Is the iPhone 13 the smartphone you’ve been waiting for?
Apple unveiled the new iPhone 13 line-up at its special launch event on September 14 and it went on sale across the world soon after, along with a whole range of iPhones - the Mini, Pro, and Pro Max. Since then, the latest iPhones have been flying off the shelves. With manufacturing and logistics around the world hit by pandemic-related delays, Apple had warned customers back in July, about stock shortages. This seems to be the case now, with many Apple-authorised dealers already out of stock.
But don’t worry, you can still get the iPhone with the specs and colour you want, from Amazon, and get it as early as tomorrow, if you are a Prime subscriber.
Even as the iPhone 13 has fans rushing to buy the new smartphone, there’s another launch on the horizon: the brand-new Apple Watch Series 7. It’s the most durable Apple Watch so far, with a larger display and faster charging. Pre-order it on Amazon, from October 8, or buy it outright when it launches on October 15.
But back to the smartphone that's turning heads. Here’s all you need to know about the new iPhone 13:
Prices
If you were expecting the new iPhone to be more expensive than the previous version, there’s good news – there has been no price hike.
Specs
Screen size: 6.1 inches
Type: Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution: 2532 x 1170 pixels
Operating system: iOS 15
Chip: Apple A15 Bionic
Battery life: 19 hours video, 75 hours audio
Protection: Scratch-resistent Ceramic Glass
Memory capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Dimensions: 147 x 72 x 7.7mm
Weight: 174g
Design
The iPhone 13 is available in five new colours: Midnight or black, starlight or white, red, blue, and pink. Apple claims the iPhone 13 has been redesigned “on the inside and out.” This might seem difficult to spot at first glance. With a flat-edge design, the iPhone 13 has the same ceramic shield as the iPhone 12. But look along the sides of the smartphone and you will notice its ring/silent switch, volume controls and power button have all shifted slightly. Turn the phone around, and that’s where lies the biggest change. The iPhone 13’s powerful new camera is set up diagonally, rather than stacked in a row as in older models.
What’s new?
This phone debuts Apple’s new smartphone chip: the A15 Bionic. Comprising a six-core central processing unit (CPU), with four high efficiency cores, it’s 50 per cent faster than rival phones. The graphics processing unit (GPU) is apparently 30 per cent faster than the competition, and a new 16-core Neural Engine is reportedly giving the phone’s machine learning skills a power-up.
The iPhone 13’s screen has not undergone drastic changes – its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display remains safe behind Apple’s Ceramic Shield, and the screen resolution is 2532 x 1170 pixels with a pixel density of 460 pixels per inch (ppi). But Apple has increased the maximum brightness by 28% to 800 nits for SDR and 1,200 nits for HDR content.
Apple is also showing off its new iOS 5 features in the iPhone 13, with Live Text in Camera and 3D Maps navigation.
But perhaps the biggest addition to the iPhone 13 is its new dual-camera system. The new Ultra Wide camera can focus at just 2cm, and along with its redesigned lens and autofocus feature, macro photography is as easy as the click of a button. With a wider aperture and a large sensor, the camera also performs effectively at night, by capturing 2.2 times more light than previous models. And if you want to switch from photo to video, there’s also support for 4K HDR with Dolby Vision, up to 60 frames per second.
With all these features to play with, Apple’s addressed user concerns about fast depleting battery life. They say the iPhone 13 has a significantly bigger batter than iPhone 12, and should last 2.5 hours longer, which means you can enjoy all-day battery life.
The iPhone 13 is the latest in a long line of outstanding offerings by Apple. While there haven’t been massive changes, in comparison to the iPhone 12, Apple has addressed key areas, like picture and video quality, and battery life. It’s a great phone, and fast selling, so go on and get yours now.
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