Apple Unveils High-End iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
With improved cameras, new computational photography features, and 5G capabilities.
Alongside its vanilla iPhone 12 and its mini counterpart, Apple also introduced its high-end editions to the line-up: the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both the 6.1-inch Pro and 6.7-inch Pro Max debut new premium materials like its “surgical-grade stainless steel band,” “precision-milled matte glass back,” and a new Ceramic Shield front cover that “dramatically improve toughness and increases drop performance by 4x.”
Like the standard version of the product, both devices have 5G capabilities, utilize the A14 bionic processor, and a Super Retina XDR display. According to Apple, the Pro line also features “the most 5G bands on any smartphone,” with the ability to offer coverage worldwide.
The triple-camera system remains for the Pro line, this time including a 12-megapixel wide, a faster ƒ/1.6 aperture wide, and a 52 mm focal length Telephoto. The Pro Max instead uses a new 12MP telephoto with a 65mm focal length, that can optically zoom in up to 2.5 times. The Pro Max also has a new sensor on its third telephoto camera that improves image stabilization.
A new feature called “Apple ProRaw” is expected to arrive for both devices later this year, which is intended to further enhance existing computational photography mechanics found in the new iPhone 12 line, such as Smart HDR and Deep Fusion. It allows users to adjust sharpening and color highlights while still taking advantage of existing photography elements incorporated by Apple. As a first, the new iPhone 12 Pro can shoot HDR video and supports shooting directly in Dolby Vision HDR. Dolby Vision HDR video can also be edited from the Photos app.
The iPhone 12 Pro will start at $999 USD and the iPhone 12 Pro Max will start at $1,099 USD, beginning with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. Preorders for the iPhone 12 Pro will begin October 16 and will ship on October 23, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max will see preorders on November 6 and ship on November 13.
In other gaming news, Apple quietly updated its mask emoji with iOS 14.1.
