Market research and surveys show that the vast majority of smartphone users really wish for three things: great battery life, excellent cameras, and big, beautiful displays. Ars Technica reviews Apple’s new iPhone lineup and finds they deliver on all three counts.
Cupertino’s flagship phone lineup might seem like an iterative “S”-style update, given that the phones look almost the same as last year’s models and that there are no major new features apart from screens with higher refresh rates in the priciest models. But since Apple zeroed in on most people’s highest priorities, this seemingly iterative update ends up being a noteworthy one.
This time around, the Pro model has some more going for it: a better camera system, faster graphics, and markedly improved battery life over the iPhone 13.
Now it’s the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max that aren’t all that different from each other. For reference, last year saw the Max get the better camera system. Now they’re the same, so it’s just about screen size and battery life.
With these phones, you’ll take better photos, and you’ll make it all the way to bedtime with less anxiety about your battery running out, even on a busy airport travel day.
That might not be as mind-blowing as some transformational new innovation, but it’s every bit as welcome.
The new lineup also introduces greater differentiation between the standard flagships and the Pro models… [which] are almost certainly worth the upgrade if you can afford it.
Provided you want to live in Apple’s ecosystem, these are without a doubt the best smartphones you can buy today.
MacDailyNews Take: The iPhone 13 Pro Max is as close to perfect as we’ve yet seen. Once the inelegant kludge (notch) goes the way of the dodo, and provided Apple comes to their senses or isn’t hopelessly compromised regarding installing backdoor surveillance into their iPhones (and Macs and iPads), the iPhone will achieve sheer perfection*.
*We’ve given up on Apple producing a thicker, toughened iPhone with no camera bump and a 3-day battery life; our ultimate dream.
Cook as a thing with ‘back doors’ obviously. I would not let that guy get within a mile of me or my kids. Pervert!