After months worth of leaks and speculations, Apple has officially launched the new iPhone 13 baseline model during its recently held online-only California Streaming event. Also unveiled alongside it is the more compact iPhone 13 mini – a variant that was initially speculated to have been dropped by the company due to the lukewarm reception of its predecessor.
Both devices are offered in the same sizes as last year’s models: 6.1-inch for the standard version, and 5.4-incn for the mini. Despite their differences in display dimensions, the duo features the same Super Retina XDR OLED screens with Ceramic Shield protection, a smaller notch for the TrueDepth camera system, flat edged aluminium frame, glass rear panel, diagonal dual-camera array, and an IP68 rating in terms of splash, water and dust resistance.
Under the hood of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is the company’s latest A15 Bionic mobile flagship chipset, which is claimed to offer 50% faster processing and 30% faster graphics acceleration than “the competition”, as well as improved performance in 5G connectivity. Battery-wise, Apple says that the standard variant is capable of lasting up 2.5 hours more than its predecessor, while the mini is said to outlast last year’s model by up to 1.5 hours. Both models come with up to 20W fast charging capability via the proprietary Lightning connector, 15W via MagSafe, and 7.5W through Qi-based wireless charging.
Housed within the duo’s rear diagonal dual-camera array is a 12MP f/1.16 main shooter with sensor-shift stabilisation technology, and a 12MP f/2.4 ultra wide sensor with a 120-degree field of view. The front-facing TrueDepth camera, on the other hand, features a 12MP f/2.2 sensor with Face ID recognition technology.
A new imaging feature that was introduced during the launch is the Cinematic Mode, which could automatically transition focus from one subject to another in real-time – delivering a shift in depth of field, thus giving more focus on certain characters or objects. Users may also choose to manually change or lock focus on subjects for more precise control during filming.
It also turns out that the rumour regarding Apple’s decision to forgo the 64GB configuration as the smallest storage option for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is accurate. The company revealed that both models will be offered in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations.
As for pricing, the new iPhone 13 starts at US$799 (~RM3,325) while the iPhone 13 mini starts at US$699 (~RM2,909). The duo are slated to be released in the US on 24 September 2021, with pre-orders starting this Friday on 17 September.
(Source: Apple [Newsroom])
