A12 Bionic

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on A12 Bionic:

Your old iPhone will not get these iOS 16 features

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Unfortunately, some iPhones won't benefit from all of iOS 16's flashiest features.
You need a relatively new iPhone to get all the flashiest new iOS 16 features.
Image: Cult of Mac

iOS 16 packs plenty of new features like a revamped Lock Screen, enhanced Messages and Mail app, Live Text for videos and more. However, while iOS 16 supports iPhone 8 and newer, not all the new features will be available on older iPhones.

Some of them are exclusive to the newer models that feature a faster Neural Engine or more RAM. Read below to find out what iOS 16 features are coming to your iPhone.

New 10.2-inch iPad bumps up to faster A12 chip for same $329 price

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New 2020 iPad
The same great iPad, only faster.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s entry-level iPad, unveiled Tuesday during the “Time Flies” event, is better than ever with a faster processor and graphics, and gigabit-class LTE. It’s also just as affordable as its predecessor.

Order yours today ahead of its release this Friday for just $329 (or $299 if you’re a student).

iPhone 11 vs. Pro vs. Pro Max: Which one should you buy?

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iPhone-11-vs-11-Pro
There's still hope for two-way wireless charging.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest iPhone lineup features its first ever “Pro” smartphones, plus a more affordable entry-level model that’s a big upgrade over iPhone XR. iPhone 8 is also sticking around for now.

That’s four different handsets to choose from when you visit the Apple Store. So, which one is right for you? Our comprehensive comparison will help you decide.

A13 chips for 2019 iPhone move toward mass-production

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Right to Repair
Apple's first 5nm chips are expected to ship in iPhone and iPad this year.
Photo: iFixit

Apple chip-maker TSMC is almost ready to start mass-producing next-generation A13 chips for this year’s new iPhone lineup.

The A13 will employ an “enhanced version” of TSMC’s N7+ fabrication process, according to a new report. It is likely to be Apple’s last 7-nanometer chip following the launch of TSMC’s new 5nm foundry at the Southern Taiwan Science Park.

2019 iPad mini holds up in brutal bend test

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2019 iPad mini bend test
That’s gotta hurt.
Photo: JerryRigEverything

Apple’s efforts to make the iPad as thin as possible mean that their fragile aluminum frames have been known to bend easily. But the new iPad mini holds up surprisingly well in a brutal bend test.

Unlike its larger siblings, the fifth-generation slate remains perfectly intact when shaped to look like a banana.

Here’s what you’ll find inside the new iPad Air

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iPad Air 3 teardown
The new iPad Air, torn apart.
Photo: iFixit

The new iPad Air has suffered a customary teardown after finding its way into the hands of iFixit.

As expected the device shares a lot in common with the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. But if you look closely, you’ll find Apple has made a whole bunch of big changes that make this more of a mid-range iPad than a smaller flagship.

Here’s what was found under its hood.

iPad mini 5 teardown uncovers big improvements on the inside

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iPad mini 5 teardown
This is what's inside the new iPad mini.
Photo: iFixit

The fifth-generation iPad mini has started making its way into the hands of early adopters. One unlucky unit ended up with iFixit, which has already torn it apart to show us what’s inside.

Unsurprisingly, it’s not a whole lot different to its predecessor. But there are plenty of new chips and components under the hood.

iPad mini 2019 review roundup: The best compact tablet

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The newest iPad mini supports the first-gen Apple Pencil, not the newer version of this stylus.
A must-have for iPad owners.
Photo: Apple

The iPad mini got its first refresh in more than three years this week. The newest, fifth-generation model ships with Apple’s latest A12 Bionic processor, more RAM, and a True Tone display with more pixels than any other iPad.

But is the new iPad mini worth your hard-earned cash? Here’s what the early reviews have to say about it.

Galaxy S10 vs. iPhone: Samsung gives us so many reasons to switch

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Galaxy S10+ camera
Can Samsung's top-rated camera system convince you to switch?
Photo: Samsung

Samsung just delivered a keynote packed with new devices, including an all-new Galaxy S10 lineup and the exciting Galaxy Flex, its first foldable smartphone. But are any of them worth considering for an iPhone fan?

We’ve compared all four of Samsung’s new devices with the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR to see how they stack up. Whether you want the best display, cameras, security, or performance, we can help you choose the right phone for you.

iPhone XR review: Why buy anything else?

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iPhone XR review: With a great screen, cameras, battery life and Face ID, the iPhone XR is a nifty smartphone.
With a great screen, cameras, battery life and Face ID, the iPhone XR is a nifty smartphone.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XR is typical Apple. It’s an entry-level phone with a bunch of premium features. Jony Ive just cannot cut corners, even if he wanted to. This is no plasticky, cut-rate phone built to meet a price point. It’s a primo phone with primo features (and a primo price tag, TBH). It just happens to be the cheapest new iPhone in Apple’s lineup.

The XR delivers everything customers care about: a big, beautiful screen; great cameras; long battery life; and Face ID.

The iPhone XR is arguably Apple’s most interesting smartphone of 2018 because of this slightly odd bundle of budget/premium features. It’s arguably a $1,200 phone in a $750 package.

For a chance to win a brand-new iPhone XR, enter our free giveaway here.

iPhone XR boasts bigger battery than Apple’s flagship phone

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Compare the battery sizes of the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone XS.
Compare the battery sizes of the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone XS. The one from the XR is thicker than the 8 Plus'.
Photo: IFIXIT

The first teardowns of the iPhone XR reveal a surprising fact: it has a larger battery than virtually all previous iOS smartphones, even the iPhone XS.

Reviews of the iPhone XR indicate it lasts a long time between charges, though no one agrees on exactly how long. Apple promises that this device will go 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 8 Plus.

iPhone XR smokes every Android rival

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iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
Photo: Apple

The new iPhone XR costs at least $250 less than the iPhone XS models but has the same A12 Bionic processor. That gives Apple’s latest significantly faster performance than any of its Android rivals, even the most expensive.

Benchmarks show the XR is 25 percent quicker than Samsung’s fastest, despite costing far less.

A12 Bionic chip makes iPhone XS nearly as fast as high-end desktop

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a12 bionic ad
Apple's new processor is a beast!
Photo: Apple

Apple may have seriously undersold the processing power of the iPhone XS.

After deep diving into the new A12 chip, which is the world’s first 7nm manufactured processor, Anandtech found that the CPU features some big improvements that make it perform way better than just the 15% boost Apple is advertising. It’s nearly as good as a desktop CPU.

Don’t be fooled: iPhone XS is not a boring ‘S’ upgrade [Review]

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iPhone XS and XS Max
There are over 1.4 billion active Apple devices in the world.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you ever watched schlocky ’70s sci-fi show The Six Million Dollar Man, you probably remember the opening sequence, during which a faceless narrator describes building a man who is “better than he was before. Better … stronger … faster.”

With the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, Apple’s engineers achieved just that type of incredible transformation. They fabricated phones that look “normal,” like last year’s iPhone X. But, just like the shadowy geniuses who built the bionic man, Apple indeed made the iPhone X better, stronger and faster — thanks in large part to the A12 Bionic chip that powers the new phones’ most advanced functions. (Other hardware and software upgrades help, too.)

Just like Col. Steve Austin, the ace astronaut who got $6 million worth of bionic implants after a devastating crash, the iPhone X received massive internal upgrades to morph into the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. While it looks like the same old (excellent) device, it’s actually far more fantastic and futuristic.

It’s a total bionic blast!