Problem of plenty

There are four new iPhones.How to choose the one for you

iphone-12 iPhone 12

Buying an iPhone used to be easy (if you could afford it, of course). You had one latest model and a few older ones; you could choose one according to how much you want to spend or how technologically inclined you are. It is a lot more complicated now. In India, Apple now officially sells the iPhone XR (2018), the iPhone 11(2019), the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Mini, the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max (all 2020), in addition to the many older models available at steep discounts on Amazon and Flipkart.

The question is, which one should you buy? Usually, the latest iPhone is the best iPhone. This time, however, there are four latest ones at different price points. One thing you have to bear in mind is that only the 12 series iPhones—the 12, the 12 Mini, the 12 Pro and the 12 Pro Max—have 5G capability. Of course, 5G is not yet available in India. But the iPhones’ build quality and the software support Apple provides for years allow you to use them for a long time, making a strong case for investing in the 12 series. Of course, you can wait for a service provider to start 5G services and buy one of these at that time, probably at a lower price.

All iPhones in the 12 series come with Apple’s latest A14 Bionic chip. What you get additionally in the Pro are a telephoto lens in the camera setup, HDR video recording at 60 fps (instead of 30 fps), LiDAR scanner (helps in faster autofocus and AR experiences), 126GB base storage (instead of 64GB) and Apple ProRAW (an upcoming photo format that allows raw editing). They, however, come at a significant price. While the iPhone 12 costs 079,900 for the base model, the iPhone 12 Pro costs 01,19,900. The Pro, made in stainless steel and available in some exclusive colours, looks better than the aluminium iPhone 12.

The 12 Pro Max has a bigger screen (6.7 inches instead of 6.1), bigger battery and a better optical zoom than the Pro, and costs 01,29,900 for the base model. The Mini comes with a smaller screen (5.4 inches) and a smaller battery, and costs 069,900.

Again, which one should you buy? The iPhone 12 strikes a sweet balance between price and features, and would be the most suitable phone for most people. The Pro and the Pro Max are for power users, and those with deep pockets. The Mini is a powerful device in a nice little package; but the smaller battery might not last the day for many people.

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