Apple iPhone 12 Mini 5G Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, How Does It Compare to iPhone12?

On October 14, 2020, American tech giant Apple Inc. formally unveiled the all-new Apple iPhone 12 Series which - as its name suggests - officially supersedes the Apple iPhone 11 Series from 2019 as the company's latest line of flagship-level handsets.

Earlier, I talked about the two more expensive models in this group - the Apple iPhone 12 Pro and Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max - and in this post, allow me to share information about the more affordable Apple iPhone 12 and Apple iPhone 12 Mini. I'll also try to compare these phones' technical specifications, prices, and features.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini dons a price tag starting at $699 USD while the Apple iPhone 12 has an official SRP which starts at $799 USD.

Display and External Dimensions

The biggest difference between the Apple iPhone 12 Mini and Apple iPhone 12 is in terms of screen size. The Mini has a smaller 5.4-inch 1080 x 2340 pixels Super Retina XDR OLED while the iPhone12 has the same display type but measuring 6.1 inches with 1170 x 2532 pixels resolution.

Despite the size difference, though, both screens support HDR10, has 1200 nits Max Brightness, and scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield protection.

The difference in display size also dictated the footprint and weight variance between the two models. Apple iPhone 12 Mini measures 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm and weighs 135 grams while Apple iPhone 12 has dimensions of 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm and has a 164 grams heft.

Design

All models in the Apple iPhone 12 Series share the same design identity, which frankly looks like a cross between the Apple iPhone 5 from 2012 and the Apple iPhone 11 from 2019.

The front and back panels are largely the same as what you'll see on last year's iPhone Series but the sides are flat or structured instead of rounded, which I personally prefer since it makes the handsets easier to hold.

The rear camera module design of the Apple iPhone 12 Mini and Apple iPhone 12 is similar to that of the Apple iPhone 11. The two cameras are beside each other and opposite them, there's a Quad-Tone Dual LED flash bulb.

Cameras

Aside from screen size, RAM, and battery size, the area where Apple iPhone 12 Mini and Apple iPhone 12 are inferior compared to the Pro and Pro Max versions is in terms of imaging capabilities.

The Pro Models come with better low-light imaging performance, depth mapping, and as well has optical zooming capabilities because of their extra hardware features.

Nonetheless, the Dual Rear camera module of the Apple iPhone 12 Mini and Apple iPhone 12 which is made up of a 12 MegaPixel f/1.6 main camera with Phase Detection AutoFocus and Optical Image Stabilization plus the secondary 12 MegaPixel f/2.4 120˚ ultra-wide-angle secondary shooter are still very reliable as they also benefit from the enhanced imaging algorithm that comes embedded with the Apple A14 Bionic processor that powers all models in this series.

Additionally, the front-camera set-up of these more affordable iPhones - consisting of a 12 MegaPixel f/2.2 selfie camera plus an SL 3D Depth and Biometrics Sensor - is practically identical to what you'll find on the pricier Pro variants.

For vloggers and video content creators, the two rear cameras of the iPhone12 and 12 Mini can shoot 4K videos at 24, 30, and 60fps and FullHD videos at 24, 30, 60, 120, and 240 fps while their front-cam can likewise shoot the same resolutions but not at 240fps. All models in the Apple iPhone 12 Series come with Video HDR which offers better colors, contrast, highlights, and shadows when shooting clips in conditions where there are extreme light intensity variance between the background and foreground.

If you ask me, since Apple iPhone 11, the Cupertino Company has had sheer superiority over all smartphone brands when it comes to stills photography and - especially - in video recording. The Low-Light Photography and HDR Video features of Apple iPhone 11 and 12 Series put them in a separate category that's above all else. Obviously, Apple Inc. has been focusing on the imaging prowess of their newer handsets which only spells trouble for hybrid camera makers.

Internal Hardware

As I've said, all four models in the Apple iPhone 12 Series are powered by the beastly 5nm Apple A15 Bionic processor, which is arguably the most powerful mobile chipset as of writing not just in terms of gaming and overall performance but also in terms of enabling top-notch imaging prowess.

Compared to the Pro models, though, the iPhone12 and 12 Mini only have 4GB of RAM for multi-tasking while the Pro and Pro Max come with 6GB which makes them superior in running multiple apps and games at once.

As for internal storage, Apple iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone12 have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB internal storage options which dictate price differences across variants.

Battery and Charging Speed

The smaller Apple iPhone 12 Mini is powered by a 2,227 mAh battery which is in direct proportion to its size. On the other hand hand, Apple iPhone12 comes with a 2,815 high capacity pack that also delivers longer uptime.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini delivers 15 hours of multimedia use and 50 hours of music playback while the iPhone12 offers 17 hours and 65 hours, respectively.

Both models support 20W of fast wired charging allowing the user to get 50% charge from 0% in just 30 minutes. Qi Wireless Charging via MagSafe snap-on accessories is at 15W.

5G Support

All models in the Apple iPhone 12 Series are 5G enabled and can work with 5G networks in the Philippines but only the Pro variants support 4Gbps download speeds via Millimeter Wave technology.

On October 14, 2020, Smart Communications started promoting the Smart iPhone 12 Series on the MVP company's social media pages, which is a sure sign that the handsets will eventually come bundled with their 5G Smart Signature Plans.

Main Criticisms

Tech bloggers and long-time Apple fans were shocked to learn that all models in the iPhone 12 Series won't ship with a travel charger and a pair of earphones, which are supposed to be mainstays in the box of any flagship level smartphone. Apple claims that this move is part of their efforts to help conserve the environment but some see this as plain hypocrisy since the entire package in itself - even without the said accessories - already has a big carbon footprint.

Like the Pro variants, Apple iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone12 also lack a Fingerprint Sensor or Touch ID which is a necessary feature amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic when almost everyone is wearing a face mask outside, making Facial Recognition for unlocking devices unreliable.

Price and Availability in the Philippines

Apple Inc. has yet to announce the iPhone 12 Series' official release date and price schedule for our local market. Nonetheless, based on previous iPhone launches, my price guesstimates for the SRP of Apple iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone12 are at PHP 47,990 and PHP 53,990, respectively, for the base models.

Its hard to predict the exact launch date of the iPhone 12 Series Philippines because of changes brought about by the pandemic. However, I'm still expecting these handsets to land here within November to December 2020. I'm personally hoping that they would arrive just in time for our 2020 Holiday Gadget shopping to help uplift our spirits after all the challenging upheavals we faced this year.

To wrap up, let me give you my side-by-side technical specifications comparison table for the Apple iPhone 12 and the Apple iPhone 12. If you find this as well as the entire article useful, I hope you can share this TechPinas post with your friends on social media. Cheers!

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specifications Table
	Apple iPhone 12 Mini	Apple iPhone 12
Dimensions	131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm
Weight	135 grams	164 grams
Display	5.4 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 476 ppi, 19.5:9, HDR10, 1200 nits Max Brightness, Super Retina XDR OLED, Dolby Vision	6.1 inches, 1170 x 2532 pixels, 460 ppi, 19.5:9, HDR10, 1200 nits Max Brightness, Super Retina XDR OLED, Dolby Vision
Screen to Body Ratio	85.1%	86%
Screen Protection	Scratch-Resistant Glass with Ceramic Shield	Scratch-Resistant Glass with Ceramic Shield
Front Selfie Camera	Dual: 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)	Dual: 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Rear Camera	Dual: 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" Quad-LED Dual-Tone flash HDR	Dual: 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" Quad-LED Dual-Tone flash HDR
Video Recorder	Front - 4K 2160p 24/30/60fps, FullHD 1080p 30/60/120fps, Gyro-EIS, Video HDR Back - 4K 2160p 24/30/60fps, FullHD 1080p 30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, Stereo Sound, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), Video HDR	Front - 4K 2160p 24/30/60fps, FullHD 1080p 30/60/120fps, Gyro-EIS, Video HDR Back - 4K 2160p 24/30/60fps, FullHD 1080p 30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, Stereo Sound, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), Video HDR
Current Operating System	iOS 14	iOS 14
Chipset	5nm Hexa-Core Apple A14 Bionic	5nm Hexa-Core Apple A14 Bionic
GPU	Quad Core Apple GPU	Quad Core Apple GPU
RAM	4GB	4GB
ROM NVMe	64GB, 128GB, 256GB	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
microSD Card Slot	None	None
Battery	Non-Removable Li-Ion 2,227 mAh Battery	Non-Removable Li-Ion 2,815 mAh Battery
Battery Life	Multimedia Use - 15 Hours Music Playback - 50 Hours	Multimedia Use - 17 Hours Music Playback - 65 Hours
Fast Charging	20W Fast Wired Charging (50% in 30 Minutes) 15W Wireless Charging via MagSafe	20W Fast Wired Charging (50% in 30 Minutes) 15W Wireless Charging via MagSafe
Charging Port	Lightning Port	Lightning Port
WiFi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6
Bluetooth	5.0	5.0
4G LTE	Yes, 4G LTE-A	Yes, 4G LTE-A
5G	Yes	Yes
SIM	Single nanoSIM	Single nanoSIM
Gyroscope	Yes	Yes
Fingerprint Scanner	None	None
Facial Recognition	Yes, Face ID	Yes, Face ID
Protection Against The Elements	IP68 Water (6 Meters, 30 Minutes) and Dust Resistant	IP68 Water (6 Meters, 30 Minutes) and Dust Resistant
Colors	Black, White, Red, Green, Blue	Black, White, Red, Green, Blue
Build	Aluminum, Glass	Aluminum, Glass
Availability	October 23, 2020 in Key Markets Philippines - November, Guesstimate	October 23, 2020 in Key Markets Philippines - November, Guesstimate
Price as of April 24, 2020	Official Retail Prices via Apple Online Store in US 64GB - $699 USD 128GB - $749 USD 256GB - $849 USD Philippines Price Guesstimates 64GB - PHP 47,990 128GB - PHP 50,990 256GB - PHP 56,990	Official Retail Prices via Apple Online Store in US 64GB - $799 USD 128GB - $849 USD 256GB - $949 USD Philippines Price Guesstimates 64GB - PHP 53,990 128GB - PHP 56,990 256GB - PHP 62,990