Apple is putting a lot of pressure on itself with the launch of the iPhone 12; the $399 iPhone SE 2020 is getting rave reviews and people may wonder if they really need an expensive smartphone. That includes me.

The iPhone SE offers the A13 Bionic power of the iPhone 11 for $300 less and a camera that rivals more expensive flagships. iPhone SE doesn't just get the attention of cheaper Android phones, it gets Apple's attention.

So, what can Apple do to justify the expense of the iPhone 12 and drive shoppers toward the premium route? Based on the leaks and rumors so far, how can Apple get me to trade up?

The iPhone SE only supports 4G speeds, which is an acceptable trade-off considering the price. According to multiple reports, all four models of the new iPhone 12 should have 5G connectivity. However, it will not be enough for Apple to simply say, "Look at these 1 Gbps download speeds."

Samsung's recent Galaxy S20 ads tout some of the applications that will benefit from 5G's blazing speed and low latency. These include "instant" downloads of TV shows, multiplayer online game play, video chat, and the ability to watch concerts remotely as if you were in the front row.

Apple needs to push 5G further with the iPhone 12 and introduce apps, games, and experiences that leverage the power of these networks at launch to truly capture the imagination of potential upgraders. Today's 5G is a further enhancement of what we already have, and we need to see real innovation.

The iPhone SE is a very good camera phone for the price, with portrait modes on the rear and front cameras, smart HDR to bring out the highlights in photos, and extended dynamic range for 4K video. However, the iPhone SE lacks the night mode found on the iPhone 11, which allows users to take photos in near darkness.

Take a look at the photo above taken at night with the iPhone SE and iPhone 11 Pro Max. iPhone 11 Pro illuminates the lawn, the house across the street, the car, and the street itself, while the iPhone SE image is too dark to see most objects in the scene. The iPhone SE's image is too dark to see most of the objects in the scene. And the iPhone 12 will likely take night mode to the next level, thanks to the image signal processor built into the A14 Bionic processor.

In addition, there are rumors that Apple will move the iPhone 12's main camera to a 64MP wide camera. Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 will continue to feature an ultra-wide-angle lens, which the iPhone SE does not have, and the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max should feature an even more powerful telephoto zoom than before.

Following the rumors, the iPhone 12 will have flatter edges than the iPhone 11 and a slimmer design, like a combination of the iPad Pro 2020 and iPhone 5. However, it is the front that really matters when comparing it to the iPhone SE.

The 4.7-inch Retina display on the iPhone SE is excellent for the price, but it is not full HD resolution. And this size is quite small for watching long videos and TV shows, let alone movies. iPhone 12 is expected to start at 5.4 inches and go up to 6.1 inches, and both are said to have OLED displays that offer more vivid colors and wider viewing angles than the iPhone SE's LCD panel Both are said to feature OLED displays that offer more vibrant colors and wider viewing angles than the iPhone SE's LCD panel.

Equally important, the iPhone 12 will not have to suffer from the chunky bezels around the display. Apple will reportedly shrink the notch on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro series, which should provide a near full-screen experience.

Apple has been talking about augmented reality for years, but I have yet to see its killer app. Sure, IKEA Place lets you try out virtual furniture in your living room; Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs is fun. But I have yet to experience an AR app that I would want to return to again and again. So far, none of them feel like a novelty.

That's why Apple has work to do with the iPhone 12, which should feature the same LiDAR sensor found in the iPad Pro 2020, designed to measure distance to surrounding objects up to 5 meters away. designed to measure the distance to surrounding objects up to 5 meters away. However, developers only recently got Apple's ARKit update, which is needed to develop the next generation of AR killer apps.

Another key ingredient for the AR revolution is Apple's upcoming A14 Bionic chip. The combination of this 5nm processor and LiDAR sensor should make for a very compelling app demo on stage at Apple's fall event (though it may have to be virtual).

The iPhone 11 sells for $699, which is quite affordable for a recent flagship phone. The Galaxy S20 starts at $999. However, two key upgrades rumored to be included in the iPhone 11 - an OLED display and 5G - may make it difficult for Apple to maintain a similar price.

One early iPhone 12 price report puts the price in the $700-$750 range, which would not be too big a jump. However, the iPhone SE still starts at $399. And if Apple decides to keep the iPhone 11 alive, its price will likely drop to $599. If economic uncertainty continues, even a $750 phone could be hard to sell.

Taken together, the iPhone 12 has everything one should expect from a flagship phone in 2020, including 5G, a faster processor, and a better camera. But more than ever, Apple will need to partner with the iOS 14 team and third-party developers to convince shoppers of the real benefits. This is especially true for 5G, where a killer app is really needed.

The risk for Apple is that the iPhone SE ends up being good enough for millions of people who need a new phone that does the job.