iPhone 12 Mini | Release date, specifications, features (2023)

Apple introduced the iPhone 12 mini as the smallest of four different models at its Hi, Speed ​​event on October 13. EITHERnew iPhonesthey differ in screen size, camera technology, and materials. The smaller of the two consumer models features a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a dual camera system and 5G connectivity.

Apple announced the iPhone 12 mini on October 13, 2020, and it was pre-ordered on November 6. this and thatiPhone 12replace the old onesiphone 11, with a smaller 5.4-inch screen compared to the 6.1-inch screen on the iPhone 11. It's also larger than the 4.7-inch screen on the current iPhone SE and is similar in size to that device .

Screen size aside, the phone is pretty much the same as the iPhone 12. The phones have flat sides instead of the rounded edges of previous flagship iPhones. It is still made of glass and aluminum.

The iPhone 12 line has been withdrawn from sale, except for the 6.1-inch base model. EITHERiphone 13miiphone 13 procame out as a replacement in 2021, so theseiphone 14miiphone 14 proin 2022.

Features of the iPhone 12 mini

There are four models in the Fall 2020 collection and two occupy the non-prospace space for the first time. This smaller model has a 5.4-inch OLED screen with a dual camera system. The larger iPhone 12 is a 6.1-inch model that replaces the current iPhone 11.

"[The phone] fits in the palm of your hand and still has the spacious, borderless Super Retina XDR display," said Kaiann Drance, vice president of iPhone product marketing. "It's smaller and lighter than our 4.7-inch models like the iPhone 8, but with a larger 5.4-inch screen that lets you see so much more thanks to its compact size."

The small phone features 5G connectivity, including mmWave technology.

Project

After three years using the iPhone X design, Apple has changed a few features in its Fall 2020 lineup. While it has the same notched bezel-less display, the 2020 models have returned to an old design paradigm by making the iPhones sides are flat instead of rounded. . Apple first used it in the iPhone 4, refined it in the iPhone 5, and last used it in the original.iPhone SE. Flat edges give new iPhones a distinctive, classic look.

All four 2020 iPhones have these flat sides. the 2018iPad Proit was the first modern product line to revamp the flat-sided design. EITHERiPad area 4followed in its 2020 update. With the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, Apple is looking to bring its entire range of devices into the same design language.

The screen of the phone is 5.4 inches. The addition of a smaller screen size could appeal to those looking for something withface identificationand modern full-screen design in a much smaller package.

The device comes in blue, green, black, white, purple, and (product) red.

Announcement

The iPhone 12 mini has a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080. Its pixel density is 476 ppi.

All four 2020 models feature OLED screens, with the non-pro models getting more affordable screens. Apple is expected to use lower-quality display types to keep prices within budget, while moving to thinner Y-Octa displays for the premium lineup.

New phones use Appleceramic shieldCover that the company developed in partnership with Corning. It adds "a new high-temperature crystallization step that grows nanoceramic crystals within the glass matrix and increases drop yield by four times."

reversing cameras

Aside from a few minor processing engine updates, the phone's rear camera system is relatively the same as the iPhone 11.

This setup includes a 12-megapixel dual camera system with ultra-wide and wide cameras. The ultra-wide camera has an aperture of ƒ/2.4 and a 120° field of view. The wide camera has an aperture of ƒ/1.6. The dual camera setup allows for 2x optical zoom. However, the lack of a telephoto lens means that digital zoom is required to zoom in, which can result in lower quality results. Only pro-level iPhones have a telephoto lens with optical zoom.

The four new models can be resetdolby vision, a type of HDR used in film production.

face identification

processor

Apple introduced the A14 alongside the iPad Air 4 at its Time Flies event in September, and the new chip is also in the iPhone 12 series.

TSMC supplies some of Apple's current A-series processors with a seven-nanometer process. The company announced that a new 6nm process would be ready for mass production from April 2019 and the 5nm process was in the pre-production phase. It came as no surprise to learn that the A14 Bionic used the 5nm process.

A benchmark has surfaced on Geekbench for an unknown A-series processor that may be targeting the A14. This benchmark showed a 50% increase in single-core performance over the A12Z Bionic used in iPad Pros. This benchmark shows that the A14 would also be the first A-series chipset to exceed 3GHz.

In 2020, Apple announced that it would switch its Mac processors from Intel to Intelsilicone apple. The company then released its first custom Mac processors with the M1 chip in late 2020 models.macbook pro 13 inch,MacBook Air, mimini mac. This process doesn't directly affect the iPhone's chips, but what Apple learns by producing Mac-class processors will likely trickle down to the cell line.

5G and wireless connectivity

Apple upgraded from 4G LTE to 5G on the latest generation iPhone. After Intel exited the 5G modem business, Qualcomm now supplies the modems in 2020 iPhones.

Apple could start making modems after acquiring Intel's patents in a billion-dollar deal. However, Apple-designed modems wouldn't be ready until 2022 at the earliest.

MagSafe

MagSafeReturn to the iPhone 12 range. Apple has added a magnetic charging solution and accessories to the new iPhones, allowing users to connect and exchange cases and other accessories.

MagSafe cases have a special magnetic coil that makes them compatible with other MagSafe accessories. The charger can output up to 15W for iPhone and continues to charge Qi-compatible devices at 7.5W.

Accessories like wallets and stands can also be connected via MagSafe, creating a whole new ecosystem of iPhone accessories.

height and weight

The iPhone 12 mini is the smallest full-screen iPhone Apple has ever made. Compared to the second generation iPhone SE, it is 5% shorter, 4.5% narrower and has the same thickness. The new miniature phone is also 8.8% lighter.

However, the iPhone 12 mini has a much larger screen and higher-quality internal components.

Additional functions

iPhone 12 Mini test in

I amApple Insider review, we were impressed with the excellent performance of the phone in a small package. We gave it 4.5 out of 5, praising the device's compact size, fun colors, MagSafe, and performance. We've also raised concerns about battery life and the lack of a telephoto camera.

And camera:

top of the rangeiPhone 12 ProMaxit's the clear winner in terms of smartphone cameras right now, with a few notable differences. But that doesn't mean that the cameras on smaller phones are of poor quality.

Apple has further improved the cameras of the iPhone 11. The aperture has increased slightly, going from f/1.8 to f/1.6. This allows more light to reach the sensor, resulting in slightly better low-light shots and more bokeh. The wide-angle lens cap has also been updated with a new seventh element that helps ensure edge-to-edge sharpness.

While this isn't the best camera on the iPhone, it works just as well as the iPhone 12, and aside from the lack of a telephoto lens, it looks pretty similar to the iPhone 12 Pro.

Regarding the size and its trade-offs:

The first thing that struck us when we picked up the phone is how small it is, in a good way. We're coming from full-size iPhones, so carrying around this tiny device was something else entirely. We know several people who have jumped (or down?) to the mini size this year after generation after generation. Apple could not release a more compact option.

Non-professional iPhones only have two cameras on the back (wide and ultra-wide) and lack the telephoto lens. They also lack LiDAR scanners, a stainless steel body, and support for Apple ProRAW photos.

They're somewhat limited in their Dolby Vision HDR video capture, capped at 30fps instead of 60fps, which doesn't make any difference to most users.

A14 chip and performance:

Despite its small size, we didn't feel like we missed out on much. It feels just as fast and powerful as the bigger, more expensive options. It is compact but powerful. We love that Apple doesn't compromise performance to accommodate the small size. Here we have less battery life, but we can live with that.

Battery duration:

The only real compromise we've found is battery life. Due to its small size, there is physically less space inside for more capacity. Between 5G and the most power-hungry processor, it can take a toll when making calls.

Apple says the smaller device can stream video for an hour less than the iPhone 12. That smaller battery in the smaller device also saves you two hours of video playback and 15 hours of music playback. Our own tests confirm this.

With our daily use, we run out by nightfall. It was average usage -- scrolling through Twitter, reading News and Safari, and using Messages -- but we still struggled to get from wake-up alarms to bedtime alerts at no extra cost.

While we're a bit spoiled by the large battery life of our "Max" phones, chances are you'll need to charge it at some point during the day. The good news is that with the advent of MagSafe, wireless charging and USB-C fast charging for Lightning, it seems easier than ever.

iphone 12 mini prices

The phone starts at $699 for 64GB of storage. That goes up to $749 for 128GB and $849 for 256GB.