DURING a launch event last night, Apple unveiled the latest models of a number of their popular devices. While the new iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro were the centrepieces of the event, new versions of the iPad, iPad mini and Apple Watch also made a splash.
New phone, who dis?
From the outside, these new phones are not a radical reinvention but are a further refinement of the current design. For the base model and the iPhone 13 mini, the two cameras are now diagonal from one another instead of a vertical alignment, and the notch on the screen that houses the forward facing camera and microphone has been further minimised.
The iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are superficially similar to their current top-of-the-line counterparts, but offer a whole host of improvements, including a new Super Retina XDR (OLED) screen backed by a new powerful graphics chip.
A bigger deal is that the screen is now available with ProMotion, Apple’s buzzword to describe high refresh rates. This feature has been around on some rival phones for a couple years and it’s generally the one thing premium iPhones have been missing. High refresh rates promise a much smoother and responsive experience when it comes to scrolling through apps and playing video games.
There’s also a redesigned camera system that will offer the best feature set available yet on an Apple device. There’s a telephoto camera, an ultra wide camera, and a wide camera with a larger aperture, fitting the largest sensor ever. All the lenses will have nightmode, which allows for even better images in low light.
These benefits will translate to videos, with Dolby Vision HDR recording and cinematic mode promising all sorts of benefits for the aspiring and professional filmmaker. End-to-end workflow means they can also edit the movie on the iPhone Pro itself.
Despite all these energy intensive features, with the new A15 Bionic chip, a larger battery and iOS 15, Apple is promising an even longer battery life when compared to the current iPhone 12 Pro. In fact, the iPhone 13 Pro Max will have the longest battery life ever in an iPhone.
The Pro versions come available in either 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch models. Memory capacity runs from 128GB to 1TB.
All models of iPhone 13 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia on October 1, and will be available to purchase on October 8.
New entry-level tablets
With new models of the iPad Air and iPad Pro on the market relatively recently, a refresh was not expected. However, the smaller versions have been untouched for a while, and have now been updated to fit the current aesthetic of their larger siblings.
Likewise, both devices come with improvements that premiered on the iPad Pro, namely Centre Stage. This feature is a major benefit to video calls, which have only exploded in prominence during the recent lockdowns. Basically the camera auto-focuses on people who enter into frame.
The iPad mini is also now compatible with the latest version of the Apple Pencil, which should open up artistic opportunities, as well as note-taking options. Along with an all-new screen and the A15 Bionic chip, the device offers a lot in a small package.
The Malaysian release dates for the two smaller iPads have yet to be revealed. – The Vibes, September 15, 2021
