News
iPhone 12 Pro series: The photographer’s iPhone
The “Pro” applies to the cameras more than any other feature
The iPhone 12 Pro line is meant for photographers and videographers in mind. Although it’s packed with the same internals and display tech, what makes them different from the latter are the set of cameras — including a regular (wide) lens, an ultra-wide lens, a new telephoto zoom lens that’s capable of 5x optical zoom, and even a LiDAR Scanner just like on the 2020 iPad Pro.
The iPhone 12 Pro’s display size is similar to the iPhone 12 but the iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s biggest iPhone (yet). From last year’s 6.5-inch, they bumped it up to a whopping 6.7-inch which still features the crisp and stunning Super Retina XDR display.
The new iPhone 12 Pro lineup comes in four colorways: graphite, silver, gold, and a new Pacific Blue variant — which ditches the Midnight Green option from last year.
For everything else, here are the changes. These are all also pretty much what you’ll find on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.
Flat-edge design
Just like in the leaks, the flat edges from the iPhone 4s and 5s has made a comeback. They all feature a redefined flat-edge design sandwiched by two glass materials, including a tougher ‘Ceramic Shield’ glass that Apple claims as the “toughest glass in any smartphone”.
To make them distinct to each other, the iPhone 12 and 12 mini come in aluminum frame while both the iPhone 12 Pro lineup have stainless steel frame for that extra shiny and premium look. This “new” design feel is similar to the recent generations of the fullscreen iPad Pro — if you’ve ever held one.
Super Retina XDR Display
While the same ol’ notch is still there, they all now feature a crisp and vibrant Super Retina XDR display technology. This is a big improvement to the basic iPhone 12 and 12 mini lineup. They completely ditched the lackluster Liquid Retina display found on the older iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models. The flat-edge design definitely made the bezels look thinner this time.
A14 Bionic Chip
All iPhone models are equipped with the latest A14 Bionic chipset — which already made its debut last month on the new iPad Air. The new chipset promises 40% better CPU performance and 30% in GPU than the A12 found in the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max series. Other than that, this chip also helps bring out the best of their camera hardware by improving the software side through computational photography.
5G Support
Apple finally brings new 5G modems in these new iPhones. With 5G’s slow but steady availability across several states and nations, the new iPhones are all future-ready in the coming years ahead. In the United States, Verizon’s 5G UWB (Ultra-Wide Band) helps these new iPhones achieve up to 4Gbps of peak download speeds.
Improved Camera Sensors and Low-Light Performance
Shooting in Night Mode isn’t limited to the Wide lens anymore. The new and improved camera Ultra-wide and front camera sensors will let you shoot with Apple’s Night Sight as well. Other than that, there’s also a new video mode called ‘Night Mode Timelapse’ which basically brings better low-light when shooting timelapse videos.
MagSafe
Not to confuse with Apple’s old MagSafe port from their old MacBooks, this new MagSafe technology is equipped in the new iPhones which improves the wireless charging capabilities in the with the use of magnets made from 100% recycled rare earth elements. Apple’s in-house cases also have built-in magnets which makes wireless charging faster and secured in-place.
IP68 Rating
Not totally a new feature, but it’s worth pointing out that all models come with IP68 certification — a must-have feature for all the clumsy individuals out there. It promises water resistance of up to 6 meters in 30 minutes and is protected from coffee and soda spills
Pricing and Availability
The iPhone 12 Pro (6.1″ display) and iPhone 12 Max (6.7″ display) will come in blue, green, black, white, and (PRODUCT)RED. Pricing are as follows:
- iPhone 12 Pro — US$ 999 / sG$ 1649
- iPhone 12 Pro Max — US$ 1099/ SG$ 1799
Availability:
- Customers in Australia, China, Germany, Japan, the UK, the US, and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone 12 Pro beginning at 5AM PDT on Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23.
- Pre-order for iPhone 12 Pro Max will begin at 5AM PST on Friday, November 6, with availability beginning Friday, November 13.
- iPhone 12 Pro will be available in India, South Korea, and more than a dozen other countries beginning Friday, October 30.
Here’s the entire lineup’s pricing:
Apps
Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts
TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.
Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.
Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.
According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.
Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.
Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.
SEE ALSO: Live NBA action on Disney Plus now available in the Philippines
Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.
In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.
In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.
Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.
Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.
SEE ALSO: Google Maps is finally getting a power saving mode
Entertainment
KPop Demon Hunters is officially getting a sequel
Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans will return to write and direct.
This feels like a formality at this point. Netflix and Sony have officially confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters is getting a sequel.
If you feel like you’ve read this exact title before, then you’re not alone. Since its massive success last year, the hit animated film constantly spawned talks of a potential franchise. It probably helped that the title quickly became Netflix’s most-watched film of all time. From the last we’ve heard of the rumors, Netflix was reportedly eyeing a 2029 premiere for the sequel.
Now, it’s official. As posted by Netflix itself, KPop Demon Hunters will get a sequel soon. Even better, the follow-up will be written and directed by the same duo, Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans.
Kang, who celebrated the first movie’s ability to tell a Korean story, says that there’s a lot more to explore in the film’s universe. “There’s so much more to this world we have built and I’m excited to show you. This is only the beginning,” she said.
Right now, the plot’s sequel is still unknown, especially since the Saja Boys were defeated in the first film.
Given how big the original movie got, the sequel is no surprise. Besides bagging the top spot on Netflix’s charts, the film also got an eventual release in theaters. KPop Demon Hunters is up for a potential Oscars win after it was nominated for Best Animated Feature. Its hit song, “Golden,” is also nominated for Best Original Song.
SEE ALSO: KPop Demon Hunters is now Netflix’s most-watched movie
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