Review of the smartphone Apple iPhone 12 mini with the main characteristics

October 13 was the presentation of a new line of smartphones from Apple. The miniature iPhone 12 mini is perhaps the most interesting novelty. Partly due to the miniature size, partly due to the relatively low price of $700.

Main characteristics

Design

Users will not be surprised by the design, as it is very reminiscent of the legendary iPhone 4. Rectangular shape, with slightly rounded corners.

Narrow frames around the perimeter are almost invisible and do not interfere with the review - it will be equally comfortable to read or watch video content. As for ergonomics, the miniature gadget fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and is easily controlled even with one hand.

There are 5 body colors to choose from. From rich black, red and blue, to pastel green (rather mint) and white.

The layout of the buttons and speakers remains unchanged, there is no headphone jack.

Display

Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels with the most accurate color reproduction and high contrast. This is noticeable both when viewing text files and when watching movies - the text has become noticeably clearer, and the image is brighter.

The diagonal size is 5.4 inches, the branded bangs remained, but the buttons were removed to increase the size of the display. The manufacturer's claims that the display occupies the front panel from edge to edge is, of course, an exaggeration, but the screen has really become noticeably larger.

For the first time, devices use Ceramic Shield technology, which involves the addition of ceramic nanocrystals in the production of glass. In addition to strength, Ceramic Shield glass is resistant to mechanical damage, so it is not afraid of chips and scratches.
In addition, a fundamentally new glass installation technology was used - on the same level with the body. The manufacturer claims that this solution will reduce the risk of damage to the device when dropped by 4 times.

Camera

The main module consists of 2 sensors. The wide-angle camera can capture 27% more light, so you can shoot even in low light. Special attention deserves the night shooting mode, which turns on automatically if the smartphone decides that there is not enough lighting for a good shot.
Thanks to Deep Fusion technology, you can achieve stunning image detail, up to the transfer of fabric texture. Smart HDR 3 mode with machine learning function, recognizes not only faces, but also other objects, automatically adjusts white balance and sharpness. Also useful when shooting in bright sunlight.

Portrait shots also come out great.The camera can blur the background, and thanks to the lighting settings, you can get beautiful and detailed photos.

And finally, the most important thing is the ability to shoot video in Dolby Vision mode with 4K resolution, edit video directly on your smartphone, and even transfer the picture to your TV using AirPlay. All the "chips" of the main camera are available for the front camera.

Thanks to the Time Lapse mode, you can shoot great videos even in the complete absence or low light. True, for a high-quality and smooth picture, the smartphone must be installed on a tripod.

Performance

Great, thanks to the A14 Bionic A14. Thanks to the Neural Engine system, the gadget is capable of 11 million operations per second - you can play even the most demanding toys without any problems if you are satisfied with the display size. In comparison, the A14Bionic outperformed the Snapdragon 865 Plus by 2% in gaming performance, 12% in CPU performance, and the same 12% in power efficiency. So there is no question of freezing when switching between tabs or watching video content.

Connection

The new line of smartphones are the first Apple devices to support 5G communications standards. For the sake of such a large-scale event, the company made a deal with Qualcomm (a manufacturer of 5G modems), and ended a years-long legal battle.

For Russian buyers, this news is unlikely to be useful, since the mass introduction of the latest generation networks is scheduled for next year. But on the other hand, users will appreciate the high data transfer rate (up to 2 Gb / s) and support for 32 LTE bands.

Battery capacity and battery life

Apple generally lists battery life without disclosing battery specifications. According to the manufacturer, one charge is enough for 50 hours of listening to audio files and up to 15 hours of multimedia. Battery capacity (according to information leaked to the network) - 2227 mAh. Not impressive.
By the way, even on the official website it was not possible to find the characteristics of the battery. There is mention of ultra-fast charging, but there are no specific numbers.

Interface

The new iOS 14 allows users to:

• choose the size and location of widgets on the display;
• "Smart Button" function remembers user preferences and automatically displays application widgets on the display;
• the ability to customize the settings for yourself;
• updated application library with optimized navigation;
• compact call interface - now a compact call window is located at the top of the screen and does not interfere with video viewing, for example;
• the Wallet application will allow you to start the car engine directly from your smartphone;
• offline mode "Translation", with the ability to save previously translated phrases.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Safari browser - ultra-fast, with reliable protection and the ability to generate a report on which sites use the user's personal data.

Water protection

iPhone 12 mini is resistant to water drops and dust (lab tests). According to Apple, the smartphone will even withstand immersion to a depth of 6 meters, and will work even if it lies on the bottom of the pool for half an hour.
It just honestly warns that damage to the phone resulting from contact with liquid is not covered by the warranty.So, just in case, it is better to keep a smartphone away from a cup of coffee, not to take it to the bathroom with you, and even more so not to experiment with immersion in a glass of water.

Equipment

The kit includes, in fact, the smartphone itself, USB-C / Lightning cable and that's it. The manufacturer explains this decision by concern for the environment (the site has information about reducing carbon emissions and the use of valuable materials) and reducing the size of the package, which will help reduce the volume of transport.
Another argument in favor of refusing additional equipment is that everyone has headphones and charging, so it makes no sense to put them in every box.

In general, if you are going to buy a gadget from Apple for the first time, you will also have to fork out both for an adapter and for purchasing headphones.

Where could I buy

iPhone 12 mini is already available for pre-order on the official Apple website. Price - from 70,000 rubles. Unlike previous launches, no gifts are offered. MagSafe accessories can only be ordered at full price.

By the way, part of the proceeds from the sale of smartphones in red color go to the Global Fund to fight COVID‑19.

Advantages and disadvantages

The novelty turned out to be really interesting. An excellent camera that allows you to get pictures of almost studio quality, the ability to shoot video. Again, a display that allows you to watch any content in HDR format. Not a bad price for a premium device.
The only drawback is, probably, the lack of an adapter and EarPods in the kit. Arguments about reducing the volume of the box and reducing car traffic look somehow unconvincing.

• good camera;
• ergonomic design;
• bright display;
• high performance;
• splash protection;
• impact-resistant glass;
• 5 body colors;
• good autonomy;
• acceptable price for a device of this class.

• no adapter included;
• small battery capacity.

So, if you want a miniature but productive smartphone, with an excellent camera and a user-friendly interface, feel free to place an order on the website. Delivery, by the way, is free.