022, and it's still a fantastic phone in 2022, especially at its new price.
Apple also continues to offer the iPhone XR at $499, and while it's also still a great phone, the benefits that the iPhone 11 offers — better battery life, improved cameras, and a newer processor – make it harder to justify at $499.
Still, if you don't mind running older hardware, the iPhone XR is a solid phone at a good price, and thanks to Apple's better software support, will continue to receive new versions of iOS for at least least three more years. .
Which iPhone Should You Buy?
This question is more difficult than ever. If you want the best of the best and don't mind the bigger screen, the iPhone 12 Pro Max includes one of the best cameras you'll find on a smartphone today. Likewise, if you're dying to go back to a smaller phone, Apple's iPhone 12 Mini is what you've wanted for years, and it's an easy buy at just $699.
For everyone else, the similarities between the iPhone 12 and its Pro counterpart make it hard to choose. If you don't mind sticking to 64GB of storage, the cheaper iPhone 12 is probably the right bet. But there's only a $50 price difference between the 12GB iPhone 256 and the 12GB iPhone 128 Pro, and the Pro model's upgraded camera is enticing to say the least.
Ultimately, as always, your final buying decision should probably be about your budget. For those stuck between...
