iPhone 13: All the key info

 

The latest iPhone has finally been announced, and it’s a big upgrade on the previous model. Read on to find out more...

What are the new iPhones called and how much do they cost?

As we saw with the iPhone 12 in 2020, there are four versions of the iPhone 13:

- iPhone 13 mini from £679
- iPhone 13 from £779
- iPhone 13 Pro from £949
- iPhone 13 Pro Max from £1,049

The good news is, each version is slightly cheaper than the equivalent iPhone 12 was at launch, with a £20 saving for the mini and standard versions and a £50 saving for the Pro and Pro Max. Result! 

 

When will the iPhone 13 be released?

The new range was announced at the Apple Event on the 14th of September, and all versions of the handset will be available for pre-order from Friday the 17th of October and available for purchase on Friday the 24th of October.

A pleasant surprise considering the 12 mini and 12 Pro Max release was delayed by a couple of months in 2020. 

 

What features do they have? 

All the bells and whistles you could ask for. According to benchmarking tests, the new A15 Bionic chipset is an absolute monster, pushing the boundaries of what we’ve come to expect in terms of performance from modern smartphones.

Additionally, every version of the iPhone 13 has improved 5G connectivity, so now you’ll get an even bigger bump in performance if you’re upgrading from a 4G phone (Note: before you commit to a contract, find out if 5G is available in your area at signalchecker.co.uk).

As always, the cameras have been improved, offering around 50% extra light capture compared to previous models. This means you’ll be able to take even clearer photos in low-light situations. Always a bonus!

It also has significantly improved image stabilisation to help you grab the best possible photos when you aren’t able to keep the phone still (and speaking as someone who always seems to manage to take blurry snaps – that sounds like a godsend). 

A new feature introduced this year is Cinematic mode – which allows you to move focus during video recording from the foreground to the background. Great if you’re feeling like getting creative. You can also edit the movement between areas of focus after you’ve recorded, so you aren’t limited to the style applied to the original recording. Nifty!

On top of all that, the front-facing camera can now do almost everything the back cameras can, so you aren’t forced to use one side or the other for specific features. Most phones, including the top-of-the-range Androids don’t offer that, so it’s worth shouting about.

The display has also been upgraded. It’s 28% brighter, so it’ll look much clearer and crisper, even in bright sunlight (not that we’ve got much of that recently. British summers eh? *sigh*).

Batteries have also been upgraded across the range, and that, coupled with the improved efficiency provided by the A15 chipset, means you can expect to get around an hour and a half to two hours extra charge. Great to see Apple continuing to push the boundaries here.

 

What do they look like?

Slick as ever. The iPhone 13 looks almost identical to the iPhone 12, but with a slightly tweaked back-camera setup (with two lenses organised diagonally rather than vertically).  

Also, thanks to the introduction of some new compact camera tech, the notch on the front is slightly smaller than on the iPhone 12, so you’ll have more screen-space to play with.

You can also get them in some pretty funky colours, including a deep red, white, near-black navy, a lighter blue and a fetching pink. As with the iPhone 12, the aluminium bands around the edges of the phone will be colour-matched to the rest of the handset – which is definitely a strong look. 

 

What’s the verdict?

While there aren’t many game-changing new features available on the iPhone 13 compared to the 12, there are so many subtle improvements that it’s hard not to get excited about it. 

One thing that’s for certain is that it’ll be one of the best phones released in the next 12 months, so if you’re looking to upgrade, it’ll be a great option.  

 

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*Underwriter Assurant General Insurance Limited. Gadget age restrictions, T&Cs & excesses apply. Customer UK