Apple today (September 14, 2021) announced the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13, both featuring a smaller notch, repositioned rear-cameras, improved performance, and more. The same 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch sizes of their respective iPhone 12 predecessors were kept.
More powerful versions were also unveiled: the Pro and Pro Max.
iPhone 13: From $699
The four new iPhone variants — iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max — were launched alongside a powerful new iPad Mini and the Apple Watch Series 7 models.
Inside, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are powered with the brand new A15 Bionic chip. Built on the 5nm technology, the A15 Bionic chip features a 6-core CPU with two high-performance and four high-efficiency cores. Embedded into the A15 Bionic chip is a new 16-core Neural Engine, capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second.The new iPhone 13s work on 5G, features a cinematic mode, ceramic shield, water resistant, A15 Bionic chip, retina display, and comes in 5 colours.
According to Apple, the Pro comes with new design improvements, all-new cameras (most powerful cams in an iPhone), bigger batteries, faster charging, game-changing satellite communications and — ProMotion displays and upgraded 5G, the Pro is a new film-making must-have. The new iPhone 13s work on 5G, features a cinematic mode, ceramic shield, water resistant, A15 Bionic chip, retina display, and comes in 5 colours.
The new iPhone 13s work on 5G, features a cinematic mode, ceramic shield, water resistant, A15 Bionic chip, retina display, and comes in 5 colours.
On the back, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini include a new and more advanced dual-camera system. The wide 12MP sensor allows for 47% more light, a 26mm focal length, and on the Ultra Wide camera, the new iPhones include sensor-shift technology from the "Pro" iPhones.
iPhone 13 Pro: From $999
According to Apple, the Pro comes with new design improvements, all-new cameras (most powerful cams in an iPhone), bigger batteries, faster charging, game-changing satellite communications and — ProMotion displays and upgraded 5G, the Pro is a new film-making must-have.
With video, Apple is also introducing "Cinematic mode," which uses the power of A15 to automatically blur the background during a video, allowing the subject to stay in focus. During filming, users can tap on different subjects to shift focus.
The iPhone 13 mini starts at $699 with 128GB of base storage, up from the previous 64GB. The iPhone 13 starts at $799, and both will be available for pre-orders on Friday, September 17, and will begin shipping on September 24.
New iPad Mini: From $499
The all-new iPad Mini was also unveiled with 5G, USB-C, and larger 8.3-inch retina display.
It features a new enclosure with narrower bezels and rounded corners. The big news is that it’s larger than the iPad Mini 5 with an 8.3-inch display (up from its predecessor’s 7.9-inch panel), making the device even more viable as a driver for multitasking or schoolwork. Apple says the screen can reach 500 nits of brightness.
The iPad Mini is currently Apple’s smallest tablet, even with the bump in size. Apple was rumored to have been considering a Mini LED display on the new iPad, similar to that of its largest iPad Pro. Those appear to have missed the mark; the new Mini sports a regular Liquid Retina display.
iPad mini comes in an all-screen design, the A15 Bionic chip, Center Stage, 5G
Apple today unveiled the powerful new iPad mini — with a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display — in four gorgeous finishes. Featuring the brand new A15 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini delivers up to 80 percent faster performance than the previous generation, making it the most capable iPad mini ever.
A new USB-C port allows faster connectivity, and cellular models with 5G bring more flexible mobile workflows. New advanced cameras, Center Stage, and support for Apple Pencil (2nd generation) enable new ways for users to capture photos and videos, communicate with loved ones, and jot down their ideas when creativity strikes. The new iPad mini is available to order beginning today, and will be in stores beginning Friday, September 24.
All-screen design in 4 finishes
With advanced technologies such as 500 nits of brightness, a P3 wide color gamut, anti-reflective screen coating, True Tone, and full lamination, images and video will be vibrant and come right up to the surface of the glass. And new landscape stereo speakers, combined with the new display, deliver a great movie-viewing experience.
The all-screen design is enabled by moving Touch ID to the top button of iPad mini. Touch ID delivers the same ease of use and secure authentication users know and love — to unlock iPad mini, log in to apps, or use Apple Pay. iPad mini now supports Apple Pencil (2nd generation), which attaches magnetically to iPad mini for wireless charging and pairing.
A15 Bionic chip for iPad mini
iPad mini gets a huge performance boost from the new A15 Bionic chip, with its incredibly efficient design that delivers all-day battery life.1 The 6-core CPU delivers a 40 percent jump in performance, and the 5-core GPU delivers an 80 percent leap in graphics performance compared to the previous generation of iPad mini.
Combined with the CPU and GPU, the Neural Engine enables apps to deliver next-level experiences, such as image recognition and natural language learning. With iPadOS 15, powerful new ML features include Live Text, which uses on-device intelligence to recognize text in photos that users can take action on, and even translates text from photos into seven different languages.2
Center Stage Comes to iPad mini with New Advanced Cameras
The Center Stage experience on iPad Pro is now available on iPad mini, so users can enjoy even more engaging video calls. An updated Ultra Wide front camera with a new 12MP sensor and a much larger field of view enable Center Stage, which automatically pans the camera to keep users in view as they move around. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to easily include them in the conversation.
The back camera now features a 12MP sensor with Focus Pixels and a larger aperture to capture sharp, vivid photos. The back camera also features a True Tone flash, perfect for capturing images in low light. With a new ISP in A15 Bionic, users will also see remarkably natural-looking photos with Smart HDR, which improves image quality by recovering details in shadows and highlights.
5G and USB-C for Faster Connectivity
With 5G now available on iPad mini, customers can do even more with faster wireless connectivity on the go. 5G allows iPad mini to reach peak speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions.3 Users can now stay connected and be even more productive wherever they are — from everyday activities like friends playing games, to field service technicians working onsite. Combined with continued support for Gigabit LTE and eSIM, iPad mini offers incredible flexibility when users need to get connected. Wi-Fi 6 ensures even faster Wi-Fi connections as well.
iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer, which is 10x faster than the previous generation, and connects to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K. USB-C enables workflows with high-bandwidth input and output for everyday users and creative professionals alike — perfect for a photographer connecting cameras when shooting on location, or a doctor conducting an ultrasound remotely.
The Pro lineup is likely to have more advanced cameras that offer a video version of portrait mode, higher quality video option called ProRes and new filters.
They may also sport ultra-wide angle lenses and wider apertures to shoot better-looking images in low light. Reports also suggest that the upgrade will be common across all iPhone 13 models and not be limited to the more expensive Pro line.
Apple Watch Series 7: From $399
In addition to all of a pair of new iPads, the company just launched the latest version of the wearable-dominated Apple Watch. As anticipated, the Apple Watch Series 7 marks one of the biggest design changes in the smartwatch’s six year history. The new Watch sports a re-engineered display that’s 20% larger than the Series 6, while “barely effecting” the watch’s size, courtesy of smaller bezels.
It comes with rounded corners and the display is significantly brighter than the last version. The new screen is able to fit 50% more text than the previous models, and the system features a new text input feature with AI predictions. The glass on the front has been fortified, and the Watch now rates IP6X.
The battery hasn’t been improved this time. It can, however, charge at around 33% faster, so you can get some quick juice in before sleep tracking.
Apple Watch Series 7 is arriving later this fall, starting at $399. The cases come in five different colors. The Series 3 goes for $279, while the SE runs $279. The new watch will ship with WatchOS 8, which now includes bike tracking.
Security
Earlier, researchers have identified a so-called "zero-click" exploit affecting Apple's iMessage messaging service. The previously-unidentified vulnerability affects all of Apple's current devices, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and Mac computers, according to tech media reports. On Tuesday, researchers said the snag has been patched.
The exploit, named "FORCEDENTRY" by the University of Toronto Citizen Lab researchers, takes advantage of the way iMessage renders images to skirt the built-in security systems of Apple's latest operating systems.
The patch came after Apple released security updates for its devices. Apple users are urged to "immediately" update their devices.
(With inputs from agencies)
