At Apple's California Streaming event on September 14, which also announced two new iPads and Apple Watch Series 7, months of anticipation, rumors, and excitement finally ended: The iPhone 13 has been officially unveiled. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking about purchasing a new iPhone.
Preorders for all four new iPhones are now available from 17 September.
Introducing the iPhone 13 Series
Four iPhone 13 Series devices are available. Despite the lackluster sales of the iPhone 12 Mini, the 13 Mini is the smallest and most affordable model in the lineup. It shares several features with the iPhone 13.
Two premium models, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, offer better performance and more storage space. The phones support 5G networks.
iPhone 13 specs in a nutshell
iPhone 13 design
The iPhone 13 has an aluminum body with flattened edges, continuing a design trend reminiscent of the iPhone 5. The notch that houses the speaker, front-facing camera, and Face ID technology is narrower, giving you more screen real estate.
Improved design allows for a larger battery without compromising the phone's slim and lightweight design. In addition to having longer battery life than previous generations, the iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts 2.5 hours of additional battery life over the iPhone 12 Pro Max, for up to 28 hours between charges.
The iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 13 models will be available in five color options: The much-anticipated pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and red. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be available in graphite, gold, silver, and a new light blue tone called “sierra blue.”
iPhone 13 sizes
The following sizes are confirmed for the new iPhone 13:
- iPhone 13 Mini: 5.4-inch
- iPhone 13: 6.1-inch
- iPhone 13 Pro: 6.1-inch
- iPhone 13 Pro Max: 6.7-inch
iPhone 13 colors
iPhone 13 and 13 Mini colors:
- Starlight
- Midnight
- Blue
- Pink
- Product Red
iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max colors:
- Silver
- Graphite
- Gold
- Sierra blue
iPhone 13 is powered by the A15 Bionic
The iPhone 13 lineup is even more fluid with the A15 Bionic chip, which is much faster than the competition and offers more performance and power efficiency. To tackle the most demanding tasks, including the latest computational photography features, it uses 5-nanometer technology and has nearly 15 billion transistors.The 6-core CPU features two high-performance and four high-efficiency cores and is up to 50 percent faster than any rival.
It handles demanding tasks smoothly and efficiently, and the new 4-core GPU delivers more lifelike visuals and lighting effects during graphics-intensive games.In iOS 15, the new 16-core Neural Engine offers 15.8 trillion operations per second, enabling faster machine learning computations for third-party apps and features such as Live Text in Camera.
A new dual-camera system has been developed by combining advances in the next-generation ISP with computational photography and powerful camera hardware.
iPhone 13 displays
The iPhone 13 features a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone Mini has a 5.4-inch display, making it slightly larger than the iPhone SE.
The enhanced Super Retina XDR OLED displays deliver true black and increase maximum outdoor brightness by 28 percent at 800 nits, higher HDR peak brightness of 1200 nits, and they are more power-efficient.
Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max display both support ProMotion for an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Apple's iPhone 13 Pro is the same size as the iPhone 13 at 6.1 inches, but it has a larger 6.7-inch display.
All four models have a Ceramic Shield front cover and an IP68 rating for water resistance.
iPhone 13 cameras
iPhone 13 Mini & iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 series has 12MP front cameras on all models. The iPhone 13 Mini and the iPhone 13 have diagonal dual-camera systems on the back, including wide and ultrawide cameras with 2x optical zoom. The wide camera comes with a ƒ/1.6 aperture, and the ultra-wide camera comes with an ƒ/2.4 aperture and a 120-degree field of view.
Wide-angle cameras use sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) to increase light sensitivity and improve lowlight photo and video performance.
iPhone 13 Mini & iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will include new ultrawide, wide, and telephoto cameras, all of which will feature Night Mode.
The primary 12MP camera has a 26mm equivalent focal length, F/1.5 aperture, and 1.9 *m pixels. The front of the camera is equipped with a 7P (seven-element) lens with sensor-shift OIS.
With an aperture of F/1.8, the 6P lens is the same focal length as the ultrawide snapper with a 12MP resolution and a focal length of 13mm. One notable change is the addition of autofocus.
Despite its 77mm focal length and 3x zoom, the 12-megapixel telephoto camera has a slower F/2.8 aperture due to its 6P lens. The night mode in this one can more than makeup for that, depending on the scene.
With iOS 15, Apple will introduce improvements to its Camera app and photography software, such as Photographic Styles and Cinematic modes. Using the Camera app, you can incorporate text and other effects into your images using Graphic Styles.
With Cinematic mode, you can capture depth-of-field transitions, macro videos, and time-lapse and Slo-mo videos.
FaceTime calls feel more natural with spatial audio and Portrait mode; notifications have been redesigned. Live Text allows users to recognize text in a photo and take action when necessary. Using augmented reality and three-dimensional maps, Apple Maps lets you explore cities in three dimensions and get walking directions.
iPhone 13 battery life
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini offer significant improvements in battery life thanks to the A15 Bionic, more efficient components, a larger battery, and power optimizations from a deep integration of hardware and software.
Using an extensive battery management system, the iPhone 13 battery lasts up to 18 hours.iPhone 13 provides up to two and a half hours more in a day than iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini provides up to one and a half hours more in a day than iPhone 12.
iPhone 13 pricing, release date, and carrier deals – How to buy the new iPhone models
This year's iPhone 13 doesn't cost more than last year's model. The smallest and more affordable iPhone 13 is the 13 Mini, which starts at $699 in the U.S. and 679 pounds in the U.K. An iPhone 13 starts at $799 in the U.S. and 779 pounds in the U.K.
The iPhone 13 Pro costs $999, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max costs $1,099. The iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099 if you require 1TB of storage. The U.K. price for those devices is 949 pounds and 1,049 pounds, respectively.
Also, carriers are clamoring to get the new iPhone in people's hands.
HOW TO BUY THE IPHONE 13 MINI
Apple's iPhone 13 Mini has a 5.4-inch OLED screen and is the 2021 version of the iPhone mini form-factor. Apple claims this newer version will have longer battery life than the previous version. Apple seems to have improved the battery life in the iPhone 12 Mini, which is a good thing.
Among the features of the iPhone 13 Mini is a 128GB storage model starting at $729. The 256GB or 512GB versions cost $829 or $1,029, respectively. The starting price of each configuration drops by $30 when you purchase through a carrier via Apple's website, starting at $699. Check the value of your phone here if you want to trade it in.
HOW TO ORDER THE IPHONE 13
The new iPhone 13 has a 6.1-inch OLED display, the same size as last year's model. As with other models this year, Apple upgraded the internal chipset to the A15 Bionic.
It will cost you $30 more to buy them unlocked rather than through a carrier, starting at $829 for the 128GB version, $929 for the 256GB version, and $1,129 for the 512GB version.
If you want to trade it in for credit, you can find out the value of your phone at Apple.
HOW TO BUY THE IPHONE 13 PRO AND PRO MAX
Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are the most significant and capable models for 2021. Apple's iPhone 13 Pro has a 6.1-inch OLED display with an A15 Bionic chipset, while its Pro Max has a 6.7-inch OLED. It is long overdue that both monitors support 120Hz refresh rates. You'll also pay more for this model than the base iPhone 13.
- Apple charges $999 and $1,099 for the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
- Apple's 256GB iPhone 13 Pro will set you back $1,099. Its Pro Max will run you $1,199.
- There will also be an additional $200 charge for 512GB configurations of either model, with the 1TB models selling for $1,499.
Unlike the iPhone 13 Mini and standard iPhone 13, there's no $30 price difference if you purchase an iPhone 13 Pro unlocked.
If you want to trade in your current phone, Apple's site can tell you its worth.
IPHONE 13 LINEUP CARRIER DEALS
New and existing T-Mobile customers can get up to $800 in trade-in credit towards an iPhone 13 series phone. Customers on the Max plan are eligible for this deal and will get their credit back in 30 monthly bill credits. As part of T-Mobile's “Forever Upgrade” initiative, Max plan holders can earn up to $800 in trade-in credit for future trade-ins, including this one.
The deal offered by AT&T: New and current AT&T customers with unlimited plans who upgrade to a 13-inch iPhone on an installment plan can get a good deal after all credited charges are applied. Up to $1,000 in billing credits are available if you trade in a phone worth $180 or more, making the iPhone 13 Pro Max a better deal.
Deal for Verizon users: Current and new Verizon customers can save on various iPhone 13 models with a trade-in if they're on specific unlimited plans, which are credited back to you in monthly credits over 24 or 30 months. New Verizon customers can get an additional $500 in credits by switching carriers to Verizon.
Depending on your phone, you could get up to $1,000 back in billing credits if you buy the iPhone 13 Pro Max and have an unlimited plan. After receiving billing credits, trading in select phones can make the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro, which usually costs $999, free.
Those interested in the iPhone 13 can trade in the device for up to $800 on an unlimited plan, and Verizon will reimburse you via billing credits. A trade-in value of $700 is available for the iPhone 13 Mini.
Verizon trade-in value tiers
According to a Verizon spokesperson, these are the phones that will get the top-tier trade-in value (even though the carrier will accept most phones in any condition, but battery damage is a deal-breaker):
- iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
Below you find the mid-tier phones available for Verizon's trade-in deal:
- Apple: iPhone X and up
- Samsung: GS9 and Note 9 and up
- Google: Pixel 4A and up
- Kyocera: DuraForce Ultra
- LG: V50 ThinQ and up
- Motorola: Moto One 5G, RAZR, Edge Plus
- Nokia: 8 V 5G
- OnePlus: 7 and up
- Sony: Xperia 1 and up