iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max Review

When the word iPhone appears in a conversation, well not much introduction is needed. It honestly speaks for itself. Probably because it’s the most prominent smartphone made and marketed by Apple. What’s even better is the incredible advancement in terms of the announcement of new series released periodically. And this year the iPhone 13 series is the talk

Following the announcement of the iPhone 12 in October last year, Apple promised a new and advanced lineup, and of course, it came to pass—no disappointment. The iPhone 12 featured new technology and a fancy new design which is the Mini-sized version.

Well, not much has changed. The iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max were released on the 13^th of September, this year, alongside an updated entry-level iPad, Apple Watch 7, and iPad Mini 6—The event was spectacular. These updated iPhones come with an iOS15 ready to be installed, together with an upgraded camera, a new A15 Bionic processor, an upped storage and so much more.

The improvements, assuming you’re looking for a decent phone, really matter. But do these changes really convince us? Does the new iPhone lineup prove to be the greatest, well, since the last one? —to be fair, they have really brought some revolutionary changes. But a closer look at what the lineup offers and how the 4 versions perform, and their differences are much more important.

So, let’s just proceed to the best part…

The specs

With these clever advancements, Apple aimed to make the iPhone Pro Max or either of its siblings, a compelling upgrade made to fit the needs of different individuals—pros and those in need of an everyday consumption phone. So, the question remains, which will suit you best?

There is a lot to read on as far as the iPhone model is concerned. But before we head on to all that:

iPhone 13 lineup prices

One thing about the lineup is that the physical appearance of each isn’t so different from that of its predecessors. And so, is the pricing. This—pricing— is similar in most of the models except in the standard and mini options. This is because the 64GB storage option in the two, has been done away with. And if you are be expecting a price change for this, well, sorry to say, there isn’t.

Generally, the prices of this new lineup increase with the increase in storage. This is mostly seen in the models with the 1TB storage options feature. Available in the Pro Max model, the storage feature ups the price to $1,599.

For the normal prices of the iPhone 13 high-end Pro version—without the extra storage—comes a similarity to that of the Galaxy S Ultra and Galaxy S plus which costs $1,200 and $1,000 respectively.

	128GB storage	256GB storage	512GB storage	1TB storage
iPhone 13 Mini	$699	$799	$999	NA
iPhone 13	$799	$899	$1,099	NA
iPhone 13 Pro	$999	$1,099	$1,199	$1,499
iPhone 13 Pro Max	$1,099	$1,199	$1,399	$1,599

1. Design, size and color

The smartphone offers a similar Ceramic Shield display upfront, flat edges, and a durable glass back. Actually, even the IP68    water resistance is the same. The robust frame in the iPhone lineup together with all the advanced physical features makes the holding feel nice. However, Apple gave a ‘redesigned on the inside and out’ comment pointing at it being different from the others where, honestly, it’s hard to spot the differences.

The most obvious difference is noticeable in the edge. You will notice the volume controls, silent/ring switch and the power button have been slightly switched.

There are two more design changes in the iPhone44. One is the 20% smaller notch. This enables an undistracted time while watching videos in landscape mode with both sides at full screen. And most importantly the reduction in the Mini version is more interesting.

Considering the phone is narrower the notch swoops down a bit more making apps like Gmail—ones with a white background in portrait orientation— more fun to use. Secondly, the cameras on the rear which were placed vertically in the iPhone 12 are now arranged diagonally.

The iPhone 13 mini and13 are available in Pink, Midnight, Blue, Product (RED), and Starlight. While the13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are in Graphite, Silver, Sierra Blue, and Gold.

Unfortunately, there is one thing missing—the touch ID. This is an upgrade that would have been highly appreciated since the face ID, well, with our masks on, can be a hassle to use. Also, the smartphone had some problems unlocking with the Apple Watch. But this isn’t an issue since Apple is working on it.

When it comes to size the iPhone Mini is 5.4 inches, standard 6.1 inches, iPhone 13 Pro 6.1 inches, iPhone 13 Pro Max 6.7 inches.

2. ProMotion display

This feature is a brand name for Apple display which means updates and refresh rates that happens often— 60Hz or 60 times per second. But for this new model, they included a 120Hz refresh rate. This, when compared to the screens we have at home i.e., tv, is double the rate since they usually update at 60Hz. The feature has been available on the iPad Pro but has been now launched in the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

The refresh rate determines how smooth and fast the scrolling is. And sailing content is a great experience than the smearing one. This feature, however, isn’t available in the mini. But that doesn’t stop it from giving its user an excellent time. In fact, when you compare it to the iPhone 12, there are some noticeable and visible improvements. So, no worries.

All the iPhone models have OLED screen panels.

The brightness increase rate favors people using it in the sun. This is because of the Super Retina XDR display which is 28% brighter than its predecessor—the change isn’t dramatic though. And when it comes to watching a movie, the HDR content can be screened at 1,200 nits on all the siblings.

The display size is also noticeable. The smallest display is on the iPhone 13 mini—5.4 inches with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, 476ppi. This makes this handful version the sharpest display of all. The largest is, of course, the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It has a resolution of 2778 x 1284 pixels, 458ppi, and a display size of 6.7 inches.

The 13 and 13 Pro have a similar display size o 6.1-inches while the resolution is 2532 x 1170 pixels, 460ppi.

3. Camera

There are so many interesting facts about the camera in all four versions. just imaging taking pictures in low lighting. Or better still owning a phone that can help you measure height? Cool, right? Well, the iPhone 13 has a lidar scanner on the Pro Max and Pro versions unlike in the iPhone 12 lineup. Its main purpose is autofocused pictures and videos with low noise as well as quality shots even in low lighting. Additionally, Apple said that there will be a new feature, on the Pro models, called ProRES that includes video recording of up to 4K at 30fps, later this year.

Although the new lens setup is the most common visible change, it has come with a few more advantages. The large camera has 1.7μm pixels and a wider camera that gathers 47% more light. The improved cameras on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini, has an ultrawide lens and are 12-megapixel wide. And for iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, the three rear cameras have telephoto lenses, are 12-megapixel wide, and are ultrawide.

Color temperature is an important fact to check on when buying a phone. Whether you want a rich contrast, vibrant, standard, cool, or warm one, the control should be yours. And alas the iPhone 13 lineup has the Photographic styles feature that is specifically for this purpose.

Wait, here comes the best part…the Macro photography and cinematic mode feature. The macro-Photography helps take pictures with the appropriate camera lens automatically while still offering a focused image. And the cinematic mode, just like the Apple Portrait Mode in the iPhone 7 plus, allows the subject to move around the frame and still remain in focus. This mode can be used while recording one or more subjects, and you can as well tap to the main focus or get a focus mode while editing.

However, as sweet as the deal sounds, there are some limitations. For the cinematic mode to work, there must be good lighting. And if there isn’t the camera app will warn you. The editing of the videos also needs to be done on Apple apps i.e., iMovie. And lastly, the cinematic mode can only be shot in p at frames per second.

4. A5 Bionic and performance

The A15 Bionic is a faster chip and an advancement from the A14 Bionic in iPhone12. It offers a 4-core GPU, 6-core CPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. This means the CPU works up to 5% faster and the GPU is in a place to handle rendering graphics that are 20% faster which is quite impressive. The iPhone 13 Pro model has the fastest GPU which is five cores while the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 has our cores.

You can switch between tasks without any issues.

5. Battery life

The iPhone 13 has an extended battery life than the iPhone 12 lineup. This is because of the A15 Bionic chip, bigger battery, and iOS 15. Despite Apple not revealing the battery specs, another source showed that there is a significant capacious cell than in the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has the best battery life of Up to 28 hours. However, the bigger the battery, the bigger the phone. So, if you do mind a handful phone, then the iPhone 13 Pro Max isn’t for you.

The iPhone Mini powers for nearly 17 hours, while the other two—13 and 13 Pro—are at least 19 hours and 22 hours respectively. All these, when compared to the previous lineup, are a sizable leap.

iPhone 13, 13 MINI, 13 PRO AND 13 PRO MAX SPECS

	iPhone 13 mini		iPhone 13		iPhone 13 Pro		iPhone 13 Pro Max
Storage	128, 256, 512GB		128, 256, 512 GB		128, 256, 512, 1TB		128, 256, 512, 1TB
Processor	A15 Bionic		A15 Bionic		A15 Bionic		A15 Bionic
Screen size	5.4 inches		6.1 inches		6.1 inches		6.7 inches
Rear cameras	Dual 12MP (Wide, ultrawide)		Dual 12MP (Wide, ultrawide)		Pro 12MP (Telephoto, Wide, Ultra-Wide)		Pro 12MP (Telephoto, Wide, Ultra-Wide)
Front camera	12MP TrueDepth		12MP TrueDepth		12MP TrueDepth		12MP TrueDepth
Zoom	None / 5x digital		None / 5x digital		3x optical / 15x digital		3x optical / 15x digital
Adaptive refresh	No		No		Up to 120Hz		Up to 120Hz
Water resistance	IP68		IP68		IP68		IP68
Resolution/ppi	2340 x 1080/476		2532 x 1170/460		2532 x 1170/460		2778 x 1284/458
Colors	Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink		Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink		Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue		Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue
Size	5.2 x 2.5 x 0.3 inches		5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches		5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches		6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches
Weight	4.97 ounces		6.14 ounces		7.2 ounces		8.5 ounces
Battery life (video playback	8:41		10:33		11:42		12:16
Starting price	$699		$799		$999		$1,099

 

Conclusion

Despite the upgrades being mostly under the hood, they are precisely made to give you a more improved experience. Fancy new features, great battery life—except in the mini— who wouldn’t want that? If you are still wondering if it’s worth it getting one, aim to focus on the fundamentals. ‘What upgrades are there?’ ‘Is there a promise that the game will get better?’ — once the debate is over and have a final answer, head on to the store and purchase that dream phone.

But most importantly, don’t forget to get the best screen protector from Tech Armor. A smartphone with such features deserves to be taken care of. And that’s your responsibility.

 

iPhone 13 Recap

As was very accurately predicted, the most anticipated event in Apple’s annual calendar happened on the 14^th of September 2021. Apple’s events are always grandiose showcases with impeccable production. In true Apple fashion, they somehow managed to one-up what they did last year, with a lot of drone shots. It was quite cinematic – the amazing transitions, cinematography, lighting – everything was top-notch. It was quite the visual spectacle.

Twitter was part of the celebrations as well. For every tweet that included the trending #AppleEvent hashtag, the like button turned into a glowing Apple logo before quickly turning back into a heart when clicked. iPhone 13 was also trending, of course, and as Tim Cook walked on stage, the world awaited the reveal of the heavily leaked new iPhones. Were there any surprises? Read on to find out.

The iPhone 13 Line-up

A Closer look at iPhone 13 & 13 Mini

Design

The non-pro iPhone 13 has a new look for the advanced dual-camera system with the lenses arranged diagonally instead of vertically as was the case for the iPhone 12. Every year, Apple makes a slight design change to make it easier to distinguish previous versions from the current releases, and re-arranging the camera array was their choice for this year.

Other than the camera module, the chassis (or the beautifully-formed aerospace-grade aluminum frame as it was described during the announcement) remains largely the same. This year’s colors were unveiled to be an all-new Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red.

A much-rumoured detail about the new iPhones was confirmed when the smaller notch was revealed. After years of having the large obtrusive notch at the top of the display, Apple finally did something about it. This is another differentiating factor from the iPhone 12. The reductions were possible because the true-depth camera system has been re-engineered to make it take up less room while taking up less space, thus the increased screen real estate.

Battery

Internally, the iPhone 13 has been completely re-architected to make room for new additions, and more importantly, a bigger battery! While Apple did not confirm the actual sizes of the batteries for this year’s standard iPhones 13, battery improvements are always welcome.

Apple claims that on iPhone 13 Mini most users will experience 1.5 more hours in their day than with iPhone 12 Mini. They also claim that the standard iPhone 13 lasts 2.5 hours longer than iPhone 12. Them branding it as ‘incredible all-day battery life is a bit of a stretch, however.

 

Display

Size aside, the design is the same across the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, as was the case with last year’s iPhone 12 and 12 Mini. Both phones feature an improved, more advanced Super Retina, XDR display. The display is 28% brighter up, going up to 800 nits of peak brightness. This makes it even more suitable for use even when outside. This improved display delivers an immersive viewing experience with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG meaning that the content shot on and for these platforms and technologies will be viewed as intended.

Processor

Things are about to get a little technical now. Ready?

Apple’s lead in the smartphone SoC (System on a Chip) category just got a little wider with the A15 Bionic. Apple’s control over the entire iPhone makeup gives them the capability to incorporate innovations across the entire system. This, in turn, enables the delivery of improved performance and power efficiency. The A15 is built on 5nm architecture which enables the inclusion of nearly 15 billion transistors on the chip. The result? An absolutely smooth, optimized, and efficient experience when handling demanding workloads. The A15 houses a powerful new 6-core CPU with two high-performance and four high-efficiency cores for graphics-intensive tasks like advanced games. The A15 Bionic also features the latest 4-core GPU with the new 16-core Neural Engine to handle all the machine learning requirements. In addition to the performance improvements, iPhone 13 features a new Display Engine, a new video encoder, and decoder, and twice the system cache. All this is to make video playback as smooth as it has ever been

 

Camera

With the A15 Bionic also comes an improved camera system on iPhone 13. There’s an all-new 12mp wide camera with a larger 1.7 micron-pixels sensor that should capture more light with a wide f-1.6 aperture. Amazingly, Apple decided to bring the iPhone 12 Pro Max exclusive Sensor-Shift technology to all iPhones in this year’s line-up. Sensor-Shift introduced advanced Optical Image Stabilization for even better images, especially in low-light. Apple also included a new ultra-wide camera that is set to help “reveal more of the dark areas with less noise”.

A brand-new feature announced for iPhone 13 is Cinematic Mode. According to the details provided during its showcase, once the recording starts, Cinematic Mode will hold focus on the subject even when they’re moving. Additionally, focus transitions are said to happen automatically and in real-time, for example, from one subject to another. Cinematic Mode is said to anticipate when a subject is about to enter the frame and intelligently racks focus to them when they do. When a subject gazes away from the camera, iPhone 13 itself changes focus and then back. This is certainly one of the features that most people will want to test out for themselves when the phones are released. If it does what it says on the box, iPhone will almost be the default phone for millions of content creators, even more than it is already.

Pricing and Availability

It was great to see that even with the improvements it starts with and the fact that the starting capacity is now 128 GB (plus a new 512 GB option), iPhone 13 Mini still starts at just $699 and $799 for the standard iPhone 13. There are also opportunities to get up to $700 off in the US when you trade in a qualifying iPhone.

 

iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max

Design

iPhone 13 Pro comes in four ‘striking’ finishes that are different from the standard iPhone 13. There is Graphite, Gold, Silver, and an all-new Sierra Blue. Just as is the case with the standard iPhone 13, the Pros have a (20%) smaller notch. On the back is a familiar-looking triple camera system, with a stainless-steel trim that surrounds the Sapphire Crystal lenses of each of the cameras. The inside is said to be ‘completely redesigned to support the latest technology inclusions including an all-new camera system, a new display, and a bigger battery.

Better A15 Bionic

The Pros are also powered by the A15 Bionic which features the earlier-mentioned CPU, GPU, a faster Neural Engine, as well as a new ISP (Image Signal Processor) which is said to provide improved noise reduction and tone mapping. As an improvement on the standard iPhone 13 and 13 Mini, the Pro models’ A15 Bionic includes a new 5-core GPU for even better handling of graphic-intensive tasks.

Display

The new Super Retina, XDR display is also present on the Pro models, with an improved peak brightness of 1000 nits, a 25% improvement on last year’s iPhones.

If there is one feature everyone wanted confirmation on, it was the inclusion of a high refresh rate display. The confirmation did come, but it was bittersweet: It is only on the Pro models. The highly anticipated ProMotion display is finally on iPhone, with the capability of refreshing from as low as 10 Hz to as high as 120 Hz. IOS is also completely optimized to take full advantage of this. When swiping between apps, or scrolling, the system adapts the frame rates to precisely match the speed of the user’s finger.

Camera

The iPhone 13 Pro camera system has a new 77 mm telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. There is also a new ultrawide-angle camera with autofocus and a larger f 1.8 aperture, providing up to a 92% improvement in low light. The third camera is a wide camera with a larger f-1.5 aperture and 1.9 micron-pixels for up to 2x improvement in low light. The ultrawide camera also has Macro Photography. Its design and autofocus system enables incredibly sharp focus and can magnify subjects with a minimum distance of 2 cm. Additionally, all the cameras, including the telephoto, have night mode.

Apple also announced a feature that lets you ‘personalize your iPhone camera’ dubbed Photographic Styles. The feature is said to bring your individual preferences right into the advanced image pipeline, applying local edits like a photo editor would, but in real-time as the photo is being rendered.

The iPhone 13 pro camera system also has some advanced video capabilities. The ultrawide camera enables Macro slo-mo videos which should look amazing. The 3x telephoto has improved zooming capabilities and offers a new focal length for video. Coupled with Cinematic mode, it uses machine learning and disparity to create a depth map that’s built into the video so that the depth effect can be changed, including the level of bokeh and where the focus is applied – even after capture.

ProRes is a feature that is set to come further down the line. With it, you can now record up to 4k at 30 fps right in the camera app thanks to the efficiency of the A15 Bionic, IOS 15, and a larger battery.  iPhone 13 Pro is said to last more than 1.5 hours longer in your day than iPhone 12 Pro. iPhone 13 Pro Max will apparently last more than 2.5 hours longer than iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone 13pro still starts at $999 and the iPhone 13pro max still starts at $1099. The Pro models have a new 1 TB storage option. All four models of the iPhone13 line-up go up for Pre-order on the 17^th of September and will all be available on September 24^th.

 

Final Thoughts

Depending on your expectations, you were either disappointed because some of your expectations weren’t met or underwhelmed because you knew almost everything that was coming. The rumors of this year’s iPhones being referred to as the 12S might have been on to something because there’s no day and night difference between last year’s iPhones and the new ones. The notch is smaller, and ProMotion finally made it to Apple devices after making it to Android years ago, but at least it’s here. It is only for the Pro models though, which is set to anger a lot of people who were looking forward to buying the non-Pro versions.

Another drawback is that 4K recording is not available for the 128 GB storage options, but there may be a logical and technical explanation for that. Features like MagSafe and Ceramic shield are still present, and the iPhone is now capable of recording when your MagSafe wallet is disconnected from the phone, making it easier to track in case it is lost.

The physical changes may be indistinguishable to most users, but the changes under the hood are set to give an improved experience regardless. After all, it is an iPhone and people will buy it. If you will make sure you get the best protection for whichever model you get at Tech Armor.

 

Has it been a while since you’ve upgraded your phone – perhaps waiting year over year for the ideal phone? The 2018 iPhones are still be all means, an excellent choice for anyone, but Apple’s rumored 2019 iPhones, the iPhone 11, might be the best choice of all. Those of you in the market for a new phone might be wise to go hands-on with Apple’s latest iPhones before (or waiting to buy) your next phone.

Others might want to start thinking about waiting for this year’s crop of iPhones. Being literally just a day from Apple’s iPhones announcements, the rumors of credible merit have of course been pouring out of ever major tech blog and website online for months.

The iPhone 11 Rumors

Ahead of any official announcement, Apple’s registered eleven new iPhone models in the Eurasian Economic Commission database.

According to Indian blog MySmartPrice , these models most likely represent Apple’s new crop of iPhones. EEC filings often come several months ahead of any release and we’re already preparing for this month’s launch date.

This shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise. The new iPhones will reportedly feature a new A13 Processor, a new camera setup, 4 GB of RAM and a dual-camera setup on the iPhone XR’s successor, OLED and LCD displays without 3D Touchm and Apple Pencil support.

Rumors also claim that the new iPhone 11 ditch Lightning in favor of USB-C like Apple’s newest iPad Prods. Other reports claim the company will keep Lightning as the standard on the iPhone 11.

With all of this and so much more in mind, let’s take a look at some reasons to consider Apple’s new iPhones.

Why Wait for the iPhone 11 Launch

If you absolutely must upgrade your phone, don’t wait for the iPhone 11 if you need to upgrade in the very near future and affordability is a primary factor. This being said, if you absolutely must have the latest iPhone and cost isn’t so much a factor, you’re going to definitely want to tune-in to Apple’s iPhone 11 launch event (being tomorrow!) for all the excitement for the new iPhone before making that decision to buy the phone.

Wait for the best version of iOS 13

New iPhones typically are released with some exclusive software features so if you want the absolute best version of iOS 13, you might want to hang on for that.  According to some credible rumors, the new iPhones will come with a camera upgrade that rivals Google’s Night Sight feature. The feature would help the new iPhones shoot better photos in low light environments.

Wait for the Powerful Cameras

The 2018 iPhones come with Apple’s arguably best cameras, but if the upgrades aren’t enough, you’ll want to think about waiting for the potential change coming with the next iPhone.  the iPhone 11 rumors have repeatedly pointed to a new camera setup. Specifically, hinting at a triple-lens rear camera system complete with advanced 3D sensing (for use with Augmented Reality) and stereoscoping imaging.

 

Wait for Potential Apple Pencil Support

Trendforce claimed Apple would be bringing Apple Pencil support to the 2018 iPhone models but this didn’t happen. Respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple Pencil Support will come to the iPhone at some point, but he hasn’t said anything about the iPhone 11.

 

Wait for Better Wi0Fi & LTE

The 2019 iPhones might not support 5G, but they could come with improve Wi-Fi.  According to a Barclays analyst, Apple’s new iPhones could deliver support for Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax.  Apple may take its time with 5G, but there still stands a chance Apple is among the first to offer the new Wi-Fi standard on its product line.

If Apple does install Wi-Fi 6 support on its new iPhones, we can expect better data rates, better service in crowded areas like sporting events and concerts, and improved battery performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait for Performance Improvements

The new iPhones will likely retain Apple’s Lightning standard, but it looks like they will come with some improvements to the internal better and a new charging capability.  A report out of Korea claims the new version of the iPhone XR will come with a 3110 mAh battery which would be more than a 5% improvement from the 2942 mAH battery on the current model.  In addition, it looks like the new devices will include “bilateral wireless charging for charging other devices.” So in other words, we might be able to use the phones to charge other devices like your AirPods.

Wait for Better Speakers

There is a rumor that suggests Apple is making some improvements to the stereo speaker setup.  There isn’t much in the way of specifics, but if you want booming sound on your next iPhone, you might want to hang around and see what Apple does with this year’s models.

Wait for Face ID Improvements

According to some other credible rumor reports, Apple is preparing an upgraded system that lets you use wider angles with unlocking your phone.  iOS will bring improvements to Face ID as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait for New Colors

It looks like the 2019 version of the iPhone XR will come in some new colors.  Japanese blog Mac Otakara claims the new iPhone XR will come in six colors like its predecessor but it looks like two colors will get swapped out.  Specifically, it is looking like Blue and Coral will be swapped out for Green and Lavender. Apple will continue to offer the iPhone XR in black, white, yellow, and (Product) red.

Wait for More Base Storage

Rumor has it that Apple plans to increase the base storage on this year’s iPhone models.  According to some leaked news, Apple’s 2019 iPhone lineup will start with 128GB of storage. Right now, Apple’s flagship iPhones start at 64GB of storage and then jump up to 256GB.  This is a huge deal if Apple keeps the base models at the same starting prices. The iPhone XS starts at $999 USD without a trade-in and the larger iPhone XS Max starts at $1099.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hope we’ve provided ample amount of great reasons why the 2019 iPhone could be your next ideal phone. Plenty of what we’ve discussed here are based on credible news and report sources but expect more details and specifications to be further speculated on in the coming weeks.

As the new iPhone launch date quickly draws near, we’ll continue to share more about our thoughts and opinions on what the public can expect from the next great Apple phone. Stay tuned as we continue with our insights and what we can expect with the launch of the new iPhone.

What are your thoughts? does what we share here stand for good reasons to wait for the next iPhone?  Feel free to share your comments.

Thanks for Reading!

Be to check out our extensive range of iPhone accessories, including our highest quality screen protectors for the iPhone X/XS/XS MAX/XR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WWDC 2018 and the next iPhones: what to expect?

Special rumors edition with WWDC in tow!

New iOS? New devices? A lot of rumors coming up for the WWDC this June! Get caught up with all the info you need just in time for the event!

 

The only sure known info right now is it will be on June 4-8 at the Mc Enery Convention Center in San Jose, California. Their teaser page promises a series of sessions, hand-on labs, consultations and guest speakers (none listed by name). 

Now for the WWDC rumor mill bits:

As a developer’s conference, we might get to see the iOS 12 where Apple redeems itself from the issue of the previous software version. The tech-giant will be focusing on improvements like the Face ID, being able to unlock the phone sideways or landscape mode. Plus more Animojis!

 

They may also focus on the universal app feature for macOS 10.14 and iOS 12— making apps compatible for both operating systems—hence, more apps available for Macs. You may remember that Apple purchased Beddit May last year, so we may get to see a sleep-tracking feature on watchOS 5 among other updates.

What rumors for the devices?…

The iPhone SE 2 is still a “will they, won’t they” device. If not during the WWDC, it may come out during the third quarter of the year or along with the other iPhones. You can expect a notch and no Touch ID on this one, folks! 

Speaking of no Touch ID and notch, we may get to see iPad Pros (both the 12.9 and the 10.5-inch models) start to utilize this design too. Though it might not get an OLED display due to supplier issues.

 

Now for some iPhone Rumors

 

So far everyone seems to agree there will be 3 sure iPhones coming out this year: a refresh to the iPhone X, a larger “plus” version and a smaller, budget-friendly phone model. 

A new development maybe the iPen which will support one (or two) of the iPhones. Sounds like the Galaxy Note 9 doesn’t it?

 

Phew! That’s a lot of new (and surely expensive) devices!

 

Not to worry as we’ve got your back! We’ll surely be protecting these devices as always to help you preserve your investment! As promised: you play, we protect!

Check out the Tech Armor website or our Amazon Storefront Page for the latest devices we’re protecting!

 

Sources:

https://developer.apple.com/wwdc/

https://www.cnet.com/news/wwdc-2018-rumors-ios-12-new-macbook-air-ipad-pro-homepod/

http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/rumor/entry-34952.html

https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/macos-10-14/

https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/wwdc/

https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-just-bought-beddit-the-fitbit-for-sleep-tracking

https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-wwdc-2018

https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-se-2-launch-date-specs-price-release-date-rumors-notch/

https://www.inverse.com/article/45058-iphone-se-2-release-date-apple-wwdc-2018

https://www.techjuice.pk/iphone-x-se-launch-date-and-face-id-confirmed-in-a-new-report/

https://www.theipadguide.com/node/106832

https://www.cnet.com/news/ipad-pro-2018-all-the-rumors-on-specs-price-release-date/

https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-2018-iphone-x-plus-launch-date-specs-price-release-date-rumors/

https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-x-plus-2018-could-copy-galaxy-note-with-ipen/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/apple-iphone-smartphone-desk-4158/

https://pixabay.com/en/smart-watch-apple-technology-style-821557/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holds-space-gray-iphone-x-968639/

 

iPhone 2018 Rumors: what’s new?

The rumor mill doesn’t sleep folks!

Could the new iPhones set to release in 2018 be a bit cheaper this year? Will there be an iPhone SE 2 in 2018?  Let’s see what the rumor mill has to say about these!

 

Cheaper iPhone?

 

The 6.1-in LCD display device may be in the works now as Apple made a panel order with Japan Display. And according to Business Insider, this 6.1-in LCD is cheaper to produce, so this iPhone may sell for as low as $550 and as high as $650… that’s for a single-sim model. Yes folks, there may be a dual-sim standby option for this budget-friendly device in the works. But is expected to be a bit more expensive with $650-$750 price range.

 

What About the 2nd gen iPhone X?

 

Apple has been bargaining with Samsung to lower the cost of the OLED displays, in  hopes of lowering the cost of the next generation iPhones too. Apple’s has also had talks with LG for OLED display production though they are currently having difficulties. If LG won’t be able fix the issues in time, Samsung would have the monopoly and firm control over the prices of the display…and the iPhones just like last year.

The 5.8-in OLED display model will be quite similar to the existing iPhone X. The 6.5-in display is the one that said to possibly have additional features like dual-sim card design and use of an “iPen” that may be similar with the Apple Pencil. ( A potential nod to the Galaxy Note series?)

 

A May or June iPhone release?

 

You read that right! As early as May or June 2018 (at the Worldwide Developer Conference), we may be seeing the iPhone SE 2! There’s been a pattern that after Apple registered devices on the Eurasian Economic Commision database, an announcement of those devices are not far after. For those who are more into a way more budget friendly phone, this one’s especially for you! It’s said to be quite similar with its first generation, with Touch ID BUT without the headphone jack. (Don’t worry we have you covered there with our Lightning Earbuds.) For those with clumsy hands, be careful: the iPhone SE 2 may also have a glass backing.

Phew! Everything’s going glass….much more breakable!

We totally understand where you’re coming from… that’s why Tech Armor will always have your back! We’ll protect your iPhones from the daily wear and tear and those heart-stopping (and heartbreaking) drops and scratches!

You can check out our Amazon Store front Page or our website to get the latest gears for your devices!

Get the latest on everything and anything Apple! Join our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+accounts to stay in the know! Join the TA Nation too!

 

Sources:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/iphone-11-news-rumors/

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-2018-low-cost-rumors-features-specs-release-date-2018-4#one-reason-why-it-could-be-less-expensive-than-the-iphone-x-is-because-it-uses-a-less-advanced-screen-its-said-to-use-an-lcd-screen-instead-of-the-oled-screen-on-the-iphone-x-oled-screens-use-less-power-and-have-better-colors-4

https://investorplace.com/2018/04/apple-2018-iphone-x-may-start-at-550/

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/18/kuo-6-1-inch-iphone-dual-sim-option/

https://www.cnet.com/news/2018-6-1-inch-iphone-550-price-tag-kgi/

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/iphone-11-news-rumors/

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/20/lg-display-oled-display-manufacturing-issues/

https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/04/24/fall-lcd-iphone-could-be-200-cheaper-than-oled-counterparts-says-analyst

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/20/iphone-se-2-no-headphone-jack-rumor/

https://www.imore.com/iphone-se-2

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/18/apple-registers-new-iphone-models-eurasia/

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-iphone-se-2-news/

https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-se-2-glass-wireless-charging-rumor/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-iphone-x-and-ballpoint-pen-892769/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-iphone-smartphone-browsing-40011/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/apple-apple-device-black-black-and-white-288479/

 

Improved Charge N’ Go Lightning Earbuds: ready to go!

Because the TA Nation always deserves the best!

When Apple introduced a no-headphone jack phone design (starting with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus), things got quite tricky to use earphones… especially if you’re not a fan of the  $159 AirPods that need to be charged (and get lost or misplaced) or using the included adapter just to insert standard 3.5 mm headphones. Besides, if you’re like most of us, that adapter gets lost in the first few weeks after buying the phone!!

To help out the iPhone users here in TA Nation, we designed our Charge N’ Go Earbuds! Simply connect the earphones to any Apple device with an 8-pin Lightning connection and you’re good to go! Oh and one more thing, you can charge your device with the separate charge port we added! Finally, you don’t have to worry about running out of power while listening to your favorite tunes or making important calls.

But we didn’t stop there: we’ve improved our initial design for a better listening and charging experience!

So, what’s new?

The immediate change you’ll see would be the wires. We used flat cables to make them more durable compared to the standard round audio cables. Plus they’re now less likely to tangle— providing more durability when you keep these in your pocket or in your bag!

The shape of the earbuds also changed to provide a more comfortable fit. This is definitely helpful for those long [solo] trips so you can listen to some music and answer calls while giving your undivided attention.

Lastly, the location of the charge port has also changed to a more ideal place—now located in line with one of the wires, instead of being separated into its own wire as in the first version. Now it’s easier to use and there’s less clutter around your phone.

Word on the Street

Don’t take our word for it… tech reviewer J. Williams got a first glimpse of the new set! You can watch his review here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRCgl3qyZQk

These are available right now on our website and the 2.0 design will be coming out real soon on Amazon for everyone to enjoy!

 

As promised, Tech Armor will always have your back! 😉

Get the latest on us! Join our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterestand Google+accounts to stay in the know! Join the TA Nation too!

 

Additional Sources:

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEF2AM/A/airpods

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter?fnode=c36112e51b22e238a6606a3681314945b1ed1c14806ea5e25b3fe000afb5acf748c530162e85a1a0cd9e6f6a786be4c194986e5f13637f7156776d1ede0685b2ef48abed70a8a092f32b70ea781421a7226c59c0553b6b64637a9ceb5f565e2f

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/you-will-lose-your-159-apple-airpods-says-everyone-on-the-internet-2016-09-07

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markrogowsky/2017/01/25/apple-will-soon-help-you-find-lost-airpods-it-could-do-even-more/#3a3f1ebc648c

 

Next iPhones: what’s new in the rumor mill?

Is there a cheaper iPhone X refresh in our midst?

 

Yes you read that right! Read on to learn more!

 

Digitimes reports that Apple managed to lower the production cost of a 5.8-inch OLED phone which will be the upgrade to the iPhone X. Because of the price reduction and evidently lower specs, this version might be positioned as the cheapest version in the batch instead of the 6.1-in LCD one. A key player for the lower production is that Samsung Display was left with a lot of OLED displays at their disposal due to less demand of the iPhone X. Apple then reached an understanding with the Korean giant so the price won’t rise on the panels.

For now this can mean one of 2 scenarios: Apple could keep the $999 price tag as the lowest or lower the price by around $100 to continue a price scheme similar to previous years. Originally, the cheapest rumored model in the batch, the 6.1-in was estimated to be around $800. Hopefully we get a lower price tag (fingers crossed!)

 

For those not a fan of the usual black and silver color options, we might also get a new color! The Cupertino-tech giant is rumored to be manufacturing a Bush Gold color for the device.

 

Leaked design for the iPhone X SE or iPhone SE 2?

 

There have been talks that the two are different devices…but there are also talks that they’re the same device (potato-potato pronunciation kind of matter). But as of now, it’s still a quite debate. A user from Weibo is rumored to have leaked the video of the iPhone SE 2. Looking from the video, it looks nearer to the 4-in display of the iPhone SE than the 6.1-in LCD display of the said iPhone X SE but with a refreshed design similar to the iPhone X (hello notch, goodbye Touch ID). BGR also got exclusive sketches that is pretty similar to the video. Macworld goes on to say that if there is to be and iPhone SE 2, it would mostly be available for lower-end markets. While there’s still the running theory that the iPhone X SE is the 6.1-in LCD. 

Although these rumors have been swirling around for months, we might get something new on March 27 when Apple goes to Chicago for a “field trip” . The topic up for discussion here will likely center on cheaper models of the MacBook and iPad, but we’re hoping for a little iPhone teaser too!

 

That’s about it for this rumor roundup! Tune in for the next one after Apple’s announcement.

 

Whether you go for the newest iPhone or stay with your current one, always be at ease knowing you have the best protection for it! Check out our website or our Amazon Storefront Page for everything and anything you’d need for your device!

 

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus? Check! (did you know many of our iPhone 8 and 8 Plus screens are also compatible with the older iPhone 7 and 6 models?… now you know!)

iPhone X? Definitely!

Or if you’re team Android, we also have for Samsung, LG and Google 😉 As promised, Tech Armor will always have you covered! Get the latest on everything and anything Apple! Join our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+accounts to stay in the know! Join the TA Nation too!

Sources:

https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20180321VL204.html

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/03/21/next-gen-iphone-x-could-be-cheaper-to-build/

https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/21/58-inch-oled-iphone-model-could-be-10-percent-cheaper-to-produce-than-iphone-x

http://bgr.com/2018/03/21/iphone-x-2018-release-date-cheaper-price/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2018/03/21/apple-iphonex-new-leak-rumor-price-cut-revenue-income-share/#1299356e2eb2

https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/21/5-8-inch-iphone-x-successor-cheaper-to-manufacture/

https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/apple-is-apparently-working-on-a-blush-gold-iphone-x-1194136-2018-03-21

http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/rumor/entry-34592.html

http://bgr.com/2018/03/16/iphone-se-2-2018-video-leak-maybe-real-exclusive/

https://www.macworld.co.uk/news/iphone/iphone-se-2-2018-3500611/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/03/18/apple-iphone-x-se-new-iphone-upgrade-iphone-se2-iphone-x2/#21a71f80414d

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/03/20/apple-iphone-x-se-release-date-iphone-se2-launch-price-specs-iphone-x/#75772dcc4d88

https://www.cnet.com/news/apples-march-27-ipad-education-school-event-in-chicago-live-blog/

https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-se-2-launch-date-specs-price-release-date-rumors/

https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/2018-iphones/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-iphone-x-892760/