Apple's iPhone 11, Pro and Pro Max launch in Singapore to snaking queues
What are the new features and specs in the highly anticipated releases? CNA Lifestyle got a hands-on look.
A day ahead of the iPhone 11 launch, long queues had already started to form outside the Apple Orchard Road store in Singapore on Sep 19, 2019. (Photo: Alex)
Apple mania, whether you’re a fan or not, is in town again. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max launched in Singapore on Friday (Sep 20) to long queues outside the Apple store on Orchard Road that formed one day ahead of its highly anticipated release.
All three models have been available for pre-order in Singapore since Sep 13. Local telcos are also pulling out all the stops at their individual iPhone 11 launch events, including chauffeured Porsche rides and breakfast spreads for their loyal customers receiving their pre-ordered iPhones.
READ: Apple launches triple-camera iPhone 11, cuts prices for basic models
READ: iPhone 11, TV+ and Apple Watch: All you need to know about Apple's latest launches
For a smartphone that neither has 5G nor is “foldable” like its competition, interest in Apple’s latest release shows no signs of waning. Apple devotees CNA Lifestyle spoke to were “very excited about the new processor”. Both the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro feature the new A13 Bionic, which has been billed by the company as “the fastest chip in a smartphone”.Â
Fans will also be happy to know that the new phones also feature a massive leap in battery life – the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are said to last four and five hours longer than their iPhone XS counterparts, respectively.Â
“I’m also very excited about the three cameras on the back of the phone,” said self-professed long-time iPhone fan Leanne Ong.
Indeed the most obvious change is the camera upgrade. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max boast a new triple-camera system with ultra wide, standard wide and telephoto lenses. The iPhone 11 has a dual-lens system – one zoom 12-megapixel lens, and a new 12-megapixel wide-angle option – minus the telephoto.
While the ultra wide camera promises to capture up to four times more scene – including action videos and photos, the front camera comes with an upgraded 12-megapixel sensor with a slightly wider field of view in landscape and the ability to take 4K60 video. It is a sure-fire welcome addition for selfie lovers with the ability to now shoot a self-taken video at 120 fps to produce the much talked-about new “slofie” or slow-motion selfie.
With the cameras on the new phones, there also comes a number of modes including the brand new night mode (which automatically comes on when capturing low light photos) and even a High Key Mono portrait mode (which can turn your colour photos into black and white).
READ: Apple TV+ to launch in Singapore at S$6.98 a month
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are said to feature the brightest and sharpest display in an iPhone, thanks to the Super Retina XDR. That means better readability and viewing anywhere, be it checking emails in bright sunlight or watching a dimly lit movie. It also offers spatial audio giving users an immersive, cinematic experience with Dolby Atmos support. And not only does it flaunt the toughest glass in a smartphone – front and back, it is also water and dust resistant for the clumsy among us.
Prices at the Apple retail store range from S$1,149 for the 64GB iPhone 11 to S$1,899 for the 256GB iPhone 11 Pro and S$2,349 for the 512GB iPhone 11 Pro Max.Â
Commentary: With iPhone 11, Apple is playing catch-up
The iPhone 11 is available to buy in six colour options including purple, yellow, green, white and red, while the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max come in space grey, silver, gold and the all-new midnight green.Â
