You might be surprised, but despite being the highest-valued company in the world,
is no stranger to experiments. In fact, some might say that’s why Apple is the world’s highest-valued company in the first place.
- Batterygate – planned obsolescence. Apple was caught slowing down older iPhones in order to prevent them from shutting down under higher loads. Messed up big time.
- Bendgate – this one’s unforgettable because it’s literally documented in numerous YouTube videos. Although it’s expected that Apple will release an iPhone that folds in the next few years, the iPhone 6 will always be known as “the first foldable iPhone”.
- Antennagate – the iPhone 4 would lose signal and drop calls when held in a way that covered its antennas. Apple was very reluctant to acknowledge there’s a problem in the first place. In an attempt to put down the fire, Steve Jobs famously stated:
“All phones have sensitive areas. Just avoid holding it in this way…”
However, that’s exactly when fire met gasoline for Apple. The internet exploded with “You’re holding it wrong” memes, which turned into a cultural phenomenon. Eventually, Apple agreed to give a free bumper case to everyone who bought an iPhone 4 or refunded $15 to those who didn’t want one.
iPhone 12 Pro: Apple’s neglected middle child
How Pro is the Pro?
Now, just to make it clear, we won’t be talking about Flaregate – this was already discussed in another recent article. It’s another more obvious issue with the iPhone 12 series. Actually, for some, it won’t be an issue at all, but it is a failed experiment in our book.
It all boils down to the differences between the iPhone 12 models:
| iPhone 12 Mini | iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4-inch | 6.1-inch | 6.1-inch | 6.7-inch |
| 625 nits of typical brightness | 625 nits of typical brightness | 800 nits of typical brightness | 800 nits of typical brightness |
| 4GB RAM | 4GB RAM | 6GB RAM | 6GB RAM |
| Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 30fps | Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 30fps | Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 60fps | Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 60fps |
| 2x telephoto camera | 2.5x telephoto camera | ||
| LiDAR scanner | LiDAR scanner | ||
| Sensor-shift stabilization | |||
| Largest camera sensor on any iPhone | |||
| 2227 mAh battery | 2815 mAh battery | 2815 mAh battery | 3687 mAh battery |
| Aluminum frame | Aluminum frame | Stainless steel frame | Stainless steel frame |
| Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Glossy back finish | Glossy back finish | Matte back finish | Matte back finish |
| $699-729 | $799-829 | $999 | $1099 |
These are all the differences between the four iPhone 12 models at a glance, or as some might say – on paper. The thing is – the user experience doesn’t happen “on paper”, especially with Apple devices. As you can see, the most obvious difference between the standard iPhone 12 models and the Pro models, as far as the average consumer is concerned, will be in the camera department and aesthetics.
However, once you start looking more into it, the only real-world difference between the iPhone 12 Mini, 12, and 12 Pro is the 2x telephoto camera, assuming you’ll put a case on your phone and don’t care how it looks anyway. A 2x zoom? Really? That’s not even half of what most Android flagships can do nowadays. A 2x magnification is good for one thing – portraits. But that’s about it. It’s not actually meant to let you “zoom” that far.
That’s where the iPhone 12 Pro Max comes in. It has a 2.5x telephoto camera with sensor-shift stabilization, a much larger main sensor, and a bigger battery. However, why aren’t all of those features in the iPhone 12 Pro? Lack of space? It doesn’t seem like it – the iPhone 13 Pro is rumored to feature sensor-shift stabilization. In fact, all iPhone 13 models are expected to get it.
All of this makes the iPhone 12 Pro a very hard recommendation over the iPhone 12. It simply doesn’t live up to its “Pro” name, despite having a price tag to match. Even the battery is the same size as the regular 12, while the Pro itself is heavier.
Best-selling iPhones in Q1 2021, according to estimates by Counterpoint:
- iPhone 12 — 17.7 million
- iPhone 12 Pro Max — 14.2 million
- iPhone 12 Pro — 10.6 million
- iPhone 11 — 7.1 million
Make no mistake – a company like Apple will always want to sell you the more, or ideally most expensive product available. In fact, many would say that’s why phones like the iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21 exist – just so their respective makers can upsell their more expensive “Pro” and “Ultra” phones.
Also, if you put the numbers in perspective (and remember – they are estimates, after all), instead of the iPhone 12 or 12 Pro Max, the nearest iPhone 12 Pro competitor becomes the iPhone 11 (by a small margin), which is a last-gen device that costs much less now. This means, that many people who would have opted for a 12 Pro, actually decided to go for the iPhone 11.
iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max: Different cameras – different phones
Cameras, cameras, cameras… The iPhone 13 Pro is expected to be as good as the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
As you might have heard, Apple is ramping up production for the iPhone 13 series, as the company expects record-breaking sales. It’s not a marginal increase either. From 75 million iPhone 12 series units to 90-100 million iPhone 13 units.
So, let’s see what new features are expected on the iPhone 13 series and put things in perspective to see how Apple plans to differentiate the standard iPhone 13 models from the iPhone 13 Pro models. Spoiler: The tactics are changing.
As you might know, there’s one dominant area of flagship smartphones that sees minor/major upgrades absolutely every year – the earpiece. No, of course, it’s not the earpiece. It’s the camera system…
iPhone 13 series camera system upgrades:
| iPhone 13 Mini | iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| New and “much improved” ultra-wide-angle cameras with larger apertures (for better low-light photos) and autofocus for macro photography | New and “much improved” ultra-wide-angle cameras with larger apertures (for better low-light photos) and autofocus for macro photography | New and “much improved” ultra-wide-angle cameras with larger apertures (for better low-light photos) and autofocus for macro photography | New and “much improved” ultra-wide-angle cameras with larger apertures (for better low-light photos) and autofocus for macro photography |
| 2.5x telephoto camera for zoom and portraits | 2.5x telephoto camera for zoom and portraits | ||
| New, larger primary camera sensors for better low-light and bokeh (photo and video) | New, larger primary camera sensors for better low-light and bokeh (photo and video) | ||
| Sensor-shift stabilization | Sensor-shift stabilization | Sensor-shift stabilization | Sensor-shift stabilization |
| LiDAR for better depth and distance sensing in photos, videos, and AR apps | LiDAR for better depth and distance sensing in photos, videos, and AR apps | ||
| Astrophotography (long-exposure hand-held photos of the night sky) ??? | Astrophotography (long-exposure hand-held photos of the night sky) ??? | Astrophotography (long-exposure hand-held photos of the night sky) | Astrophotography (long-exposure hand-held photos of the night sky) |
| Portrait mode for video ??? | Portrait mode for video ??? |
iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max: A higher-rate refresh – Apple’s masterplan will work
Not just a refresh. A high refresh.
But! That’s not all. While the camera system is the biggest flex and marketing driver for Apple (and pretty much any other smartphone-maker), this time it won’t be enough to sell you a “Pro” iPhone, and Apple knows that.
So, what’s the best way to solve this issue and differentiate two sets of phones?
“Give people a feature to appreciate absolutely every time they interact with the phone – any app, any day, every gesture, every glance.”
It’s not a surprise that smartphone displays are arguably the most important part of the smartphone. It’s what you see and use every day. A brilliant camera is good to have, but how often do you use your zoom or ultra-wide-angle camera? Not nearly as often as you see your phone’s screen. That’s why it’s the perfect time for Apple to enter the high-refresh-rate race. Welcome, Apple. Of course, they are a couple of years late as usual, but that’s OK. iPhone users are used to it.
The iPhone 13 Pro & iPhone 13 Pro Max are expected to adopt a ProMotion variable refresh-rate screen at 120Hz, and boy, are people going to lose their minds over ii! Without being sarcastic at all, I believe Apple users are going to have their minds blown when they experience a 120Hz iPhone at an Apple store for the first time.
It’s smoother; it makes animations feel faster; it makes the phone feel faster – it just makes it feel… Pro. It’s the ultimate iPhone 13 Pro & 13 Pro Max selling point, on top of the better camera system and increased battery sizes.
In the end…
Is Apple back to making the best small flagships?
Well, it seems like this year, we are definitely getting a better balance between the standard iPhone 13 models and the iPhone 13 Pro ones. Of course, that’s great news for the people who can spend more and want to spend more for a “Pro” iPhone, but not great for those who want to buy an iPhone 13.
Then again, if you want to pay less for an iPhone 13 Pro, you might want to wait for next year’s iPhone 14. It’s an Apple tradition to bring old “Pro” features to new vanilla models every year.
Then, the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 11 Pro Max went with the old tactics by simply being bigger, with bigger batteries than the standard models. And then, the iPhone 12 Pro Max was clearly better than any other iPhone 12 model, including the 12 Pro. So, yes – pretty confusing.
See you in September!
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