iPhone Launch

Are you going to buy the iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro Max? [Poll]

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Screenshot 2020-11-03 at 5.40.42 PM

Four more days to the preorder of the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, likely the two most coveted phones of the iPhone 12 launch. Have you already purchased an iPhone 12/Pro? Or are you waiting to see how small the iPhone 12 mini is or the improvements of the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s cameras?

I will love to run a poll.

Screenshot! Opens new window to actual poll!Click on the screenshot above to open the poll page.

For the time being, with regards to the popularity of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro in Singapore, the 12 Pro is way more popular than the regular 12, according to street information. The 12 Pro is, after all, a lot more phone for just a little bit more money. The 12 Pro is out of stock everywhere, but you can still find the regular 12 in ample stock if you know where to look.

And right before the 12 mini and 12 Pro Max reach us on the 13th of November, Apple will hold its third event in three months, titled “One More Thing”, on the 10th of November (11th November Singapore Time). Apple is likely to announce their first Macs running on the new Apple Silicon.

Which iPhone 12 Should You Buy?

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Writing this after the 6.1 inches 12 and 12 Pro preorder day is over sounds counterproductive, but despite recent reports of Apple’s own predictions of which iPhone 12 will sell well, for the bulk of people who are likely to be early buyers, the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max are more likely to be the preferred models.

Coming from a Singaporean perspective, the easy answer here is to buy either the 128GB or the 256GB models of the 12 Pro Max, with the rational that since you are already spending upwards of 1.5K for most of the regular sized models, the Max at 1.8/1.9K is not that far off price wise, not to mention that the Max is spec-wise, the best iPhone 12 in the whole line-up with its improved camera sensor.

What about the regular 12 and 12 mini then? The mini’s price points this year is exactly the same as that of last year’s iPhone 11, and simply put, if you are unwilling to spend the kind of money needed to buy a Pro iPhone, the ambiguous prices for the regular 12 ($1369 for 128GB, $1539 for 256GB) and the kind of tradeoffs (no zoom lens, aluminum frame, less ram, no ProRAW) versus the Pro make the regular 12 the phone NOT to buy if you are looking for the best cost-performance ratio.

The mini, however, is quite a bit cheaper than the Pro Max for the same capacities (mini at $1219 for 128GB vs Max at $1799 for 128GB), has the highest PPI screen, and the added benefit of fitting the one hand use of people who refused to add a bunker ring to the back of their phone cases. With the allure of the MagSafe charger and accessories this year (making it hard to add a bunker ring if you want to use them), a small phone is very attractive. If you do not want to spend Pro Max money, and want to use your iPhone with MagSafe, and have no problem with the smaller screen, the mini is your iPhone 12 of choice.

Lastly, the regular Pro is really only for people who absolutely refused to buy the Max, for the price difference is only $150 but you get the better sensor, you get the longer range zoom lens, and you get a bigger display for what you will spend for lunch for three people in a stationary Airbus A380.

All prices in Singapore dollars

Singtel Prices for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c in Singapore!

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Click on the image to view it in full size.

This year’s prices are quite a bit higher, due to the fluctuation in exchange rates.

It is however, interesting to note that the iPhone 5c is only retailing at $318 at the lite plan (the plan most Singaporeans will pick), while the iPhone 5s is retailing at $538 at the same plan, with the 5c at a full $220 cheaper.

Looks like the subsidies are higher for the 5c, and those buying on contract should do well to consider the 5c instead.

While I am most probably buying a 5s because I am already carrying a 5, truth be told, I will much rather buy a blue 5c this Friday. It’s just a bit funny to consider the phone with the same specs when you are supposed to be upgrading.

Those without the 5 though, I cannot stress this enough – the iPhone 5c is a superb phone for the price. Don’t believe me? Just touch the real thing this Friday. You won’t be disappointed.

There are units reaching Mac retail stores (NuBox, epiCentre) TODAY, 18th September 2013. While I am not sure if there will be display units out today, if you are nearby one it makes sense to go in and ask if you can try out the 5c.