Apple is taking a different approach with the launch of its latest iPhone this year. The company is releasing a total of four different models[1], with the first two -- the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro -- currently available to order right now. The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available through pre-orders on Friday, Nov. 6, with in-store availability and shipments starting on Nov. 13.
For the past week, I've been testing Apple's iPhone 12 Pro. Using it as my main phone, replacing the iPhone 11 Pro Max[2]. Apple also sent me an iPhone 12 to test, which I've been using off and on for camera and 5G comparisons. With a new design, the addition of 5G (a first for Apple), and other notable improvements in performance and to the camera, it's clear to me that Apple has once again set the bar for smartphones over the next 12 months.
Design
All four models of the iPhone 12 lineup use the same design, but in varying sizes. The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are the first two models to launch, and both feature a 6.1-inch display. The iPhone Mini has a 5.4-inch display, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display.
Apple returned to the flat-edge design we first saw with the iPhone 4, and that had remained in use on the iPad Pro line. It's a familiar design, but it's not an exact replica of the old design.
In addition to varying display sizes, the volume buttons on the left side of the phone are long, flat buttons, instead of circular buttons. The mute switch is on the left side, as well. It's taken some adjustment on