Apple iPhone 13

The Apple iPhone 13 may bear an unlucky number, but it seems strong to us that this entry-level iPhone for 2021/2022 will not bring Apple bad luck. In other words; Apple will sell a lot of them. And with good reason as we're going to explain to you here.

Modest update

In the broader picture, this iPhone 13 can be called a very modest update. It looks pretty much the same as the year before, and if you compare the specs, you won't notice many differences either. This tempts consumers to also consider the iPhone 12, which has been significantly reduced in price with the release of this iPhone 13. That said; time to turn all our attention to this iPhone 13. Up front, we see a 6.1-inch display that Apple calls Super Retina XDR. While the maximum brightness remains at 1200 nits, the typical screen brightness does go up. By 28% to be exact at 800 nits. The notch at the top is slightly smaller though Apple doesn't use this extra screen space in the iOS 15 software.

New camera system with Cinematic mode

We already wrote that comparing the specs with its predecessor doesn't reveal much difference. There is, but it needs some extra explanation. Starting with the camera system. The camera island is a bit smaller, due to the fact that the sensors are not placed underneath each other, but at an angle. New is the ultra wide-angle camera. It goes from 16 to 12MP but has much larger pixels for 47% better light absorption. The main camera, also 12MP, gets a new stabilization system. Instead of compensating movements with the lens, the entire sensor is now shifted. Sensor-shift OIS is called that and it results in sharper shots even in low light. Videos also look better thanks to the new Cinematic mode. Here you can shift the focus from face to face in a cinema-like manner.

Main Apple iPhone 13 specifications

• 6.1" Super Retina XDR display with higher typical brightness and narrower notch
• 12+12MP camera with ultra-wide-angle, Sensor-shift OIS and Cinematic mode
• 12MP TrueDepth camera with night mode, Face ID and 4K video
• Choice of 128, 256 and 512GB of non-expandable storage
• Waterproof IP68 casing with Ceramic Shield at the front and recycled aluminum at the back
• 5G high-speed mobile internet
• 2.5 hours longer battery life with wireless charging

More spacious entry-level model

As usual, a new iPhone gets a new processor. In the case of the iPhone 13, it's the A15 Bionic. Again, that's a modest update by Apple standards. Apple claims it is 50% faster than what the competition has and has 30% faster graphics performance. iPhones were already not known for being slow so assume this iPhone 13 is not either. Gone by the way is the 64GB entry level model, storage memory now starts at a more generous 128GB and goes up to 512GB. Also bigger is the battery. It lasts up to two and a half hours longer than the iPhone 12. Charging speeds haven't changed; they remain at 20W wired and 15W wirelessly provided you use Apple's own MagSafe. Other Qi chargers don't get any further than a paltry 7.5W. As mentioned, not a whole lot of difference from the iPhone 12 so consider that one too if you need a new iPhone.

Pro and cons Apple iPhone 13

• 128GB standard storage
• Improved camera system
• Longer battery life
• 5 new colors

• Little real difference from predecessor