5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know the iPhone 12 Could Do
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Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro now officially available and customers can finally get their hands on the long-rumored devices. You may think you know everything about Apple's latest iPhone, but there's a chance that you don't. Continue reading to browse five things you probably didn't know the iPhone 12 can do.
You Can Fast Charge to Half Capacity in Just 30 Minutes
If you run out of battery life unexpectedly, don't panic. The iPhone 12 has a fast charging option that'll charge your phone up to 50% in just 30 minutes. But, you have to do it right. To charge as fast as you can, you'll need Apple's optional 20W charger and the USB-C to Lightning cable that ships with the phone.
You Can Use the iPhone 12 as a Car Key
Apple's CarKey feature has been a long time in the making. Earlier this year, Apple finally opened the door to let you use your iPhone as a key fob. You can use this virtual key to unlock your car, start your vehicle, and more. You even can share your virtual key with others. It's only available on select BMW series but is expected to roll out to other models in the future.
It takes a bit to add your virtual key to your Apple Wallet. You have to have an account on the website for your vehicle manufacturer. Both your car, the Apple Wallet app must be linked to the same account. Once paired, you can store your actual key fob somewhere safe and carry your iPhone instead.
You Can Stream and Play Games from Your Xbox
The A14 Bionic processor includes a four-core GPU that'll let you play console-quality games. Not only will you be able to play Apple Arcade games, but you also will be able to play Xbox games. The latest version of Microsoft's Xbox app adds the ability to stream games from a connected Xbox console. With the iPhone 12's faster processor and OLED displays, gaming on the iPhone 12 will be impressive.
You Can Take Stunning Nighttime Selfies
Apple updated the camera system on the iPhone 12, adding a new LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) camera. As its name implies, LiDAR measures the distance from the camera to the objects in your surroundings. The LiDAR camera aids in augmented reality applications and it plays a role in low-light and portrait photography by improving autofocus and reducing capture time. Add in the A14 Bionic chipset, which enables advanced Night Mode photography, and you have an outstanding tool for capturing photos in the dark.
You Can Drop It in a Lake for 30 Minutes
The iPhone 12 series has an IP68 rating, which means it can withstand a decent amount of abuse before it starts to fail. The IP in IP68 stands for Ingress Protection, while the 6 indicates protection from particulates like sand and dust. For particulates, the highest rating is 6, and the iPhone 12 meets that level. The 8 is the waterproof rating, which is measured on a scale up to 9. If you drop your iPhone 12 into a lake, it can survive underwater for 30 minutes at a depth of up to 6 meters (20 feet). This beats the iPhone 11, which is water-resistant for 30 minutes up to just 2 meters. It also outperforms the iPhone 11 Pro series, which can go down to 4 meters before suffering water damage.