On October 13, Apple introduced the long-awaited iPhone 12 series. All four models, from iPhone 12 mini to iPhone 12 Pro Max, received support for fifth-generation cellular networks. But none of the new smartphones, even the oldest ones, have screens with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. All of them are content with the standard frequency of 60 Hz. Why? At a minimum, because it is difficult for the battery to withstand both 5G and high screen frequency at the same time.
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iPhone 12 smartphones look like a great combination of old time-tested technologies with new innovative features and smart capabilities. During the presentation, Apple didn't even mention 120Hz or talk about the impact of high refresh rates on battery life. However, no one expected this, since Apple events are designed to focus on innovation, and not on comparisons with competitors. Therefore, we can only guess about the true reasons for the lack of a 120 Hz display in the new iPhones. Below are thoughts on why Apple actually made this trade-off in ultimately choosing 5G.
ProMotion display
Throughout the year, there have been rumors about a display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which has been one of the main features of the iPad Pro line for three years now - why weren’t such displays brought for smartphones with the same prefix?
If rumors are to be believed, the pandemic is to blame. It dealt a blow to all areas of life and production; Apple simply did not have time to finalize the technology. To be more precise, the contractor did not have time to produce the required number of controllers, and Apple was unable to overcome the battery waste, which, in conjunction with 5G, drained the device instantly.
Then they decided to sell fifth-generation network technology, since it is more interesting to the average user. The technology is easy to understand, it's fast internet, and it's already working.
When will ProMotion come to iPhone? Probably next year, unless some other virus interferes with the company's plans again.
How to turn 120Hz on or off on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max screens?
The screens of both representatives of the Pro series can now operate at a frequency of 120 Hz, but smartphone displays are not constantly in this mode. The operating system itself analyzes what is displayed on the screen and, based on content analysis, decides how often the image will be updated. As a result, the Phone 13 Pro's screen refresh rate can vary between 10Hz and 120Hz. If the image is static or moves very slowly, the smartphone automatically switches the screen to a low refresh rate. If the image changes quickly, then the iPhone selects the maximum refresh rate. This is controlled by the adaptive refresh mechanism.
How it all works can be seen in the video presented. It shows how the refresh rate increases as you scroll faster. But the interesting thing is that the peak 120 Hz is turned on only a few times during the shooting. Obviously, this mode, according to Apple, is not always needed by users.
And there are quite logical explanations for why Apple does not force 120 Hz to be turned on on a permanent basis. First of all, most of the time the user doesn't really need the screen to run at 120Hz. And constantly updating the screen at such a high frequency will obviously require more energy, which will negatively affect the battery life of the smartphone.
But still, if you wish, you can forcefully turn off this function on your iPhone. There are two ways to do this:
Method 1
Go to: Settings → Accessibility → Motion and set the Limit frame rate switch to On.
Method 2
The power saving mode also makes it very easy to limit the screen refresh rate to 60 Hz. To activate it:
Go to: Settings → Battery and set the Power Saving Mode switch to On.
Alternatively, you can enable Low Power Mode from the iOS Control Center. Simply swipe down from the top right corner of the screen and tap the battery icon. To add this icon to Control Center, use these instructions.
♥ BY TOPIC: Focusing on iPhone, iPad and Mac, what is it (detailed review)?
USB Type-C connector
The question is similar: why does the iPad Pro have a USB Type-C connector, but the most sophisticated iPhone does not? Transferring 4K videos to a computer via slow Lightning is pain and hell!
And then the company chose a different path: it will develop the wireless direction. We were shown the MagSafe magnetic system, and this is a very direct hint at the iPhone without a connector at all. It’s not a fact that it will be shown next year, but in 2022-2023 such a device is definitely worth waiting for.
During this time, the company will prepare the ground with a huge number of branded accessories, third-party manufacturers will also join in, and users will begin to understand that living without wires is great. “Why do you need USB Type-C,” Apple will say and remove the connector in the top-end iPhone.
Software
The Apple iPhone 12 runs on the new version of Apple's operating system, iOS 14, and it comes with several major changes. One of the important ones is the ability to place widgets anywhere on the home screen. It took Apple several years to implement the feature, and during this time widgets have already lost some of their relevance.
However, not everything is good here - the icons still have to occupy the entire screen. You'll have to rack your brains to arrange everything in the most convenient way.
The second major change is the appearance of an analogue of the application drawer. No more hiding unnecessary icons in a separate folder. You can simply remove them from your home screen and then find them in the App Gallery. Another small step towards a user-friendly interface!
There are also minor cosmetic changes. Some interface elements have become more distinct, additional animations have appeared, and much more. Now iOS has begun to resemble Android.
Apple Pencil support
Using the Pencil would be convenient on the huge 6.7-inch display of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and switching between iPad and iPhone can be implemented beautifully, as it works with AirPods Pro in iOS 14.
Yes, you won’t be able to charge an Apple Pencil from an iPhone and you should always have an iPad at hand, but you can come up with a universal pencil case with a battery for the stylus, earning another hundred dollars on it.
Characteristics of Apple iPhone 12
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina OLED, resolution 2532x1170 pixels |
| CPU | A14 Bionic |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Inner memory | 64/128/256 GB |
| Main cameras | 12 MP wide (ƒ/1.6) + 12 MP ultra wide (ƒ/2.4) |
| Front camera | 12 MP (ƒ/2.2) |
| System and software | iOS 14 |
| 5G support | Sub-6 GHz |
| Battery | 2775 mAh |
| Colors | Black, white, red, blue, green |
| Price | From 79 990 |
Normal original cases
Apple, where are the beautiful transparent cases for the blue iPhones? What is this horror with a white circle in the middle?
If you don't understand how the MagSafe system works, let's explain: the iPhone 12 has magnets that hold the MagSafe charger so that it doesn't jump off. Magnets are also used to secure the covers.
If in silicone cases the magnets are hidden inside and are invisible, then in the transparent case they are elegantly covered with a white circle. I do not like? Buy an additional wallet with magnets for 6 thousand rubles. What, you didn’t want to carry cards with your smartphone? What's wrong with you?
They completely forgot about leather cases, although they were mentioned at the presentation and in the description of the operating principle of MagSafe. Most likely, such cases will appear later, but it was possible to work harder for the release.
More than just autonomy issues
I'm convinced that the reason Apple left the iPhone 12 with a standard refresh rate panel has nothing to do with the battery. We have already seen Android smartphone makers implementing a dynamic refresh rate system in their devices, where the optimized interface and apps run at a high frequency, while all other content is displayed at 60Hz by default to save battery power. Apple could certainly add this feature to iOS too. But there is one “but”.
The fact is that Apple buys display panels from Samsung because it makes the best OLED smartphone screens for the money. Almost every second smartphone from any other brand is equipped with a Samsung display for this very reason. Even older or budget versions of Samsung OLED screens are really good, so most companies don't try to reinvent the wheel and just use Samsung's standard controller to adjust the frequency along with the display panel.
As for Apple, it is working hard on Samsung's OLED panels to make them the way it wants them. Apple adjusts the color, enables its own dynamic color adjustment based on the content, and then assembles it all into a complete working display for its devices. But since Apple isn't a component manufacturer, it clearly doesn't have a way to create 60 million display controllers to control refresh rates on its own. Perhaps the company will get to this in the future. But for now this is a difficult task and Apple cannot guarantee that everything will be created on time.
Samsung is a component manufacturer, so it can easily produce about 60 million custom controllers. And perhaps Apple will order them from Samsung.
Cameras
Why are there so few cameras? 2× and 2.5× are, of course, excellent. But where is the 5x optical zoom with a lens with an equivalent focal length of 130mm? We need more cameras to take more cool photos! In this case, you need exactly one more lens, and not install an optical zoom instead of some other camera.
Where is the optical zoom on small iPhones? Minik was amazing, but it definitely doesn't have enough cameras!
Where's the 8K filming? We understand that it is not needed, but, Apple, it’s almost 2021. How are we without 8K? And this will certainly allow you to shoot slow-mo in 4K at just 120 frames per second! Isn't it top?
Besides, why does only Pro Max have a matrix stub? Apple, well, you can please the buyers of small iPhones! I want a top-end camera, but I don't want to tear up my palm and my pockets with the huge Pro Max.
Design and appearance
The appearance of the new iPhone 12 is a breath of fresh air. Apple has been sticking to the same design for its devices for years, so the new appearance of the Cupertino company's smartphones is always a large-scale event. And this time we're getting more than just cosmetic changes. The iPhone 12 is similar to the iPhone 11, although it has flat sides and a completely flat screen, giving us a smaller footprint.
The new model looks like a larger iPhone 5, and in a good way. Apple iPhone 12 has become closer in appearance to the company’s other mobile devices: iPad and MacBook.
The corners of the aluminum frame do not cut into the palm. The phone sits firmly in the hand and feels pleasant. The back cover is glossy, which is why a lot of fingerprints remain on it, although it does not slip in the hand. And yes, the cutout for the front camera has not disappeared. It has long been the subject of ridicule for the iPhone, but at the same time it is a distinctive feature of each model. Considering that this is not just a phone, but also a stylish accessory, this decision is quite logical.
