Apple iPhones compared

see also:

• iPhone camera lenses
• photography and camping main index page
• https://www.apple.com/au/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphone12pro,iphoneSE2ndgen,iphone6s

• announced Sept 2024
• A18 and A18 Pro 6 core CPU chips, offering up to 30% faster performance than A16 bionic in iPhone 15, whiethe Pro chip offers 17% more memory bandwidth
• 5 core GPU 40% faster than iPhone 15 (6 core GPU on Pro models)
• adds:
  • Apple Intelligence (AI) via new 16 core Neural Engine enabling iOS18 AI Personal Intelligence that runs multiple generative models on-device while prioritizing user privacy
    • on device AI processing
    • ChatGPT from OpenAI integrated into Siri and Writing Tools for free without creating an account, or you can connect to a paid account
    • Private Cloud Compute running on Apple Silicon in the cloud for leveraging advanced AI models securely
    • Visual Intelligence for enhanced camera control functionality
    • Upgraded Siri with richer language understanding and generative AI capabilities and ability to type to Siri
    • Initial rollout in select regions, starting with English in the US from October 2024
    • transcribing meetings and summarising them
    • time priority messages in mail elevated
    • eye tracking navigation of phone controls
    • create emojis with AI Genmoji
    • create art with AI Image Playground
    • New App Intents, APIs and frameworks make it incredibly easy for developers to integrate system-level features like Siri, Writing Tools and Image Playground
  • new customizable Action button on the right side and new Camera Control feature - two phase shutter allowing locking exposure and focus then re-compose
  • larger displays for Pro models (6.3“ and 6.9” Super Retina XDR displays)
  • Standard model: 48mp fusion camera 2x telephoto lens, 12mp ultrawide camera
  • Pro models: quad-pixel sensor 48MP ultra-wide camera and 5x telephoto lens
  • support for 4K 120fps video or Slo_Mo capture and Spatial Capture for immersive content
  • better audio - now with our studio-quality mics for higher-quality recording and powered by advanced intelligence and Spatial Audio capture, Audio Mix lets you adjust the way voices sound in your videos using three different voice options - standard, in-frame (audio mainly from those talking in frame ignoring voices out of frame), studio (makes voice sound like the mic is near the mouth), and cinematic (captures all of the voices around you and consolidates them towards the front of the screen as when watching movies)
  • latest-generation Ceramic Shield material that’s two times tougher than any smartphone glass
  • Pro has premium grade 5 titanium (standard is aluminium)
  • Pro has 33hrs video playback which is 4hrs more battery life (10hrs more cw iPhone 12 Pro) due to larger batteries and allows 25W MagSafe charging
    • standard has 27hrs video playback
  • USB-C: Pro supports USB 3 for 20x faster transfers than standard model which only supports USB 2

• A17 Pro chip
• 6 core GPU
• 16 core neural engine
• adds:
  • Action button
  • titanium on Pro
  • Apple Intelligence on Pro versions (see under iPhone 16 for capabilities in iOS18 which will commence in beta in Oct 2024)
  • 48mp main camera sensor, others are 12mp; Pro model telephoto is 3x, Pro Max is 5x;
  • 24mp and 48mp super hi Res photo
  • “Photonic engine”; 2nd gen IBIS plus optical IS; adaptive true tone flash; Smart HDR 5 for photos
  • High-dynamic-range gyro; High-g accelerometer; Dual ambient light sensors;
  • dual eSim support
  • USB-C instead of Lightning - 10Gbps USB 3 support on Pro;
    • the standard iPhone video capture suffers from oversharpening, but the log footage doesn’t
    • capturing ProRes Log 4K video at 30fps to an external memory requires a SSD external drive such as the LaCie portable SSD 2TB External Solid State Drive, the Samsung T9, and the OWC Elektron, a SD card device will capture it but with dropped frames as even a UHS-II SD card cannot sustain a write speed of 200Mb/sec despite what the card manufacturers may say. Hence the Anker MagGo USB-C 3-in-1 adapter which is a SD card reader for the iPhone and enables simultaneous data syncing and charging at a 42.5W max output when connected to a power source and states it can transfer at up to 312Mb/s will still drop frames, and newer SD Express or SD 8.0 cards are not compatible with this device.
    • capturing ProRes Log video needs a write speed of at least 110 MB/s for 4K at 24 and 30 FPS, 220 MB/s to cover 4K at 60 FPS, and in the case of the iPhone 16 Pro, at least 440 MB/s for 4K at 120 FPS

• A16 Bionic chipset
• 5 core GPU
• 16 core neural Engine
• adds:
  • Emergency SOS via satellite
  • Crash detection - can detect a severe car crash and call for help if mobile or wifi is available
  • Always On display
  • Dynamic Island
  • super high resolution 48mp photos; 4 lens camera each with 12mp sensor: main, ultrawide, 2x and 3x telephoto on the Pro model; 1st gen IBIS plus optical IS; Smart HDR 4 for photos; Spatial photos;
  • action mode video; spatial video; ProRes 4K video at 60p instead of 30p as on 14Pro; Log video recording; Academy Color Encoding System
  • 23hrs video playback(Pro)
  • WiFi 6E; Precision dual-frequency GPS;

• announced Sept 2021
• updates iPhone 12 generation by adding:
  • A15 Bionic chipset
  • 5 core GPU instead of 4 core GPU as in iPhone 12 Pro
  • 16 core neural Engine
  • iPhone 13:
    • announced Sept 2021
    • screen is Super Retina XDR OLED Display with 800 nits of peak brightness
    • dual-camera array on the back features a pair of 12MP sensors, as seen in iPhone 12 Pro Max: one 26mm (full-frame equiv.) F1.6 wide camera and one 13mm (full-frame equiv.) f2.4 ultrawide angle camera
    • both camera modules now support Night Mode and are capable of recording 4K60p video, as well as Dolby VIsion HDR video
    • Pro: camera has macro mode, 3x telephoto instead of 2x as on the 12Pro
    • Cinematic Mode (1080p at 30 fps) with ability to adjust the depth of field effect after recording.
    • IP68 water resistance rating; improved battery life;

• updates iPhone 11 generation by adding:
  • A14 Bionic chip with newer neural engine
  • 5G connectivity
  • Super Retina display on all models:
    • 460-476ppi instead of 326ppi
    • 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio instead of 1,400:1 contrast ratio
    • 800 nits max brightness instead of 625 nits max brightness (PRO model only)
    • 1,200 nits max brightness (HDR)
  • improved water resistance to 6m depth instead of 2m (4m on iPhone 11 Pro Max)
  • 4x better drop performance with ceramic shield on the front HOWEVER seems to be MORE PRONE to scratches!!¹⁾
  • compatibility with MagSafe accessories
  • Pro Max is larger and has an f/2.2 2.5x telephoto cam instead of f/2.0 2x and this gives 5x optical x=zoom instead of 4x
  • Dual optical IS;
  • Smart HDR 3 for photos
  • Night mode Time-lapse
  • Night mode and Deep Fusion on Front Camera as well as rear camera
  • Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 30 fps
  • Apple ProRAW (PRO model only)
  • LiDAR Scanner for Night mode portraits, faster autofocus in low light and next-level AR experiences (PRO model only!)
  • eSim support; WiFi calling support;
  • no longer supply EarPods (ear phones)

• updates iPhone X generation by adding:
  • A13 Bionic chip with 3rd gen neural engine
  • Super Retina display only on PRO models and adds 1,200 nits max brightness (HDR) on Pro Max
  • adds an ultra-wide camera lens
  • adds a telephoto camera lens with 4x optical zoom instead of 2x (PRO models only)
  • Dual optical image stabilisation (PRO models only)
  • 12mp front camera instead of 7mp
    • front camera now can do 4K video, 120p 1080HD slo-Mo and QuickTake video
  • Animoji and Memoji
  • Next-generation Smart HDR for photos
  • Audio zoom
  • QuickTake video
  • Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness
  • EarPods via Lightning connector (no longer has headphone socket)

• A13 Bionic chip with 3rd gen Neural Engine
• 2nd gen Touch ID
• glass front and back
• aerospace-grade aluminium
• IP67 water resistance to 1m depth
• 4.7“ Retina HD 326ppi display, 1,400:1 contrast ratio, 625 nits max brightness, True Tone display, Haptic Touch
• 12mp f/1.8 wide angle rear camera with OIS for photos and video, True Tone flash with Slow Sync
  • Next-generation Smart HDR for photos
  • Extended dynamic range for video at up to 30 fps
  • QuickTake video
  • no Audio Zoom
  • Slow-motion video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Stereo recording
• 7mp f/2.2 front camera
  • Cinematic video stabilisation (1080p and 720p)
  • 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps or 30 fps
  • Auto HDR for photos
  • QuickTake video
• Supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG
• FaceTime HD (1080p) over Wi-Fi
• Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
• Portrait Lighting with five effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage and Stage Mono)
• Gigabit LTE
• no Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness
• Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO
• NFC with reader mode
• BlueTooth 5.0
• Qi wireless charging
• Fast-charge–capable with opt. 20W adapter
• Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM)

• updates iPhone 8 generation by adding:
  • A12 Bionic chip with 2nd gen neural engine
  • adds a telephoto camera lens with 2x optical zoom
  • Super Retina display only on XS Max models
  • Liquid Retina display on other models instead of standard Retina HD display
  • Haptic touch instead of 3D touch
  • FaceID log in instead of fingerprint
  • Dual optical image stabilisation (XS Max model only)
  • Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
  • Portrait Lighting with five effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage and Stage Mono)
  • Smart HDR for photos
  • IP67 water resistance to 1m depth
  • HDR video playback
  • e-SIM or NanoSim
  • EarPods via Lightning connector (no longer has headphone socket)

• updates iPhone 7 generation by adding:
  • A11 Bionic Chip with 1st gen neural engine
  • IP67 water resistance to 1m depth
  • glass front and back
  • Auto HDR photos instead of only HDR photos
  • FaceTime HD (1080p) over Wi-Fi instead of just FaceTime
  • support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG video plaback
  • Bluetooth 5.0 instead of 4.2
  • Qi wireless charging
  • Fast-Charge 50% within 30 minutes with a optional 20W adapter
  • EarPods via Lightning connector (no longer has headphone socket)

• updates iPhone 6 generation by adding:
  • A10 Fusion chip (no neural engine)
  • IP67 water resistance to 1m depth
  • wide gamut P3 Retina HD display
  • Optical image stabilisation for video as well as for photos
  • 7mp front camera instead of 5mp and 1080HD video instead of 720p
  • NFC with reader mode
  • stereo audio playback

• A9 chip (no neural engine)
• 2nd gen. Touch ID
• not water resistant
• Retina HD display 326ppi, 1,400:1 contrast ratio, 3D touch, 500 nits max brightness
• 12mp rear camera wide angle lens
  • HDR for photos
  • Optical image stabilisation for photos only
  • 4K 25/30p video (rear camera only)
  • 1080HD 25/30/60p video (rear camera only)
  • Slow-motion video support for 1080p at 120 fps, and 720p at 240 fps (rear camera only)
  • Time-lapse video with stabilisation (rear camera only)
• front camera 5mp f/2.2 wide angle lens, 720 50p video
• 4G LTE Advanced
• Bluetooth 4.2
• NFC
• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)with MIMO
• Apple Pay
• EarPods with 3.5-mm Headphone Plug
• 3 axis gyro
• Accelerometer
• Proximity sensor
• Ambient light sensor
• Barometer
• NanoSim only
• Lightning connector