IPhone 12: A stunning camera, but only in top models
Apple introduced its new iPhone lineup last week, sticking to the safe and familiar, said David Goldman in CNN.com. The iPhone 12s are “for people who drive Toyota Camrys.” There’s nothing wrong with a Camry. It’s reliable, and “Toyota sells boatloads of them every year to people who just want to get from point A to point B.” If you’ve bought an iPhone in the last few years, you probably shouldn’t rush to replace it, said Steven Winkelman in PCMag.com. If you already have the iPhone 11, “there’s no compelling reason to upgrade to the iPhone 12 lineup.” Same probably goes for the recent XR, XS, and SE models—and the iPhone X, though it no longer seems revolutionary. The iPhone 8 may be starting to feel a little sluggish, but “you should be able to get an extra year” out of it if it suits your needs, especially if you’ve replaced the battery. If you’re still on the iPhone 7 or an older model, go for the new release; it will feel “light-years ahead of your old phone.”
Even if you have a recent phone, said Sam Byford in TheVerge .com, you’ll see a difference in the photos if you get the top-ofthe-line iPhone 12 Pro Max. That version represents Apple’s “biggest camera jump in years.” With a primary sensor that’s 47 percent bigger, “it’ll capture much more light and should turn out cleaner results.” The Max also has image stabilization technology more commonly found in DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Both the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12
Pro Max cameras boast lidar sensors for the first time, said Ivan Mehta in TheNextWeb.com. Lidar, or light detection and ranging, is a form of depth sensor that “maps” an area by “measuring distances of objects via reflecting light rays” (as opposed to radio or sound waves). Right now Apple is incorporating it “to improve autofocus” in low light for better portraits. But in the future, it could trigger better, more realistic augmented-reality development.
Just beware of Apple’s marketing around 5G, said Geoffrey Fowler in The Washington Post. Apple claims that the new iPhone 12 lineup “supports fast 5G cellular networks.” Its advertisements don’t mention that “the current ‘nationwide’ 5G networks just aren’t very fast.” Amid all the 5G hype, there is one “sleeper feature” of the new iPhones that hasn’t gotten enough attention, said Roger Cheng in CNET.com. The new iPhones come embedded with magnets at the back that can be used to attach wireless chargers or other accessories. This connector opens many possibilities, from cases to car mounts to camera lenses. Other phone makers have tried modular components, but Apple’s scale “changes everything.”