TECH’S PANDORA’S BOX?
This issue we’ve got in–depth reviews of the new iPhone 12 (p38) and iPhone 12 Pro (p42). We’ve taken a different tack to the way we review the two launch iPhones this time round, and there’s a pretty compelling reason for that. This year’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are essentially the same phone, with only a few key differentiators, the biggest of which is the new Pro camera system that, in our opinion, allows the iPhone 12 Pro to take better photos and videos than the iPhone 12 (LiDAR scanner for better bokeh and night shots, and Dolby Vision recording at 60 frames per second, thank–you very much).
So in order to make testing them both worthwhile, and to avoid repetition in the reviews, my own take on the iPhone 12 is a bit more of a rounded review, while the iPhone 12 Pro verdict has been written from the perspective of a Mac|Life in–house photographer/videographer. That’s due to the fact that more than ever, Apple is marketing the Pro model to actual pros, who need to buy it because it helps them to do their job better, rather than those who buy the best simply because they can afford to.
Though we don’t talk about it in the review too much, all of this year’s iPhones come with a very different unboxing experience. Right off the bat, the box is much slimmer than ever and that’s because Apple has decided, for the first time in its history of selling the iPhone, to not include a charging brick or a pair of headphones in the box. Now, Apple makes a compelling argument for reducing e-waste in the environment by removing the two items most of us will already have from previous purchases, which we can’t argue with, but it does seem a little disingenuous for two reasons. One, you need to buy a modern 20W charger to get the most from the iPhone 12 (so that’s $19 on top), and two, not only is the iPhone 12 not cheaper than the iPhone 11 despite this, it’s actually more expensive — shocking! What do you think? Will Apple alienate its fans with this shrewd move? Let me know.