Apple launches iPhone 13 with A15, smaller notch & more

AppleInsider

Apple on Tuesday unveiled the iPhone 13 with a range of updates, including a smaller notch, a redesigned camera setup, and the company's latest A15 chipset.

Credit: Apple

The iPhone 13, as a successor to the iPhone 12, retains the same 6.1-inch form factor but packs diagonally positioned rear cameras and a smaller front notch. Additionally, the iPhone 13 sports a new A15 Bionic chipset under the hood, which Apple says is up to 50% faster than the leading rival chips and offers up to 30% better graphical performance.

For the display, Apple has made the Super Retina XDR up to 28% brighter, allowing for peak brightness of around 1,200 nits and outdoor brightness of 800 nits. The aforementioned A15 Bionic camera has nearly 15 billion transistors and a new six-core CPU design with two high-performance and four high-efficiency cores.

Apple has made major improvements to the camera technology here, too. The iPhone 13 packs new Wide and Ultra Wide cameras with a much bigger sensor and more pixels. The iPhone 13's camera sensors are able to pick up at least 50% more light, offering higher-resolution photos and better low-light performance. The wide angle sensor also delivers the same sensor-shift technology as the iPhone 12 Pro models.

There's a new "Cinematic Mode" that allows users to capture cinema-style videos on their handsets. The mode holds focus on a subject, even while moving, and automatically shifts the video's focus as people enter and move around the frame. Additionally, it also allows users to select focus for a shot after the fact, thanks to computational photography.

Apple iPhone 13

---

Apple's iPhone 13 features a ceramic shield front and a Super Retina XDR display with True Tone. Carrier deals are subject to T&C.

Amazon Deals

AT&T Offers

Verizon Discounts

A new "Photographic Styles" feature allows users to create their own filter-type preferences that can be applied to any photo that they shoot. Unlike a standard photo filter that you'd find in a third-party app, the styles will be intelligently applied with the right adjustments to different parts of the photo.

As far as battery life, the iPhone 13 has improved battery life. On the 6.1-inch model, Apple says that users can expect up to two and a half hours more battery than the previous model.

Apple has also upgraded the antennas and radio components on the iPhone 13, allowing for expanded band support. The Cupertino tech giant is also working with more than 200 carriers in 60 countries and regions to add 5G support by the end of 2021.

The iPhone 13 is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage variants. As for colors, it'll come in pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED. It starts at $799 for the 128GB model.

Read on AppleInsider

9secondkox2

Cinematic video mode is a game changer. 

Wish I had this through 2020…

japhey

FindMy MagSafe wallet is cool. Photographic Styles are cool. 

edited September 2021

strangedays

A segment with filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow...now why is that name familiar  😎

elijahg

Seems pretty cool, especially cinematic mode, macro and extra battery life. However, IMO the wide angle lens has very little utility vs telephoto. I can't remember the last time I wanted a wider angle view but I regularly zoom in. You can usually step back, but you frequently can't get nearer to something. Anecdotally I regularly see people zooming in, and they just step back if they can't fit everything in the frame.

kkqd1337

Solid evolutionary updates.

tbh with the lack of travelling I don’t really think I have made the most of my 12

roxtar

Got the 12 last year. I normally go every 2 cycles. Rather than succumb to impulse buying, I'll let this one soak for a while before deciding whether or not to do the Apple Upgrade program.

charles1

Nice to see Kathryn Bigelow. I taught her how to use scriptwriting software on her new Mac II, back in the 80s.

blah64

elijahg said:

Seems pretty cool, especially cinematic mode, macro and extra battery life. However, IMO the wide angle lens has very little utility vs telephoto. I can't remember the last time I wanted a wider angle view but I regularly zoom in. You can usually step back, but you frequently can't get nearer to something. Anecdotally I regularly see people zooming in, and they just step back if they can't fit everything in the frame.

You can't just step back to get wider scenery shots (pano is cool, but definitely not the same), and it sounds like you've never taken group photos indoors, like at home.  It's kind of strange that you say this, because I've personally witnessed the struggle to squeeze people together literally hundreds of times over the years.  I suspect most people have experienced this.  The wide angle lens also allows you to get more spur of the moment shots where you don't have time to compose and get people to pose, it's just situational.  You can crop later, but you can't add viewing angle later.

Telephoto obviously has great utility as well, but the farther you zoom the more you need to worry about things like stability and light with a tiny camera.  The wide angle just simply works, and also adds great utility.

22july2013

charles1 said:

Nice to see Kathryn Bigelow. I taught her how to use scriptwriting software on her new Mac II, back in the 80s.

Impressive. The closest I can get to fame is an exchange of short letters with Isaac Asimov.

discountopinion

Solid evolutionary upgrades to echo viewpoint of another forum member. 

Fantastic camera upgrades and my personal rationale for subscribing to iPhone is that every year I get a better camera for photos and videos of the kids.
I can't wait for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the Pro Max is my go-to iPhone.

The increased battery life is also very very welcome along with ProMotion. All in all solid and the increased 5G coverage will make this sell like absolute hotcakes.

As a shareholder I am over the moon about this cycle. Impressive execution by the team.

patchythepirate

I fucking love Apple. What a great presentation. I think they outdid themselves this time. I really love the creative touches that 'surprise and delight,' just like Apple's products do, e.g. the helicopter scene with the girl, and the dog in handcuffs lol. I loved the scenery of the shots, especially the backgrounds that included Apple's campus. Does anyone know if they do tours?? I'd fly back to CA just for that.

iPhones look amazing, of course, still best in class, by far, of course, although it was interesting that there don't seem to be much in the way of 'stand out' features, the obvious features that are easy for normies (i.e. non apple nerds/fans) to wrap their minds around as significantly 'different.' ProMotion is probably cool, but something most will just feel, but not 'notice' (like high ceilings in a house), and on-phone siri will likely be a huge usability and security improvement, although probably won't be fully appreciated for what it is. Camera improvements seem great, although also probably not fully appreciated. Thankfully, Apple is solidly in the stage where there are enough people who appreciate Apple that the claims of a 'boring' update won't phase them much at all.

Side note re Apple's event art.. they did it again! All the damn guesses (including mine), wrong, and not really alluding to much (unless we're getting an AR glasses surprise at an upcoming event).

I'm looking forward to getting the 13. I've been getting new Pro's on the upgrade plan for the last few years, but I'm pretty sure I'm going with the mini this year, I miss the efficiency of that size too much. I power through multiple apps in quick succession dozens of times a day, and I *hate* reaching with my thumb or having to use my second hand to keep things moving. The macro photo mode in the Pro is the biggest thing tempting me to stay with the Pro, but one-handed efficiency is a bigger priority for me. Also, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get that iPad mini.. so freakin' cool.

mike1

blah64 said:

elijahg said:

Seems pretty cool, especially cinematic mode, macro and extra battery life. However, IMO the wide angle lens has very little utility vs telephoto. I can't remember the last time I wanted a wider angle view but I regularly zoom in. You can usually step back, but you frequently can't get nearer to something. Anecdotally I regularly see people zooming in, and they just step back if they can't fit everything in the frame.

You can't just step back to get wider scenery shots (pano is cool, but definitely not the same), and it sounds like you've never taken group photos indoors, like at home.  It's kind of strange that you say this, because I've personally witnessed the struggle to squeeze people together literally hundreds of times over the years.  I suspect most people have experienced this.  The wide angle lens also allows you to get more spur of the moment shots where you don't have time to compose and get people to pose, it's just situational.  You can crop later, but you can't add viewing angle later.

Telephoto obviously has great utility as well, but the farther you zoom the more you need to worry about things like stability and light with a tiny camera.  The wide angle just simply works, and also adds great utility.

I can't recall ever not being able to take another step or two back in order to squeeze everyone in a photo, but have wished that I could get closer to something or someone a million times. There's a reason a lot more zoom lenses than wide-angle DSLR lenses are sold.

heli0s

If you're on an older device, the 13/13 Pro line is a fantastic upgrade. But coming from the 12 Pro Max and the Series 6, this year I won't be upgrading - for the first time since these devices came out. Most disappointed by the new Series 7, actually. Didn't care if they redesigned it with flat sides or not, but I was hoping for more health sensors at least - a body temperature sensor or the much anticipated blood glucose monitor - hopefully next year!

cpsro

Inquiring minds want to know how much faster the iPhone 13 series is than the iPhone 12 series. This comparison was conspicuously absent.

edited September 2021

retrogusto

To me, it felt like this cycle was a bit underwhelming compared to most years, but I’m glad to see that others disagree. Of course, I may change my mind when the camera reviews start coming out, because that stuff is important but hard to really judge from the specs and announcement hype. I was interested to see the iPad Mini get the “premium” treatment, and I hope that will carry over to the iPhone Mini someday. 

daveinpublic

"The aforementioned A15 Bionic camera has nearly 15 billion transistors and a new six-core CPU design..."

Wow, a new type of camera!

crowley

I feel like it's a little telling that they're saying 50% faster than rivals chips.  Only a couple years ago they wouldn't even mention rivals, they'd only be comparing Apple chips to the previous Apple chips.

mplsp

mike1 said:

blah64 said:

elijahg said:

Seems pretty cool, especially cinematic mode, macro and extra battery life. However, IMO the wide angle lens has very little utility vs telephoto. I can't remember the last time I wanted a wider angle view but I regularly zoom in. You can usually step back, but you frequently can't get nearer to something. Anecdotally I regularly see people zooming in, and they just step back if they can't fit everything in the frame.

You can't just step back to get wider scenery shots (pano is cool, but definitely not the same), and it sounds like you've never taken group photos indoors, like at home.  It's kind of strange that you say this, because I've personally witnessed the struggle to squeeze people together literally hundreds of times over the years.  I suspect most people have experienced this.  The wide angle lens also allows you to get more spur of the moment shots where you don't have time to compose and get people to pose, it's just situational.  You can crop later, but you can't add viewing angle later.

Telephoto obviously has great utility as well, but the farther you zoom the more you need to worry about things like stability and light with a tiny camera.  The wide angle just simply works, and also adds great utility.

I can't recall ever not being able to take another step or two back in order to squeeze everyone in a photo, but have wished that I could get closer to something or someone a million times. There's a reason a lot more zoom lenses than wide-angle DSLR lenses are sold.

I Completely agree. I have a Xs and my wife has an iPhone 11. Her camera is better but we routinely use my camera simply because of the zoom. I can count on one finger the number of times where the wide angle lens of her camera has actually been useful.

canukstorm

crowley said:

I feel like it's a little telling that they're saying 50% faster than rivals chips.  Only a couple years ago they wouldn't even mention rivals, they'd only be comparing Apple chips to the previous Ap ple chips.

This was a post I just saw by a semiconductor analyst.  Make of it what you will

https://twitter.com/dylan522p/status/1437886923972960263

This is the article he's linking to:  https://semianalysis.substack.com/p/apple-cpu-gains-grind-to-a-halt-and

edited September 2021

dowhilest

And what of the satellite calling function???

With the big antennas on traditional satellite phones, I have no idea how that rumor gained traction. You can't beat physics. 

It's just what there is from every other single iPhone update ever - faster, better screen, and a nicer camera.

Stick to those predictions and you'll win verbatim.