Apple today officially announced four new iPhones for 2021; the iPhone 13 mini (5.4-inch), iPhone 13 (6.1-inch), iPhone 13 Pro (6.1-inch) and iPhone 13 Pro Max (6.7-inch). Regardless of the model you choose, you’re mainly getting faster speeds, better battery life, and some very impressive camera upgrades.
Other notable updates across all models may appeal to aspiring videographers. A new cinematic shooting mode is able to rack focus. For non-videophiles, that means the camera can shift focus between foreground and background objects in real time — and automatically based on object recognition. It creates cinematic effects, previously only capable in high-end professional cameras. Also, the Pro models get a new 1TB (terabyte) storage option and ProRes shooting mode.
iPhone 13 / mini
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini have been redesigned on the inside and out, and come in five gorgeous colors featuring a durable flat-edge design and an elegant aluminum frame. The 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch displays feature Ceramic Shield on the front, exclusive to iPhone and tougher than any smartphone glass. Both models have an industry-leading IP68 rating for water resistance, and are designed to protect against spills from common liquids.
A redesigned rear camera layout with diagonally arranged lenses enables the advanced dual-camera system, and a redesigned TrueDepth camera system is smaller while still packing in the same breakthrough technologies, including Face ID, the most secure facial authentication in a smartphone, but offering more display area.
The improved Super Retina XDR OLED displays deliver an incredible contrast ratio for true blacks and a 28 percent increase in max outdoor brightness at 800 nits, with higher peak brightness for HDR content like photos and videos at 1200 nits, all while being more power efficient.
Major battery life improvements come to both iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, made possible by A15 Bionic, more efficient components, a larger battery, and power optimizations from a deep integration of hardware and software.
The iPhone 13 delivers incredible all-day battery life, offering up to two and a half more hours in a day than iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 mini provides up to an hour and a half more in a day than iPhone 12 mini.
Dual-Camera System in iPhone
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini represent a massive leap in camera design with advancements in hardware and computational photography that deliver stunning photos and videos.
The new Wide camera, with 1.7 µm pixels, comes with the biggest sensor ever in an iPhone dual-camera system and is capable of gathering 47 percent more light for less noise and brighter results. Sensor-shift OIS — a technology introduced in iPhone 12 Pro Max and not found in any other smartphone — also comes to the Wide camera, even in the more compact iPhone 13 mini.
It stabilizes the sensor instead of the lens so shots are more steady, while the custom-designed Ultra Wide camera with a new sensor captures images with more detail in the dark areas of photos and videos with less noise.
Following extensive study of cinematography and the powerful use of rack focus, Cinematic mode on iPhone records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, so anyone can capture cinema-style moments, even if they aren’t a professional filmmaker.
For creative control, the focus can be changed during and after capture, and users can also adjust the level of bokeh in the Photos app and iMovie for iOS, and coming soon to iMovie for macOS and Final Cut Pro, making the iPhone 13 lineup the only devices able to edit the depth-of-field effect in video even after recording. Enabled by A15 Bionic and advanced machine learning algorithms, Cinematic mode records in Dolby Vision HDR.
Both models also offer HDR video recording with Dolby Vision — from capture to editing and sharing — now supported for 4K up to 60 fps on all cameras.
A faster Neural Engine in A15 Bionic, new image signal processor (ISP), and advancements in computational photography power all-new features on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.
Photographic Styles allows users to bring their personal photo preferences to every image while still benefitting from Apple’s multiframe image processing. Preset and customized preferences work across scenes and subjects, and unlike a simple filter, intelligently apply the right adjustments to different parts of the photo to ensure the important elements, like skin tones, are preserved.
The dual-camera system and power of computational photography support Smart HDR 4, now with improved color, contrast, and lighting for each subject in a group photo, including in challenging conditions, making images more true to life, as well as improved Night mode. And the TrueDepth camera supports all the amazing new camera features, including Cinematic mode, Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4, and more.
A15 Bionic: The Engine of iPhone 13
A15 Bionic is much faster than the competition, delivering more performance and better power efficiency, making everything even more fluid in the iPhone 13 lineup. It uses 5-nanometer technology and has nearly 15 billion transistors to tackle the most demanding tasks, including the latest computational photography features.
A new 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores is up to 50 percent faster than the competition, the fastest in any smartphone, and handles demanding tasks smoothly and efficiently, while the new 4-core GPU is up to 30 percent faster than the competition and enables more lifelike visuals and lighting effects in graphics-intensive games.
The new 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, enabling even faster machine learning computations for third-party app experiences, as well as features like Live Text in Camera with iOS 15.
Major advancements to the next-generation ISP, paired with computational photography and powerful camera hardware, combine to create the new dual-camera system.
iPhone 13 Pro / Max
Apple’s new iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max push the boundaries of what’s possible in a smartphone. Redesigned inside and out, both models introduce an all-new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion featuring an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, making the touch experience faster and more responsive.
The pro camera system gets its biggest advancement ever with new Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras that capture stunning photos and video, powered by the unmatched performance of A15 Bionic, more powerful than the leading competition.
These technologies enable impressive new photo capabilities never before possible on iPhone, like macro photography on the new Ultra Wide camera and up to 2.2x improved low-light performance on the new Wide camera.
New computational photography features like Photographic Styles personalize the look of images in the Camera app, and both models now include Night mode on all cameras.
Video takes a huge leap forward with Cinematic mode for beautiful depth-of-field transitions, macro video, Time-lapse and Slo-mo, and even better low-light performance.
Both models also offer end-to-end pro workflows in Dolby Vision, and for the first time, ProRes, only available on iPhone. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also include 5G with more bands for better coverage, big improvements to battery life for the best battery life ever on iPhone with iPhone 13 Pro Max, new storage capacity of 1TB, and the Ceramic Shield front cover, tougher than any smartphone glass.
The Most Advanced Cameras Ever on iPhone
With new sensors and lenses for all three rear cameras, optimized to work seamlessly with iOS 15 and powered by the new image signal processor (ISP) in A15 Bionic for improved noise reduction and tone mapping, the iPhone 13 Pro lineup features the best camera system ever on iPhone.
The all-new Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels, the largest ever on iPhone, for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed across lighting conditions, producing even more detailed photos.
Coupled with the larger ƒ/1.5 aperture, the Wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offers a massive improvement in low-light situations, up to 2.2x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro, and nearly 1.5x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro Max. Sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) — unique to iPhone — is available on both models, stabilizing the sensor instead of the lens, so images are smooth and video is steady, even when the user is not.
The new Ultra Wide camera features a much wider ƒ/1.8 aperture and a new autofocus system, bringing a 92 percent improvement for low-light environments, producing images that are brighter and sharper.
The new lens design, autofocus capability for the first time in the Ultra Wide on iPhone, and advanced software also unlock something never before possible on iPhone: macro photography.
Users can capture sharp, stunning images where objects appear larger than life, magnifying subjects with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters.
Macro also extends to video including Slo-mo and Time-lapse. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also boast a new 77 mm Telephoto camera, allowing users to get closer to their subjects while recording video and achieve even more classically framed portraits, offering 3x optical zoom for a total 6x optical zoom range on the camera system.
A faster Neural Engine in A15 Bionic, new ISP, and advancements in computational photography power the all-new camera features on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Photographic Styles allows users to bring their personal photo preferences to every image while still benefitting from Apple’s multiframe image processing. Preset and customized preferences work across scenes and subjects, and unlike a simple filter, intelligently apply the right adjustments to different parts of the photo to ensure the important elements, like skin tones, are preserved.
For the first time ever, Night mode comes to all cameras on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, including the Telephoto camera, and with Smart HDR 4, users can expect improved color, contrast, and lighting for subjects, even in group shots or challenging lighting situations, making images more true to life.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also offer popular features like Deep Fusion, Apple ProRAW, and Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting.
A Massive Leap in Smartphone Video
Following extensive study of cinematography and the powerful use of rack focus, Cinematic mode on iPhone records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, so anyone can capture cinema-style moments, even if they aren’t a professional filmmaker.
For creative control, the focus can be changed during and after capture, and users can also adjust the level of bokeh in the Photos app and iMovie for iOS, and coming soon to iMovie for macOS and Final Cut Pro, making the lineup the only devices able to edit the depth-of-field effect in video even after recording.
Enabled by A15 Bionic and advanced machine learning algorithms, Cinematic mode records in Dolby Vision HDR.iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also introduce ProRes, an advanced video codec used widely as the final delivery format for commercials, feature films, and broadcasts, to offer higher color fidelity and less compression.
This powerful new pro workflow is enabled by the new camera hardware, advanced video encoders and decoders in A15 Bionic, and flash storage pipeline. iPhone is the only smartphone in the world to provide an end-to-end workflow — capture, edit, and share in Dolby Vision or ProRes.
ProRes will be available in a future iOS 15 update only for iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Note that you’ll need the 256GB and higher storage option to shoot 4K 30 ps, otherwise it shoots 1080p 30 fps.
A15 Bionic with 5-core GPU for Best-in-Class Performance
A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 Pro lineup is even more advanced, offering impressive power and efficiency, and driving the incredible new display, camera, and video features never before possible on iPhone.
With 5-nanometer technology, A15 Bionic — the fastest chip in a smartphone — features a new 5-core GPU in the Pro lineup that brings the fastest graphics performance in any smartphone, up to 50 percent faster than the leading competition, ideal for video apps, high-performance gaming, and the slate of new camera features.
The new 6-core CPU with two new high-performance cores and four new high-efficiency cores, is up to 50 percent faster than the competition and handles demanding tasks smoothly and efficiently.
A new 16-core Neural Engine capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second enables even faster machine learning computations for third-party app experiences, as well as features like Live Text in Camera with iOS 15. And major advancements to the next-generation ISP provide improved noise reduction and tone mapping.
Super Retina XDR with ProMotion: A Brighter, More Responsive Display
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max introduce the most advanced display ever on iPhone, Super Retina XDR with ProMotion, supporting an adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz, for fast frame rates when users need it and preserving battery life when they don’t.
Offered in both 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes, the intelligent new display leverages a more efficient OLED panel, new display engine of A15 Bionic, faster GPU performance, always-on touch coprocessor, and is custom designed to operate with iOS 15, making gestures, animations, and activities like gameplay feel faster and more responsive.
This is the brightest display ever on iPhone with up to 25 percent higher max outdoor brightness, at 1000 nits, so users will experience amazing resolution, color, and contrast whether casually scrolling through the web or watching HDR videos.
Redesigned Inside and Out, Durable Design, and a Huge Leap for Battery Life
The all-new Pro lineup features a premium flat-edge design, crafted with exceptional materials, including the surgical-grade stainless steel band, with an elegant finish that is resistant to abrasion and corrosion, and a textured matte glass back.
Both models are available in four striking colors including the all-new sierra blue, created using multiple layers of nanometer-scale metallic ceramics applied across the surface for a stunning and durable finish.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are protected by the Ceramic Shield front cover, exclusive to iPhone and tougher than any smartphone glass, offering amazing durability and drop performance. With a 20 percent smaller area to house the TrueDepth camera system, both models feature more viewing area on the display, while still packing in innovative technologies like Face ID, the most secure facial authentication in a smartphone.
The rear camera system introduces a new design with beautiful stainless steel trim surrounding each sapphire crystal lens, and the Pro lineup is designed to protect against spills from common liquids with an industry-leading IP68 rating for water resistance.
On the inside, A15 Bionic, more power-efficient components, a larger battery, and power optimizations made possible by the tight integration of hardware and software enable amazing all-day battery life for both Pro models, with iPhone 13 Pro Max offering the longest battery life ever in an iPhone.
The iPhone 13 Pro will last up to one and a half hours longer in a day than iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max will last up to two and a half hours longer in a day than iPhone 12 Pro Max.
5G Experiences in More Places
The world is quickly moving to 5G, and iPhone offers an advanced 5G experience, transforming the way users connect, share, and enjoy content.
The customized hardware design in the iPhone 13 lineup features more 5G bands, allowing it to work in more places on 5G for greater coverage and performance. By the end of 2021, support for 5G on iPhone will double around the globe, with over 200 carriers worldwide in 60 countries and regions.
Users can experience higher-quality video streaming on their favorite platforms, more competitive gameplay in multiplayer games, faster download and upload speeds, and so much more.
With iOS 15, SharePlay on 5G will unlock powerful shared experiences such as watching HDR movies or TV shows in sync with friends while on a FaceTime call. And Smart Data mode will intelligently conserve battery life by automatically shifting iPhone to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed.
Featuring iOS 15
iOS 15 enhances the iPhone experience with new ways to stay connected, and powerful features that help users focus, explore, and do more with on-device intelligence.
FaceTime calls feel more natural with spatial audio and a new Portrait mode, new Focus features help users reduce distraction, notifications have been redesigned, and Live Text uses on-device intelligence to recognize text in a photo and allows users to take action.
Apple Maps brings beautiful new ways to navigate and explore the world with a new three-dimensional city-driving experience and walking directions in augmented reality.
Weather is redesigned with full-screen maps and more graphical displays of data, Wallet adds support for home keys, and new privacy controls in Siri, Mail, and more places across the system further protect user information.
Price & Availability
All new iPhones will be available beginning at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, September 17, with availability beginning Friday, September 24, 2021.
iPhone 13 mini – starlight, midnight, blue, pink, and (PRODUCT)RED
- $699 (128GB)
- $799 (256GB)
- $999 (512GB)
iPhone 13
- $799 (128GB)
- $899 (256GB)
- $1,099 (512GB)
iPhone 13 Pro – graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue
- $999 (128GB)
- $1,099 (256GB)
- $1,299 (512GB)
- $1,499 (1TB)
iPhone 13 Pro Max
- $1,099 (128GB)
- $1,199 (256GB)
- $1,399 (512GB)
- $1,599 (1TB)
