iPhone 12: Apple reveals new handset with overhauled design

Apple has revealed the iPhone 12, a new handset with the first full redesign in years.

It will be the first of Apple’s phones to include 5G, which chief executive Tim Cook claimed would represent a step change in the way the phone works.

The new phone comes alongside the iPhone 12 Mini, the smallest handset Apple has revealed in years. That smaller version of the phone has all of the same features, Apple said.

The larger phone starts at $799, while the smaller one costs $699.

The iPhone 12 will also be the first hardware to charge with Apple’s new “MagSafe for iPhone" feature, which has a magnet that snaps onto the back and powers up the phone.

The phone is also much more durable than ever before, being four times as strong when it is dropped, the company claimed. That was a result of what it called “Ceramic Shield” – a more resilient glass made in partnership with Corning, famous for making Gorilla Glass.

But perhaps the most notable change is the new look, which includes square sides of the kind found on the iPhone Pro. As well as bringing a new look, that allows Apple to put antennas down the side to improve its 5G performance, Apple said.

The new design means that it can keep the same 6.1-inch display size from the iPhone 11 but at a reduced overall size, Apple said. The iPhone 12 is 11 per cent thinner and 16 per cent lighter as a result of the new design, Apple said.

The phone also comes in a new blue colour, in addition to the usual red, white and black, Apple said.

Inside of the phone is the A14 Bionic chip, the first chip in a smartphone that includes 5nm transistors. That allows the processor to be far more tightly-packed, vastly improving performance.

That chip was actually revealed during last month’s “Time Flies” event, as part of the iPad Air, which also features it. But Apple has been cagey about how fast exactly it is, and the iPad Air is not yet available to the public, apparently so that it could stress its power during the iPhone launch.

Apple also announced during the event that the game League of Legends would come to the iPhone for the first time. That was a result of the additional power provided by the new chip, the company said.

Apple has also updated both of the lenses found in the iPhone 12’s dual-camera system. They will perform better in the dark as well as leading to more precise photos, Apple said.

The company also said that new software features – known as computational photography – would improve performance of its HDR and night mode features.

(Apple)

As well as the new iPhones, Apple also revealed its MagSafe for iPhone accessories. They included a puck that snaps onto the back to charge, cases that can snap on and off, and a wallet that also sticks onto the back.

It will also come without some of the expected accessories. The company will get rid of the earphones and charging block from the box, and will also swap the Lightning cable so that it plugs into USB on the other end, Apple said.