iPhone 12 Pro Rumored to Feature 120Hz ProMotion Display, 3x Camera Zoom, and Improved Face ID

[macduke]

Please be true! 3x optical zoom would be a killer feature for my use and would make an upgrade worthwhile. I always find myself wanting just a little bit more telephoto range on my iPhone and have been hoping for 3x since the 2x came out. If the 3x thing is confirmed then that probably confirms a higher resolution sensor in the main camera so it can transition smoothly from 1x to 3x without needing a 2x step in the middle. Maybe that crazy 48mp rumor is true after all? Or at least something higher. I wonder if the iPhone Pro will move to 6GB RAM like the iPad Pro, but for all the high MP image processing it will need to handle.

The idea that within five years the iPhone might make my Sony mirrorless camera obsolete 90% of the time for professional work is just insane to me. I think this might be the time we look back and realize this is when the iPhone camera really took off into uncharted territory. Computational photography is the future and the machine learning software and camera/processor hardware is only getting better and faster every year!

 

[chucker23n1]

Stronger front camera means less shakier/blurry images, especially in the dark. The front needs OIS, for example.

Yeah, OIS is a good point.

While I generally agree, note that picture quality isn't only resolution. It's also about low light performance/noise. I always thought that was actually most important for the front camera in terms of video calls. Very often you just don't have a well-lit space available and there's nothing that butchers the quality of a video stream more than noise. Another thing you don't seem to be aware of is that many people have video calls beyond work and I guess most of those are 1:1 calls in which you usually do look at a full-screen or at least large sized video of the other person. Especially since LTE, you actually can stream a fairly high-quality video and you do notice the difference between good/bad cameras, e.g. there is a stark difference between calling someone who uses a MacBook Pro vs. an iPhone. Both streams are very likely less than 720p and both cameras are capable of 720p resolution, yet the MacBook Pro's camera is usually way noisier and just worse quality overall, you can tell, even if it's just a fairly low quality stream (which is a frustrating issue of its own, but alas).

I think you make a good point with low-light performance; that does help with (typically-indoor) videoconferencing.

Beyond that, though… even if you're on a 1:1 chat, 12 MP (or even the 7 on the iPhone SE — that's almost 4K!) is… absurdly overspecced for video chat.

 

[kasakka]

I hope it also has under-screen Touch ID. Surely, with the world walking around in masks this would be a priority feature?

I think I saw somewhere (probably here) that iOS 13.5 was supposed to improve support for FaceID when wearing a mask.

I don't feel that a fingerprint reader would solve any other problem than having to lift my polarized sunglasses if I want to open my iPhone with FaceID.

The 120 Hz refresh rate is the best feature here for me, if it works as well as it does on the iPad Pro then it should be pretty good with battery life since it is really variable refresh rate support.

But at the same time I am happy with my XS still and might wait for prices to drop next year before upgrading as there isn't really any feature that I consider truly needed. Better form factors would be the only reason to upgrade for me as the XS is still a tad large for my taste.

 

[Damian83]

i want next iphone with 8k, dolby vision, 600hz, portable 9.2.4 speakers, dts:x! 120hz??? how can i build a high-end HT with just 120hz??

 

[44267547]

Will putting the 120fps iPhone into “Low Power Mode” restrict it to only 60fps?

That’s a brilliant question. Because I use my iPhone in ‘low power mode‘ all the time. Which I suspect Apple will throttle Promotion in order to conserve the battery, as they Did you buy other things with reducing the screen brightness and CPU.

 

[chucker23n1]

Will putting the 120fps iPhone into “Low Power Mode” restrict it to only 60fps?

Perhaps.

They'll probably use the same techniques as on the iPad Pro and the Apple Watch Series 5 to throttle the Hz where possible, so overall display power draw might actually be lower than right now.

But perhaps the UI (scroll views, etc.) will also be capped at 60Hz during low-power mode.

 

[Austin Chow]

After 30x the zoom looks like crap

Samsung only has what, 4x or 5x? P40 pro has 50x not 100x and after 30x it looks bad on both Samsung and p40 pro

Apple don’t release things until they think it’s ready and worth while. The tech simply isn’t good enough yet to release anything past 30x. Apple has never thrown stuff out there to see what sticks...2022 is when they will have 10x optical

The p40 Pro PLUS has 100X zoom. (I'm not talking about the non-plus p40 pro)

 

[The Game 161]

The p40 Pro PLUS has 100X zoom. (I'm not talking about the non-plus p40 pro)

Is it even out yet? I’m sure the 100x zoom will look as trash as it does on the ultra. Will see but I don’t see it being any better. 50x didn’t look very good on P40 pro.

I can’t see many use cases past 30x but each to their own

Has to be said that they are the first to bring out optical 10x so while this is very impressive let’s not act like this has been out for years.

Hey have put a lot of effort into zoom and for most part it’s great. Wouldn’t say it’s most important thing to have on a camera though. Better stills and video would class as more important for many

 

[Constable Odo]

USB-C = I will buy.
No USB-C = I will not buy.

Your move, Apple.

Apple's share price just dropped 0.0000000002% after that threat. Dang. Apple is doomed again.

 

[incoherent_1]

I'd love to have it but this is not something they can do in a few weeks time. The design of an iPhone takes time, if TouchID wasn't already in the works before the pandemic there are little chances we'll see in the 2020 iPhone.

I think they could do something for FaceID in order to allow us to unlock the phone even with a mask. It would be less secure maybe, so I'd still require the whole face uncovered for payments, but suppose I'm wearing an Apple Watch and my iPhone is in proximity, the system can infer there are really good chances I am the one unlocking the phone and try to recognise me only by the visible part of my face.

The rumors from a few years back seem to indicate that they had at least a working prototype of under-screen Touch ID, plus other phone makers have launched viable equivalents.

In other words: this wouldn’t be something they’d have to develop from scratch. My guess is 90-97% of this work is already done.
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I think I saw somewhere (probably here) that iOS 13.5 was supposed to improve support for FaceID when wearing a mask.

I don't feel that a fingerprint reader would solve any other problem than having to lift my polarized sunglasses if I want to open my iPhone with FaceID.

The 120 Hz refresh rate is the best feature here for me, if it works as well as it does on the iPad Pro then it should be pretty good with battery life since it is really variable refresh rate support.

But at the same time I am happy with my XS still and might wait for prices to drop next year before upgrading as there isn't really any feature that I consider truly needed. Better form factors would be the only reason to upgrade for me as the XS is still a tad large for my taste.

120hz would be fun, but honestly the faults of Face ID make my XS my least favorite iPhone I’ve owned. Raising my sunglasses just to unlock is ridiculous, especially in applications like driving (I’ve had to drive around lost for a couple minutes just to find a place to pull off to remove my glasses, the lean forward and hover awkwardly over my screen To unlock my phone to tap a notification that would open turn-by-turn directions). If I wasn’t required to keep a passcode on my phone for work, I would’ve just removed security ages ago.

I’m happy for people who like Face ID, but for those of us for whom it doesn’t work, it’s a massive PITA.

And don’t even get me started on using Face ID while wearing a mask.

 

[Austin Chow]

Is it even out yet? I’m sure the 100x zoom will look as trash as it does on the ultra. Will see but I don’t see it being any better. 50x didn’t look very good on P40 pro.

I can’t see many use cases past 30x but each to their own

Has to be said that they are the first to bring out optical 10x so while this is very impressive let’s not act like this has been out for years.

Hey have put a lot of effort into zoom and for most part it’s great. Wouldn’t say it’s most important thing to have on a camera though. Better stills and video would class as more important for many

p40 series (including pro, pro plus) are all out, and having and felt the phones in person, their zoom is simply unbelievably magical. P40 series is much better than S20 Ultra's zoom.

But I've got to agree with you that better stills and videos should also be top priority, especially low light performance.

 

[The Game 161]

p40 series (including pro, pro plus) are all out, and having and felt the phones in person, their zoom is simply unbelievably magical. P40 series is much better than S20 Ultra's zoom.

But I've got to agree with you that better stills and videos should also be top priority, especially low light performance.

I agree they have set the tone for zoom quality. I do agree it looks better than Samsung’s version which i think is down to better image processing more than anything.

 

[The Game 161]

Jon Prosser is saying

All iPhone 12 models will start at 128GB

iPhone 12 to have 4GB of ram and the pros to have 6GB of ram

 

[Skolvikings]

"according to unreliable leaker Max Weinbach"

I don't get it. If this dude is unreliable, why write this article?

You're here, visiting the site, viewing ads, engaging with a comment...

That's why.

 

[Drogba11]

I wish they would just switch to USB-C to USB-C already like they have done for the iPad Pro. I have an entire box of USB-A to lightning cables that are basically obsolete now that I use an iPhone 11 Pro Max and an iPad Pro. I don’t want to start buying extra USB-C to lightning cables for Apple to eventually ditch it in a year or 2.

 

[grantew1]

USB-C = I will buy.
No USB-C = I will not buy.

Your move, Apple.

Randomo guy on internet says deal or no deal.

The internet and newsrooms await Tim Cook's decision...........

 

[cwwilson]

As long as Midnight Blue is a reality I’ll be ordering my first iPhone Pro this fall.

It just simply looks to be a big upgrade on the already impressive iPhone 11 lineup. The Midnight Blue is absolutely the cherry on top!

 

[Skolvikings]

USB-C = I will buy.
No USB-C = I will not buy.

Your move, Apple.

I hope they stick with a lightning port. My whole family has iPhones and I don't want to have to buy new cables and deal with different iPhones in the house needing different types of cables.

 

[jkozlow3]

I don't feel that a fingerprint reader would solve any other problem than having to lift my polarized sunglasses if I want to open my iPhone with FaceID.

120hz would be fun, but honestly the faults of Face ID make my XS my least favorite iPhone I’ve owned. Raising my sunglasses just to unlock is ridiculous, especially in applications like driving (I’ve had to drive around lost for a couple minutes just to find a place to pull off to remove my glasses, the lean forward and hover awkwardly over my screen To unlock my phone to tap a notification that would open turn-by-turn directions). If I wasn’t required to keep a passcode on my phone for work, I would’ve just removed security ages ago.

I’m happy for people who like Face ID, but for those of us for whom it doesn’t work, it’s a massive PITA.

And don’t even get me started on using Face ID while wearing a mask.

Have you guys tried turning off "Require Attention for Face ID" under Settings>Accessibility>Face ID & Attention ?

I read about this tip a couple of years back and I find it makes a big difference for unlocking with sunglasses on - even polarized ones!

 

[MacBH928]

How about no notch and in screen TouchID?

Does the 120Mhz really make a huge difference, I got iPhone7 and I am really not bothered by the screen i think its perfect already.

 

[jackietreeh0rn]

First, Can’t stand ‘EverythingApplePro’. He over-dramatizes everything.

Anyways....

I agree with the large majority of what we will see for features listed. I’m more interested to see how Apple continues to improve Face ID, Plus the reduction of technology should help minimize the notch. Plus, I expect Apple to continue to openly discuss AR with the camera.

Apple : *releases ios 13.4.9.1.2 dev beta*
EverythingApplePro : *EXCLUSIVE VIDEO HERE's 171 new features in ios 13.4.9.1.2 dev beta*

 

[freddiecable]

3x zoom is very welcome. When I use zoom I usually want to zoom a tad more than only 2x

 

[falconman515]

This would be welcome. I loved it on my 10.5 inch iPad Pro, but switched to an iPad mini 5 and miss that refresh rate. But I like the size of it. Now that I think of it, they should make an iPad mini pro with ProMotion, USB-C, stereo speakers, all screen display, same camera system as iPad Pro, etc.

I would Fiiiiinally buy another iPad (which with my Mac and iPhone really don't need cause I hate the size) if they came out with a mini Just Like This!!! I would pre-order the thing to be honest, I've been wanting a pro type mini for years now!!!!!!!

 

[The Game 161]

Hopefully apple get the pro motion sorted in time.

If they don’t it really would give people less reasons to get the pro over the regular models unless you want a bigger phone and that better zoom.

 

[chucker23n1]

Hopefully apple get the pro motion sorted in time.

If they don’t it really would give people less reasons to get the pro over the regular models unless you want a bigger phone and that better zoom.

Yeah, I don't think the $300 value proposition of the 11 Pro over the 11 is that good.