First iPhone 12 unboxing videos appear: What to expect when your phone arrives

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Some people are getting their hands on the iPhone 12 before it officially goes on sale

iPhone 12 Magsafe
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple took the wraps off the new iPhone 12 lineup a week ago, but few people outside the company headquarters have laid eyes on the new devices outside of Apple’s launch video. That’s beginning to change, though, as the first iPhone 12 models have begun landing in the hands of customers, and they’ve started sharing photos and videos of the devices.

iPhone 12 unboxing footage is beginning to pop up online in advance of the official Oct. 23 launch date. A few images posted by people who’ve gotten their iPhone 12 models earlier have given us another look at what to expect from Apple’s new phones.

Twitter user Duan Rui shared a clip of the graphite iPhone 12 Pro in his own unboxing video, which revealed a few changes to Apple's packaging protocol. The new iPhones, as we already know, features the squared off edges of past iPhone models. Its stainless steel design looks svelte, yet understated, and the screen is covered by a paper screen protector. Typically, Apple has utilized a plastic protector in years past.

Apple has also downsized its packaging significantly for this new crop of phones. Now that the latest line doesn't come with wired EarPods or charging bricks included, there's less space in the box overall. As you can see in the video unboxing of the blue iPhone 12, the box is very slim, cradling the phone as a whole. There's very little extra space, with the phone on display when you first pop open the box.

These first looks at the iPhone 12 preorders are intriguing for all these reasons, of course. But most importantly, it's helpful for would-be buyers to have some sort of idea what the phone looks like in real-world situations and outside of stylized Apple launch video to determine if they want to purchase one or not.

Buyers won't have to wait much longer to get their hands on the new phones, though. With iPhone 12 pre-order deals already available, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro arrive in stores this Friday. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max go on sale next month.

Apple is releasing four new models this time around, with the iPhone 12 mini/iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro/iPhone 12 Pro Max available in a variety of colors per mode. All iPhone 12 versions include 5G, an A14 Bionic processor, and the flat edge design of phones past. There's also a special Ceramic Shield glass display to keep your screen free of smudges and scratches.

If you’re still on the fence about whether you want to pick up one of the new phones or not, these first unboxings will likely end up swaying you one way or another. 

Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.