iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Pro Announced, Release Date September 24
Apple has announced the iPhone 13 series, including iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
The new iPhones offer incremental improvements over the prior models, with faster performance, better cameras, better screen brightness and refresh rate, new color options, water resistance, better battery life, and more.
All new iPhone models will be available to pre-order starting at 5am PDT on Friday September 17, with a release date set the week after on September 24.
Additionally, Apple released updates to the Apple Watch, iPad, and iPad Mini devices.
iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Mini
The iPhone 13 series is now the base model iPhone.
- A15 Bionic CPU
- 5G cellular support
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB size options
- Available in white, black, pink, blue, red
- iPhone 13 mini starts at $699 for 128GB
- iPhone 13 starts at $799 for $128gb
You can read more at Apple’s iPhone 13 marketing page here.
iPhone 13 Pro & iPhone 13 Pro Max
The new Pro series of iPhone has all the features of iPhone 13, along with a better display, additional camera features, and different color options.
- A15 Bionic CPU
- 120hz ProMotion display, available in 6.1″ or 6.7″ sizes (Pro vs Pro Max)
- Macrophotography camera mode for focusing at 2cm
- 3x optical zoom range
- 5G cellular support
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB size options
- Available in graphite (black), gold, white, light blue
- iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999
- iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1099
You can check out more at the Apple.com iPhone 13 Pro page here.
iPhone 13 series also offers some interesting camera software features like Cinematic Mode which changes focus as new subjects come into camera view, and Photographic Styles which offer more muted or vibrant colors depending on your preference.
The iPhone 13 lineup is nice if you’re looking for an upgraded iPhone from an earlier model, but the difference between an iPhone 13 from an iPhone 12 or iPhone 11 is less significant. If you were expecting nuclear fission or a time machine, you’ll be disappointed, whereas if you expected incremental speed and camera improvements, you’ll be satisfied.
Apple also announced that iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 will be released on Monday, September 20.
I don’t understand what’s different with iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12, or iPhone 11. Or the XS (10S?), Or…. I mean, I do, I read what you wrote, and I look at Apple’s advertising page with all their marketing schpiel and advertiser flash, but what’s really truly different or significant?
The days of iPhone releases being very unique or different stopped with iPhone 6 I guess? Back then we got the bigger screen (with that hideously ugly bulbous design which stayed around until last year, good riddance), but what since?
iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 remain the best design by a mile, those also felt pretty innovative when they came out. The original iPhone had a great design but was hobbled by dialup-speed 2G networking. I remember getting my iPhone 3G and it felt like I stepped into the future, strangers would start conversations at the office and coffee shop to ask about it, it was a true WOW piece of technology. iPhone 4 and 5 felt like refinements to that futuristic now. iPhone 6 felt like we played catchup to the big screen Android clunkers. Ever since then it all blends together, with shareholder centric c-level throttling of small feature changes because releasing changes at a trickle is the most profitable. Is there just no more innovation in the phone space? I can only surmise the ‘smartphone’ is now like the PC in 1996 – commodified and boring.
I will try out an iPhone 12 Pro I think, the macro photography thing could be interesting or maybe it’s just a software gimmick, but otherwise the features or changes are so minimal that it’s a little silly and feels downright profligate to spend thousands of dollars on what is essentially the same thing to make phone calls, send emails and texts, and snap some photos. But alas I am bored, and with the world in endless COVID chaos I spend more time on my phone, so hey why not try a new expensive toy? No wonder tech stocks are way up!
By the way, what happened to getting Touch ID back on iPhone? Using Face ID with a face mask is a nonstarter. Wait, let me guess, that will be in the 2022 model, iPhone 14 Pro, for another $1299.
Hi there :)