The iPhone 13 series was undoubtedly the highlight of Apple’s ‘California Streaming’ event. At first glance, it might look like the new iPhones don’t pack many new features and improvements, but that’s not really the case. There are plenty of usability improvements and new features that make the iPhone 13 series worth a buy.
On paper, the iPhone 13 series might not seem like a major upgrade over the iPhone 12 lineup. However, Apple has improved almost every aspect of the new iPhones, including the display and battery life. The cameras also get a major upgrade which makes the iPhone 13 worth a look. Check out the best iPhone 13 features that make it a must-buy.
10. New Colors
Apple is offering the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro series in new colors. The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 are available in five colors: Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, and (Product)Red. As for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, they are available in four colors: Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue.
Like before, the non-Pro iPhones are available in more bold and funky colors. However, the iPhone 13 Pro in the new Sierra Blue shade is definitely a looker.
9. Better Displays
Apple continues to use Super Retina XDR display panels on the iPhone 13 series. However, these panels can now reach higher brightness levels: up to 800 nits on the iPhone 13 series and 1,000 nits on the iPhone 13 Pro.
The iPhone 13 Pro series also feature ProMotion support. This means the displays on these iPhones can automatically switch their refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz, depending on the content you’re viewing. This helps improve the UI smoothness and reduce the touch interaction latency making the iPhones feel smoother.
This year, the 120Hz display itself is a big enough reason to consider buying the iPhone 13 Pro series.
8. Better 5G Connectivity
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro series use a new 5G modem to support wider 5G bands worldwide for better coverage. In fact, Apple claimed that by the end of 2021, over 200 carriers in 60 countries worldwide will support 5G on iPhone. So, if you are yet to jump on the 5G bandwagon or are not satisfied with the 5G experience on your iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 is definitely worth considering.
7. Cinematic Video
Apple has brought Cinematic Video support to the iPhone 13 series. This will allow one to record videos from their iPhone 13 with depth effect, i.e., the background behind the subject will be blurred. Additionally, you’ll be able to switch focus in real-time with a smooth transition. On the iPhone 13 Pro series, Apple will take advantage of the LiDAR sensor to allow you to change focus after recording a video.
Cinematic Videos are recorded in Dolby Vision HDR for the best quality and flexibility during post-processing. The only bummer is that the quality is limited to 1080p@30fps.
6. No More Plastic Wrap
Beginning with the iPhone 13 series, Apple is doing away with plastic wraps for the box packaging. The company claims this will avoid 600 tons of plastic waste, which is always good for the environment.
There are plenty of other environment-friendly moves that Apple has taken with the iPhone 13 series, including using 100 percent recycled gold in the logic board, using 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, more.
5. More Storage
Apple has made some notable storage changes across the iPhone 13 lineup. It has done away with 64GB of base storage on the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13. Instead, they are now available with 128GB base storage, with Apple adding a new 512GB storage tier at the top. For the iPhone 13 Pro series, the base storage continues to be 128GB, but Apple has added a new 1TB option for consumers who want the maximum possible storage on their device.
4. Dual eSIM Support
Apple added eSIM support with the launch of iPhone XS and iPhone XR in 2018. With the iPhone 13 series, the company is taking things up a notch by adding dual eSIM support. With carrier support, you’ll be able to use dual eSIMs in your iPhone 13 — no need for physical SIM at all.
3. A15 Bionic
With every new iPhone, Apple debuts a new A-series chip that sets a new record in performance and efficiency. The A15 Bionic chip inside the iPhone 13 series is no different in this regard. The CPU is up to 50 percent faster than the competition, while the GPU is 30-50% faster than before. The 16-core Neural Engine can now process up to 15.8 trillion operations per second, bringing about a noticeable boost in AI and ML tasks.
The A14 Bionic inside the iPhone 12 series was already the fastest mobile chip in the market even a year after its release. With the A15 Bionic, Apple is taking things to another level altogether.
2. Improved Battery Life
One of the most common complaints with iPhone users is the poor battery life. This year, Apple is using bigger batteries on the iPhone 13 series to address all battery life complaints for good. The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Pro will last about 1.5 hours more than their iPhone 12 counterparts. For the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple claims an improvement of about 2.5 hours in the battery department. If Apple’s claims are indeed true, these are some massive improvements that should be easily noticeable in daily use.
1. Better Cameras
The iPhone 13 series features an upgraded primary camera across the board that greatly improves low-light photos. The iPhone 13 features a bigger 12MP primary camera with 1.7um micron pixels along with sensor-shift stabilization that can take in 47 percent more light with less noise. There’s also a new ultra-wide camera that’s faster than before, allowing it to take low-light photos with less noise. The iPhone 13 Pro series gets a bigger camera upgrade, with Apple completely overhauling the triple-camera system. The telephoto camera now supports up to 3x digital zoom and has a higher 77mm focal length.
The primary 12MP camera now uses an even bigger sensor that brings a 2.2x improvement in low-light photos, thanks to its 1.9um large pixels and f/1.5 aperture. The ultra-wide camera gets an equally massive update with a bigger sensor and wider f/1.8 aperture, resulting in 92 percent improvement in low-light scenarios. It also has autofocus support, thereby allowing for macro photography. Lastly, Apple is bringing Night mode support to all cameras across the entire iPhone 13 lineup.
What do you think about the iPhone 13 series based on the features above? Do you think the new iPhones are worth buying based on all the features mentioned above? Drop a comment and let us know!
