Apple Inc has launched the next generation iPhone 12 with faster 5G connectivity. The Cupertino tech giant hopes its latest flagship smartphone will spur a wave of upgrades and keep its sales booming through the end of the year.
The iPhone 12, with a 6.1-inch display, has flat sides with a flush display, a throwback to Apple's iPhone 5 instead of rounded edges seen in the later in recent years. The company also introduced a "mini" version with a 5.4-inch screen.
The iPhone 12 will start at $799 and the mini at $699.
Verizon Communications Inc CEO Hans Vestberg said the new iPhones would work with the carrier's "ultrawideband" 5G network designed to alleviate bottlenecks in major cities like New York and Los Angeles as well as in crowded areas like NFL stadiums.
Apple said all iPhone 12 models in the United States will support millimeter wave 5G, the fastest variant of the technology, as well as lower-frequency bands. Some rival Android devices support only the lower-frequency versions of 5G.
Apple said it had tested 5G on more than 800 carriers in 30 regions globally.
The new phone will have a "ceramic shield" glass cover to resist cracks when dropped.
(With Reuters input)