iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini use Apple's six-core A14 Bionic processor, which contains a next-generation neural engine. They both have three internal storage options: 64, 128, and 256 GB.[lower-alpha 1] Both also carry an IP68 water and dust resistance rating along with dirt and grime, and is water-resistant up to six meters (20 feet) for 30 minutes. However, the manufacturer warranty does not cover liquid damage to the phone.

The iPhone 12 series are the first iPhone models to be supplied from launch without EarPods or a wall adapter, which Apple says was done to reduce carbon emissions and waste since most users already own them. Apple also claims 70% more boxes can fit on a pallet given the smaller box, and thus further reducing emissions.[25] A USB-C to Lightning cord is still included. This change also applies retroactively to all other iPhone models still in production.[26] To comply with French law regarding wireless device radiation and health which requires phones to be bundled with and promote use of hands-free accessories by children under 14, iPhone models will still include EarPods in this market.[27]

A magnetic connector known as MagSafe is introduced on the iPhone 12 models, allowing accessories such as cases and charging cords to be attached to the rear of the device. Accessories can also be stacked together.[28]

The devices support 5G cellular communications. This allows upload speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s and download speeds of up to 4 Gbit/s.[29] However, only models sold in the U.S. support the fastest mmWave technology; those sold elsewhere in the world, including Canada, support only sub-6 GHz frequency bands.[30] A new feature called Smart Data Mode enables 5G only when necessary to preserve battery life.[31]

Rear camera module of the iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 features a 6.1-inch (155 mm) display[32] with Super Retina XDR OLED technology at a resolution of 2532 × 1170 pixels and a pixel density of about 460 ppi.[33] The iPhone 12 Mini features a 5.4-inch (137 mm) display with the same technology at a resolution of 2340 × 1080 pixels, and a pixel density of about 476 ppi. Both phones have a peak brightness of 1200 nits when viewing HDR content equivalent to the iPhone 12 Pro, and normal brightness of 625 nits.[33] Both phones also use an improved glass-ceramic covering called Ceramic Shield which is co-developed with Corning Inc. Apple describes it as having "4 times better drop performance" and being "tougher than any smartphone glass".[34]

The iPhone 12 has a 10.78 Wh (2,815 mAh) battery, a slight decrease from the 11.91 Wh (3,110 mAh) battery found in the iPhone 11 and identical to the battery found in the iPhone 12 Pro. The iPhone 12 Mini has a 8.57 Wh (2,227 mAh) battery. Like previous iPhones, the battery is not user-replaceable.[35]

Both the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini have the Apple A14 Bionic, the first ARM-based smartphone system-on-a-chip (SoC) manufactured on the 5 nm process node. However, unlike previous years, they are not the first Apple devices to receive the newest A-series processor, with the fourth-generation iPad Air being the first. Both phones use Qualcomm's X55 5G modem.

Both phones have two rear 12-megapixel cameras: wide and ultra-wide. The wide camera is a 26 mm full-frame equivalent with an f/1.6 aperture which captures 27% more light than the f/1.8 aperture in the iPhone 11[3] and a seven-element lens. The ultra-wide camera is a 13 mm full-frame equivalent with an f/2.4 aperture and a five-element lens.[36]

All cameras now support Night Mode for both photo and time-lapse video at full resolution.[23] Smart HDR has been improved thanks to Smart HDR 3.[36] This iPhone model is the first capable of shooting 10-bit high dynamic range Dolby Vision 4K video at up to 30 fps which allows for greater brightness and deeper shadows.[37]

The front-facing, TrueDepth camera features a 12-megapixel camera with an f/2.2 aperture. This model also added Night Mode to the front-facing camera.[23]

Sensors

The iPhone 12 and 12 Mini include mostly the same sensors found on prior iPhone models going back to the iPhone X. These include an accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and a digital compass. The devices also include the Face ID sensor for biometric authentication.

Both phones originally shipped with iOS 14.[23] The devices come with the stock iOS apps, such as Safari, Weather, and Messages, and they include Siri, the personal assistant in iOS. They received iOS 15 on September 20, 2021, iOS 16 which was released on September 12, 2022, and most recently iOS 17, released on September 18, 2023. These devices receive full support for iOS 17's new features.[38]

Within two weeks after its public release, a thread was started at Apple Support Communities describing a problem with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro OLED panel black pixels not shutting off completely in black scenes, resulting in what was described as "ugly glowing".[48] A considerable number of users have since posted replies reporting the same problem, photos and videos have been shared online demonstrating the issue. As of January 2021, Apple has not yet made an official statement.

Apple no longer includes either EarPods or a power adapter in the boxes of all iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models, claiming that it is an environmental initiative and no longer including them would reduce e-waste and permit smaller iPhone boxes, allowing more devices to be transported simultaneously to decrease its carbon footprint. The boxes only include a USB-C to Lightning cable, incompatible with the existing USB-A power adapters that Apple previously supplied with its devices. Users can still use their existing USB-A power adapters and cables, but must purchase a USB-C power adapter sold separately to enable fast charging.

In December 2020, a Brazilian consumer rights watchdog Procon-SP Foundation requested Apple to provide proof that not including chargers is beneficial to the environment. The watchdog argues that Apple removing the charger is harming consumers and wants to force the company to include one as it claims the charger is an essential component.[49]

The Verge reported the reason power adapters and EarPods are no longer included could be to offset the increased cost of 5G components. These new components are reported to cost 30% more than their predecessors.[50]

iFixit and Australian YouTuber Hugh Jeffreys discovered that a number of key components such as the cameras would malfunction or display warnings if they are replaced with new ones or those taken from an otherwise identical donor unit.[51] Internal Apple documents also mention that, beginning with the iPhone 12 and in subsequent models, authorized technicians would have to run the phones through an internal System Configuration tool to reprogram repaired units in order to account for hardware changes. While Apple has yet to comment on the issue, the inability to replace key system components have raised concerns about right to repair and planned obsolescence.[52] However, the iPhone 12 Mini does not have this issue.[53] Apple later addressed the issue with the release of iOS 14.4, which displays a warning message if the phone detects an unpaired camera module but otherwise allows for full functionality.[54]

In September 2023, the French watchdog agency Agence nationale des fréquences notified Apple that sales of the iPhone 12 must be halted in France due to the device exceeding the legal specific absorption rate for consumer electronics. The agency also requested that Apple must recall all iPhone 12s that have been produced in order to meet safety regulations. However, this coincided with the release of the iPhone 15 models where Apple also discontinued the iPhone 12 globally.[55]

Despite the move however, France's digital minister did emphasize the iPhone 12's radiation levels[56] remained well below the threshold deemed harmful by scientific studies. Even Apple, "...disputed the findings and said the device complies with regulations..." [Regulations | source 39]. This highlighted a discrepancy between the agency's tests and real-world phone usage scenarios.[57]