The iPhone 12 & 12 Pro Review: New Design and Diminishing Returns
The new iPhone 12’s have been out for a while now, and while we’ve had our hands on them for a few weeks, Apple’s news bombardment of the new Apple Silicon announcement and release of new Apple M1 Mac devices has meant the iPhones have had to be put on the back burner for a little while.
Having already covered Apple’s new A14 architecture in-depth in our coverage of the M1, it’s time to fill in the missing pieces for the actual new generation of iPhones.
The new iPhone 12 generation of devices mark a new design restart for Apple, moving away from the design that had been started with the iPhone X in late 2017. Re-gaining the flat side-frame look that was originally found in past iPhone generations of the 4, 4S, 5 & 5S series, Apple is making the old new again.
The new iPhone 12 series is also Apple’s widest range release ever, with a total of four new iPhones: the iPhone 12 mini, a new compact form-factor at the lower range, the iPhone 12, the “standard” iPhone part, and continuing to offer the Pro models in the form of the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. We’ll be focusing on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro for today’s review.
Apple iPhone 12 Series Specifications iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max SoC Apple A14 Bionic
2 × Firestorm
4 × Icestorm DRAM 4GB 6GB Display 5.42" OLED
2340 x 1080
625nits peak 6.06" OLED
2532 x 1170
625nits peak 6.06" OLED
2532 x 1170
800nits peak 6.68" OLED
2778 x 1284
800nits peak Size Height 131.5 mm 146.7 mm 160.8 mm Width 64.2 mm 71.5 mm 78.1 mm Depth 7.4 mm 7.4 mm 7.4 mm Weight 135g 164g 189g 228g Battery Life 2227 mAh
-12% video
vs 11 2815 mAh
+-0%
vs 11 2815 mAh
-5.6% video
vs 11 Pro 3687 mAh
+-0%
vs 11 Pro Max Wireless Charging MagSafe Wireless Charging up to 15W
Qi Compatible (7.5W) Rear Cameras Main 12MP 1.4µm
26mm eq.
f/1.6
Optics OIS 12MP 1.7µm
26mm eq.
f/1.6
Sensor-shift OIS Tele-
Photo - 12MP
52mm eq.
f/2.0
OIS 12MP
65mm eq.
f/2.2
OIS Ultra-
Wide 12MP
13mm eq.
f/2.4 Front Camera 12MP
f/2.2 Storage 64GB
128GB
256GB 128GB
256GB
512GB I/O Apple Lightning Wireless (local) 802.11ax Wi-Fi with MIMO + Bluetooth 5.0 + NFC Cellular 5G (sub‑6 GHz and mmWave**)
Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA
**US models only Splash, Water, Dust Resistance IP68
up to 6m, up to 30 minutes Dual-SIM nano-SIM + eSIM Launch Price 64 GB:
$699
£699
€809
128 GB:
$749
£749
€859
256 GB:
$849
£849
€979 64 GB:
$799
£799
€909
128 GB:
$849
£849
€959
256 GB:
$949
£949
€1079 128 GB:
$999
£999
€1159
256 GB:
$1099
£1099
€1279
512 GB:
$1299
£1299
€1509 128 GB:
$1099
£1099
€1259
256 GB:
$1199
£1199
€1379
512 GB:
$1399
£1399
€1609
Starting with the innards, the new iPhone 12 series are powered by Apple’s new A14 SoC. The new chip is powered by two high performance cores and four power efficiency cores, as well as a 4-core GPU. We’ll be going into a bit more details on the SoC in a later page, but by now based on our coverage of the Apple Silicon M1, we should also be familiar with the capabilities of the smaller A14 sibling.
In terms of DRAM, Apple fits the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 with 4GB of LPDDR4X, whilst the Pro models are getting a larger 6GB pool. NAND storage this generation hasn’t changed all that much for the lower-tier models which are sticking to 64GB base, with configuration upgrades 128 or 256GB, however the Pro models do now start out with a 128GB base model, with larger configurations at 256 and 512GB.
The big new feature of this year’s new iPhones is the 5G connectivity. Thanks to the usage of a Qualcomm sourced modem, Apple is now enabling 5G connectivity across its whole new range. It’s to be noted that for users in most countries, this still only means sub-6GHz 5G NR as mmWave antennas are only deployed in the US models. What’s also interesting is that it seems that these mmWave modules are designed by Apple themselves and not sourced from Qualcomm – which makes the new iPhones the first devices on the market to have such a non-Qualcomm antenna solution.
In terms of design, the new iPhone 12 are a mix of the old and the new. What’s new on all new devices is their screens, with the “standard” sized models we’re reviewing here having 6.06” 2532 x 1170 OLED displays. What’s particularly interesting here is of course the fact that the iPhone 12 shared almost the same display specifications as the iPhone 12 Pro, something which couldn’t be said of last year’s iPhone 11 which still came with a lower resolution LCD display and a generally different form-factor as the iPhone 11 Pro.
The new iPhone 12’s only difference to the 12 Pro in terms of screen specifications is that it doesn’t get as bright as the Pro model, being listed at 625 vs 800 nits peak brightness.
On the back of the phones, although hard to notice on these white models, one thing of note besides the different camera setup is that the Pro model again comes with a frosted glass back cover whereas the regular iPhone 12 still uses a glossy glass finish.
The new design is quite a bit of departure from the past 3 years of iPhones. Apple had noted that they’ve reduced the bezel of the screen while still maintaining a symmetric look on all the sides (besides the notch of course). This gives the visual impression that the new iPhone 12/12Pro is narrower than the iPhone 11 Pro, even though that’s not actually true – though it is a few millimeters taller.
I’m still not too sure what to make of Apple’s decision to go back to a flat-edged frame as on older generation iPhones. To be honest the very first impression upon unboxing the new devices I had was that this was just a horrible design and a massive step backwards in terms of ergonomics. Although as I noted the new phone’s width isn’t wider than that of the iPhone 11 Pro, because it has right angle edges, it actually has a larger circumference compared to the rounded-off iPhones, and it translates into a larger-feeling device even though they’re the exact same form-factors.
That first bad impression isn’t quite as prevalent after a few weeks of usage as you can still somehow get used to it, but as soon as I go back to the 11 Pro or another rounded frame phone it’s immediately striking how much better it feels in the hand.
In terms of button layout, we’re seeing the same setup as previous generation iPhones, two volume buttons on the left side beneath a silent mode switch, with the power button on the right side – so nothing inherently new there. It’s interesting that even now several years after the first under-screen fingerprint sensors and quite mature and accurate implementations out be competing vendors that Apple still hasn’t attempted it on the iPhone line-up – I think many would like to see the return of TouchID in such a manner, at least as an option alongside FaceID.
The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a steel frame with a special mirror finish, while the iPhone 12 comes in a matte aluminium frame build. Apple has been using steel frames for quite some time now with the iPhone X designs, but it hasn’t been quite as striking as the design here on the new 12 Pro series. It’s a highly subjective matter and many may feel that the steel frame is more premium, but I do vastly prefer the aluminium variant due to the fact that it’s nowhere near the fingerprint magnet – just looking at the 12 Pro I have here on the desk looks quite disgusting and messy while the 12 at least appears to be clean.
Another big difference between the two phones is the fact that the steel frame (alongside the added camera) of the 12 Pro adds in another 25g to the weight of the phone to 189g vs 164g, a difference that is very much immediately noticeable.
While I prefer the matte frame of the 12, the frosted glass on the 12 Pro is just simply much better and feels much more premium to the regular glossy finish on the 12 – again, because of fingerprints and dirt.
For the new iPhone 12 mini, 12 and 12 Pro, the main camera doesn’t appear to change in terms of sensor versus the iPhone 11 series, although that’s still perfectly fine. It’s a 12MP sensor with 1.4µm pixels and full sensor dual-pixel coverage, however the new camera modules employ a larger f/1.6 aperture lens which allows for 27% more light.
For the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12, the second camera module is the ultra-wide, which again appears to be the same as on the 11 series, featuring a 12MP sensor with an f/2.4 aperture and a large 13mm equivalent or 120° angle FOV. The novelties for this module this year lie on the software side of things with Apple now enabling various new features such as computational night mode on this camera as well.
For the iPhone 12 Pro, the third camera module is a telephoto unit with again an apparently similar module to last year, a 12MP sensor on an 52mm equivalent (2x optical magnification) optics with f/2.0 and OIS.
The Pro models also receive what Apple calls the LIDAR module, which is essentially a ToF sensor coupled with a structured IR light emitter, allowing for 3D depth sensing.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a more interesting camera setup, however we’ll be reviewing this at a later date.
In general, my impression and design of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are two-fold, depending on the model.
Starting off with the 12 Pro, I generally don’t like the new design as the right-angle frame edges and mirror finish are both not very ergonomic and also quite messy. It’s a highly subjective opinion but it just doesn’t do it for me at all, and I vastly prefer the 11 Pro over this, even with the larger screen bezels.
Whilst I still don’t like the edges on the iPhone 12, because it’s a lighter phone and the general better feel of the matte aluminium, it’s actually the phone I prefer this generation. I would have liked the matte frosted glass on the back as well, but I guess you can’t have everything. What’s important for the iPhone 12 is that this year it’s major upgrade in terms of display compared to the iPhone 11, sporting a much higher resolution and also switching over from an LCD to an OLED. This was a major gripe of mine with the 11 and now the 12 essentially almost matches the display quality of the 11 Pro and 12 Pro devices, which is something that can’t be understated.
Designing for iPhone X
The iPhone X (read: iPhone ten) is officially here, well it will be on November 3rd. It rocks an edge to edge Super Retina Display with a resolution of 1125×2436px. It also has a cut-out at the top of the screen where you can find some futuristic face unlock features. Designing for iPhone X will bring some new challenges, but also some new design opportunities.
The width of the device in portrait mode is the same as the iPhone 6, 7 and 8, but is 145pt taller, which results in ± 20% more vertical space. When designing for iPhone X @ 1x you need an artboard of 375×812px. You won’t export images @ 2x like the iPhone 8, but @ 3x like the iPhone 7-8 Plus, because of the new Retina display.
When designing for iPhone X, you must make sure you don’t obscure your UI with the devices unique features (the round edges, the cut-out at the top and the home indicator). By the way, the home indicator is that small line that lives on the bottom of your screen, it replaces the physical home button. You swipe up from any app to go back to your home screen or into multitasking.
iPhone X design guidelines
If you currently have an app that uses iOS native component you will be fine and your app will already be adapted for this new iPhone. This can be navigation bars, tables, collection views and tab bars. They will be automatically inset and positioned.
If you use custom layout, your app might need to be updated to the new screen layout. If you use Auto Layout however, that might be fairly easy.
Let’s get started iphone X design
First off, embrace the devices design, Apple employees didn’t work this hard for you to hide the wonderful features of this expensive piece of hardware.
Make sure you create a full screen experience.
Let scroll views scroll to the very bottom of the screen even beyond the edges of the curved bottom of the display. Apple also kindly asks you not to hide the cut-out at the top and the curved edges at the bottom, so don’t go placing black bars to make it look like a regular old school iPhone 8.
Center and inset important information.
Make sure that important content is aligned in the center and use symmetrical insets, so your UI doesn’t get clipped by the device’s sensors or corners. If you use Auto Layout, your content will automatically be placed within a safe area so your design won’t be hidden behind the corners, sensors or the home indicator.
The new status bar.
Because of the sensors on top of the display, the new status bar is split in 2 parts. If your UI is doing something special with that space (previously 20pt high, now 44pt), you will need to update your interface because it will be taller on the iPhone X. Make sure that it can be dynamically changed in height. A great thing is that the height won’t be changed if a user makes a phone call or is using a navigation app, which was previously the case on other iPhones.
Show off the new status bar.
If you currently hide the status bar in your design, Apple asks you to reconsider this decision. Since the screen is taller and you have more estate to display your content it might be useful to unhide that status bar. Users can find useful information up there and the space will most of the time not be used by other UI elements.
Full screen images.
If you are currently using full screen images in your design, you will need to update them for the new iPhone. They might be cropped and an essential part of the visual might be hidden.
Don’t place interactive controls at the bottom of the screen.
The spacing around the home indicator is purely created for gestures, swipe up to go home. Placing buttons near this indicator or in the bottom round corners of the display might not be great. Users might accidentally use the home gesture and your UI will be difficult to reach. You can however still use tab bars and function bars, but keep in mind that they should not interfere with the home indicator.
Don’t hide the home indicator (all the time).
iOS makes it possible to hide the home indicator in your app, this will auto-hide it when the user doesn’t touch the screen for a few seconds. It will reappear when the user touches the screen again, this should be mainly used for immersive experiences like viewing videos or photos. The home indicator will also change color automatically based on the background of your app.
More colors.
The new Super Retina Display displays more colors, P3 color instead of sRGB. This means that it will show richer and more saturates colors. Especially video and photos will benefit of this wider color range.
(Update: The P3 color spectrum was added since the iPhone 7, thanks Marcelo Ávalos)
Swipe up, be mindful with the use of gestures.
Since the physical home button is gone, you interact with your iPhone (more than ever) by using gestures. When you swipe up you go home or go to the multitasking view. When swiping left and right on the home indicator, you switch between your open multitasking apps. By swiping down from the top of the screen, you go to your Notification or Control Center. More so in games, you can use custom gestures that may override the native iOS gestures. You can use your own gestures by implementing “edge protect” which is a feature the will prefer the app’s specific gesture first, before the OS gesture, only one time though. Use this sparingly, because it will make it harder for your user to use system features.
Face ID.
Previous iPhone has a great feature Touch ID, which allowed users to unlock their device or perform password locked actions inside apps by using their fingerprint. This sensor was hidden inside of the home button, since it has gone in the iPhone X, Apple replaced it with a more advanced and secure way of unlocking your device. Enter Face ID, it uses some really great algorithms to detect your face and unlock your device. This will show some new UI in apps, make sure you implement it for your (rich) users that have an iPhone X. Also make sure that you don’t reference to Touch ID anymore in your onboarding or menu, replace it with Face ID.
Custom keyboards.
When you are designing for iPhone Xa custom keyboard, you shouldn’t add an Emoji or dictation button to your keyboard. Because it will automatically be added underneath the keyboard around the home indicator.
Larger navigation bars.
With iOS 11 the design of the native navigation bars got an update, they are now way taller. This design will especially be great on the taller iPhone X and will blend nicely with that new status bar. So consider using it in your design. These will also have some nice native animations when scrolling.
TL;DR
The iPhone X is 145pt taller , so design for 375×812pt instead of 375x667pt
, so design for instead of The iPhone X uses @ 3x assets .
. Create a fullscreen experience , don’t hide the devices unique features.
, don’t hide the devices unique features. Center the importent content of your UI, to make sure it’s always visible and not hidden by the device’s sensors or corners.
the of your UI, to make sure it’s always visible and not hidden by the device’s sensors or corners. A new taller split-in-two statusbar , previously 22pt, now 44pt high.
taller split-in-two , previously 22pt, now 44pt high. Fullscreen images might/should be updated to be fully displayed.
might/should be updated to be fully displayed. Don’t add buttons at the bottom of the screen, near the home indicator.
at the bottom of the screen, near the home indicator. Don’t hide the home indicator, only when really necessary.
the only when really necessary. Richer and more saturated colors thanks to the P3 color spectrum.
thanks to the P3 color spectrum. Be aware for custom gestures near the home indicator and status bar, don’t mess with the user’s expected native gestures.
near the home indicator and status bar, don’t mess with the user’s expected native gestures. Face ID replaces Touch ID, update your UI and replace textual references to Touch ID.
replaces Touch ID, update your UI and replace textual references to Touch ID. Custom keyboards don’t need to add the Emoji and dictation buttons.
don’t need to add the Emoji and dictation buttons. Larger navigation bars will look and animate great on this tall display.
Or watch Apple’s video on Designing for iPhone X.
How do I preview my app UI?
You can use the Xcode 9 simulator the preview your app, this will immediately show you if your UI needs to be updated.
Where can I find iOS 11 and iPhone X design resources?
You’re lucky, Apple has some great new resources for Sketch, Photoshop and Adobe XD. You can find them here: Apple Design Resources.
Note: most of this information comes from the Apple UI Guidelines.
This article was originally published on In The Pocket's blog.
About In The Pocket
As a digital product studio, In The Pocket develops digital products that make people happy and businesses grow. The Ghent-based company designs and builds innovative digital solutions that include product strategy and design, mobile and web applications as well as Internet of Things and virtual & augmented reality applications. Visit the website at
If you’re working on iPhone X apps before the big launch or want to put some of the tips in this article to practice, you can try it right now in Marvel - read how to prototype for the iPhone X with just a few clicks.
Further reading:
How Apple’s iPhone 14 design could bring the brand back to glory after the iPhone 13 snoozefest
The iPhone 14 will need some out-of-the-box thinking if Apple wants to restore confidence in its design chops.
Apple has always been lauded for how it put design into focus, proving that consumer electronics like computers and phones can be not only functional but also well-designed. It’s that lineage that may have set the iPhone 13 up for disappointment, missing a few marks in both aspects, despite being favorably reviewed. Expectations are understandably running high for the iPhone 14, with many hoping it would finally break from the mold and finally use one of Apple’s wild patents. Of course, Apple isn’t one to make big leaps into the unknown, but there are a few concepts that do sound more likely than others.
After the iPhone 13, there is a growing sentiment even among its fans that Apple needs to make a big bang next year, or at least in 2023 at the latest. It isn’t as much because of the hardware since Apple already has that down to a “T,” with a few caveats. Battery life continues to be a concern, for example, despite optimizations that Apple makes to iOS to stretch out battery life as much as possible. As a company hailed for its designs, Apple has put out a few designs that didn’t sit well even with its fans, like the “trash can” and “cheese grater” Mac Pros, or, closer to home, the wide notch of the iPhone X. After two very similarly designed iPhones, 2022’s iPhone gives Apple the chance to make a clean break or, at the very least, present something fresh and exciting.
The Improbable: iPhone 14 Flip
Designer: ConceptsiPhone
Let’s get this out of the way: Apple is unlikely to turn the iPhone 14 into a foldable phone. It might not be until 2023 before an “iPhone Fold” finds its way into the market, and even that might be a generous estimate. A clamshell-type iPhone in the vein of the Galaxy Z Flip definitely looks chic and stylish, but there are still too many variables for Apple to make a gamble on foldables. It isn’t one to compromise on experience even for the sake of style, and that is exactly what a phone with a fragile flexible screen is.
Samsung has made a lot of progress in making foldable phones more mainstream, or at the very least condition the public to their existence. Part of that is in making the phones more accessible in terms of price, with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 claimed to be the most affordable foldable phones in the market today. Recent figures for market analysts and Samsung itself suggest that these two have already outsold their 2019 and 2020 predecessors combined. While actual numbers are unsurprisingly unavailable, it at least suggests that there is a strong market for these phones.
Apple, however, doesn’t always play the same numbers game and places a heavy emphasis on design and reliability. Foldable phones still have ways to go to reach those standards, especially when it comes to reassuring owners that their expensive investments won’t break so easily on the first drop. My Galaxy Z Fold 3 has so far been fortunate enough not to have met any accidents, and it feels sturdy enough to withstand a few falls. The foldable display inside, however, still doesn’t inspire much confidence, and it is unlikely that Apple will embrace that technology until it’s 100% sure of its longevity.
The Plausible: iPhone 14 Slide
Designer: #ios beta news
If, however, we would really think outside the box, the iPhone 14 slider concept not only has more appeal but is also more probable than a foldable phone. While the idea isn’t exactly new and has been done before (by Nokia, no less), it’s uncommon enough that Apple could do its magic and be remembered as the one that pioneered or at least popularized “sliders.” It just has the right mix of elegance, usability, and forward-thinking that makes it a likely candidate in case Apple decides to really reach for the stars next year.
The iPhone 14 sliding display concept brings a bit of the past and the future together in one package. The softer curved sides are reminiscent of the iPhone 12 and contrast with the cold and sharp edges that have become one of the iPhone 13’s most criticized design changes. The display hiding underneath offers some extra space for secondary elements, like menus or even a QWERTY keyboard, freeing the main screen to display beautiful content. And, of course, the absence of a camera bump will be much appreciated by everyone.
The biggest stumbling block to making this incarnation of the iPhone 14 a reality won’t be the design or the hardware but the software. Apple will have to adjust iOS 16, the version that will be launched next year, to accommodate having a second display off to one side. It can’t be something that’s haphazardly thrown together either, given Apple’s high standards, but it’s something that is still within the realm of possibility for 2022.
The Real McCoy: iPhone 13 Refined
Designer: ConceptsiPhone
The somewhat harsh reality, however, is that Apple doesn’t exactly jump on the latest trends just to make a sensational product. This makes its designs more iterative rather than revolutionary, though it does sometimes make leaps and bounds like the iPhone X. If it were to design an iPhone 14 that’s closer to reality, it would be one that has very few changes, like a true full-screen display without a notch.
This iPhone 14 concept brings together many existing designs and features into something that is completely Apple. Sadly, the flat, chamfered edges are still here to cut into your palm. The cameras, however, are flushed against the phone’s back, which does imply that this iPhone could be a bit thicker than the iPhone 13. Hopefully, the extra space can be used to squeeze in more battery, something that’s always a concern for iPhone owners.
While those changes are well within Apple’s capability to make, the switch from a notch to a punch-hole cutout could prove to be the most controversial aspect of this concept. This design doesn’t have visible room for the iPhone’s full Face ID hardware, which could be hiding beneath the screen. Apple has already been repeatedly rumored to be working on under-display sensors, so moving up its schedule for a 2022 debut isn’t that off the mark at all.
Final Thoughts
Given Apple’s track record, we’re almost certain that the iPhone 14 will still resemble this year’s iPhone, perhaps with a few refinements here and there. The company is one that lets a design stew for two or three generations or even more before changing the formula, even if the design is widely criticized or disliked, like the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. Except for consumer clamor, Apple might not see any dire need to change the iPhone’s current design, especially since it’s trying to consolidate its design language across different devices. The iPads and iPhones now look more similar after all, and next year’s Apple Watch is expected to follow suit. There is, of course, always the possibility that the company will suddenly change directions, like when it abruptly ended the iPhone X’s design after only two generations, but we also can’t expect it to make very drastic changes that would be totally out of character for Apple.