Looking at the best plans for iPhone 12 phones in Singapore
With the iPhone 12 smartphones hitting retail in two waves (iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro on 23 Oct, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max on 13 Nov), we have some time to decide between choosing the right model and choosing an ideal contract plan to go with them.
iPhone 12 no-contract prices in Singapore
| Model | iPhone 12 mini | iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64GB | $1,149 | $1,299 | - | - |
| 128GB | $1,219 | $1,369 | $1,649 | $1,799 |
| 256GB | $1,389 | $1,539 | $1,819 | $1,969 |
| 512GB | – | – | $2,149 | $2,299 |
If you want to know what you're getting out of this year's iPhones, don't forget to check our launch night coverage too:
Editorial note: We'll publish the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max comparison after all telcos have officially announced their contract plan prices.
Choosing the best plan for your needs
A glance at the overall price across two years roughly tells us which telco offers a better deal at each tier. However, telco price plans have become more competitive over the years with the availability of trial 5G networks and seasonal promotions.
Each telco packs a host of tantalising tie-breakers (free accessories, free subscriptions, discounts, waivering of admin fees, free data at certain timings of the week, etc.), and it's really tough to say which telco does it best. If you want to see if the promotion suits your needs, don't forget to check each telco's specific promotions after comparing prices below.
Telco promotions at a glance
| Promotion | |
|---|---|
| Singtel |
|
| M1 |
|
| StarHub |
|
We'll be exploring the financial outlay of picking up an iPhone 12 with a contract plan, so make sure to keep the other promotions above in mind if the overall cost isn't your highest purchasing priority.
What about 5G connectivity?
Each telco has a different approach in offering 5G connectivity, which is also reflected in their individual price plans:
- Singtel: 5G access at $10/month built into price plans below, which also results in 10GB more local data than their usual plan's allotment.
- M1: 3 months' free 5G Booster Pack at S$40 Base Plan with $10 Add-on. 6 months' free 5G Booster Pack at S$40 Base Plan with S$38 Add-on or higher. 5G Booster Packs start at $5/month and comes with additional local data depending on which booster you get.
- StarHub: Free with all Mobile+ plans.
Since the iPhone 12 mobiles are all 5G capable, We'll take each plan as they are.
However, if you wish to opt-out of Singtel's 5G to save $10 a month, subtract it from the tables below. Or, if you wish to continue with M1's 5G access beyond the free months, add the respective 5G Booster Pack to the monthly total. For a quick reference:
- Singtel: Subtract S$240 from the total if you want to opt-out of 5G completely, but remember that you also to lose out the S$50 discount for not taking 5G NOW.
- M1: Add $105 / 168 / 252 to the total for S$40 Base + $10 Add-on plans, or add S$90 / 144 / 216 to the total for S$40 Base Plans +S$38 Add-on plans or higher. The correct amount depends on which 5G Booster Pack you choose.
With that out of the way, let's get on to comparing.
Value plans compared ($40-and-under/month)
| Data Plan | M1 |
|---|---|
| Name | Base Plan with Device |
| Monthly Subscription | $40 |
| Local Outgoing Mins | 100 |
| Local SMS | 100 |
| Local Data Bundle | 12GB |
| iPhone 12 upfront cost |
64GB: $820 |
| iPhone 12 Pro upfront cost |
128GB:$1,130 |
| Total Cost Over Two Years | |
| iPhone 12 with plan |
64GB: $1,780 128GB: $1,840 256GB: $2,000 |
| iPhone 12 Pro with plan |
64GB: $2,090 128GB: $2,250 256GB: $2,550 |
Basic plans compared ($50 - $65/month)
| Data Plan | M1 | Singtel | Singtel | StarHub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Base Plan with Device + $10 Add-on | Combo 2 with 5G | XO 48 with 5G | $65 Mobile+ |
| Monthly Subscription | $50 | $52.90 | $58 | $65 |
| Local Outgoing Mins | 200 | 200 | 100 | 200 |
| Local SMS | 200 | 1,000 | 100 | 200 |
| Local Data Bundle | 17GB | 12GB | 20GB |
30GB |
| iPhone 12 upfront cost |
64GB: $710 128GB: $780 256GB: $930 |
64GB: $788 128GB: $848 256GB: $1,008 |
64GB: $698 |
64GB: $579 128GB: $649 256GB: $799 |
| iPhone 12 Pro upfront cost |
128GB: $1,030 256GB: $1,290 512GB: $1,490 |
128GB:$1,108 256GB: $1,258 512GB: $1,558 |
128GB:$1,018 256GB: $1,168 512GB: $1,648 |
128GB: $899 256GB: $1,059 512GB: $1,359 |
| Total Cost Over Two Years | ||||
| iPhone 12 with plan |
64GB: $1,910 128GB: $1,980 256GB: $2,130 |
64GB: $2,057.60 128GB: S$2,117.60 256GB: S$2,277.60 |
64GB: S$2,090 128GB: S$2,150 256GB: S$2,310 |
64GB: $2,139 128GB: $2,209 256GB: $2,359 |
| iPhone 12 Pro with plan |
128GB: $2,230 256GB: $2,490 512GB: $2,690 |
128GB: $2,377.60 256GB: $2,527.60 512GB: $2,827.60 |
128GB: $2,410 256GB: $2,560 512GB: $3,040 |
128GB: $2,459 256GB: $2,619 512GB: $2,919 |
Mid-tier plans compared ($78 - $95/month)
| Data Plan | M1 | Singtel | Singtel | StarHub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Base Plan with Device + $38 Add-On | Combo 3 with 5G | XO 78 with 5G | $95 Mobile+ |
| Monthly Subscription | $78 | $82.90 | $88 | $95 |
| Local Outgoing Mins | 300 | 10,000 | 300 | 600 |
| Local SMS | 300 | 10,000 | 300 | 600 |
| Local Data Bundle | 42GB | 14GB | 50GB |
60GB |
| iPhone 12 upfront cost |
64GB: $460 128GB: $520 256GB: $670 |
64GB: $548 128GB: $608 256GB: $768 |
64GB: $328 |
64GB: $329 128GB: $399 256GB: $549 |
| iPhone 12 Pro upfront cost |
128GB: $770 256GB: $930 512GB: $1,230 |
128GB: $868 256GB: $1,018 512GB: $1,318 |
128GB: $648 256GB: $798 512GB: $1,108 |
128GB: $649 256GB: $809 512GB: $1,109 |
| Total Cost Over Two Years | ||||
| iPhone 12 with plan |
64GB: $2,332 128GB: $2,392 256GB: $2,542 |
64GB: $2,537.60 128GB: $2,597.60 256GB: $2,757.60 |
64GB: $2,440 128GB: $2,510 256GB: $2,660 |
64GB: $2,609 128GB: $2,679 256GB: $2,829 |
| iPhone 12 Pro with plan |
128GB: $2,642 256GB: $2,802 512GB: $3,102 |
128GB: $2,857.60 256GB: $3,007.60 512GB: $3,307.60 |
128GB: $2,760 256GB: $2,910 512GB: $3,220 |
128GB: $2,929 256GB: $3,089 512GB: $3,389 |
High-tier plans compared ($109 - $155/month)
| Data Plan | M1 | Singtel | Singtel | StarHub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Base Plan with Device + $70 Add-on | Combo 6 with 5G | XO 108 with 5G | $155 Mobile+ |
| Monthly Subscription | $110 | 109.90 | $118 | $155 |
| Local Outgoing Mins | 500 | 10,000 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Local SMS | 500 | 10,000 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Local Data Bundle | 77GB | 17GB | 80GB |
120GB |
| iPhone 12 upfront cost |
64GB: $210 128GB: $270 256GB: $430 |
64GB: $338 128GB: $398 256GB: $558 |
64GB: $68 |
64GB: $0 128GB: $0 256GB: $19 |
| iPhone 12 Pro upfront cost |
128GB: $530 256GB: $680 512GB: $990 |
128GB: $658 256GB: $808 512GB: $1,108 |
128GB: $378 256GB: $538 512GB: $838 |
128GB: $119 256GB: $269 512GB: $569 |
| Total Cost Over Two Years | ||||
| iPhone 12 with plan |
64GB: $2,850 128GB: $2,910 256GB: $3,070 |
64GB: $2,975.60 128GB: $3,035.60 256GB: $3,195.60 |
64GB: $2,900 128GB: $2,960 256GB: $3,110 |
64GB: $3,720 128GB: $3,720 256GB: $3,739 |
| iPhone 12 Pro with plan |
128GB: $3,170 256GB: $3,320 512GB: $3,630 |
128GB: $3,295.60 256GB: $3,445.60 512GB: $3,745.60 |
128GB: $3,210 256GB: $3,370 512GB: $3,670 |
128GB: $3,839 256GB: $3,989 512GB: $4,289 |
Premium plans compared (Beyond $230/month)
| Data Plan | M1 | Singtel |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Base Plan with Device + $195 Add-on | Combo 12 with 5G |
| Monthly Subscription | $235 | $249.90 |
| Local Outgoing Mins | Unlimited | 10,000 |
| Local SMS | 1,000 | 10,000 |
| Local Data Bundle | 112GB | 22GB |
| iPhone 12 upfront cost |
64GB: $0 128GB: $0 256GB: $110 |
64GB: $0 128GB: $0 256GB: $0 |
| iPhone 12 Pro upfront cost |
128GB: $230 256GB: $360 512GB: $680 |
128GB: $0 256GB: $0 512GB: $268 |
| Total Cost Over Two Years | ||
| iPhone 12 with plan |
64GB: $5,640 128GB: $5,640 256GB: $5,750 |
64GB: $5,997.60 128GB: $5,997.60 256GB: $5,997.60 |
| iPhone 12 Pro with plan |
128GB: $5,870 256GB: $6,000 512GB: $6,320 |
128GB: $5,997.60 256GB: $5,997.60 512GB: $6,265.60 |
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro plans: quick analysis and first impressions
Editorial note: the impressions are for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro price plans. More will be added when all telcos have released all price plans.
To aid our analysis, we've bolded and/or highlighted parts of the tables above to emphasise certain thoughts below.
There's really only one option lurking about at the value tier of contract plans (M1) , but we can't deny its financial viability.
Not only would you get to offset a significant amount of the iPhone's upfront cost, but the cost over two years also works out to about a $500 difference (very roughly). This is before factoring in promotions.
M1 also doesn't offer free months of 5G Booster Packs at this level, so this comes across as a very attractive alternative to folks who refuse to use 5G on their iPhone 12 (yes, we know you're out there).
The basic tier is arguably the most competitive bracket among the three telcos. M1 seems like the best at balancing a generous-enough mobile data package against a healthy-looking two-year final cost, making them the most cost-effective option among all.
If your priority is no-frills data capacity , StarHub might be a savvier alternative because it's nearly double of M1's data every month with an extra cost of $200 - $300 spread out over two years.
Also, StarHub piles on 5G access for free to Mobile+ users, while M1's free months of 5G Booster Pack will likely leave you wanting and paying more after the brief trial period (as they say, the first hit is always 'free').
The mid-tier plans are where Singtel makes its differentiators known. The Combo 3 with 5G plan's 10,000 outgoing minutes and SMSes eclipses the competition, and is undeniably a strong draw for folks who prioritise those call minutes and text messages. Oh, you're not a fan of chatting over the phone?
Well, Singtel fires yet another round with its 50GB/month XO 78 with 5G . If you stay on its 5G NOW programme, that's 50GB of improving 5G network speeds every month for the next two years.
StarHub seems like a good deal with free 5G and additional 10GB every month for a little more money, but we believe most folks wouldn't be scrambling for extra data with XO 78 with 5G.
M1 could have been the star here, but they missed by a hair: slightly less data than Singtel's same-tiered XO plan, and it's mostly 4G unless you pony up to 5G Booster Pack for the rest of your two years. So, Singtel's choice to make 5G an opt-out service was an advantageous decision at this tier.
The high-tier plans are a little more divisive. StarHub's Mobile+ plans are for folks who don't mind paying more money for a lot more 5G data allocated to them, while M1's plans are more cost-effective.
While it's true that opting out of Singtel 5G would make its XO plan at this tier slightly cheaper than M1's, don't forget that you also have to deduct 10GB a month from the allotment (which brings the XO plan down to 70GB/month, less than M1's 77GB/month).
The premium-tier plans , while they have their place, don't really abide by armchair economics. No one paying that amount of money would baulk at having to top-up $268 for the iPhone model with the highest storage available. It's also unlikely they'd be fussing over picking a 64GB iPhone or a 128GB one.
You either go big or you go home. Still, it's sensible to go big and win big, so M1 wins big here with its unlimited talk-time, fivefold mobile data allotment, and lower monthly fees.
Undecided? Maybe this will help
Of course, it's not always just about money when it comes to getting an iPhone. Here are more iPhone 12 articles by the HWZ team if you need more time to think it through:
This article was first published in Hardware Zone.