Design
Customize your over-the-top new iPhone from home with iPhone 12 Studio
Should you go with the Plum silicone case or the Kumquat?
The customization options for the latest line of iPhones feel nearly endless. There are three new iPhones — four if you include the Max; each has its own color options and each of those can be paired with about a thousand (that’s an exaggeration!) different cases and accessories. Math isn’t my strong suit, but the number of combinations thereof… it’s a lot.
Enter iPhone 12 Studio: Apple’s way of letting you (virtually) try out different combos without ever stepping foot in an Apple Store. It’s a simple concept, really, and one retail stores have used for clothing and accessories for quite a while now.
Though it may not be groundbreaking, the iPhone 12 Studio is fun to play around with, and it could actually help you decide on your next iPhone color combo. With COVID-19 still running rampant, even that is helpful.
Just match and go — Much like the Apple Watch Studio before it, the iPhone 12 Studio is a study in aesthetic simplicity (no surprise there). It’s not going to use augmented reality to put an iPhone animation in the palm of your hand — it prioritizes ease of use instead.
Once loaded, using the iPhone 12 Studio is as easy as swiping through available phone and case options until you stumble upon a favorite or two. Apple will kindly direct you to the checkout page when you’re ready. It’s harder to say no when you’ve found just the right combination.
Only good for colors, really — If there’s any limitation to the iPhone 12 Studio it’s that it can’t really replicate the feeling of trying a phone in your own hands. The experience of treading into an Apple Store with your head down to avoid eye contact with any of the employees just doesn’t come across well in a web-based format.
And, of course, the Studio doesn’t help much with figuring out which of the new iPhones would be best for your lifestyle and your budget. Clicking an iPhone model does list a few of its key features, but that just doesn’t translate as well as scrolling through each phone in-person. It's impossible to tell whether or not that Pro Max camera looks as good to your eye as the hype says it will.