Apple just held its biggest event of the year, where the tech company unveiled its newest iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, and more. The latest devices feature brand new camera systems, improved displays, bigger batteries, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about the new devices that Apple announced during its California Streaming event, including their specs, price, and release date.
The iPhone 13 Is Now Faster
During the event, Apple announced four iPhone 13 models, all of which come with the new A15 Bionic chip. The tech company claims that it is the “fastest chip in a smartphone.” In fact, Apple says the new iPhone 13 is 50% faster than the competition, which allows the new iPhone to handle intensive games
120Hz Refresh Rate for iPhone 13 Pro
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max now support an adaptive refresh rate of 10Hz to 120Hz. That means the Pro models will refresh their screens up to 120 times per second, which makes motion look smoother and your screen seem more responsive. Then the iPhone will lower the refresh rate when your screen is static in order to preserve the battery.
If you want to know more about what refresh rate is and how it works, check out our article here.
A Bigger, Brighter iPhone 13 Screen
While Apple wasn’t able to completely remove the camera notch from the iPhone 13, the tech company did reduce it by 20%. Apple also increased the brightness of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini by 28%, while the iPhone Pro models are 25% brighter than previous generations.
All New iPhone 13 Camera System
During the event, Apple said that it made its “biggest camera advancement ever” with the iPhone 13. All the new iPhones feature a 12MP (megapixel) camera system with the biggest sensors the company has ever designed. This means your photos will have more detail, especially in low-light conditions.
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini both come with a dual-camera system, which features a Wide angle and Ultra Wide angle lens. However, only the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max also come with a Telephoto lens that has a 6x optical zoom, so you can take photos from a long distance.
All versions of the iPhone 13 now include sensor-shift optical image stabilization, which makes your photos and videos look sharper, especially when your hand is shaking, or you are moving.
Macro Photography
With their new sensors and lenses, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max can now shoot Macro Photography. This lets you capture close-up images that have a sharp and narrow focus that can be as small as two centimeters. This feature also works with videos, time-lapses, and slow motion.
Cinematic Mode for Video
One of the most innovative new features Apple announced during its event was the new Cinematic Mode. This feature allows you to perform a professional film technique called a “rack focus” with all iPhone 13 models. That means you can quickly change the focus from one person to another while you are shooting a video.
In fact, the iPhone 13 can even recognize faces and instantly focus on them when they are looking in the camera’s direction. When they look away, the iPhone can also change the depth of field and shift the focus onto another person automatically.
You can also choose to take over and focus the video manually. And, if you are unhappy with the end result, you can always fix it in post. You heard that right. During its event, Apple claimed the iPhone 13 is the only smartphone that lets you change the depth of field and re-focus a video after it’s already been shot.
While the Cinematic Mode only works when you are shooting in HD, the iPhone 13 Pro models can now shoot ProRes video in 4K. This is the same video format that is used for commercials, feature films, and broadcasts.
Longer Battery Life for iPhone 13
During its event, Apple said that it “completely re-architected” the iPhone to make more room for a bigger battery. Now, the iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone Pro both last an hour and a half longer than their previous models, while the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Max will last two and a half hours longer.
iPhone 13 Price and Release Date
You can pre-order every iPhone 13 model starting at 5:00 PM on September 17, but they will not ship until the following Friday. The iPhone 13 Mini starts at $699, while the iPhone 13 starts at $799. The iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999, while the Pro Max will cost $1,099.
All new iPhones will ship with iOS 15 pre-installed, and you can download it to your existing iPhone starting on September 20.
If you want to know more about iOS 15 and the best new features you’ll get, check out our article about the previous Apple event here.
Apple Updates iPad, but Not the Price
Apple updated the processor in its most popular iPad from the A12 to the A13 Bionic chip, making it 20% faster than last year’s model. The tech company also doubled the storage of the base model from 32GB to 64GB, all without raising the price from last year’s model.
The new iPad will also be the first 10.2-inch model with Apple’s True Tone technology. This will automatically adjust the screen’s brightness and color temperature to match your surroundings, which makes it easier to read text on your iPad, especially at night.
You can order the 9th-generation iPad now, starting at $329 for the 64GB model, but it won’t begin shipping until next week. And since the new iPad is the same size as the previous generation, you won’t have to buy a new case, keyboard, or other accessories.
iPad Mini Is Bigger and Faster
During the event, Apple said it is giving its smallest iPad one of its biggest updates. And while the new iPad Mini isn’t actually bigger than previous models, Apple was able to narrow the borders and increase the screen size from 7.9 inches to 8.3 inches.
The new iPad Mini features Apple’s latest A15 Bionic chip, making it 40% faster than the previous model. It also uses a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, which allows you to transfer data 10 times faster. And, with 5G and WiFi 6, you can download files from the internet at speeds of up to 3.5Gbps.
You can order the iPad Mini now starting at $499 for the WiFi-only version or $649 for WiFi + Cellular, but it won’t start shipping until next week.
Apple Watch Series & Has a Bigger, Stronger Screen
While the new Apple Watch Series 7 is roughly the same size as previous generations, it has 20% more screen area than Series 6 and 50% more screen area over Series 5. This allows Apple to fit 50% more text on the screen, make bigger buttons that are easier to tap, and even include a full keyboard.
During the event, Apple claimed that the Series 7 is its most durable smartwatch ever. It uses a crack-resistant crystal screen that’s 50% thicker than the Series 6. It’s also the first Apple Watch to have an IP6X dust-0resistance rating, so you don’t have to worry about it getting damaged when you’re outdoors.
The Series 7 will be available later this fall, with a starting price of $399.
If you want to save money on a new Apple device, check out how much you can get when you trade in your old iPhone here.
