And here are the phones we’ve all been waiting for.

IPHONE 12 AND IPHONE 12 MINI

Above: The Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini in Pacific Blue

iPhone 12 has smooth, flat edges with a uniform construction; it is a smaller form factor with antennas that go around the aluminium frame. There’s a 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display, where each OLED pixel has its own light — this translates to clearer, sharper and more precise colours on the screen. The display is also made of a new material called “Ceramic Shield”, which is tougher than any smartphone glass, and that Apple claims has 4x better drop performance.

Above: The dual-camera system on the iPhone 12

An A14 Bionic chip means a big jump in performance from its predecessor, the A13; and is not just the fastest in an iPhone, but the fastest GPU in any smartphone. As for the camera, it’s a new dual-camera system that comprises a 12MP Ultra Wide and 12MP Wide lens.

Above: A magsafe wallet snapped on to the back of the iphone 12

MagSafe for iPhone is a new system that firstly improves the wireless charging experience. Secondly, any MagSafe accessory can snap onto the back of the phone easily and securely, including wireless chargers, leather sleeves, and even wallets. We can also expect a plethora of third party accessories that use this technology, including car mounts and multi-charger docks from Belkin.

iPhone 12 Mini has a 5.4″ display and  includes the exact same features as the iPhone 12, but is smaller, thinner and lighter. Apple claims it is the world’s smallest 5G phone.

Above: the 5 colours of the iphone 12 and iphone 12 mini

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini will be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB models in blue, green, black, white, and (PRODUCT)RED, starting at $1,299 and $1,149, respectively.

The iPhone 12 can be pre-ordered from Friday 16 October, with availability beginning Friday 23 October.

The iPhone 12 mini can be pre-ordered from Friday 6 November, with availability beginning Friday 13 November.

IPHONE 12 PRO AND IPHONE 12 PRO MAX

Above: The iphone 12 pro in Pacific blue

iPhone 12 Pro is takes the iPhone 12 design further with premium materials. Similar to the iPhone 12, the 12 Pro has a 6.1″ display. It comes in four finishes: Silver, Graphite, Gold and Pacific Blue.

iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 6.7″ display — the biggest in an iPhone ever. And the 12 Pro Max is touted as the “camera phone”.

Above: The pro camera system on the iphone 12 pro and pro max

There’s a new pro camera system that includes a 12MP Ultra Wide, 12MP Wide, and 12MP Telephoto lens. Each of the lens now boast faster apertures and larger sensors from previous models, and image stabilisation has also been improved, so photos and videos are steadier.

A new format, Apple ProRAW offers the depth and flexibility of raw format photos, and these photos can be edited directly in the camera app or third party apps on the iPhone.

HDR video recording is also brought to the iPhone. Users can capture 60x more colours than before, and it is also the first camera to record in Dolby Vision HDR; and this is done at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. Editing and filters can also be applied directly within the camera app.

Above: The iphone 12 pro max and 12 pro in gold

Example photos taken using the new pro camera system
(click on the photos to enlarge):

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 $1,649 and $1,799, respectively.

The iPhone 12 pro can be pre-ordered from Friday 16 October, with availability beginning Friday 23 October.

The iPhone 12 pro max can be pre-ordered from Friday 6 November, with availability beginning Friday 13 November.

5G IN SINGAPORE

Is 5G truly fast? Yes. 5G technology claims to offer surfing speeds that are 20 times faster than those offered by 4G networks, and the ability to connect 1,000 times as many devices.

In April 2020, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) granted Singtel, M1 and Starhub the use of a nationwide 5G network. Starhub users have been the first to access the service under a six-month trial that started in August 2020. The early access is offered free to StarHub customers in the lead-up to the launch of 5G standalone services next year.

In September 2020, Singtel launched its 5G network and gave a three-month trial for its consumer and enterprise customers. This has been fully redeemed, and to get 5G on the network, customers need to sign up for the “5G NOW” add-on plan ($10/mth for 10GB).

As for M1, the telco claims to be the first operator in Singapore to offer 5G access to all its customers, without any limitation on the number of sign-ups or restrictions on any plans. It is currently operational in the CBD, Orchard Road, Suntec City and Marina Bay areas.