Apple iPhone 13 And iPhone 13 Pro Debut With Faster A15 SoC, Longer Battery Life, 120Hz Displays
iPhone 13 And iPhone 13 Mini: Revised Styling, Faster A15 Bionic, Longer Battery Life
This time around, things haven't changed much on the outside -- as we've previously reported -- as the design introduced with the iPhone 12 family remains relatively fresh. That means you'll find flat surfaces all around and displays ranging in size from 5.4 inches for the iPhone 13 mini to 6.7 inches for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Speaking of the display, Apple is now using a revised Super Retina XDR Display for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. It can hit a maximum of 800 nits outdoors and 1200 nits max HDR brightness. Furthermore, larger sensors are now included with the 12MP wide and ultra-wide cameras on the back of the iPhone 13 models, allowing more light. In addition, the sensor-shift technology that debuted last year with the iPhone 12 Pro Max is now available with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini to improve low-light photography.
And as was initially rumored, Cinematic Mode has been introduced, which shoots in Dolby Vision HDR, and allows users to perform sleek rack focus effects in video. Inside, Apple is using a new A15 Bionic SoC, which we're assuming is built on TSMC's latest enhanced 5nm process node (although Apple didn't specify). The six-core design features two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. In addition, a new 4-core GPU is included, which it says is 30 percent faster than the "leading competition."
As for 5G, Apple has added even more bands this year and will support 200 carriers across 60 countries and regions. When it comes to battery life, the iPhone 13 mini will last 1.5 hours longer than its predecessor, while the iPhone 13 will last 2.5 hours longer.
iPhone 13 Pro And iPhone 13 Pro Max: 120Hz Displays Join Renewed Focus On Photos And Video
Apple then switched gears to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. These smartphones include an A15 Bionic like the lesser iPhone 13 models but have a 5-core GPU. In addition, Apple confirmed that the Pro models now feature a 1000-nit 120Hz ProMotion display, which finally puts them on par with Android flagships from two years ago. The screen can refresh from as low as 10Hz to as high as 120Hz depending on the content shown, and it's all managed by iOS 15.
Three new cameras are included, with wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto (3x) sensors. The new telephoto lens opens up a macro mode for shooting up close, and all of the cameras can shoot in Night Mode. ProRes Video is also coming later this year to the iPhone 13 Pro smartphones in an iOS 15 update for end-to-end workflows.
On the subject of battery life, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max lasts 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours longer, respectively, compared to their predecessors.
Apple is holding the line on pricing compared to last year, but there's still a bonus in it for customers -- at least for those that buy the baseline iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. Both smartphones have doubled in starting capacity from 64GB to 128GB. Higher tiers are available, coming in at 256GB and 512GB. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro continue with 128GB base configurations but are also available with 256GB and 512GB configs. And in a first for the iPhone family, the Pro models can also be equipped with up to 1TB of storage, which is a boon for photographers and videographers.
Preorders for the new iPhone 13 family start this coming Friday, and the phones will ship the following Friday (September 24th). The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 start at $699 and $799, respectively. And like last year, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro will start from $999 and $1,099, respectively.
