Apple today introduced the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 with a flat-edged design, 5G support, a faster A14 Bionic chip, a dual-lens rear camera system, and more. Pricing starts at $799 with activation on AT&T or Verizon, or $829 otherwise.
First introduced in the new iPad Air last month, the A14 Bionic chip is the fastest smartphone chip ever, and the first to be built on a 5-nanometer process. Apple says the six-core CPU in the A14 chip is up to 50 percent faster than any other smartphone chip. And for machine learning, the Neural Engine in the A14 chip is up to 80 percent faster than in the A13 chip.
iPhone 12 models feature a new "Ceramic Shield" front cover for improved durability, with Apple advertising 4x improved drop test performance compared to the previous-generation iPhone. Apple says the devices feature "tougher" glass than any other smartphone.
On the back of the iPhone 12 models is a new magnet-based MagSafe system that allows for precise wireless charging and easy-to-attach accessories from Apple, like a leather wallet for the Apple Card, which will be available to order starting Friday.
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro pre-orders begin Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, with shipments starting Friday, October 23. The smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and larger 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max are launching later, with pre-orders beginning Friday, November 6 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time and shipments starting Friday, November 13.
