Flat edges, better grip, stunning screens: Hands-on with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro

New iPhone time! While the first wave of reviews of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have already gone live abroad, the embargo for us folks in Singapore only lifted this evening, so you’ll just have to make do with our first impressions after about a day of use. 

Right off the bat, the obvious distinction this time around are the smaller boxes, slimmer than the thick bricks they once were. The reason? No more charging bricks and earbuds included with every purchase, because Apple’s moving towards reducing e-waste.

Which is great! Every little bit counts, even if the environmental footprint reduced from not shipping charging adapters in the box is relatively tiny. Personally, I think it would have been a lot better if Apple simply stopping using Lightning ports for iPhones since the rest of the tech world has already embraced USB-C. 

Apple has argued before that switching to USB-C would create an unprecedented volume of e-waste when Lightning cables and accessories get phased out. But really though, why force people to keep having two different types of cables to charge iPhones and other electronic devices when everyone can just stick to one common, universal cable? 

Not to mention that not everyone has the appropriate charging adapter lying around at home that can be used with the USB-C to Lightning cable that’s shipped together in iPhone 12 boxes. Meaning people will have to buy USB-C charging adapters, potentially leading to a bigger environmental footprint in the end when extra packaging and extra transportation of goods are involved. 

Edgy aesthetics

But I digress. The new iPhones have (finally) undergone a dramatic shift in design, and they look absolutely attractive in real life. Those who’ve wanted a return to form to the blocky days of the iPhone 4 and 5 series got what they wanted — it’s all about flat edges this time. 

The stark change in design is a lot more appreciated with the iPhones in hand. Flat edges just make for better holding and gripping, while also making the phones feel more comfortable and smaller due to the lack of curved surfaces. 

While the shapes and sizes between the regular iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are the same, you can tell which one is the premium model by feel. The aluminium-and-glass iPhone 12 sports a glossy back with matte side rails, while the iPhone 12 Pro has a stainless steel body with a frosted matte back (which feels really good to touch) and shiny side rails that catch fingerprints all too easily. 

Both are protected by a material Apple dubs “Ceramic Shield”, which apparently is four times tougher than what was used before. Theoretically, if the iPhone 12 drops out of your pocket and onto the ground, it’s four times less likely to break than if the same thing happened to an iPhone 11. It’s, uh, not something that I would want to put to the test on freshly unboxed review units.

There’s still no escape from the bezels around the screen — marginally smaller than last year’s iPhone but not bezel-free like what Samsung or Huawei puts out. The best highlight of this new generation, I feel, is that Apple’s excellent OLED displays arrive across all models, regardless if you get the iPhone 12 or the iPhone 12 Pro. Which makes upgrading from any old iPhone very compelling. 

Between the two, and historically speaking, the standard iPhone 12 variant will be the one that sells the best in this new round of iPhones. And why not? You’re still getting a really good display with a really good form factor at a cheaper price. 

Magnets, how do they work?

We also got our hands on the new iPhone 12 accessories: a MagSafe charger and an Apple Silicone case with MagSafe compatibility. 

The premise is pretty simple. Instead of having to wiggle our phones around on a wireless charging pad to find the optimal charging spot, Apple’s solution is to have a magnetic charger that sticks to the back of iPhones.  

You get the appeal once you start using it. The MagSafe charger is strong enough to make a decent thunk when attached to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro — stern enough to cause slight concern about how the back of the phone will fare after a year of repeated thumps. 

Oh, and the MagSafe charger is powerful enough to hold the iPhone aloft, so there’s that. 

As for the silicone case, it looks pretty much like Apple’s previous cases, but this one has a magnet ring built in to align the MagSafe charger. Right now, Apple’s official accessories are the only decent ones you can buy for your new iPhones, but give it time — there’s bound to be way cheaper ones that’ll make it to the racks of pasar malam stalls and the discount bins of Sim Lim Square. 

The iPhone 12 ($1,299) and iPhone 12 Pro ($1,649) launches in Singapore on Friday (Oct 23) across Apple Stores, major telco outlets and select electronics retailers. Expect a more subdued mood this year for sure, since the focus is on keeping everyone safely distanced, as it should be. 

ilyas@asiaone.com