Samsung’s latest flagship phones have debuted after strong reviews, with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra winning certain raves for its responsive S Pen, powerful zoom lens and its dynamic 120Hz display. It sets a pretty high bar for the other flagship phones coming out in the second half of 2020 – especially for the new iPhone 12 line up.
That will cause the initial success of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra every sleepless night in Cupertino, as Apple drivers wrestle with how to make the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro standout from competing devices? Not exactly, say tech analysts.
“While the Galaxy Note20 Ultra is extremely impressive, the iPhone ecosystem is quite sticky,” said Avi Greengart, lead analyst at Techsponential. “There’s not as much cross-shopping as you might think.”
However, although the iPhone 12 still has to do very well for itself, thank you very much, there is more than a little pride in the point. Not one of the big smartphone makers would like to get a lot of buzz about their new devices, even if they are sure that fans will flock to the new versions. And with the iPhone 12 expected to ship later than usual – Apple has indicated we will not see the new iPhone in September – there may be some pressure to boot the Note 20.
But ultimately, the challenge facing Apple and the iPhone 12 is the same one that every device maker did a decade after the original iPhone reinvented the smartphone market. How do you keep something fresh that is so famous?
“Smartphones are a moderate category,” Greengart said. “In addition to new form factors such as dual-screen and foldables, all updates are iterative.”
These days, Apple may not be able to revolutionize phones like it did more than a decade ago. But there are plenty of ways that the iPhone 12 can still appear in a full-fledged market and maybe even push rivals like the Galaxy Note 20 to the side.
iPhone 12: The first 5G iPhone
Let’s start with the obvious thing that is missing from the iPhone, and one of the features that Apple is likely to add. While other phone makers put out 5G phones since 2019 – Samsung released the Galaxy S10 5G more than a year ago – Apple sat on the sidelines. It’s not like Apple missed much: 5G networks are still being expanded, and consumers should not yet reap the full benefits of faster network speeds and lower latency.
Now that Apple is throwing its hat into the 5G ring, it is expected to do so in a big way. All four rumored iPhone 12 models probably have 5G connectivity, so if you buy a new iPhone, you will be able to connect to a 5G network.
Or at least, you soene be able to. A leak earlier this year suggested that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max can only connect to the sub-6Hz flavor of 5G; higher speed mmWave connection primarily used by Verizon would be reserved for the iPhone 12 Pro models. Subsequent rumors have suggested that all iPhone models will support both types of 5G. And that’s a smart decision – if Apple’s 5G debut is to be a success, it needs to make those phones available to the widest audience possible.
Early 5G phones were very expensive, with prices regularly exceeding $ 1,000. That has come down a bit in recent months, especially since Android phone makers are able to take advantage of the cheaper Snapdragon 765 mobile processor and its built-in 5G modem to unlock 5G that cost $ 600 or less.
The iPhone 12 will probably not be that cheap. But the fact that Apple will apparently release four different 5G iPhones means that there models will be available at a wide range of prices.
iPhone 12: Get the price – and size – right
Speaking of price, if there is one lesson Apple has learned over the past year, it is that people rarely get a chance to buy a cheaper iPhone. Apple actually saw a modest increase in iPhone sales in its June quarter, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that shut down the company’s retail stores and want upgrades likely to keep new iPhones in the fall. A large part of the credit for that growth goes to the iPhone SE 2020, Apple’s $ 399 device, which proves that people still keep an iPhone with a low price and a compact size.
It’s not just the iPhone SE. Since the $ 699 iPhone 11 made its debut last fall, it’s been Apple’s most popular model, as shoppers look for a viable alternative to a $ 999 iPhone.
That will likely continue with the iPhone 12, at least based on rumors about the prices of the new iPhone. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are expected to hold the $ 999 and $ 1,099 price tags of their predecessors, respectively. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will be the low-cost alternatives, with rumored price tags of $ 649 and $ 749 respectively. This not only gives people a way to save money from the iPhone 12 Pro, it is also hundreds of dollars less then the flagships that Samsung has unveiled this year.
If Apple releases a 5.4-inch iPhone, as many have rumored, it will fill a niche that no one else is targeting for small premium phones.
– Avi Greengart, Techsponential
Just as important as price, though, is size. While phone screens are getting bigger all the time – you can’t get a Galaxy S20 or Note 20 that is smaller than 6.2 inches – there is still a segment of the population that buys phones that crave compact devices. The $ 649 iPhone 12 is rumored to be addressing this issue with a 5.4-inch screen that can come up on us best small phone list. And that will help Apple’s new phone stand out, Greengart said.
“If Apple releases a 5.4-inch iPhone, as has been widely rumored, it will fill a niche that no one else is targeting for small premium phones,” he added.
iPhone 12 display: 120Hz embracing
Apple may have the fastest phones, thanks to its A13 Bionic chipset. (The even faster A14 is far from certain to power the iPhone 12.) But some Android phones have gotten into another area where Apple has stood still – they have displays with faster refresh rates.
All three Samsung Galaxy S20 models released earlier this year feature features that refresh at 120Hz; the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra does this especially better by dynamically adjusting its refresh rate based on how you use the phone. And those are not the only Android devices with faster refreshing screens – the Pixel 4 setup has a 90Hz refresh rate, while both OnePlus 8 en OnePlus 8 Pro also have faster refresh rates.
Meanwhile, Apple’s iPhones are stuck at 60Hz refresh rates, the standard for smartphones these days. That means while owners of other phones enjoy more immersive experiences like smoother scrolling and better gameplay.
“High-throughput displays will be a feature that consumers are looking for in the high end market,” Greengart said. “Apple has a lot of experience with this. The iPad Pro has been offering one for years.”
But will it be iPhone 12? Of the new models coming out this fall, it seems that the iPhone 12 Pro was the most likely to adopt 120Hz refresh rates, though more recent rumors have thrown cold water about that speculation. It seems like something Apple should add sooner rather than later or risk the iPhone falling behind the competition, at least when it comes to monitors.
iPhone 12 Cameras: What’s New?
The iPhone has long been considered one of the best camera phones, and that probably will not change with the iPhone 12. Still, other phone makers have stepped up their game, both in terms of camera hardware and software. On the hardware front, we are particularly impressed with the Space Zoom lens on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and the ability to create some pretty clear images with its 50x zoom. On the software side of things, it is Google that often sets the standard for computer photography.
So how does Apple react? Based on the rumors we’ve heard about the camera arrays on the various iPhone 12 models, we are unlikely to see any progress as a dramatically improved telephoto lens. Apple’s software innovations have a way of creeping up on us – who knew about Smart HDR and Deep Fusion until Apple explained how those features provide better, more detailed photos? That we may be surprised by some similar innovation as Apple in a month or so shows its new phones.
One possible new feature led by the iPhone 12 Pro phones will be in LiDAR sensor similar to those on the iPad Pro. This extra lens will be able to measure faster and more accurate distances than time-of-flight sensors, which should enhance portrait photos taken by the iPhone 12 Pro. But a more compelling use would be with augmented reality and iPhone AR apps that can tap on the LiDAR sensor to measure the distance of objects in reality more accurately.
Expect Apple to spend a lot of time explaining the benefits of LiDAR at its iPhone 12 launch event, and maybe even invite some app makers on stage to show how their software takes advantage of the new hardware .
iPhone 12 view
Apple rarely takes note of what other phone makers are doing, and chooses to go in their own direction. Given the volume of iPhones that Apple has sold so far, you would have a hard time arguing with that strategy.
“The reason to buy an iPhone 12 will be the same reason people bought an iPhone XS or iPhone 11 – it’s an iPhone,” Greengart said. “Apple’s processors then outperform the competition. Apple’s imaging, network and display need to be competitive. But the iOS ecosystem and user experience are unique.”
However, the iPhone 12 is coming at a unique time. Apple’s new phones will debut later than usual – perhaps even after Google’s upcoming Pixel 5 unveiled rumors of a September 30 release for that phone. The economic fallout from coronavirus could make people resistant to big bubbles for a new phone, even one from Apple. And Android phones – in particular the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – have set their game up in an attempt to challenge Apple.
There are many ways in which Apple can increase the bar for smartphones even with the iPhone 12.. We’ll just find out how when Apple is ready to unveil its latest phones.
