9/14/2021- 9:50 p.m.
Here are some of the notable color and design changes, along with upgrades you’ll find in the iPhone 13 line compared to the iPhone 12.Â
The iPhone 13 line, unveiled Tuesday at an Apple hardware event, includes new colors and design changes that give the phones an upgrade over last year’s iPhone 12 models. The four models — a base iPhone 13, a Mini, a Pro and a Pro Max — feature changes like a smaller notch, better battery life and new camera tricks. (Here’s how to preorder the iPhone 13.)Â
iPhone 13 and 13 Mini colors:
- starlight
- midnight
- blue
- pink
- Product Red
iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max colors:
- silver
- graphite
- gold
- Sierra blue Â
The iPhone 13 and 13 Mini come in five colors, including a moody Midnight hue and the long-rumored and oft-wished-for pink. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max come in four different colors, including the buzzy new Sierra Blue. In comparison, the iPhone 12 comes in six colors: deep blue, minty green, Project Red, white, black and, most recently, purple. The iPhone 12 Pro models are available in silver, graphite, gold and Pacific blue.Â
A smaller notch
Apple has included a notched display on every iPhone since the 2017 iPhone X as a place for the selfie camera. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in March predicted that the iPhone 13 would have a smaller notch than its predecessors. At Tuesday’s event, Apple confirmed the iPhone 13’s notch is 20% smaller than it was on the iPhone 12.
Some people thought that we had gotten a glimpse of a notchless iPhone during an episode of the popular Apple TV Plus series Ted Lasso. In two brief scenes of season 2 episode 6, we see an iPhone without a notch running iOS. Some speculated that the phone in question could have been the iPhone 13. But despite the buzz generated by images of the phone, it now seems more likely that it was a CGI imperfection in post-production rather than a sneak peek of Apple’s new iPhone.
The same Lightning port
While the headphone jack is a thing of the past for iPhones, some had predicted that the rise of MagSafe accessories last year meant the next iPhone would be portless. However, all iPhone 13 models do have a Lightning port.
A 120Hz display
As was predicted by Kuo in March, the two iPhone 13 Pro models feature a 120Hz display. The number of hertz a phone screen is able to display refers to its number of frames per second, which determines how fast and smooth the screen feels when you’re scrolling through apps and webpages. It also affects how smooth supported games feel.
Many people were expecting to see the 120Hz refresh rate in the iPhone 12 since some higher-end phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, have this feature. On Twitter, tech analyst and leaker Jon Prosser claimed the decision not to implement 120Hz in the iPhone 12 Pro was made due to battery life issues as 5G drains so much battery on its own. But that will likely be less of a problem in the iPhone 13, which has a longer battery life.
A bigger battery
All four iPhone 13 models feature longer-lasting batteries than their iPhone 12 counterparts. This supports the 120Hz display on the Pro models. The extended battery life results from a combination of a bigger battery, iOS 15 and the A15 Bionic chip.
Here’s how much longer, according to Apple, the new phones’ batteries will last compared with their iPhone 12 counterparts:
- iPhone 13: 2.5 hours
- iPhone 13 Mini: 1.5 hours
- iPhone 13 Pro: 1.5 hours
- iPhone 13 Pro Max: 2.5 hours
The new iPhones also have a Smart Data Mode that automatically shifts to LTE when 5G isn’t needed.
A slightly thicker width and heavier phone
The iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models are slightly thicker than their iPhone 12 predecessors: While the iPhone 12 was 7.4mm thick and weighed 5.78 oz., the 13 is 7.65mm thick and weighs 6.14 oz. But that’s a difference most people probably won’t notice.
