Apple unveils iPhone 12

Photo: Apple

Apple has overnight unveiled details of the latest iPhone, the iPhone 12.

The company has confirmed the new model will be its first to use 5G networks.

“5G will bring a new level of performance for downloads and uploads, higher quality video streaming, more responsive gaming, real-time interactivity and so much more,” said Apple chief executive Tim Cook at the announcement.

Apple has also revealed it is releasing an Iphone 12 mini with a smaller 5.4-inch display, with all the iPhone 12 features.

The new iPhone 12 will retail in New Zealand for $1499, while the mini will retail for $1349.

The iPhone 12 is finally here! #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/8ZXqyvT3sz

— AppleInsider (@appleinsider) October 13, 2020

For the first time, the new iPhones will be sold without headphones or a charger – a move the company justifies with the goal of reducing its impact on the environment.

The new iPhone also offers a new way to charge, with MagSafe. The new charger resembles the Apple Watch charger, a circular magnet on the back of the phone, allowing for improved wireless charging.

Cook described the announcement as “the beginning of a new era for iPhone”.

In addition to 5G capability, the new iPhone features faster downloads, better security features, and improvements in gaming.

It also features a better camera, with faster aperture and Night Mode, with a timelapse option.

The entire new iPhone lineup is here!

• iPhone 12 and Pro preorder Oct 16th and ship Oct 23
• Pro Max preorder Nov 6th and ships Nov 13th#AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/lgV4eVcmgL

— iJustine (@ijustine) October 13, 2020

According to the company, the new iPhone is also the toughest smartphone ever made, with its new “ceramic shield” technology.

At the event, the company also unveiled the new HomePod mini, Apple’s new smart speaker, which includes ambient sounds, web search results that can be sent directly to your iPhone and music alarms, among other features.

PC market sees highest growth in ten years – analysts say

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The PC market grew 13 percent globally in the third quarter of 2020, according to analyst firm Canalys.

The growth, which saw shipments rise to 79.2 million units, is the highest in the last 10 years, the company said.

In the year to date, PC shipments had a weak first quarter, rising in the second quarter and then continuing to grow in the third.

The analysts point to the coronavirus pandemic as one of the contributors to this growth, as lockdowns worldwide forced more people to take up remote working and work from home.

According to Canalys, laptop and mobile workstation shipments rose 28.3 percent year-on-year.

Desktop shipments declined 26 percent.

Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple and Acer all experienced a growth in PC shipments.

“Vendors, the supply chain, and the channel have now had time to find their feet and allocate resources towards supplying notebooks, which continue to see massive demand from both businesses and consumers,” Canalys analyst Ishan Dutt said.

“The lasting effects of this pandemic on the way people work, learn and collaborate will create significant opportunities for PC vendors in the coming years,” added Canalys research director Rushabh Doshi.

Nokia says 5G could add US$8 trillion to global GDP by 2030

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Research from Nokia says 5G technology could add US$8 trillion in value to the global economy in the next ten years.

According to the company, the research shows 5G has the potential to drive “sustainable economic growth and define the next decade of innovation”.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is forecast to further increase the value creation potential of 5G in the medium and long-term by accelerating digitization, particularly among the least digitally advanced industries,” Nokia says in a report.

The company adds it has found a “correlation between 5G deployment and business performance” and says that companies at an advanced level of 5G adoption “were the only group to experience a net increase in productivity (+10 percent) following Covid-19, and the only group able to maintain or increase customer engagement during the pandemic”.

Despite the pandemic, Nokia expects a global boom in 5G investment which will see 72 percent of large companies invest in the technology over the next five years.