[Software] Hands on: iPhone 12 Pro review

[Agent47]

 

 

At first glance the iPhone 12 Pro looks like a phone caught between two stools. With the same dimensions and chipset as the iPhone 12, it’s easy to wonder whether the Pro is worth the extra cash – especially when the iPhone 12 Pro Max is incoming, with a better camera sensor and (likely) longer battery life. However, there are some useful upgrades on the 12 Pro – not least that it starts at 128GB of storage, and also comes in more muted, premium-looking colors. It’s the more mature of the first two of the iPhone 12 models to be released, and packs a little more power for those who like to really put their phone to work.
As we’ve been focused on our iPhone 12 review, we haven't completed our full suite of battery tests of the iPhone 12 Pro, and as per TechRadar’s reviews guarantee we won't award a score to this handset until we’ve completed this. However, we have used the new iPhone 12 Pro extensively, as you can read below, and we'll update this review with a score imminently, when we’re confident in our findings.

If you’re reading this review, you’ll want to know what the iPhone 12 Pro is offering, and where it fits into Apple's latest iPhone lineup. Well, while the design is rather similar to last year (but with new, flat edges rather than the rounded shape of recent years), and it’s now packing faster 5G connectivity and the interesting MagSafe technology that allows for clip-on accessories.

The power has been upgraded and the cameras have been improved, and it arrives running iOS 14 – but does it impress sufficiently to make it a compelling upgrade over the similar-looking, and cheaper, iPhone 12? 

iPhone 12 Pro price and release date 
The iPhone 12 Pro was announced alongside the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max on October 13, 2020. While we originally expected to see the phones at the September Apple Event, in line with the typical iPhone launch window, the handsets were unveiled a month later, likely owing to the coronavirus outbreak’s impact on manufacturing and supply schedules. 
The iPhone 12 Pro release date is October 23, and pre-orders are live now. You'll be able to get your hands on this phone before the Pro Max, which isn’t out until November 13. 

The iPhone 12 Pro price starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 for the 128GB model – that's an improved minimum storage offering over both the iPhone 11 Pro and the base model of the new iPhone 12 – with the price rising to $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,869 for 256GB, and $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,219 for 512GB.
That's actually rather key, because otherwise the iPhone 12 Pro looks similar in size to 2019's Pro, and many buyers will want something that screams 'Hey, look at me! New iPhone!', so aping the design of the new iPad Pro range is a smart move.

It's also unconfirmed whether the flatter design allows for better 5G signal strength –  given that Apple wants the new iPhone range to become synonymous with the new speedy connection standard, it'll have been keen to implement anything that helps in that area.

Another new addition is the Ceramic Shield on the front, which replaces the glass from the iPhone 11. Apple has worked with Corning to create a structure that it says isn't actually glass, but rather a 'nano-crystalline' structure that has four times the strength of last year's screen, so it should be harder to break your new iPhone.

And while the rear of the iPhone 12 Pro is still the same glass as used in 2019, the new edge design will apparently make it twice as resilient as its predecessor in the event of a drop.

It's important to note that Apple isn't calling these iPhones unbreakable – it’s just saying they're more robust. The IP68 rating has been improved to allow you to submerge your iPhone 12 Pro deeper than before, which in reality means it's more water-resistant (not waterproof, of course). 

If the iPhone 12 Pro lands at the wrong angle after a slip or a drop, it can still break – our first unit suffered a crack across the rear glass after landing flat on concrete following a heart-stopping slip from a table. 

So if you're thinking that you can do without a case and / or a screen protector, think again – the new iPhone 12 Pro can still be scratched by sharp objects, or broken, even if it has a greater degree of protection (especially on the front screen) than the iPhone 11 range.