What to know about the new iPhone 13 series (plus the launch date for South Africa)

Apple has unveiled its latest series of smartphones with the new iPhone 13 range, promising customers a range of new features and enhancements.

The devices were announced during a 14 September event where the company also revealed its new iPads and Apple Watch Series 7.

So what should you know about the eagerly anticipated devices? We’ve rounded up the highlights of the new iPhone 13 series.

New iPhone 13 devices

Apple announced four new devices in the range: the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Each device aims for a slightly different market segment — with the mini providing an entry-level device for the range, while the Pro Max acts as the most premium device.

The mini and standard iPhone 13 feature dual-lens setups for their main cameras. Meanwhile, the Pro smartphones include a triple-lens setup.

However, all phones in the series come with Apple’s new iOS 15 software. According to Apple, they also all include increased battery life compared to their predecessors.

They also feature the new A15 Bionic processor, 5G support, and IP68 water resistance.

iPhone 13 and mini features

According to Apple, the new iPhone 13 and its mini version feature the company’s most advanced dual-camera system ever. The 12MP main camera setup includes one wide-angle lens and one ultrawide lens.

The mini features a 5.4-inch OLED display, while the standard version includes a 6.1-inch OLED display.

For those interested in smartphone videography, the phones feature Dolby Vision HDR and a Cinematic mode that includes enhanced video editing tools.

This includes the ability to adjust the depth effect in videos after shooting.

In terms of photography, Apple promises enhanced light sensitivity for better low-light images.

For the selfie camera, both phones also feature a 12MP lens.

For the battery, the mini offers up to 1.5 hours more battery life than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the iPhone 13 offers up to 2.5 hours more.

This brings the mini’s battery time to 13 hours with streamed video playback, and up to 17 hours with local video playback. The standard iPhone 13 offers up to 15 hours of battery life with streamed video, and up to 19 hours with local video playback.

They also offer more storage than their predecessors, with storage capacity starting at 128GB.

iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max features

The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are for Apple customers looking for a more premium experience. According to the company, the phones include the “world’s fastest smartphone chip”.

The Pro is the smaller of the two versions, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display. This also makes it the same size as the standard iPhone 13.

Meanwhile, the Pro Max features a 6.7-inch OLED display, making it the largest device in the new series.

The displays on these devices also notably feature an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

The 12MP triple-lens main camera setup features a telephoto, wide-angle, and ultrawide lens. The company calls these its most advanced cameras to date.

Apple boasts significant improvements in low-light photography. The wide-angle lens can capture 2.2 times more light than its previous version while the ultrawide angle lens captures 92% more light.

Like the standard and mini versions, the camera features Cinematic mode for videos, which in turn supports Dolby Vision HDR.

In terms of battery life, the Pro Max takes the crown in the new series. According to Apple, it has the best battery life ever on any iPhone.

The Pro supports up to 22 hours of local video playback and 20 hours of streamed video. Meanwhile, the Pro Max’s battery lasts up to 28 hours for local video playback, and 25 hours for streamed video.

You can also get the phones with storage capacities starting at 128GB and maxing out at 1TB.

When will the series be available in South Africa?

The iStore has announced that the iPhone 13 range will launch on 8 October in South Africa.

Customers will be able to purchase the phones online and in-store for both cash and on contract.

However, local pricing for the range will be confirmed at a later date, the iStore confirmed to Memeburn.

Internationally, the range starts from $699 (R9 985) for the mini.

The standard iPhone 13 starts at $799 (R11 414). For the Pro, prices start at $999 (R14 271), while the Pro Max starts at $1 099 (R15 699).

However, if history is anything to go by, the devices will be significantly more expensive locally than a direct exchange rate due to local taxes, markups, and other factors.

Read more: Nokia X20 and X10 come to South Africa: price and details

Feature image: Apple