When Was the iPhone 13 Announced?
Apple traditionally announces new iPhone models in the Fall, so it was no surprise to hear about the iPhone 13 at the September 14, 2021, Apple event.
iPhone 13 Release Date
Available since September 24, 2021, you can order the iPhone 13 on Apple’s website. Apple has a tradition of releasing the newest iPhone within a short time following the official announcement. Based on previous iPhone release dates, this was really no shocker.
How Much Does the iPhone 13 Cost?
There are several iPhone 13 models, so pricing varies:
iPhone 13 Pro Max: $1099 (128 GB), $1199 (256 GB), $1399 (512 GB), $1599 (1 TB)iPhone 13 Pro: $999 (128 GB), $1099 (256 GB), $1299 (512 GB), $1499 (1 TB)iPhone 13: $799 (128 GB), $899 (256 GB), $1099(512 GB)iPhone 13 mini: $699 (128 GB), $799 (256 GB), $999(512 GB)
The Pro models are available in Sierra Blue, Silver, Gold, Alpine Green, and Graphite colors. The lower-end models come in Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight and (PRODUCT)Red.
iPhone 13 Key Features and Design
Respected Apple analyst (and prolific leaker) Ming-Chi Kuo with TF International Securities at one point predicted a completely wireless experience for the 2021 iPhone lineup. His various reports indicated that Apple will cancel the Lightning port, but it turns out we won’t see these changes with this iPhone. Here are some of the key improvements that arrived with the iPhone 13:
Improved performance: With the A15 Bionic chip, everything from the camera to core power are improved. This means faster graphics performance for gaming and better camera features. Better cameras: Apple boasts that this phone carries the best camera system ever on iPhone, with a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels, plus a brand-new image signal processor. Translation: faster shutter speeds, more detailed images, and greater noise reduction. Cinematic mode: Like portrait mode, but for video. It blurs the background to make the subject pop out. ProRes: For iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, this video codec offers higher color fidelity and less compression. 120Hz refresh rate: Also just for Pro and Pro Max, Apple has introduced “the most advanced display ever on iPhone:” Super Retina XDR with ProMotion. It supports an adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz, so you can benefit from fast frame rates when you need it, while saving battery when you don’t.
iPhone 13 Specs and Hardware
Like most new devices, there are improvements on the phone’s specs between the 12 and 13 versions. The iPhone 13 includes a 120Hz display (just in the Pro and Max models), a new battery structure, the A15 chip (a bump from the iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic chip), more capacity, and OIS that stabilizes the sensor instead of the lens (the same tech in the iPhone 12 Pro Max). In late 2020, prolific Apple leaker Jon Prosser tossed out some tidbits regarding the extra storage potential of the iPhone 13. If you’ve just gotta have more, you’ll enjoy the fact that the Pro Max and Pro models have a 1 TB option (the other iPhone 13 models max out at half that storage space). You do, of course, have to pay extra for it. All four models have a Ceramic Shield front and include an A15 Bionic chip, 6‑core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores, 4‑core GPU, and 16‑core Neural Engine. They also feature splash, water, and dust resistance, with an IP68 rating. Here are some differences between the models:
