iPhone 12

Background

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini were unveiled at an Apple Special Event, held virtually, on October 13, 2020 alongside the higher-end iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max flagships at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 started on October 16, 2020, and the phone became available in most countries on October 23, 2020. Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 mini began on November 6, 2020, and the phone became available on November 13, 2020. The iPhone 12 and 12 mini feature flat sides, a design element seen with the iPhone 4 through the iPhone 5S and the 1st generation iPhone SE, while keeping the curved edges on back panels (used since the iPhone 8). It is the first major redesign since the iPhone X, similar to that of iPad Pros since 2018 and the 4th-generation iPad Air. Both phones use an improved glass covering called Ceramic Shield which is co-developed with Corning Inc. Apple describes it as having "4 times better drop performance" and being "tougher than any smartphone glass". A magnetic connector known as MagSafe is introduced on the iPhone 12 models, allowing accessories such as cases and charging cords to be attached to the rear of the device. Accessories can also be stacked together. The devices support 5G cellular communications. However, only models sold in the U.S. support the fastest mmWave technology; those sold elsewhere in the world, including Canada, support only sub-6GHz frequency bands. The iPhone 12 series are the first iPhone models to ship without EarPods or a wall adapter, which Apple claims was done to reduce carbon emissions since most users already own them. A USB-C to Lightning cord will still be included. On April 20, 2021 at Apple's Special Event “Spring Loaded”, Apple revealed a new purple color option which became available on April 30, 2021.