Apple on Saturday launched a new iPhone 12 Studio website. This allows users to customize their favourite iPhone 12 device with MagSafe accessories. These customizations include Apple’s MagSafe cases and MagSafe Wallets for iPhone 12 series. This gives an opportunity for customers to preview their combination before heading to an Apple Store to pick them up.
MagSafe uses a series of magnets to attach stackable “modules” over each other. These include the MagSafe wireless charger, MagSafe Silicone Cases, MagSafe Clear case, and the MagSafe Wallet. Third parties like Belkin have already followed suit with their new MagSafe accessories.
This website comes live after the Twitter Hashflag “#iPhone12studio” went live a few hours prior. This website is, however, available for mobile and tablets devices only at the time of writing. Alongside this new website, Apple has also personalized combinations by adding user’s name with their desired combination. This can be saved as an image and shared with other users.
Click on design and choose from a range of colors, cases, and wallets for your desired iPhone.
Add your name or skip
Choose a view, download and share with the world!
These seemingly infinite combinations make it even more fun to try out. However, popular speculation suggests Apple will start shipping iPhone cases and wallets with iPhones. This is believed to be adopted from Apple Watch’s customizable approach.
Gone are the days when Apple limited its official options to just two or three colors. This year, in fact, almost has an overwhelming number of choices offered to iPhone buyers. There are four base models to choose from, not counting their different configurations, and a variety of MagSafe cases and wallets to spruce up the iPhone. In order to minimize the time you have to spend online or in stores trying to figure out what combination will fit your style, Apple has launched a new mobile site that will let you mix and match all of those and even show off your masterpiece to the world.
This isn’t the first time Apple created an online tool to help customers decide what color combination they want for their next purchase. The Apple Watch Studio last year let people virtually try out different combinations of straps, something a bit more fitting for a stylish wearable. Now the iPhone 12 Studio is offering the same chance so you won’t have to imagine what particular color combinations will look like.
The website starts off by asking you to choose between one of the four iPhone 12 models. You can then pick one of the different colors available for each model, a color for a MagSafe case, and a color for a MagSafe wallet. The latter two are optional, of course, but what would be the point of not picking one using this tool.
One interesting aspect of this tool is that it lets you download the finished combination in a format that is perfect for sharing on social media. In fact, the resulting image includes the #iPhone12Studio hashtag, encouraging people to share their creations with the world.
Unlike the Apple Watch Studio counterpart, however, the site doesn’t take you to an Apple Store page with that particular combination set, probably since the iPhone 12 is still marked as being on pre-order. If you do want to try out the iPhone 12 Studio, you’ll have to do it on a mobile browser, where on an iPhone, iPad, or any other mobile device, or set your desktop browser’s user agent to a mobile version.
MagSafe accessories make it easier than ever to personalize your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro with a unique style. A new interactive tool gives you the opportunity to mix and match colors, cases, wallets, and sleeves before you buy.
Thanks to the stackable, easy-to-attach design of MagSafe accessories, virtually limitless combinations of colors and styles can be created. Apple offers silicone and clear cases as well as leather cases, wallets, and sleeves with the technology built in.
At Apple Stores, Apple has created new interactive displays to help customers experience MagSafe technology and try an assortment of colors and styles. With some Apple Stores closed and others offering Express service or brief appointments only, there’s not always an opportunity to try before you buy. Inspired by Apple Watch Studio, I’ve created an interactive online tool to help you pick your favorite style.
Outside of the iPhone SE, every iPhone that Apple sells today features an “edge-to-edge” display devoid of a physical Home button. If you’re upgrading from a device with a Home button, this refresher course can help you learn how to force restart your iPhone 12, enter recovery mode, DFU mode, etc. Watch our hands-on video tutorial inside for the details.
Getting started
This tutorial will work for all new iPhone 12 releases, including the iPhone 12 Pro, and the forthcoming iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Henceforth, when using the term iPhone 12, I’m referring to all iPhone 12 models.
You’ll need to familiarize yourself with the buttons on your iPhone in order to perform any of the following functions. There are two Volume buttons on the left-hand side of the iPhone, along with a Side button on the opposite side.
Since modern iPhone hardware lacks the Home button, the Side button, along with the volume buttons, play instrumental roles when it comes to force resetting, entering recovery mode, DFU mode, etc.
iPhone 12 Volume buttons and Side button
How to turn off iPhone 12
Powering down the iPhone 12 can be accomplished via a couple of methods. The easiest way to power down the iPhone 12 is to hold the Side button along with one of the volume buttons until the slide to power off slider appears at the top of the screen. From there, just slide to power off your iPhone.
You can also go to Settings → General, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and tap the Shut Down button. This will cause the slide to power off slider to appear at the top of the screen.
How to turn on iPhone 12
To power your iPhone 12 back up, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears on screen. If this doesn’t work, your iPhone may need to be charged. If your iPhone has a black screen and the Side button doesn’t function, it could be because your iPhone 12 is in DFU mode. See the tutorial for exiting DFU mode below.
How to force restart iPhone 12
To force restart iPhone 12, perform the following in quick succession:
Step 1: Press Volume up and release.
Step 2: Press Volume down and release.
Step 3: Press and hold the Side button until you see a black screen.
Your iPhone 12 will restart and automatically boot back to the Lock screen.
How to put iPhone 12 into recovery mode
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your computer with a Lightning to USB cable. If this is your first time connecting your iPhone to this computer, you’ll need to tap the Trust button that appears on the Trust This Computer dialogue that appears. You’ll then have to enter your passcode on your iPhone to confirm the pairing.
Next, perform the following steps in quick succession:
Step 2: Press Volume up and release.
Step 3: Press Volume down and release.
Step 4: Press and continue holding the Side button until you see the connect to computer dialogue on screen.
Step 6: Release the Side button and continue holding the Volume down button for an additional 10 seconds.
When you successfully enter DFU mode, your iPhone should remain on a black screen. If you see the Apple logo appear, then something went wrong and you’ll need to try again.
If you’re connected to a Mac, the Finder should acknowledge that you’ve entered recovery mode. Instead of having the option to Update iOS, you should only see the Restore option, which is another indication that you’ve successfully entered DFU mode.
How to exit DFU mode on iPhone 12
Exiting DFU mode is a little more involved than exiting regular recovery mode:
Step 1: Press Volume up and release.
Step 2: Press Volume down and release.
Step 3: Press and continue holding the Side button until you see the Apple logo appear. Your iPhone should boot back to the Lock screen.
How to disable Face ID temporarily on iPhone 12
To temporarily disable FaceID on iPhone 12, press and hold either of the Volume buttons along with the Side button until the slide to power off slider appears. Tap the ‘X’ button at the bottom of the screen to go back to the Lock screen, and you’ll see a message that says Your passcode is required to enable Face ID. Once your enter your device passcode, Face ID will be automatically reactivated.
How to use Emergency SOS on iPhone 12
Warning: activating Emergency SOS will contact emergency authorities. Please only use this feature in case of a real emergency.
There are three ways to invoke Emergency SOS on iPhone 12:
Press and hold one of the Volume buttons along with the Side button and keep holding each button to trigger Emergency SOS.
Press and hold one of the Volume buttons along with the Side button until the slide to power off slider appears. Use the Emergency SOS slider to activate Emergency SOS.
Go to Settings → Emergency SOS, and enable the Call with Side Button switch. This will allow you to invoke Emergency SOS by pressing the Side button 5 times in quick succession.
If you’re upgrading from an iPhone with a Home button, such as the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8, or even the second-generation iPhone SE, then the methods for performing all of the aforementioned functions is quite a bit different than what you may be used to.
Although you may not ever need to use recovery mode, and using DFU mode is even more unlikely, everyone should be familiar with how to force restart their iPhone. Force-restarting is handy for those occasional instances when your iPhone becomes extremely bogged down or outright unresponsive. If you only take one tip from this tutorial, it should definitely be how to force restart.
Apple’s best-ever lineup of iPhone and iPad is available October 23.
Best-ever lineup of iPhone and iPad will be available October 23 through redesigned virtual and in-person experiences
When iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPad Air are available Friday, October 23, customers can get their all-new products directly from Apple through tailored purchase experiences offered online, by phone, or in store. From a chat session with a Specialist that starts online and finishes with contactless delivery, to visiting select Apple Store locations for a one-on-one session with an Apple Specialist, customers can find the best way to get the products they’re looking for. And unprecedented offers from AT&T, T-Mobile/Sprint, and Verizon give customers more choice and flexibility than ever, with offers starting as low as $0 per month for iPhone 12.
“There’s never been a better time to get a new iPhone, and there’s never been a better destination than Apple Retail,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People.
“We’re offering new ways for our customers to get to know all of our products before they buy, so they can be sure to get the product that’s right for them. Whether our customers choose to connect with us in person, by phone, or online, our entire retail team is ready to deliver the world-class personalized service they’ve come to expect from Apple.”
New at Apple Retail this year:
Unprecedented carrier offers are now available from Apple, in store or online, with savings of up to $800.1
With Shopping Sessions, customers can now book a one-on-one session with a Specialist at an Apple Store for personalized help selecting a new product, carrier plan, or financing option. The same expert advice is available online, where customers can chat with a Specialist anytime.
Pickup options include in-store, curbside, same-day delivery, or Express storefront.2 Customers can check apple.com/retail for services available at their local store.
Contactless delivery is available for all products, including iPhone and iPad. Delivery drivers may ask for verbal confirmation from a safe distance, replacing the need for a physical signature.
And now with Apple Card, customers in the US get 3 percent Daily Cash back when they buy directly from Apple and have the option to choose Apple Card Monthly Installments so they can pay over time, interest-free.
Though this year’s iPhone launch looks different from years past, Apple Retail continues to offer the services customers love:
After a customer gets their new Apple product, an Online Personal Session allows them to schedule a free session with a Specialist to set up their new product, learn the basics, or get pro tips.
Apple Trade In lets iPhone or iPad owners get up to $500 credit toward the purchase of a new product.4
The vast majority of Apple Store locations around the world are open and operating in various service models to protect the health and well-being of customers and employees. Before visiting, customers should check apple.com/retail for details on their local Apple Store. For more information about services and support available from Apple Retail, visit apple.com/shop.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max give pro users everything they want out of their iPhone.
Best iPhone ever features the powerful A14 Bionic, all-new design with Ceramic Shield, pro camera system, LiDAR Scanner, and the biggest Super Retina XDR display ever on an iPhone
Apple announced iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, introducing a powerful 5G experience and advanced technologies that push the boundaries of innovation for users who want the most out of iPhone. iPhone 12 Pro models feature a new design and edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays, the largest ever on iPhone, protected by the all-new Ceramic Shield front cover, which provides the biggest jump in durability ever on iPhone. The Apple-designed A14 Bionic chip, the fastest chip in a smartphone, powers impressive computational photography features including the all-new Apple ProRAW for more creative control in photos, and enables the first end-to-end Dolby Vision video experience, up to 60 fps. The reimagined pro camera systems include an expansive Ultra Wide camera, a Telephoto camera with an even longer focal length on iPhone 12 Pro Max, and new Wide cameras to capture beautiful professional-quality images and video in bright and low-light environments. iPhone 12 Pro models also introduce a new LiDAR Scanner for immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences and MagSafe, which offers high-powered wireless charging and an all-new ecosystem of accessories that easily attach to iPhone.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in four stainless steel finishes, including graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue. Pre-orders for iPhone 12 Pro begin Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23. iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available for pre-order Friday, November 6, and in stores beginning Friday, November 13.
“This is a huge leap for iPhone, bringing the best 5G experience in the market and delivering our most advanced technologies to users who want the absolute most from their iPhone,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Each generation of iPhone has changed what we expect from a smartphone, and now with 5G, iPhone 12 Pro provides a new generation of performance. Our tight integration of hardware and software enables incredible computational photography features like the expansion of Night mode to more cameras, and introduces support for HDR video with Dolby Vision. A state-of-the-art LiDAR Scanner means users can experience AR like never before, and also offers benefits to the camera with faster autofocus in low light and the introduction of Night mode portraits. These experiences and so much more make this the best iPhone lineup ever.”
The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max feature the largest Super Retina XDR displays ever on iPhone.
A Superior 5G Experience
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max deliver an advanced 5G experience on a global scale, engineered with a seamless integration of world-class hardware and world-class software. 5G on iPhone boasts improved speeds for faster downloads and uploads, higher quality video streaming, more responsive gaming, real-time interactivity in apps, FaceTime in high definition, and much more. Customers will also be able to enjoy a secure, fast connection, reducing the need to connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Featuring the most 5G bands on any smartphone, iPhone 12 Pro models offer the broadest 5G coverage worldwide. Models in the US support millimeter wave, the higher frequency version of 5G, allowing iPhone 12 Pro models to reach speeds up to 4Gbps, even in densely populated areas. iPhone 12 Pro models also feature Smart Data mode, which extends battery life by intelligently assessing 5G needs and balancing data usage, speed, and power in real time.
5G on iPhone 12 Pro models enables faster download speeds, more responsive gaming experiences, FaceTime in HD, and more.
A14 Bionic: Powerful and Efficient
Generations ahead of the competition, A14 Bionic is the first chip in the smartphone industry built on 5-nanometer process. Faster and more efficient than ever, A14 Bionic has the fastest CPU and GPU by up to 50 percent compared to the fastest competing smartphone chips, enabling console-quality gaming experiences, powerful computational photography, and more, while delivering great battery life. Pushing the limits of machine learning (ML), A14 Bionic features a 16-core Neural Engine — for an 80 percent increase in performance — that is capable of completing 11 trillion operations per second, enabling improved performance on even the most intense ML models.
Faster and more efficient than ever, A14 Bionic enables powerful computational photography and faster photo and video editing right on device.
New Design and Innovative Display Technologies
Designed with premium materials, iPhone 12 Pro models boast a new, sophisticated flat-edge design that features a gorgeous surgical-grade stainless steel band paired with a precision-milled matte glass back, and introduces the incredibly durable Ceramic Shield. The Ceramic Shield front cover, tougher than any smartphone glass, goes beyond glass and is infused with nano-ceramic crystals to dramatically improve toughness and increase drop performance by 4x.
With impressively larger, edge-to-edge displays with reduced borders in familiar sizes, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max feature a Super Retina XDR display with systemwide color management for industry-leading color accuracy. And iPhone 12 Pro Max offers the largest display ever on an iPhone and the highest resolution featuring nearly 3.5 million pixels for a remarkable, true-to-life viewing experience. These OLED displays bring HDR video content to life, reaching 1200 nits peak brightness.
iPhone 12 Pro models come with an industry-leading IP68 rating to withstand water submersion up to 6 meters for up to 30 minutes, and are protected against everyday spills, including coffee and soda.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max feature a new, elevated flat-edge stainless steel design and Ceramic Shield front cover for increased durability.
Versatile Pro Camera System
The world’s best pro camera is an even more versatile tool for all levels of photo and video enthusiasts with state-of-the-art camera hardware powered by A14 Bionic. Together with the new image signal processor (ISP), A14 Bionic drives increased image quality and enables powerful computational photography capabilities not possible with traditional cameras. iPhone 12 Pro models also feature the new Apple ProRAW, coming later this year,which combines Apple’s multiframe image processing and computational photography with the versatility of a RAW format. Users can experience full creative control over color, detail, and dynamic range natively on iPhone or with other professional photo editing apps.
The pro camera system on iPhone 12 Pro models includes new Wide cameras for even better low-light performance, an expansive Ultra Wide camera, and a Telephoto camera for capturing stunning images and video.
iPhone 12 Pro features the new seven-element lens Wide camera with an ƒ/1.6 aperture, the fastest ever on an iPhone, for 27 percent improved low-light performance in photo and video; the Ultra Wide camera with a 120-degree field of view, perfect for capturing more scene in tight spots or epic landscapes; and a 52 mm focal length Telephoto camera, great for framing portraits, bringing the optical zoom range to 4x.
iPhone 12 Pro Max takes the pro camera experience even further. The new ƒ/1.6 aperture Wide camera boasts a 47 percent larger sensor with 1.7μm pixels for a massive 87 percent improvement in low-light conditions. It also includes the expansive Ultra Wide camera and a 65 mm focal length Telephoto camera for increased flexibility with closer shots and tighter crops. Combined, this system offers 5x optical zoom range.
Deep Fusion comes to all cameras and uses advanced machine learning to do pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, optimizing for detail, texture, and color in every part of the photo.
iPhone 12 Pro models bring stunning improvements to Night mode, enabling even brighter pictures.
Powered by A14 Bionic and a new ISP, Night mode is now included on more cameras, including the Ultra Wide.
The Ultra Wide camera on iPhone 12 Pro models has a 120-degree field of view, allowing users to capture more scene and frame artistic shots.
Smart HDR 3 offers more true-to-life photos, using machine learning to recognize scenes and adjust sharpness, color, and tone where needed.
The new seven-element lens Wide camera captures even brighter photos and videos in low light.
The Telephoto cameras on iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are perfect for classically framed portraits, closer shots, and tighter crops.
Improvements to Night mode, now expanded to the TrueDepth and Ultra Wide cameras, allow for an even brighter picture. And Night mode Time-Lapse delivers longer exposure times for sharper videos, better light trails, and smoother exposure in low-light scenarios when used with a tripod. Deep Fusion, now better and faster, comes to all cameras, and with the new Smart HDR 3, users can expect more true-to-life images, even in complex scenes.
iPhone 12 Pro models offer the highest quality video in a smartphone, and are the first cameras and only devices in the world to enable an end-to-end experience for HDR video with Dolby Vision, up to 60 fps, and even better video stabilization for cinema-grade productions. Dolby Vision grading is processed live and sustained during editing, whether in the Photos app or iMovie, and coming to Final Cut Pro X later this year. Dolby Vision takes advantage of the Super Retina XDR display for amazing contrast during capture and video playback, and users can share their videos with support for AirPlay up to 4K Dolby Vision to external devices.
iPhone 12 Pro models are the first cameras and only devices in the world to enable an end-to-end experience for HDR video with Dolby Vision. Film shot in HDR video with Dolby Vision on iPhone 12 Pro, by cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki.
Realistic AR and Innovative Camera Experiences
An all-new LiDAR Scanner comes to the Pro line, offering the ability to measure light distance and use pixel depth information of a scene. This technology delivers faster, more realistic AR experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light scenes for more accuracy and reduced capture time in photos and videos. This advanced hardware, combined with the power of the Neural Engine of A14 Bionic, also unlocks Night mode portraits, rendering a beautiful low-light bokeh effect.
An all-new LiDAR Scanner on iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max enables Night mode portraits and even more realistic AR experiences.
Innovative New Accessories with MagSafe
MagSafe improves wireless charging for a better, more efficient experience and introduces an ecosystem of easy-to-attach accessories that beautifully complement iPhone 12 Pro models.7 MagSafe delivers a unique experience to iPhone, featuring an array of magnets around the wireless charging coil, optimized for alignment and efficiency, that perfectly connects to iPhone every time. MagSafe chargers efficiently provide up to 15W of power while still accommodating existing Qi-enabled devices. Charging solutions include the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger for use with iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as new silicone, leather, and clear cases that easily snap onto the back of iPhone, and a leather wallet. Customers can also expect innovative MagSafe accessories from third-party manufacturers.
The innovative new MagSafe system enables seamless, high-powered wireless charging and easy-to-attach accessories.
Featuring iOS 14
iOS 14 delivers a reimagined iPhone experience with new ways to customize the Home Screen. Beautifully redesigned widgets present timely information at a glance and can be pinned in different sizes on any Home Screen page. The App Library is a new space that automatically organizes all of a user’s apps into one simple, easy-to-navigate view. iOS 14 also brings new ways to discover and use apps with App Clips, powerful updates for staying connected in Messages, greener ways to explore cities with Maps, and enhanced privacy features for even more transparency and control.
iOS 14 reimagines the user experience on iPhone with customizable widgets for the Home Screen, App Clips, coming later this year, and new updates to Maps and Messages.
Committed to the Environment
Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, by 2030, plans to have net zero climate impact across the entire business, which includes manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles. This means that every Apple device sold, from material collection, component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will be 100 percent carbon neutral. iPhone 12 Pro models were designed with the environment in mind. For the first time, iPhone 12 Pro models will utilize 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, including the new camera, Taptic Engine, and MagSafe, as well as Apple’s MagSafe accessories. Apple is also removing the power adapter and EarPods from iPhone packaging, further reducing carbon emissions and avoiding the mining and use of precious materials, which enables smaller and lighter packaging, and allows for 70 percent more boxes to be shipped on a pallet. Taken altogether, these changes will cut over 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing nearly 450,000 cars from the road per year.
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models in graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue starting at $999 and $1,099, respectively. Customers can also get iPhone 12 Pro for $29.12 a month or $699 with trade-in and iPhone 12 Pro Max for $30.37 a month or $729 with trade-in from apple.com, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple Store locations.9 iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
Customers in Australia, China, Germany, Japan, the UK, the US, and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone 12 Pro beginning at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23, and pre-order for iPhone 12 Pro Max will begin at 5 a.m. PST on Friday, November 6, with availability beginning Friday, November 13.
iPhone 12 Pro will be available in India, South Korea, and more than a dozen other countries beginning Friday, October 30.
MagSafe Charger, Leather Wallet with MagSafe, and iPhone 12 Pro Silicone Case and Clear Case will be available beginning Friday, October 16. iPhone 12 Pro Leather Case will be available beginning Friday, November 6. MagSafe Duo Charger and Leather Sleeve will be available at a later date.
Through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, customers in the US can get iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max with the protection of AppleCare+, choose their carrier (no multiyear service contract required), and have the opportunity to upgrade to a new iPhone every year. The iPhone Upgrade Program is available for iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max at apple.com and Apple Store locations in the US with monthly payments starting at $49.91.
Customers in the US choosing to pay with Apple Card Monthly Installments or joining or upgrading through the iPhone Upgrade Program can use the Apple Store app on their iPhone to get ready for iPhone 12 Pro pre-order until 9 p.m. PDT on Thursday, October 15. From Tuesday, November 3, customers can get ready for iPhone 12 Pro Max pre-order until 9 p.m. PST on Thursday, November 5.
For a limited time, eligible customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free and three months of Apple Arcade for free.
Apple One is the easiest way to get many Apple subscription services at a great value, so customers can choose the one plan that is right for them or their whole family. Customers can sign up for Apple One starting this fall.
Customers are able to find the same great shopping and support services at apple.com and at Apple Store locations. Customers can get shopping help from Apple Specialists, choose monthly financing options, trade in eligible devices, and get Support services and no-contact delivery or Apple Store pickup options. Customers are encouraged to check apple.com/retail for more information on the health and safety measures in place, and the services available, at their local store.
Customers in the US get 3 percent Daily Cash back when they buy directly from Apple with Apple Card. And when they choose Apple Card Monthly Installments, they can pay over time, interest-free.11
Customers can extend their limited warranty with AppleCare+ and get accidental damage protection, or AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, and get 24/7 priority access to technical support.
Every customer who buys iPhone from Apple can enjoy a free Online Personal Session with an Apple Specialist, to help them explore and discover all the amazing things they can do with their new iPhone.
Learn the tricks to detect unreliable smartphone repair shop who overcharges, does poor job, and straight wanted to rip you off big time.
Sign #1: They have good reputation.
If enough people can attest to a shop’s reputation, then they must be doing something right. Check their review on Google or even on their own Facebook page. Is it high enough with legit feedback from previous customers? Some reviews can be fake, if you don’t know by now. Can a friend recommend this shop without any reservations? Then go for that shop. They are mostly known for the excellent service or great pricing. But startup companies can also be a great option too. Small shops can often give you the same or even better customer service than your city’s most popular smartphone repair shop.
Sign #2: They offer reasonable pricing.
Do they price match or even offer the same pricing as the first-party repair options? If you shop around, you’ll figure this out right away. Cheap is often not the best option. Paying extra money for extra work is often more worth it in the long run. But paying more than extra for a subpar repair job is also a no go. Get the sweet spot that you can afford. Don’t rush, mate.
Sign #3: They have good customer service or channels.
Do you get ignored when you send them a message through their Instagram or Messenger? Do you get a reply after three days? That’s a no go. Worse, is when a shop doesn’t even have an online presence. Don’t bother with shops who are not interested to talk to you online. If they are fixing smartphones, then they should show it by being online. This is how business gets done now, folks. You send them a message, they give you a quote, you go to their shop and you get your smartphone fixed. Sounds simple? It should be!
Sign #4: They offer limited warranties.
Take them as an added insurance, if you will. Limited warranties are more like a friendly gesture. A smartphone repair will never be as good as factory fresh finish. Come on, the repair shop is using their own glue to put your smartphone back. Obviously, your manufacturer warranty has gone off the picture. If you want a brand’s manufacturer, go to their authorized repair centres. However, if a mom and pop repair shop offers you a one week or a one month warranty on your battery replacement, that’s a good sign that they back up their work that way.
Sign #5: They actually have a shop you can visit.
It is obvious but most people overlook the fact that to be a legit repair shop, you need to have an actual place of business. Is it in their house or a rented market space? If you can’t visit them and hand them your smartphone personally, then it’s a risky proposition. Where can you talk to the man in charge or the technician? Okay, you can mail in your smartphone to some shops but if you don’t know where they are located, you might as well not do business with them. Why? You don’t know if you can get your smartphone back if in case they hacked it or lost it.
See the point? You always have a place to go to if you have problems with the repair.
Call us at 8011 4119 if you have smartphone problems, Sydney CBD Repair Centre will fix it for you.
Fixing is a more financially responsible thing to do.
Reason #1: Overall, it is cheaper.
It’s not a new thing at all. Over the years, smartphone prices has gone down. We can now have better phones for not much money. However, some flagships are still going over the 1000-buck mark. Those high end smartphones are wonder piece of technology but if you break the screen, buying a new one is not a viable solution. Having a screen replacement can get your flagship smartphone back to life. Spend 300 bucks on a screen repair service and you’re good to go.
There are some smartphones that are not that cost-effective though. If you have an entry level Android smartphone that you got for 100 dollars, then buying new may be a better option. But for midrange smartphones, screen replacement is still a good deal because more affordable smartphones tend to have cheaper replacement parts.
Reason #2: It postpones an upgrade.
This thing we call consumerism, man. You’ve got your smartphone for a year now and you saw the advert for the latest Samsung or iPhone and you’re itching to upgrade. STOP! Maybe it’s not a good time to jump into the bandwagon, mate. Think about it. The average lifespan of a smartphone is 2 years. At least use your old smartphone for that long after you decide to chuck it in the bin and upgrade. If it’s got a cracked screen but performs very well still, why not have a screen replacement? If you have problems recharging it fast, why not have the charging port replaced? Believe me, there will always be a new smartphone that you can buy every year. Just think that if you’re upgrading out of impulse, you should think twice.
Reason #3: It’s good for the environment.
If you don’t throw your smartphone out every time you broke the screen, there will be less trash in this planet. All can agree to that? Of course! The longer you use your device, the less crap we add to landfills. Mother nature will appreciate it. You can maximize the usable life of your device because you made the effort to prolong it’s life span. A screen replacement or a battery replacement will go a long way of reducing our electronic waste.
Reason #4: You can give/gift it to someone.
Yes, you can actually give an old smartphone to someone you know. Who? Your kid who is too careless about things in general. You wouldn’t want to give a brand new smartphone to them or else you’ll be out of money soon. Have a smartphone fixed, get the thickest case you can find and you’re the best uncle/dad/random guy ever. Or you can give it to your mum who still has that old iPhone. Get a new battery replacement and your iPhone 8 is a welcome gift from her son/daughter. Note: just make sure you wipe your smartphone clean before you give the smartphone to them.
Reason #5: Fixed smartphones are good backup phones.
Okay, you don’t wanna share to others. That’s fine! You can fix an old smartphone of yours and keep it! Use it as a backup phone for other stuff like alarms or a backup smartphone for when your primary smartphone is recharging. Be creative, man. You can have two smartphones. That’s not weird. What if someone stole your primary phone? What if you lost or broke it? Well, you have a backup smartphone. Got the point?
Call us at 8011 4119 if you have these problems, Sydney CBD Repair Centre will fix it for you.
Widgets are beautifully redesigned in iOS 14, giving users timely information at a glance right on the Home Screen pages.
iOS 14 reimagines the iPhone experience, delivering a major update to the Home Screen with beautifully redesigned widgets and the App Library, new ways to use apps with App Clips, and powerful updates to Messages. iOS 14 is available today as a free software update.
“Together with iPhone, iOS is central to how we navigate our lives and stay connected, and we are making it even more powerful and easier to use in iOS 14, with the biggest update ever to the Home Screen,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We are thrilled to see the incredible ways developers are taking advantage of widgets and App Clips to create new experiences that we think customers are going to love.”
Redesigned Home Screen Pages
New widgets present timely information at a glance and can be added in different sizes on any Home Screen page. Users can choose a Smart Stack of widgets, which uses on-device intelligence to surface the right widget based on time, location, and activity. For example, users might see the News widget in the morning, Calendar events during the day, and their Fitness summary in the evening. Home Screen pages can be customized to show apps and widgets for work, entertainment, sports, and other areas of interest.
At the end of the Home Screen pages is the App Library, a new space that automatically organizes all of a user’s apps into one simple, easy-to-navigate view, and intelligently surfaces apps that are helpful in the moment. Users can also hide Home Screen pages for quicker access to the App Library.
The App Library makes it easier for users to get to all of their apps with a simple, easy-to-navigate view at the end of the Home Screen pages.
All-New Compact Design for Incoming Calls and Siri
Incoming FaceTime and phone calls and Siri interactions take on an all-new compact design that enables users to stay in the context of what they are doing. With Picture-in-Picture support, iPhone users can now watch a video or take a FaceTime call while using another app.
iOS 14 delivers an all-new compact design that lets users multitask while receiving calls, asking Siri a question, or watching videos.
With Picture-in-Picture, users can watch a video or take a FaceTime call while using another app.
The Siri experience is redesigned to let users stay in the context of what they are doing.
App Clips Bring New Ways to Discover and Use Apps
An App Clip is a small part of an app that is designed to be discovered the moment it is needed. App Clips are associated with a particular product or business, and load within seconds to complete a specific task, such as ordering takeout or filling up the car with gas. They can be easily discovered and accessed by scanning a new Apple-designed App Clip code,1 or through NFC tags and QR codes, or shared in Messages or from Safari, all with the security and privacy expected from apps.
App Clips are fast and easy to discover and allow users to access part of an app the moment they need it.
Powerful Updates to Messages
Messages is central to communicating with friends and family, and now it’s easier to stay connected and quickly access important messages. Users can pin conversations to the top of their messages list, easily keep up with lively group threads through mentions and inline replies, and further customize conversations by setting a group photo using an image or emoji. New Memoji options in Messages are even more inclusive and diverse with additional hairstyles, headwear, face coverings, and more.
Favorite conversations can be pinned to the top of a Messages list, with recent messages, Tapbacks, and typing indicators featured right above the pin.
iOS 14 delivers new customization options including additional hairstyles, headwear, face coverings, and more.
Greener Ways to Explore and New Guides in Maps
Maps makes it easier than ever to navigate and explore with new cycling directions, electric vehicle routing, and curated Guides. Cycling directions take into account elevation, how busy a street is, and whether there are stairs along the route. Electric vehicle routing adds charging stops along a planned route based on current vehicle charge and charger types.2 Guides provide a curated list of interesting places to visit in a city, created by a selection of trusted resources. Guides are a great way to find popular attractions, discover restaurants, and explore new recommendations from respected brands.
Maps offers cycling directions along bike lanes, bike paths, and bike-friendly roads.
Electric vehicle routing adds charging stops along a planned route based on current vehicle charge and charger types.
Guides make it easy to find things to do in a city, experience great new restaurants, or places to visit on vacation.
More Transparency and Control with Expanded Privacy Features
Now users can choose to share their approximate location with app developers rather than their precise location when granting an app location access, and get even more transparency into an app’s use of the microphone and camera. Developers can now offer users the option to upgrade their existing accounts to Sign in with Apple. Later this year, App Store product pages will feature summaries of developers’ self-reported privacy practices, displayed in a simple, easy-to-read format. Starting early next year, all apps will be required to obtain user permission before tracking.
App Store product pages feature a summary of the privacy practices of each app before downloading it.
Enhanced Listening Experience for AirPods
AirPods and AirPods Pro gain powerful capabilities with iOS 14. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking brings a theater-like experience to AirPods Pro. By applying directional audio filters, and subtly adjusting the frequencies each ear receives, sounds can be placed virtually anywhere in a space to provide an immersive listening experience. Automatic device switching seamlessly switches AirPods and AirPods Pro audio between iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Headphone accommodations, a new accessibility feature, amplifies soft sounds and tunes audio to help music, movies, phone calls, and podcasts sound crisper and clearer.
Seamlessly switch AirPods or AirPods Pro audio between iPhone, iPad, and Mac with automatic device switching.
Additional iOS 14 Features
Translate is designed to be the best and easiest app for translating conversations, offering quick and natural translation of voice and text among 11 different languages.6 On-device mode allows users to experience the features of the app offline for private voice and text translation.
Siri expands its knowledge and answers complex questions with information sourced from across the internet. Keyboard dictation runs on device when dictating messages, notes, email, and more.7
The Home app makes smart home control even easier with new automation suggestions and expanded controls in Control Center for quicker access to accessories and scenes. Adaptive Lighting for compatible HomeKit-enabled lights automatically adjusts the color temperature throughout the day, and Face Recognition in compatible video doorbells and cameras uses on-device intelligence from Apple TV or HomePod to identify visitors. The Home app and HomeKit are built to be private and secure, so all information about a user’s home accessories is end-to-end encrypted.
Digital versions of car keys give users a secure way to use iPhone to unlock and start their car. Car keys can be easily shared using Messages, or disabled through iCloud if a device is lost, and are available today for compatible cars using NFC technology.8
Safari offers a Privacy Report so users can easily see which cross-site trackers have been blocked, secure password monitoring to help users detect saved passwords that may have been involved in a data breach, and built-in translation for entire webpages.9
Health has all-new experiences to manage sleep and better understand audio levels that may affect hearing health. A new Health Checklist that includes Emergency SOS, Medical ID, ECG, fall detection, and more offers users a centralized place to manage health and safety features.10 Health also adds support for new data types for mobility, Health Records, symptoms, and ECG.
The Weather app keeps users up to date on severe weather events, and a new next-hour precipitation chart shows minute-by-minute precipitation when rain is in the forecast.11
Apple One is the easiest way to get many Apple subscription services at a great value, so customers can choose the one planthat is right for them or their whole family. Customers can sign up for Apple One starting this fall.
Accessibility features include Back Tap, which offers a quick new way to trigger gestures, tasks, and accessibility shortcuts, sign language detection in Group FaceTime, and Sound Recognition, which uses on-device intelligence to notify users when the sound of a fire alarm or doorbell is detected. VoiceOver, the industry’s leading screen reader for the blind community, now automatically recognizes what is displayed visually onscreen so more apps and web experiences are accessible to more people.
Translate helps users quickly and easily translate voice or text between supported languages, and can work completely offline to keep conversations private.
The Home app has a new visual status that provides an at-a-glance view of a user’s smart home accessories.
Digital car keys give users a way to securely unlock and start their car using just their iPhone, and can be easily shared using Messages.
Pricing and Availability
iOS 14 is available as a free software update starting today for iPhone 6s and later. For more information, visit apple.com/ios/ios-14. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.
In Sydney CBD Repair Centre, we fix all kinds of devices from smartphones (Android or iOS), tablets, smartwatches, to fitness wristbands. We curated to you the most common device repairs that we do in our shop in Sydney.
Repair #5: Back Cover Glass Replacement
The back of the smartphone is oftentimes the most overlooked part of any device. But have you noticed that lately, these components are coming in glass material? In the early days of the smartphone, these are made out of good ol’ plastic. Now, if you drop your smartphone without a case, you’ll break the back cover. Sometimes, you can patch it with a case even if it’s too late but the beauty derived from these exotic glass material cannot be denied.
You also have to replace it if you still want to use wireless charging that only comes with an all glass smartphone.
Repair #4: Battery Replacement
This repair are for those who owned their smartphones for a very long time. Oftentimes, people go into the shop with their well-used smartphone. It’s scratched up and had other repairs done to it. However, the battery is not cutting it anymore. Dying before sunset. That’s not good for a workhorse of a smartphone. You can’t rely on a battery that needs recharging every six hours. Oh, no no no. So customers come into the shop to revitalise their old device with a brand new lithium pack. This works all the time. Imagine an old companion having a renewed strength in life. Another productive year ahead just by installing a brand new power source. If that’s not practical, I don’t know what is.
Repair #3: Charging Port Replacement
Here’s a tricky repair to diagnose but pretty easy to fix, a broken charging port. Believe me, this part of your smartphone can be worn out. How? The pulling out of the charger in an awkward angle or the plugging in of a contaminated charging cord? Yes, it can ruin this part and as a result, you can’t recharge your smartphone. Sounds bad? Certainly. But some people mistakenly take this problem as a battery issue or a dead motherboard. No. You just need to get rid of that faulty charging port out of your device, install a new assembly, and you’re good to go. Do you have problems like this? Maybe you just needed a charging port replacement right now.
Repair #2: Camera Outer Glass Replacement
You probably get the jist of this now. All glass parts of a smartphone are vulnerable to breakage. Yes, even the smallest glass portion – the camera glass. If you have a smartphone with a bump for the camera glass, then it can break when you drop the phone at a certain angle. If you have a smartphone with a huge camera patch at the back, it can break. If you have four cameras, then you better have a thick camera case to protect it from impact. The good news is, this is the easiest part to replace. No need to disassemble the entire phone. Just remove the broken glass, pop in a new one and viola, you have a fixed camera outer glass.
Repair #1: Screen Replacement
Our in-demand screen replacement repair service is the most common fix that we do in the shop. Most clients dropped their smartphone with partial, usable screens. Some dropped it and the screen is total-ed. This is the most prominent component of the smartphone and it’s made out of glass. A huge hunk of glass. Once it’s broken, there’s only two things you can do: live with the cracked screen or replace it to restart a new life with a brand new looking smartphone.
Call us at 8011 4119 if you have these problems, Sydney CBD Repair Centre will fix it for you.
iOS 14 allows for third-party web browsers and email clients to become the default, so if you really don’t like Safari and Apple Mail, you now have other options.
With the latest update to Google Chrome, now available on the App Store, you can change your default browser from Safari to Google Chrome, on iPhone and iPad. Here’s how to do it …
With iOS 14, Apple has added system support for third-party web browsers and email apps. In the future, they may open even more categories.
The default web browser will be used when tapping on a link in any application. Until iOS 14, you could have an alternative browser like Google Chrome but link actions would always open in Safari. Here’s how to change that on iPhone and iPad in iOS 14.
How to set Google Chrome as your default browser on iPhone
Download the latest version of Google Chrome from the App Store.
Open the Settings app and open the settings page for Google Chrome.
Tap ‘Default Browser App’.
Tap ‘Chrome’.
With this set, any app that triggers a standard open URL activity will now direct the system to open Google Chrome, rather than Safari.
If you ever change your mind, you can go back into Settings and change the Default Browser App back to Safari. If you want to use a different third-party browser that isn’t Chrome, you will have to wait for the developer to update their application. The same goes for changing email apps: so far, we haven’t seen any compatible email app expose this feature.
Obviously, this all requires iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 to be installed. Right now, we are at iOS 14 developer beta 8. Apple is expected to release iOS 14 publicly for all users later in September, with a release date likely announced as part of next week’s Apple Event.
The iPhone XR was the first commercial success that came on the second attempt for making a more affordable iPhone. The iPhone 5c failed to impress in 2013, and we thought we’d never see the maker give this idea another try. Well, last year the iPhone XR was more than well received being the best selling iPhone of the trio, so this year we welcome its sequel – the iPhone 11.
The iPhone XR was indeed a cheaper, toned-down version of the XS generation, with an LCD screen, one camera short, and promised some excellent battery endurance. Well, when we say cheaper, we are not saying cheap, as those words mean something different in Apple’s universe.
But truth be told, this year the iPhone 11 is even cheaper than the XR on launch – now priced at $700 instead of $750. The good news is that nothing has been left out and there are a few welcome additions to the low-tier iPhone.
So, the iPhone 11 keeps absolutely the same form factor and screen as the XR’s. It employs the same 6.1″ IPS LCD screen with 326ppi and a notch on top that contains the Face ID tech. The screen specs are unchanged – same contrast, brightness, Haptic Touch, and whatnot.
The iPhone 11 boasts the new Apple A13 Bionic chip – the same SoC that powers the flagship iPhone 11 Pro duo. It also gets a second camera, and it’s the new 12MP ultra wide-angle snapper, also brought from the Pro models. Features like Crop Out of Frame are available as well, and also shooting 4K videos with all cameras at once.
The new 12MP selfie camera has made it to the iPhone 11, too. It’s another 12MP shooter with 23mm wide lens, and it can do regular 4K clips at 60fps, or 4K at 30fps videos with expanded dynamic range. Cinematic stabilization is available on the front cam on all modes.
Apple managed to squeeze a larger battery in the same body as last year – now the iPhone 11 gets a 3,110mAh battery compared to 2,942mAh unit within the XR.
The iPhone 11 supports 18W charging, but it is not bundled with a fast charger in the box as the Pro models.
So, a new camera and new chip, among some new cool software tricks, are what’s new in the iPhone 11 over the XR. Oh, and Apple is offering the 11 in some new colors like Green and Purple (the latter we have here for review).
Apple iPhone 11 specs
Body: Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass front with oleophobic coating, Gorilla Glass back with glossy finish, IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Black, Green, Yellow, Purple, White, and Red color options.
Screen: 6.1″ IPS LCD screen of 828 x 1792 px resolution, 326ppi, 625 nits, 120Hz touch sensing, wide color gamut. True Tone adjustment via a six-channel ambient light sensor.
OS: Apple iOS 13
Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic chip (7nm+) – Hexa-core (2×2.66 GHz Lightning + 4×1.8 GHz Thunder) Apple CPU, four-core Apple GPU, 8-core Apple NPU 3-gen
Memory: 4GB of RAM; 64/128/256GB of internal storage
Camera: Dual 12MP camera: 26mm main wide-angle, F/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel AF; 13mm ultra wide-angle, F/2.4, 120-degree field of view; quad-LED flash with slow sync
Video recording: 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps video recording with wider dynamic range and spatial sound, OIS + EIS
Selfie: Dual camera – 23mm 12MP F/2.2 front-facing camera with HDR mode + 3D TOF camera; 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps video recording with wider dynamic range and spatial sound, EIS, depth detection for Portrait mode
Connectivity: Dual SIM, 4G LTE (1 Gbps); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac/ax; Bluetooth 5.0; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS; NFC; Apple U1 chip ultrawideband
Battery: 3,110 mAh battery, 18W fast charging, Qi wireless charging
Misc: Face ID through dedicated TrueDepth camera, stereo speakers, Taptic Engine
The iPhone 11 also brings better water protection and may or may not have tougher glass on its back and front. We guess only time and drop accidents will confirm the latter.
Anyway, we are ready to unbox this iPhone 11, so let’s get this review started, shall we?
Unboxing the iPhone 11
The iPhone 11 box is white and just a little bit larger than the phone itself. Inside, you will find the iPhone 11 bundled with a regular Lightning cable, a pair of EarPods ending on a Lightning plug, and the ancient 5W charger.
Apple is no longer shipping the iPhones with a 3.5mm adapter.
While the iPhone 11 supports 18W fast charging through USB Power Delivery, it is not bundled with the new 18W Apple charger that comes with the Pro models. Then again, the iPhone 11 is $50 cheaper than the XR, and we guess with those savings you can buy the said 18W charger ($29), the required USB-C-to Lightning 1m cable ($19) and the 3.5mm adapter ($9).
Design
The iPhone 11 looks like any recent iPhone at the front – a large screen with two horns and nothing else. Over that the back Apple adopted the new square for the camera even though it’s a dual-setup on the iPhone 11 instead of a triple as on the Pro models.
Apple used the same screen from the XR on the iPhone 11 and it has no improvements in contrast or brightness. It’s a 6.1″ IPS LCD panel with a big notch for the Face ID, the selfie snapper, and top speaker. It is protected by the “toughest glass on the planet”, which is a custom Gorilla Glass made by Corning. The glass has minor 2.5D finish around the edge, but we can safely call it flat.
Apple has always used these minor curves around it glass panels to make the iPhones look thinner and prettier, but it has never gone to extremes such as curved or waterfall screens.
The iPhone XR was the first to retire the 3D Touch, but with the iPhone 11 generation – it is gone for good. Its functions were handed over to the Taptic Engine and this is how the Haptic Touch was born. It is just a long tap, but thanks to the taptic feedback – it feels a lot like 3D Touch. And this is what the iPhone 11 offers as 3D Touch replacement, just like the iPhone 11 Pro models.
The notch is not going away anytime soon and it is as big as on the other models. It contains the 3D TOF sensor, the earpiece that also doubles as a speaker, the new 12MP selfie cam, and a bunch of other sensor for True Tone, brightness, and proximity.
We are glad Apple finally upgraded the selfie camera and it’s now a 12MP shooter behind wide 23mm f/2.2 lens. It still lacks autofocus, but now it can do 4K at 60 and 30fps videos with always-on cinematic (fancy word for digital) stabilization. And thanks to the wider lens, the Face ID will supposedly work from wider angles.
The front glass has the usual oleophobic coating that makes fingerprints and smudges harder to stick and when they do, it is very easy to clean – you can do it with one swipe of your (clean) hand or short. We wish more makers use the same coating.
The iPhone 11 has noticeably bigger screen bezels than the Pro models and the same as on the iPhone XR. Its display is an LCD one instead of OLED and this type of panels have a few hardware restrictions that result in such bezels. But they are cheaper, ergo the cheaper iPhone price.
iPhone 11 between the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
The iPhone 11 has an aluminum frame with a brushed finish – the models before iPhone X had such and the XR offers one as well. All premium iPhones use stainless-steel with glossy finish instead.
Well, the aluminum is still better than plastic and we liked the brushed finish as you can’t see any smudges on it. It is also not as heavy as steel.
The iPhone 11 has the usual stuff on its sides – the silent switch and the volume keys are on the left, the Lightning port with the second speaker and the mouthpiece – at the bottom, and the power key and SIM slot – on the right.
The back of the iPhone 11 looks different than the XR, XS and X, as it is more in line with the new 11 Pro series. It is also protected by a custom version of Gorilla Glass, lost the iPhone inscription in favor of a bigger and centered Apple logo.
The purple color looks really nice on the iPhone 11 and is a cool addition to the series. The back is not textured as on the iPhone 11 Pro, but glossy as it was on any other phone to come before series 11. Smudges stick, but are still easy to wipe clean.
What is textured though is the new square glass at the top left corner that houses the two main snappers and the flash. It’s a bit hard to see that this piece is matte until you touch it, but it is still a nice accent.
The hump looked less than ideal on the press images, but in real life the protrusion is much thinner than we expected from those pictures. In fact, we like it better than the giant knobs the iPhone X and XR had on their backs.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, and 11
The iPhone XR had just one camera, but now the 11 has two – the regular 12MP main one with OIS, and the new 12MP ultrawide shooter. There is no zoom camera on the iPhone 11.
The iPhone 11 measures 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm – identical to the XR and it weighs 194g – also same as the XR.
One detail that eyes can’t see is the improved water resistance. The iPhone 11 is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance (up from XR’s IP67) and it can survive in 2m deep (not salty) water for 30 mins.
Handling the iPhone 11 is as iPhone experience as it can get. It is somewhat slippery but thanks to the brushed frame – the grip is not a disaster. And since its size is in between the compact iPhone 11 Pro and the large iPhone 11 Pro Max, it is good in most cases for operating with one hand, though not all of them. We like the glass design and the aluminum frame – it’s a very traditional formula, and we hope this custom Gorilla Glass is as tough as Apple claims it to be. And note that this means it is tough to break, not tough to scratch – a very important detail we’d say.
The iPhone 11 is cheaper, but not cheap. It costs as much as many of the current Android flagships. But in the Appleverse, it is the one you get if you are on the budget. And the maker made sure you will want to get it.
The first step was to ditch any signs, which may diminish its value. Like the letter R meaning it’s no longer a special edition – it’s just the regular iPhone 11 now, and it was the show opener at the launch event. That’s a statement the iPhone 11 is now a fully-fledged member of the flagship iPhone 11 series.
And a flagship it is. The iPhone 11 is the bearer of Apple’s latest and most powerful chip – the A13 Bionic. It also has a dual camera that shows signs of the somewhat forgotten software magic with that expanded viewfinder, crop out of frame options, and multiple camera video recording. Not only that, but the new chip also makes wonders when it comes to dynamic range and digital stabilization in videos. And the new Night Mode is great in both speed and quality.
Apple has also improved a few bits and pieces since the iPhone XR. The sequel has better ingress protection, tougher glass panels, a larger battery, improved audio, and a new selfie camera.
The screen has stayed the same, which is probably iPhone 11‘s only potential deal-breaker. The size is still 6.1″ as on the XR – very thoughtfully positioned between the smaller and bigger Pro, but it has the same 326ppi like the iPhone 8 and the older smaller iPhones. It’s not bad, the text is sharp, and videos look great, but it’s hardly something you’d call 2019.
And yet the iPhone XR sold a lot with that same screen, so we see no reason why the iPhone 11 can’t repeat the same success. It’s got insanely powerful hardware under the hood, it takes some amazing pictures and videos, it excels in the audio and battery departments, and it’s just one zoom camera short of matching the Pro models. Well, that and a fast charger.
The verdict
The iPhone 11 is a very thoughtful upgrade over the XR. It has everything new from Apple, but it costs less, and the tradeoffs seem to be just right.
We aren’t saying you should jump from XR on this one without thinking twice, but once again Apple has made just enough upgrades to make you want to do so. And we won’t judge you for that.
Pros
Tougher and water resistant design, glossy back.
The screen has excellent brightness and contrast.
Apple A13 Bionic is the fastest smartphone chip on the planet.
Excellent battery life, fast charging support.
Stereo speakers with great quality.
iOS provides smooth user experience.
The main camera produces very good photos, Night Mode works as advertised.
Amazing video quality and stabilization across the board.
Excellent selfie photo and video quality.
The calibration between the two snappers is excellent and allows for Crop Outside Frame, simultaneous video capturing, and smooth switching during recording.
Cons
The notch is still enormous, and so are the bezels.
A higher resolution screen would have made it more competitive.
Comes bundled with a meager 5W charger in the box.
No 3.5mm jack, and limited NFC implementation.
The file management and file transfer in iOS is unnecessarily complicated.