Apple today announced four new iPhone 12 models, it’s first with 5G. And it also announced new CarPlay capabilities.
CarPlay can now function as an intercom for an Apple HomePod smart speaker and other Apple devices. Say “Hey Siri” and ask who wants pizza for dinner, and it broadcasts the request to all the HomePods in the house. Also, a message notification will appear on designated iPhones and Apple Watches.
If you ask Siri on your HomePod what time Target closes, then when you get in your car, a suggestion is ready with directions to navigate to Target.
The big announcement today was, of course, the iPhone 12 with 5G for faster speeds including up to double peak download speeds over 4 gigabits per second (Gbps) and upload speeds of over 200 Gbps. 5G also means lower latency (lag times) so gaming is faster.
The four new phones include an iPhone 12 mini with a 5.4 inch display. It’s smaller than the iPhone 8 but it has a bigger screen. Apple says it’s the smallest smartphone in the world.
The new phones have the ability to auto switch between 5G and LTE when the phone senses higher speeds are not needed and then switch back when needed. This saves on battery life.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini get a new wireless charging feature called MagSafe. It auto positions, through magnets, charging accessories to the precise charging location on the phone. iPhone cases now snap into place magnetically and accessories snap into place through the case, including a mini wallet or a wireless charger. Belkin is developing a car mount using MagSafe, announced Apple.
The iPhones use a new A14 bionic chip with a neural engine with 16 cores, up from 8 cores in the iPhone 11.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini include dual 12MP cameras: an ultra wide and wide, both offering improvements in lower light performance. Night vision is now available on the front camera for selfies.
New also are two Pro iPhone 12 models. The Pro display moves up to 6.1 inches (from 5.8 inches in the iPhone 11) and up to 6.7 inches in the Pro Max. The Pro and Pro Max each get three cameras, the two noted above, and a third with telephoto lens with 4X zoom in the Pro and 5X in the Pro Max. Other features include better stabilization, and even lower light capacity than the standard iPhone 12. The phones are the only in the world to record in Dolby Vision HDR including in 4K. And they allow on the spot editing in Dolby Vision and editing filters.
The iPhones get a LIDAR scanner for better low light vision and augmented reality performance.
The flagship phones will carry prices starting at $999 for the iPhone 12 Pro (which now starts at 128GB) and $1,099 for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The former goes on pre-order October 16 and is available the week of October 23. The Pro Max goes on pre-order November 6 and ships on November 13.
The iPhone mini starts at $699 with pre-orders beginning November 6 and availability on November 13. Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 start on October 16 at $799 with availability on October 23.
My Subaru doesn’t support wireless CarPlay. Will I be able to use the iPhone 12 with my Subaru since there isn’t a charging port?
The new MagSafe charging system, cases etc really opens a lot of new sales opportunities for retailers. People will be upgrading mounts, looking to charge wirelessly more etc. Great time for retailers to improve their displays, selection and sales abilities to take advantage of this as 3rd parties come out with solutions.