Apple debuts iPhone 13 models, iPads

Apple Inc. had its customary September product launch, featuring new iPhones with more pro-quality photography features. Here’s an overview of some of the highlights:

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

Apple introduced iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, featuring an all-new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion featuring an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz. The pro camera system now feature new Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras, adding the capability for macro photography (on the Ultra Wide camera) and a 2.2z improvement in low-light performance on the Wide Camera, according to the company.

Apple has added computational photography features like Photographic Styles to personalize the look of images in the Camera app, and both models now include Night mode on all cameras. Video capture now features a “Cinematic” mode for depth-of-field transitions, macro video, Time-lapse and Slo-mo, and improved low-light performance. Both models also offer end-to-end pro workflows in Dolby Vision and ProRes.

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be available in graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and all-new 1TB storage options. The iPhone 13 Pro has a 6.1-inch screen and the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch screen.

The smartphones have new sensors and lenses for all three rear cameras, optimized to work with iOS 15 and powered by the new image signal processor (ISP) in A15 Bionic for improved noise reduction and tone mapping. The all-new Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels, the largest on iPhone, for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed across lighting conditions, producing even more detailed photos. Coupled with the larger ƒ/1.5 aperture, the Wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offers a massive improvement in low-light situations, up to 2.2x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro, and nearly 1.5x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro Max. Sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) is available on both models.

The new Ultra Wide camera features a much wider ƒ/1.8 aperture and a new autofocus system, bringing a 92 percent improvement for low-light environments, producing images that are brighter and sharper, claims Apple. The new lens design, autofocus capability for the first time in the Ultra Wide on iPhone, and advanced software now adds macro photography, which can magnifying subjects with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters. Macro also extends to video including Slo-mo and Time-lapse. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also have a 77mm Telephoto camera, allowing users to get closer to their subjects while recording video and achieve even more classically framed portraits, offering 3x optical zoom for a total 6x optical zoom range on the camera system.

“iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max make up our most pro iPhone lineup ever with the biggest advancement for our camera system, the best battery life ever in an iPhone, and the fastest performance of any smartphone, setting a new standard for iPhone and enabling incredible experiences never before possible,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new pro camera system offers even more pro photography capabilities like improved telephoto zoom, macro photography, Photographic Styles, Cinematic mode, as well as ProRes and Dolby Vision video. The Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion is our best display ever; it intelligently responds to the content on your screen, offers fantastic graphics performance, and is perfect for any viewing experience.”

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also introduce ProRes, an advanced video codec used widely as the final delivery format for commercials, feature films, and broadcasts, to offer higher color fidelity and less compression.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini

Apple today introduced iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini smartphones featuring a sleek flat design in five new colors and extended battery life. Like the new iPhone 13 Pros, the new iPhone 13s feature major enhancements to the dual-camera system.  The phones have a new Wide camera with bigger pixels and sensor-shift OIS offering improvements in low-light photos and videos, Photographic Styles and Cinematic mode. The new Wide camera, with 1.7 µm pixels, is the biggest on an iPhone dual-camera system and is capable of gathering 47 percent more light for less noise and brighter results, the company claims. Sensor-shift OIS is now on the Wide camera.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will be available in pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED in a new entry-level capacity of 128GB for double the storage, as well as 256GB and 512GB capacities. The iPhone 13 has a 6.1 inch screen and the iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4-inch screen.

iPad mini

Apple also introduced the new iPad mini with a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display in pink, starlight, purple, and space gray finishes. The most notable change to the iPad mini is the inclusion of a USB-C port, advancements to the camera system, and support for the second-generation Apple Pencil.

Apple claims, due to the A15 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini is up to 80 percent faster than the previous generation and has better battery life.

Apple also updated the Ultra Wide front camera to 12 MP and expanded the field of view, adding the “Center Stage” video conferencing functionality introduced with the iPad Pro. Center Stage automatically pans the camera to keep users in view as they move around.  The back camera now features a 12MP sensor with Focus Pixels. The back camera also features a True Tone flash.

iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer, which is 10x faster than the previous generation and connects to the ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K.

iPad (9th generation)

Apple also introduced the $329  iPad (9th generation), featuring a 10.2-inch Retina display with True Tone, a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, support for Apple Pencil (1st generation) and Smart Keyboard. The new iPad starts with 64GB of storage — double the storage of the previous generation. A 256GB option is also available.