Happy launch day! The new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are arriving to pre-order customers as of today and are hitting stores worldwide. We picked up a Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro and thought we'd share our first impressions for MacRumors readers still deciding on a purchase or waiting for their own iPhones to arrive.
Watch on YouTubeThis year's iPhones include no EarPods or power adapter in the box, so there's a new, more environmentally friendly box that's slimmer than the prior boxes. There's the phone itself, a Lightning to USB-C cable, a few small regulatory booklets, an Apple sticker, and a SIM ejection tool.
The squared-off edges of the new iPhone design are a major departure from the rounded edges we've had since the iPhone 6, so the feel of the flatter edge will take some getting used to. It can be a bit more uncomfortable to hold in the hand when you're unaccustomed to it, but it does feel secure and easy to hold on to, even though it's thinner than the iPhone 11 models.
Design wise, the new iPhone 12 Pro looks similar to the iPad Pro or something like the iPhone 5, so if you love that flat edged look, this is the phone for you. We think it looks great, and it's a refreshing change from rounded edges. There have already been complaints about those shiny stainless steel edges on the Pro models, and we can confirm, that glossy material is a fingerprint magnet. The Pacific Blue color is unique, but it doesn't do much in terms of hiding fingerprints.
The iPhone 12 Pro is 6.1 inches, which is about the same size as the iPhone 11 before. Last year's Pro model was 5.8 inches, so expect a bit of a size increase, but overall, the sizes aren't hugely different.
Apple added a new Ceramic Shield display that offers 4x stronger drop protection, but we're not going to test that claim and ruin a perfectly good iPhone. Drop tests will be coming, though, and note that Apple makes no claims when it comes to protection against scratches and dings. Our iPhone is new enough that it's in perfect condition, but there have been early reports that the screen is easier to scratch than normal, which is something to keep an eye on.
We covered MagSafe cases and chargers earlier this week before we had a new iPhone and were curious if the magnetic connection is stronger with an actual iPhone 12 in hand, and it does seem like there's a small difference. It's still not as magnetic as we might have expected, and while we don't have a Wallet accessory on hand to test yet, there's a good chance it's not going to be the best accessory to slap onto the back of the phone.
