Feature Articles

iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max telco price plans comparison (updated)

By Liu Hongzuo - 13 Nov 2020

iPhone 12 models, promotions, 5G connectivity explained, starter-tier plan comparisons

This article was originally published on 21 October 2020.

7 November 2020 update: The comparison tables are updated with the telcos' respective iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max upfront costs and overall prices. We've split the content across two pages for better legibility. 

Looking at the best plans for iPhone 12 phones in Singapore

With the iPhone 12 smartphones hitting retail in two waves (iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro on 23 Oct, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max on 13 Nov), we have some time to decide between choosing the right model and choosing an ideal contract plan to go with them.

iPhone 12 no-contract prices in Singapore
Model iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max
64GB S$1,149 S$1,299 - -
128GB S$1,219 S$1,369 S$1,649 S$1,799
256GB S$1,389 S$1,539 S$1,819 S$1,969
512GB S$2,149 S$2,299

If you want to know what you're getting out of this year's iPhones, don't forget to check our launch night coverage too:

 

Choosing the best plan for your needs

A glance at the overall price across two years roughly tells us which telco offers a better deal at each tier. However, telco price plans have become more competitive over the years with the availability of trial 5G networks and seasonal promotions.

Each telco packs a host of tantalising tie-breakers (free accessories, free subscriptions, discounts, waivering of admin fees, free data at certain timings of the week, etc.), and it's really tough to say which telco does it best. If you want to see if the promotion suits your needs, don't forget to check each telco's specific promotions after comparing prices below.

 

Telco promotions at a glance
  Promotion
Singtel
  • 5G NOW raises the monthly fee by S$10 for 5G access, but also includes extra 10GB a per month. These calculations are reflected in the telco comparison tables below.
  • Free weekend local data for XO plans.
  • All Combo and XO Plans with 5G receives 12 months free Apple iCloud (50GB) and 9 free months of Apple Arcade.
  • Other offers include 12 free months of Apple TV+, 3 free months of Apple Music (no contract), 3 free months of selected CAST packs (no contract), and 12 months of Amazon Prime membership.
  • The iPhone prices indicated under XO plans are inclusive of $50 discount from 5G NOW and $100 discount if you're upgrading to XO 78 or XO 108 plan from a lower-tier plan or getting a new line of that tier. 
  • Combo 12 comes with a yearly S$500 voucher for handsets.
M1
  • Free registration and SIM card (online sign-ups only).
  • $200 off for new sign-ups and those switching to M1 (and an additional S$100 if using Citi credit card for payment or S$120 with Citi M1 card).
  • 3 months Free weekend data for new sign-ups (or 6 months if switching to M1).
  • Free 1 year Apple TV+ and 3 months of Apple Arcade.
  • Year-long free subscription to VIU.
  • Unlimited data streaming of Spotify.
  • Limited-time Free 5G service + 100GB extra data (see following section).
StarHub
  • StarHub 5G is free to all Mobile+ users.
  • Free Caller ID.
  • Free SIM card registration.
  • 3 months free iCloud (50GB).
  • Free one-year subscription to StarHub TV+ and Apple TV+.
  • Switching from different line - S$200 discount on upfront cost.

We'll be exploring the financial outlay of picking up an iPhone 12 with a contract plan, so make sure to keep the other promotions above in mind if the overall cost isn't your highest purchasing priority.

 

What about 5G connectivity?

Each telco has a different approach in offering 5G connectivity, which is also reflected in their individual price plans:

  • Singtel: 5G access at S$10/month built into price plans below, which also results in 10GB more local data than their usual plan's allotment.
  • M1: 3 months' free 5G Booster Pack at S$40 Base Plan with S$10 Add-on. 6 months' free 5G Booster Pack at S$40 Base Plan with S$38 Add-on or higher. 5G Booster Packs start at S$15/month and comes with additional local data depending on which booster you get. The discounted 5G Booster Packs for other M1 plans do not apply to M1's iPhone 12 plans because the promotions aren't stackable.
  • StarHub: Free with all Mobile+ plans.

Since the iPhone 12 mobiles are all 5G capable, We'll take each plan as they are. 

However, if you wish to opt-out of Singtel's 5G to save S$10 a month, subtract it from the tables below. Or, if you wish to continue with M1's 5G access beyond the free months, add the respective 5G Booster Pack to the monthly total. For a quick reference:

  • Singtel: Subtract S$240 from the total if you want to opt-out of 5G completely, but remember that you also to lose out the S$50 discount for not taking 5G NOW.
  • M1: Add S$315 / 525 / 840 to the total for S$40 Base + S$10 Add-on plans, or add S$270 / 450 / 720 to the total for S$40 Base Plans +S$38 Add-on plans or higher. The correct amount depends on which 5G Booster Pack you choose after the free trial expires.

With that out of the way, let's get on to comparing.

 

Value plans compared (S$40-and-under/month)

Data Plan M1
Name Base Plan with Device
Monthly Subscription S$40
Local Outgoing Mins 100
Local SMS 100
Local Data Bundle 12GB
iPhone 12 mini
upfront cost
64GB: S$680
128GB: S$740
256GB: S$890
iPhone 12
upfront cost

64GB: S$820
128GB: S$880
256GB: S$1,040

iPhone 12 Pro
upfront cost

128GB:S$1,130
256GB: S$1,290
512GB: S$1,590

iPhone 12 Pro Max
upfront cost
128GB: S$1,270
256GB: S$1,420
512GB: S$1,720
  Total Cost Over Two Years
iPhone 12 mini
with plan
64GB: S$1,640
128GB: S$1,700
256GB: S$1,850
iPhone 12
with plan
64GB: S$1,780
128GB: S$1,840
256GB: S$2,000
iPhone 12 Pro
with plan
128GB: S$2,090
256GB: S$2,250
512GB: S$2,550
iPhone 12 Pro Max
with plan
128GB: S$2,230
256GB: S$2,380
512GB: S$2,680

Only M1 resides at the value tier where you pay S$40 every month for two years for a handset and mobile plan. Even so, you can stretch your dollar further within this tier by benchmarking it against the base cost of the phone. For instance, if you take the iPhone 12 Pro Max (512GB) with this plan, you'd pay S$381 above the handset RRP over two years, and that amount naturally goes into maintaining your mobile line. If you take the iPhone 12 mini (64GB) instead, you would pay S$491 above the handset RRP at the end of two years for the same plan. The point to consider would be affording the upfront cost in lieu of paying less money over two years - something value-tier seekers would have to think about.

 

Basic plans compared (S$50-S$65/month)

Data Plan M1 Singtel Singtel StarHub
Name Base Plan with Device + $10 Add-on Combo 2 with 5G XO 48 with 5G S$65 Mobile+
Monthly Subscription S$50 S$52.90 S$58 S$65
Local Outgoing Mins 200 200 100 200
Local SMS 200 1,000 100 200
Local Data Bundle 17GB 12GB 20GB

30GB

iPhone 12 mini
upfront cost
64GB: S$570
128GB: S$640
256GB: S$790
64GB: S$648
128GB: S$718
256GB: S$868
64GB: S$558
128GB: S$628
256GB: S$778
64GB: S$449
128GB: S$509
256GB: S$669
iPhone 12
upfront cost
64GB: S$710
128GB: S$780
256GB: S$930
64GB: S$788
128GB: S$848
256GB: S$1,008

64GB: S$698
128GB: S$758
256GB: S$918

64GB: S$579
128GB: S$649
256GB: S$799
iPhone 12 Pro
upfront cost
128GB: S$1,030
256GB: S$1,290
512GB: S$1,490
128GB:S$1,108
256GB: S$1,258
512GB: S$1,558
128GB:S$1,018
256GB: S$1,168
512GB: S$1,468
128GB: S$899
256GB: S$1,059
512GB: S$1,359
iPhone 12 Pro Max
upfront cost
128GB: S$1,160
256GB: S$1,320
512GB: S$1,620
128GB: S$1,238
256GB: S$1,398
512GB: S$1,698
128GB: S$1,148
256GB: S$1,308
512GB: S$1,608
128GB: S$1,039
256GB: S$1,189
512GB: S$1,489
  Total Cost Over Two Years
iPhone 12 mini
with plan
64GB: S$1,770
128GB: S$1,840
256GB: S$1,990
64GB: S$1,917.60
128GB: S$1,987.60
256GB: S$2,137.60
64GB: S$1,950
128GB: S$2,020
256GB: S$2,170
64GB: S$2,009
128GB: S$2,069
256GB: S$2,229
iPhone 12
with plan
64GB: S$1,910
128GB: S$1,980
256GB: S$2,130
64GB: S$2,057.60
128GB: S$2,117.60
256GB: S$2,277.60
64GB: S$2,090
128GB: S$2,150
256GB: S$2,310
64GB: S$2,139
128GB: S$2,209
256GB: S$2,359
iPhone 12 Pro
with plan
128GB: S$2,230
256GB: S$2,490
512GB: S$2,690
128GB: S$2,377.60
256GB: S$2,527.60
512GB: S$2,827.60
128GB: S$2,410
256GB: S$2,560
512GB: S$2,860
128GB: S$2,459
256GB: S$2,619
512GB: S$2,919
iPhone 12 Pro Max
with plan
128GB: S$2,360
256GB: S$2,520
512GB: S$2,820
128GB: S$2,507.60
256GB: S$2,667.60
512GB: S$2,967.60
128GB: S$2,540
256GB: S$2,700
512GB: S$3,000
128GB: S$2,599
256GB: S$2,749
512GB: S$3,049

More details on higher-tiered plans and our conclusion can be seen on the next page.

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