iPhone 12 128GB Prices & Plans

iPhone 12 128GB Review

The iPhone 12 is the most sensible new iPhone for most. It’s a much improved baseline that eschews many of the compromises made by “premium economy” iPhones like the XR and 11. It’s just as “Pro” as the iPhone 12 Pro in almost every sense, making it a reliable choice for anyone looking to upgrade to a 2020 model.

Given how similar it is to the iPhone 12 Pro, it’s impossible to look at the iPhone 12 in a vacuum. The pair are almost identical, and if you’re in the market for either, the fundamental question becomes “should I spend more” or “what do I loss if I spend less”. If you're hoping to save money by opting for the cheaper iPhone 12, the good news is you're not missing much. 

Before we start, here is how all four 2020 iPhone models compare:

Same same

If you're looking at the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro front on, it's all but impossible to pick which is which. Both phones have an identical 6.1-inch OLED display in an identical form factor with the classic iPhone 5S squared-off design. This is a big deal, because in previous years, one of the biggest compromises made by "premium economy" iPhones like iPhone 11 and iPhone XR was the display. They were driven by LCD displays, which still require a backlight. This means blacks look grey, and colours pop a little less.

On the other hand, an OLED display like the one you'll find in the iPhone 12 works by lighting up individual pixels as they're needed. This means blacks genuinely look black, and you get a higher contrast ratio. Everything looks a little more vibrant. The iPhone 12 display is also higher resolution than any of its direct predecessors, making it just that little bit sharper.

It's not like the iPhone 11 display was bad by any measure, but the iPhone 12 screen is so much nicer in every sense of the word.

In addition to sharing the same display, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are all but built from the same parts. You get the same processor, the same battery, the same kind of 5G connectivity, and the majority of the same cameras. While iPhone 12 Pro has an extra lens and a LiDAR sensor on the back, the phones are fundamentally identical.

There are, of course, a few subtle differences in terms of design. The iPhone 12 has a glossy glass back while the iPhone 12 Pro has a more fingerprint resistant matte glass. The iPhone 12 has an aluminium frame which makes it a little bit lighter, while the iPhone 12 Pro is built from smudgy stainless steel. The iPhone 12 Pro is easily the more premium of the two in terms of design, but honestly, it's a much of a muchness. Especially if you're throwing a case on it anyway.

But if you're not a case person, you're in luck. The iPhone 12 has what Apple calls Ceramic Shield glass on the front, which is said to make the iPhone 12 four times more durable than the iPhone 11. I wasn't quite game to drop my iPhone 12, but CNET's drop tests found the device comfortably survived three consecutive 2.7 metre drops with its screen intact. The glass on the back of the iPhone 12 isn't quite as durable, however. There's still a decent chance of it cracking on impact. Nonetheless, anything that makes your phone a bit more resilient is very welcome in my book.

To 5G or not to 5G?

The iPhone 12 is the first 5G iPhone (well, alongside it's three siblings) which is somewhat of a big deal, but it's important to be realistic about expectations. 5G is very cool tech. It's incredibly novel to be able to pull download speeds between 300Mbps and 1Gbps on a phone when you've got 5G coverage. Of course, 5G coverage is still very patchy right now, and there's no mobile application that genuinely needs internet that zippy.

Australian 5G networks are still a work in progress, and coverage is a sort of a swiss cheese situation if we're being generous. Telstra's 5G network currently only covers 40% of the population, while Vodafone's barely even exists. Optus is somewhere in between. There's no guarantee you'll consistently have a 5G signal. You probably won't.

But even if you already have 5G in your area, there's the question of why you need it? Fast internet is fun. I love it when big numbers go up on a speed test, but having a portable 500Mbps doesn't fundamentally change how you use your phone. The best current use for fast internet on a phone - outside of maybe as a portable hotspot - is downloading shows or albums for offline viewing if you're in a hurry - like ahead of getting on a flight with no WiFi. Knowing you can download a movie from Netflix in just a few minutes is nifty, but it's not exactly a game changer.

At the same time, 5G networks will continue to improve over the coming months and years, and we'll almost certainly see apps emerge that can make the most of faster network speeds and lower latencies. Streaming Netflix on your phone was unheard of during the 3G era.

5G connectivity could become an essential feature in the coming years, but that’s simply not the case right now. You shouldn't buy the iPhone 12 just because it has 5G. There's no rush to upgrade from a 4G phone to a 5G model. Of course, if you were planning on buying a new phone this year and the device you're after happens to have 5G, go for it. It's a nice bit of future-proofing, even if not a defining feature.

It's worth noting that Australian iPhone 12 models don't support mmWave 5G. mmWave is the fastest 5G network technology, with the potential to reach speeds over 3Gbps. For comparison, you're looking at between 300Mbps and 1Gbps in good conditions on current Australian 5G networks. mmWave 5G does however have a shorter range, and can struggle indoors. From reports in the US, it can be very hard to maintain a mmWave 5G signal.

At this stage, no Australian telco has mmWave 5G. We're unlikely to see mmWave 5G coverage until late 2021 or early 2022, and even then, it will take a long time before it is ubiquitous. The iPhone 12 certainly doesn't need mmWave 5G support right now, but it's a little weird that Australian models don't when US models have support for the standard. mmWave 5G support may be useless right now, but it would have made the iPhone 12 just a little more future-proof.

Magnetic

One unfortunate similarity between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro is battery life. Both are okay, but represent a step back from last year's devices. I've typically been getting about 4.5 hours of screen time per charge on a mix of 5G, 4G, and Wi-Fi. For me, that only represents a full day of usage, with very little buffer. For comparison, I was easily able to get at least a day-and-a-half from both the iPhone 11 and the iPhone XR. A full day per charge is fine, but it would have been nice to have a wider safety net for those days where you go hard.

On a charging related note, Apple has made a rather interesting decision to stop bundling power bricks and earbuds with new iPhones for environmental reasons. All you'll find in the box - other than the iPhone 12 itself - is a USB C to Lightning cable. Personally, I don't think it's a big deal. EarPods are awful, and most of us have a power brick anyway. The only tricky thing is Apple's choice of cable. You'll need a power brick with a USB C port to use it (or a computer) but unless you're upgrading from an iPhone 11, your iPhone power brick will have a full-sized USB port. You can always use your old charger and cable, but you'll miss out on the faster charging speeds your iPhone 12 can achieve. If you want to pick up a USB C power brick, you're looking at $29 to get one from Apple.

Alternatively, Apple now has a cute new wireless charging ecosystem: MagSafe. MagSafe is a puck-like wireless charger that magnetically snaps to the back of your iPhone 12. This ensures optimal alignment for a faster wireless charge, and it means you can still use your phone while it's juicing - which you simply can't with a standard wireless charging pad or stand. You'll still be able to get a faster top up with a traditional charger, but MagSafe can take an iPhone 12 from flat to 40% in about half an hour.

Of course, buying into MagSafe will cost you extra. You'll need to drop $65 for the charger itself, and another $29 if you need a USB C power brick. If you're wanting the magnets to snap to your case, you'll also need a MagSafe compatible case. The MagSafe charger will provide charge through any case, but it just won't stick to it. Apple's MagSafe cases start at $79. And while there are aspects of MagSafe that are proprietary, it still works as a regular old wireless charger that's compatible with any phone that supports it. The charge will be slightly slower, however. Right now, MagSafe is a fun but somewhat expensive accessory, but I'm really curious to see where the ecosystem will go. While most of us don't need a MagSafe charger for home, there's definitely a lot of potential when it comes to accessories like car mounts where it could genuinely save time.

Two against three

If you're tossing up between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, the biggest difference you have to consider is the camera. The pair share the same excellent primary and ultra-wide lenses, but the iPhone 12 Pro also benefits from a zoom lens and few interesting little features.

The primary lens you'll find on both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro is the most significant upgrade this year, with improvements mostly benefitting lowlight imaging. Photos taken at night are sharper, brighter, and clearer compared to what you'd get on an iPhone 11.

Night mode - a setting that takes a lowlight image over a longer period of time to get a better result - is now available on ultra-wide lens, primary lens, and selfie camera. The iPhone 11 only had night mode on the primary camera. That being said, the iPhone 12 primary camera is still a better option for lowlight photography, but it's still nice to have on the ultra-wide.

The iPhone 12 isn't a massive step up in terms of photographic prowess when compared to the iPhone 11, but it's nonetheless an excellent choice for a smartphone camera. It consistently takes great photos and shoots amazing video in almost any environment.

So what exactly do you miss out on? The most obvious omission is the 2x zoom lens. I love having the versatility of a zoom lens, but if Apple had to cut one lens to keep the iPhone 12 price down, zoom was the right decision. Of late, I've found myself using ultra-wide lenses more than zoom lens - they make for a more versatile camera setup. You can also always rely on digital zoom in a pinch, whereas it's impossible to use software to zoom out. While it certainly doesn't compare to a proper optical lens, the iPhone 12 does an okay job at 2x digital magnification. The quality is however a step down from what Google has achieved with its computational digital zoom on the Pixel range.

The iPhone 12 Pro also benefits from a LiDAR sensor, which you won't find on the iPhone 12. LiDAR sensors are used to measure depth, and in the case of the iPhone 12 Pro it's used for augmented reality apps and photography. Augmented reality apps are more of a gimmick right now, and the iPhone 12 can still run them - the LiDAR sensor just helps with accuracy.

On the other hand, LiDAR genuinely helps the iPhone 12 Pro improve autofocus in lowlight and help with lowlight portrait photography. When trying to take portrait shots at night, the standard iPhone 12 Pro delivered brighter, more consistent results than the standard iPhone 12. It was also more consistently able to focus on the subject.

Here's an attempted lowlight portrait from the iPhone 12:

And here's the same shot from the iPhone 12 Pro:

Lastly, the iPhone 12 won't get access to Apple's new photo format: ProRAW. RAW photos capture more data from a camera sensor, which gives you more potential for granular edits and endless tinkering. Shutterbugs like myself will appreciate it, but shooting RAW on a smartphone is overkill for most.

iPhone 12 - Final Thoughts

Starting at $1,349 outright, the iPhone 12 is one of the more reasonably priced flagship phones on offer. Better yet, it doesn't feel like the compromise pick in the same way the iPhone 11 did. It elevates the base level iPhone standard. You're still getting just as much as an iPhone as someone who buys an iPhone 12 Pro. All you're missing out on is a little more camera. Smartphone photography enthusiasts may want to go for the Pro, but the iPhone 12's two lens setup is still a treat.

It's a shame the iPhone 12 still starts with just 64GB of storage. Upgrading to a 128GB model will set you back $70 more, bringing the outright price up to $1,429. I'd definitely recommend doing so. And $1,429 is still a far cry from the iPhone 12 Pro's $1,699 starting price.

The iPhone 12 represents a great upgrade for anyone on an iPhone XR, an iPhone X, or an iPhone 8. There's not much that's truly new about the iPhone 12, but it's a wonderful refinement of Apple's formula. Battery life could be a little bit better, but otherwise there's very little to complain about. If you're after a 2020 iPhone, the iPhone 12 will be the best pick for most.

iPhone 12 camera samples