I hope the two mainstream iPhones have aluminium as it keeps the weight down. It’s a 7000 series Alloy so it’s a premium material and strong. There’s not much to dislike plus with the chemical colouring there is a wider choice of potential colours.
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Other Where will Apple cheap out with the 5.4” ?
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I hope the two mainstream iPhones have aluminium as it keeps the weight down. It’s a 7000 series Alloy so it’s a premium material and strong. There’s not much to dislike plus with the chemical colouring there is a wider choice of potential colours.
I like that it’s less likely to dent. I prefer to use my phones without a case or with a very minimal one. The glass backs to iPhones made it a wash, but the steel frame is much less prone to damage in a drop. You can also polish out light scratches to natural stainless steel.
I guess lighter weight is fine with me. It’s not really the weight that I’m concerned with on phones. It’s more the width and height, which is why I’m a little concerned about the new pro models being bigger. I feel torn between wanting the frame and the cameras on the pros, but I really don’t want a phone that’s bigger than my iPhone X. I really feel like it’s at my absolute limit for phone size.
Non pro's would get:
- Aluminum frame instead of Steel
- Less RAM (probably 4gb instead of 6gb)
- 2 cameras instead of 3 (regular lens + extra wide angle, instead of telephoto + regular + extra wide angle)
- smaller battery due to smaller overall size
- potentially thicker screen bezel
- potential slightly lesser quality display
- potentially no pro motion display (this one is super likely IMO, if the pro range even gets pro motion this year, which is also a question mark)
- potentially not having features like 4k video at 240 fps, due to lack of ram maybe, or just limited by apple
- lack of Lidar, if included in the pro model
The 7000 Series a ‘premium material’? Compared to what? (Rhetorical) It’s simply a metal that Apple chose to use for the iPhone/Apple watch. If you want to get technical, the 7000 Series is just a stronger material over the 6000 series aluminum (Which was prone to bending with the 6). I would say anything in terms of construction with the iPhone is ‘Premium’, given they have always taken their hardware builds very seriously amongst all their products and the overall durability with the construction.
I don’t believe consumers generally believe aluminum is a premium material, not when it comes to smart phones.
I am fully aware of the mechanical properties of 7000 series aluminium and it would be shocking if I didn't lol. I'm sure consumers lead by Apple's marketing telling them Stainless Steel is the 'new' premium material are now convinced 7000 series aluminium is 'budget' but nothing could be further from the truth. This is where the marketing machine is most powerful and drives certain people to pay more, or those that care at least. I'm also fairly sure there is a proportion of consumers who have no idea what their smartphones are made of or don't have an opinion on premium materials per se. Another example is the word 'anodised' which often gets used to describe how an iPhone has been given its colour, yet is not even the process used in this instance. People get hold of ideas and perceptions at a basic level and it often enables them to form opinions on such.
Cross-posting from another Macrumors thread:
My money's on the finalised 12 lineup looking something like this (names are tentative):
1. iPhone 12 Mini, 5.4” 60 Hz LCD, 4G only, 4 GB RAM, 2 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide), no LiDAR, 2,227 mAh battery [new model, diversification of non-Pro line into 2 sizes]
2. iPhone 12 Plus, 6.1” 60 Hz LCD, 4G only, 4 GB RAM, 2 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide), no LiDAR, battery capacity unknown but > 3,100 mAh (more than the 11, at the bare minimum) [successor to Xr and 11]
3. iPhone 12 Pro Mini, 5.4” 60 Hz OLED, 5G-equipped, 6 GB RAM, 3 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide + Telephoto), LiDAR unlikely, 2,775 mAh battery [new model, diversification of Pro line into 3 sizes]
4. iPhone 12 Pro, 6.1” 60 Hz OLED, 5G-equipped, 6 GB RAM, 3 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide + Telephoto), LiDAR unlikely, 3,687 mAh battery, OLED [enlarged successor to X, Xs, and 11 Pro]
5. iPhone 12 Pro Max, 6.7” 60 Hz OLED, 5G-equipped, 6 GB RAM, 3 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide + Telephoto), LiDAR likely, 4,400+ mAh battery, OLED [enlarged successor to Xs Max and 11 Pro Max]
I strongly believe that the inconsistency we've seen in back camera arrays on dummy 5.4" models (some have 2, some have 3) comes down to the fact that there will indeed be two 5.4" models, both with different screens, battery sizes, modems (4G/5G), and of course, camera specs. There was a rumour of a 4G-only 5.4" model flying around not so long ago.
My money's on the finalised 12 lineup looking something like this (names are tentative):
1. iPhone 12 Mini, 5.4” 60 Hz LCD, 4G only, 4 GB RAM, 2 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide), no LiDAR, 2,227 mAh battery [new model, diversification of non-Pro line into 2 sizes]
2. iPhone 12 Plus, 6.1” 60 Hz LCD, 4G only, 4 GB RAM, 2 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide), no LiDAR, battery capacity unknown but > 3,100 mAh (more than the 11, at the bare minimum) [successor to Xr and 11]
3. iPhone 12 Pro Mini, 5.4” 60 Hz OLED, 5G-equipped, 6 GB RAM, 3 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide + Telephoto), LiDAR unlikely, 2,775 mAh battery [new model, diversification of Pro line into 3 sizes]
4. iPhone 12 Pro, 6.1” 60 Hz OLED, 5G-equipped, 6 GB RAM, 3 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide + Telephoto), LiDAR unlikely, 3,687 mAh battery, OLED [enlarged successor to X, Xs, and 11 Pro]
5. iPhone 12 Pro Max, 6.7” 60 Hz OLED, 5G-equipped, 6 GB RAM, 3 cameras (Primary + Ultra Wide + Telephoto), LiDAR likely, 4,400+ mAh battery, OLED [enlarged successor to Xs Max and 11 Pro Max]
I strongly believe that the inconsistency we've seen in back camera arrays on dummy 5.4" models (some have 2, some have 3) comes down to the fact that there will indeed be two 5.4" models, both with different screens, battery sizes, modems (4G/5G), and of course, camera specs. There was a rumour of a 4G-only 5.4" model flying around not so long ago.
It's been rumored that the non pros will get OLED this year too. If that's the case, that pretty much makes the telephoto lens really the only realistic difference between the Pro and Non Pro.
Get rid of #3 (as a 5.4 12Pro hasn't been discussed since January) and add OLED to #1 and #2 instead of LCD and I think your closer to the current reliable rumors..
Why would Apple make their two mainstream iPhones with the biggest market outreach 4G only though? Releasing 5G seems to be the push this year as a standard across the industry and I know Apple like holding back but I can’t see this personally. Considering new contracts/tariffs are starting to offer 5G across the board, it would be counterproductive not to release the two iPhones with the most appeal without it IMO.
That’s a hell of a gamble by Apple seeing as 5G is starting to be offered in data plans as standard this year. I would be shocked if all their phones were not 5G compatible this year.
Well on the 11 the difference between Pro and non Pro are mainly:
- Stainless Steel vs. Aluminium
- OLED higher dpi vs. LCD lower dpi
- 3 vs 2 cameras
I would assume that they will keep the difference on a somewhat similar level:
Definitely:
- Different quality of materials
Cameras are a big selling point, and a reason for people to spend 300USD more (Apple's profit on the Pro must be much higher than on the 11) so I think also
- 3 vs 2 cameras
Two maybes:
- Screen quality
- 5G vs 4G
If only the cameras and the finishes are different, I assume it might get difficult for Apple to justify the steep price difference. So they could do 5G only on the Pro. However I think 5G will be part of the main chip, so either they will develop an entirely new chip just for the non-Pro, or they disable it by software, which is a bit stupid. They could still vary the screen quality, however many other manufacturers already do have OLEDs in cheaper phones. So I wonder if they could really do another year without OLED in the non-Pro phones.
- Stainless Steel vs. Aluminium
- OLED higher dpi vs. LCD lower dpi
- 3 vs 2 cameras
I would assume that they will keep the difference on a somewhat similar level:
Definitely:
- Different quality of materials
Cameras are a big selling point, and a reason for people to spend 300USD more (Apple's profit on the Pro must be much higher than on the 11) so I think also
- 3 vs 2 cameras
Two maybes:
- Screen quality
- 5G vs 4G
If only the cameras and the finishes are different, I assume it might get difficult for Apple to justify the steep price difference. So they could do 5G only on the Pro. However I think 5G will be part of the main chip, so either they will develop an entirely new chip just for the non-Pro, or they disable it by software, which is a bit stupid. They could still vary the screen quality, however many other manufacturers already do have OLEDs in cheaper phones. So I wonder if they could really do another year without OLED in the non-Pro phones.
Really? So probably the 12 will have a camera system similar to the 11, but the 12 Pro might then feature bigger sensors, faster aperture or something like that (on top of the additional telephoto lens)? Do you have any link for a website where that is discussed?
I read it on various websites. Don't know which one is source...
EDIT : Source is https://twitter.com/duanrui1205
E.g.
EDIT : Source is https://twitter.com/duanrui1205
E.g.
I find two different 5.4” models unlikely. Firstly, the smartphone market is currently dominated by large phones (5.8” and larger), so Apple will be testing the demand with their 5.4” phone first. Secondly, how will Apple be able to squeeze a larger capacity battery cell in this “Pro Mini”, considering it will have an extra camera? So the battery capacity is probably more likely to remain the same.
I think you’re right on most of that. Given the choice I’d pick an aluminium phone over stainless any day if the week. My iPhone goes in a case and the weight saving is worth it to me not to mention the material grade in itself is worth it IMO. The lack of 5G wouldn’t bother me as 4G is still crap in terms of coverage all these years on and 95% of my time is within range of WiFi. I would be surprised if Apple didn’t roll out 5G across the board though and if they don’t it’ll be obvious it’s a self imposed limitation rather than a cost saving measure or technical constraint.
Whether an iPhone has two cameras or three, we can bet it’ll be excellent anyway.
Stop scaring me... a $1000 5.4"?? I felt better about having to shell out $750 😩
For me, I do not mind the “premium feel & materials” at all, as I always use cases with my iPhones. I am currently using 11 (non Pro) and find its two cameras setup amazing for my needs. Do not care much about 5G either, as it will probably take good 2-4 years from now to get a good coverage of it where I live. So the two most important elements for me remain screen quality and battery life. If I have to forego 5G for either of these two, I will totally give it away. 🤚
For me, I do not mind the “premium feel & materials” at all, as I always use cases with my iPhones. I am currently using 11 (non Pro) and find its two cameras setup amazing for my needs. Do not care much about 5G either, as it will probably take good 2-4 years from now to get a good coverage of it where I live. So the two most important elements for me remain screen quality and battery life. If I have to forego 5G for either of these two, I will totally give it away.
All of your points are kind of the same for me. I won’t worry much about the new phone unless there’s huge improvements in camera quality.
based on rumors, I think the fall phones will have 5G. Though there have been some rumors about maybe the cheaper ones not having 5G for as many bands, such as MM. There is the SE out without 4G, and any carryover models like the 11 take the place of the non 5G in the lineup.