iPhone 12

Who’s still paying full price for an iPhone? Not us. Especially when you can score a fully unlocked iPhone 12 refurbished model for just $229.99 — a fraction of the $799 you’d spend for an iPhone 16.

Wondering how we’re able to practically give away these iPhones? They’re refurbished devices. But that doesn’t mean they’re janky hand-me-downs like you’d get when your mom upgrades her old cellphone. Like Apple’s refurbished line, these are restored to near-mint condition for the best experience … and massive savings.

Add the iPhone 12 to the list of handsets that support the new Qi2 cross-platform wireless charging standard that’s based on MagSafe. Apparently, Apple gave the older phones support for the newest chargers without mentioning it.

More recent iPhone models already can use Qi2 accessories.

The new “Why Upgrade” page on Apple’s website shows users of some older iOS models what features they’d get if they traded up to the latest iPhone 15 series.

The tool says “See what you’re missing“ in hopes of convincing shoppers that it’s time to move on from handsets introduced in 2019 or 2020.

“iPhone Extravaganza!” That’s what Woot is calling its latest blowout sale on refurbished iPhones. From handsets going back to iPhone X up through recent models like iPhone SE (2nd generation) and iPhone 14 Plus, Woot’s refurbished iPhone deals cover 13 items, with a choice of colors, while they last.

And as Woot said in its page’s subtitle, “Just once I would like Siri to say that I look like a million bucks.”

If you have an iPhone, you should probably protect that expensive gadget from drops and scrapes with a case. And it’ll change up your handset’s look, too. Good thing SwitchEasy is having a big sale on its MagEasy lineup — one case for 20% off and an additional 15% off when you buy two cases.

The collection on sale includes a variety of cases for iPhone 14, 13, 12, 11 and SE. Just remember to use coupon code cultofmac on the product page when you buy.

French regulators approved Apple’s software update addressing radio-frequency radiation levels in iPhone 12 on Friday, so the handset can remain on the market in that country.

Previously, authorities ordered sales of the phone halted until it complied with European electromagnetic radiation standards.

Apple will roll out a software update for the iPhone 12 in France to meet the required radio-frequency radiation levels. The company had to stop selling the iPhone 12 in the region due to RF radiation concerns.

A French regulatory body will test and approve the update. After that, Apple can resume iPhone 12 sales in the country.

The iPhone 12 can no longer be sold in France. The handset reportedly emits more electromagnetic radiation than is allowed in that country, and retailers have been ordered to take it off its shelves.

The order applies to only one model that Apple released in 2020. And the problem is fixable with a software patch.

Using older magnetic chargers, lots of folks still charge their iPhones at a pokey rate of 7.5 watts. So it’s good news Spigen just rolled out its first 15W MagSafe device, the ArcField Wireless Charger.

You can use it to quick-charge any MagSafe iPhone 12, 13 or 14 handset, and it’ll juice up an AirPods Pro charging case at 5W.

Belkin unveiled its new BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe Wednesday, offering a compact way to charge iPhone and AirPods on the road.

Six months from now, the iPhone 12 will be 3 years old. If you got the phone on launch day in October 2020, it must already be showing its age, with poor battery life and sub-par camera performance.

Does that mean it’s time to ditch your iPhone 12 and upgrade to the iPhone 14, which starts at $799? Or should you save your money and wait for the upcoming iPhone 15? Find out with our comparison.

Amazon-owned discount site Woot! is back with another Apple bargain-fest. We spotted it Monday. It’ll let you grab a variety of iPhones and Apple Watches at discounted prices through February 11.

A bunch of items are already sold out, like Apple Watch 7 and most of the iPhone series 12 handsets, unfortunately. But you can still find some great deals.

Tech accessories brand Mujjo, known for its leather iPhone cases, introduced a new collection of leather MagSafe wallets for iPhone Tuesday.

The wallets hold three cards and stick to any iPhone with MagSafe — with or without a case — the company said.

Brazil’s Justice Ministry has ordered Apple to stop selling iPhones without a power adapter in the box in the country. Additionally, it fined the company R$ 12.275 million (US$2.35 million).

The sales ban extends to all iPhones available in the country, including iPhone 12 and newer models.

Apple will start shipping repaired iPhone 12 units in environment-friendly packaging starting this week. Made from bleach-free paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the new brown box will replace the white boxes used so far.

Apple promises to eliminate the use of plastic in its packaging by 2025.

If you’re one to suffer charging anxiety while out and about, Anker has your cure. It unveiled its latest portable, MagSafe-compatible charging bank Monday, the Anker 633 Magnetic Battery.

The beastly little brick packs a 10,000mAh battery capacity, Anker’s first product of this kind to do so. Plus it features speedier wireless charging than some previous packs as well as spritely USB-C charging when you just want to pull out a cable and get it over with.

Need a MagSafe-compatible charger that won’t break the bank? Mobile charging specialist Excitrus, known for power banks, rolled out its capable new 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charging Stand on Thursday.

Not only does it come with an 18W fast-charging wall adapter and an elegant LED light circle on the main charging pad, but the price is right — especially with an additional 20% off as a launch discount. See the details below.

Does charging up all your gadgets in one place sound good? Native Union rolled out a new MagSafe-compatible 3-in-1 wireless charging station Tuesday that should do the trick, topping up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all in one go.

The compact Native Union Snap 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger joins the previously released Snap 2-in-1 in the company’s charging lineup.

You can now buy official iPhone 12 and 12 Pro refurbs through the Apple Store online in the United States. Prices start at $619 for a regular 6.1-inch model with 64GB of storage. Apple doesn’t yet offer iPhone 12 mini or 12 Pro Max.

A range of color options are available and all units are unlocked for use on any carrier. As is always the case with refurbs, stock levels are likely to fluctuate, so it might be best to bag one soon if you’re interested.

No less than seven of the ten best-selling phones in 2021 were made by Apple. What’s more, all of the top five models were iPhones.

The iPhone 12 topped the list by a significant margin.

If you’re using one of Apple’s newest iPhone models, you should be enjoying spectacular battery life — the best you can get from a modern smartphone. But if you’re not, the likely culprit is its super-speedy 5G connectivity.

5G consumes significantly more power than 4G, but there are some things you can do to minimize its impact on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. We’ll show you how.

Apple on Thursday rolled out its first iOS 15.4 beta adding the ability to use Face ID with a mask for the first time. Since then, tests carried out by developers have uncovered some additional (and important) tidbits.

Here’s what you need to know.

Is your regular iPhone 12 or 13 case keeping you from enjoying Apple’s MagSafe technology? Anker now offers an inexpensive fix for your case — the Anker 310 Magnetic Ring — so you don’t have to buy a new, MagSafe-compatible one. The ring is $8, whereas a new case would probably cost you well over $20.

Anker launched six new charging accessories for the iPhone 12 and 13 series Monday with its new “MagGo” lineup: three desktop chargers, a car charger, a battery and a phone grip.

We wrote about a new Anker 3-in-1 charger just yesterday. Now, Anker builds out its raft of iPhone 13 accessories with a new collection of MagSafe gear to keep your handset charged up at home or on the go.

Anker expanded its lineup of iPhone 13 accessories Friday with a new version of the PowerWave Magnetic Stand. Now with a 3-in-1 form factor, Anker’s new MagSafe-compatible stand will juice up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch — all at once, if necessary.