MacRumors

The popular Apple TV+ comedy series "Ted Lasso" has been awarded four new Emmy awards, making history for ‌Apple TV‌+ as it became the first streaming service to win an Emmy award in a program category in only its second year of eligibility. Ted Lasso has won a total of seven Emmy Awards in 2021.

As Apple touted in a press release, "Ted Lasso" made history by becoming the most nominated freshmen comedy series in Emmy Award history, including awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Hannah Waddingham, who plays Rebecca Welton in the series, and Brett Goldstein, who takes on the role of Roy Kent, won Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series, respectively. The star of the show, Jason Sudeikis, who portrays Ted Lasso, was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The show itself was crowned Oustanding Comedy Series.

‌Apple TV‌+ has previously won Emmy awards for "The Morning Show," "Ghost Writer," and "Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10."

Apple recently updated its iOS 15 features page to highlight some additional information about the software update ahead of its imminent release.

In addition to revealing that Find My network support for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max has been delayed until "later this fall," Apple said iOS 15 allows users to seamlessly switch between phone numbers in the middle of an iMessage conversation on an iPhone with Dual SIM support, including the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and newer.

Regional updates to the page include the addition of Japanese in the list of new Voice Control languages and the addition of Singapore for countries with air quality maps in the Weather app on iOS 15. Apple has also revealed that iOS 15 has a new SF Arabic system font, and in India, users can choose from up to 10 of their most recently used UPI payment apps when they scan UPI QR codes using the Camera app for merchant payments.

Apple labeled iCloud Private Relay as a beta feature last month, and the iOS 15 features page now states that when using Private Relay, some websites may have issues, such as showing content for the wrong region or requiring extra steps to sign in. This mirrors fine print added to the iCloud Private Relay section of the Settings app on iPhone.

iOS 15 will be released tomorrow following over three months of beta testing. The software update is compatible with the same iPhones as iOS 14, including older devices like the original iPhone SE and iPhone 6s.

Apple recently updated its iOS 15 features page to indicate that Find My network support for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max has been delayed until "later this fall," implying that the feature will not be available with the initial release of iOS 15.

Apple did not provide a reason for the delay, but several other iOS 15 features will not be available until later this year either, such as SharePlay, Legacy Contacts, the ability to add a driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app, and more. Apple also labeled iCloud Private Relay as a beta feature last month.

If you lose your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max and someone else with an ‌iPhone‌, iPad, or Mac comes close to them, the Find My network will be able to relay an approximate location of the headphones securely and privately back to you. The feature is designed to help you get within Bluetooth range of the AirPods so you can play a sound and locate them.

iOS 15 will be released tomorrow following over three months of beta testing. The software update is compatible with the same iPhones as iOS 14, including older devices like the original iPhone SE and iPhone 6s. iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 will also be released tomorrow, while a release date for macOS Monterey has yet to be announced.

(Hat tip to Michael Burkhardt!)

Update: iOS 15 is now available for download. See our iOS 15 release announcement, and our iOS 15 Roundup for a full breakdown of new features.

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As announced at Apple's "California Streaming" media event on September 14, the public release of iOS 15 will be on Monday, September 20. iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 will be arriving on the same date, while a release date for macOS 12 Monterey has yet to be announced.

While we know iOS 15 is coming on September 20, Apple has not specified exactly what time of day it will be released. We can, however, make an educated guess as to the release timing.

The most frequent time of day for Apple software releases is right around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. In some parts of the world, this corresponds to times early in the morning of the following day, and Apple's regional websites for some of these countries do list the release date as September 21 rather than September 20.

Based on this information, it seems very likely that iOS 15 will indeed be released right around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Monday, September 20. For the local time in your area, we've put together this list covering some major cities in time zones around the world:

• Honolulu, Hawaii — 7:00 a.m. HAST
• Anchorage, Alaska — 9:00 a.m. AKDT
• Cupertino, California — 10:00 a.m. PDT
• Phoenix, Arizona — 10:00 a.m. MST
• Vancouver, Canada — 10:00 a.m. PDT
• Denver, Colorado — 11:00 a.m. MDT
• Dallas, Texas — 12:00 noon CDT
• New York, New York — 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Toronto, Canada — 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Halifax, Canada — 2:00 p.m. ADT
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — 2:00 p.m. BRT
• London, United Kingdom — 6:00 p.m. BST
• Berlin, Germany — 7:00 p.m. CEST
• Paris, France — 7:00 p.m. CEST
• Cape Town, South Africa — 7:00 p.m. SAST
• Moscow, Russia — 8:00 p.m. MSK
• Helsinki, Finland — 8:00 p.m. EEST
• Istanbul, Turkey — 8:00 p.m. TRT
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates — 9:00 p.m. GST
• Delhi, India — 10:30 p.m. IST
• Jakarta, Indonesia — 12:00 a.m. WIB next day
• Shanghai, China — 1:00 a.m. CST next day
• Singapore — 1:00 a.m. SGT next day
• Perth, Australia — 1:00 a.m. AWST next day
• Hong Kong — 1:00 a.m. HKT next day
• Seoul, South Korea — 2:00 a.m. KST next day
• Tokyo, Japan — 2:00 a.m. JST next day
• Adelaide, Australia — 2:30 a.m. ACST next day
• Sydney, Australia — 3:00 a.m. AEST next day
• Auckland, New Zealand — 5:00 a.m. NZST next day

Apple has on occasion released software updates closer to 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, but that does not line up with the information on Apple's Indian site, which specifies a September 20 launch. In order for that to be the case, a release would need to happen before 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

Device Compatibility

iOS 15 is compatible with the same iPhones as iOS 13 and iOS 14, including older devices like the original iPhone SE and iPhone 6s. iOS 15 compatible devices are listed below.

iPadOS 15 is compatible with all of the same devices that were able to run iPadOS 13 and iPadOS 14, which include:

• All iPad Pro models
• iPad (5th generation and newer)
• iPad mini (4th generation and newer)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and newer)
• ‌iPad Air‌ 2

watchOS 8 can be installed on Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, Series 5, and Series 6 models, as well as the Apple Watch SE. It is not compatible with the original first-generation Apple Watch, Apple Watch Series 1, or Apple Watch Series 2.

tvOS 15 is designed to run on the Apple TV 4K (1st and 2nd generation ) and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD (originally called the 4th generation ‌Apple TV‌). It is not compatible with earlier versions of the ‌Apple TV‌, as those models do not support tvOS.

Apple has started shipping out iPhone 13, ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max orders to customers who pre-ordered one of the new devices on Friday, September 17.

Many orders will still say "Preparing to Ship" in Apple's ordering system and will continue to do so until later this week, but customers in the United States who are receiving their devices through UPS can use the UPS My Choice feature for tracking purposes or can track through a reference number like a phone number or an order number.

UPS My Choice is free to use and well worth checking out for those in the United States who want to keep an eye on their upcoming shipments. If you've ordered a new device and it's shipping via UPS, details should be available soon if they're not already available. At the current time, iPhones are shipping from China and will soon be arriving in the United States.

The new ‌iPhone‌ models are priced starting at $699 and the first pre-orders will begin arriving on Friday, September 24. Apple may also have some in store stock on Friday for walk-in purchases, so those who were not able to pre-order and get a Friday delivery date may still be able to get a device right on time.

All colors and capacities of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max have sold out and orders placed now will not arrive until mid to late October. ‌iPhone‌ 13 and 13 mini orders will arrive in early October, though some stores still have September pickup dates available.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman shared his expectations for future Apple products.

Gurman still expects new MacBook Pros and AirPods to be announced by the end of 2021, but he doesn't anticipate any other groundbreaking product launches until at least next year. Looking ahead to 2022, Gurman said Apple plans to debut several products, including new AirPods Pro, a redesigned iPad Pro, a revamped Mac Pro tower with Apple silicon, a redesigned MacBook Air with Apple silicon, as many as three new Apple Watch models, and more.

Gurman and Bloomberg's Debby Wu previously reported that the new AirPods Pro will feature new motion sensors for fitness tracking, and they said Apple has also tested a smaller design that eliminates the stems below the earbuds. As for the redesigned iPad Pro, Gurman and Wu said Apple is testing a new glass back with wireless charging support and the ability to charge AirPods by placing them on the back of the iPad Pro.

2022 might also be the year that Apple previews its widely rumored mixed-reality headset that combines augmented reality and virtual reality features, according to Gurman. He said Apple's "true AR glasses" are probably still between two and four years away.

Gurman insisted that Apple is working on satellite functionality for future iPhones, which would allow users to send text messages and file emergency reports in areas without cellular service, noting that the features "just aren't ready yet."

Gurman also shared his thoughts on the iPhone 13 and other devices unveiled by Apple this week, reflected on potential App Store changes after the Epic Games verdict, and more. Subscribe to the Power On newsletter here.

Apple's highly anticipated "California Streaming" event on Tuesday had an interesting mix of expected and unexpected news, including the iPhone 13 lineup that largely followed expectations and the Apple Watch Series 7 that didn't get the expected flat-sided redesign but otherwise matched up with rumors pretty well.

On the more unexpected front, we got updates to the iPad mini and entry-level iPad, something most people weren't expecting until a second autumn event in October or November. We also didn't get the third-generation AirPods, which were rumored but fairly uncertain about heading into the event.

For a look at Tuesday's biggest announcements, check out our 7-minute recap video and associated article that links out to all of our coverage from event day.

Apple Announces iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini With Smaller Notch, Repositioned Rear Cameras, and More

Apple on Tuesday announced the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, both featuring a smaller notch, repositioned rear cameras, improved performance, and more while maintaining the same 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch sizes of their respective iPhone 12 predecessors.

As rumored, the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini include a 20% smaller notch, allowing for more display area. Inside, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are powered by the brand new A15 Bionic chip, while a more advanced dual-camera system on the rear delivers better photos and video than ever.

Pre-orders are now underway ahead of a launch on Friday, September 24, although shipping times for many models and some Apple Card users experienced difficulties trying to place orders as they went live.

Apple Unveils iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max With ProMotion Displays and Up to 1TB Storage

In additon to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, Apple on Tuesday also announced the iPhone 13 Pro and ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro Max, featuring brighter Super Retina XDR displays with ProMotion, improved rear cameras, a more powerful variant of the A15 Bionic chip, up to 1TB of storage, a new Sierra Blue color option, and more.

Both devices sport the A15 Bionic chip with a six-core CPU and a five-core GPU for a significant performance improvement. This variant of the A15 chip contains one extra GPU core than the ‌iPhone 13‌ mini and ‌iPhone 13‌'s A15 chip.

Pre-orders for the Pro models are also underway ahead of their September 24 launch, and if you're having trouble deciding which model to get, we have a buyer's guide comparing the regular and Pro lineups.

Apple Unveils Apple Watch Series 7 Featuring Larger Screen Sizes From $399

As expected, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 7 at Tuesday's event, delivering the expected larger display size thanks to thinner bezels and slightly larger casings.

What we didn't expect is that the design is quite similar to the Series 6 and other recent models, with smooth, rounded edges rather than the flat-edged redesign that had been rumored by several prominent sources.

You'll also have to wait a while to get your hands on the new Apple Watch, as Apple has said only that it will be available "later this fall." Recent reports indicated that Apple was having trouble ramping up mass production of the new models, and that's almost certainly the reason for Apple's vague launch timeframe.

Apple Introduces Redesigned Sixth-Generation iPad Mini With Touch ID, USB-C Port, 5G, and More

We heard a number of rumors about a redesign for the iPad mini that would bring it more in line with the iPad Air, and that's exactly what we got Tuesday with the sixth-generation model.

The new iPad mini features a larger 8.3-inch display that largely covers the front of the device, Touch ID on the power button rather than having a Home button, a USB-C port instead of Lightning, and support for the second-generation Apple Pencil.

Orders for the new iPad mini are available now, with a launch coming on Friday, September 24.

Apple Announces New 9th-Generation iPad With A13 Chip, True Tone Display, and More

While it didn't see as big an overhaul as its smaller sibling, the entry-level 10.2-inch iPad did receive an update on Tuesday, upgrading to an A13 Bionic chip offering up to 20% faster performance, a True Tone display, an improved front camera, and more.

The new ‌iPad‌ features an upgraded 12MP ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage, which uses machine learning to automatically detect people in the frame, panning and zooming to keep them in view during FaceTime calls. The feature recognizes when other people join or exit a call, adjusting the camera position to fit everyone in.

Orders for the new iPad are available now, with a launch coming next week on Friday, September 24.

iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 Will Be Released on September 20

Apple's big software update launch will take place next Monday, September 20, with Apple releasing iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 on that date.

We haven't yet received an official launch date for macOS Monterey, but it appears likely we'll have a Mac-focused media event in about a month or so, and we'll likely hear more about Monterey then, if not sooner.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with iMazing to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max with up to 1TB of storage and a copy of the iMazing software, which is ideal for iPhone backups and management.

If you're unfamiliar with iMazing, it's Mac and Windows software that provides a range of handy tools for iOS device management, and it offers more versatility than Apple's Finder-based iPhone management system on the Mac and iTunes on Windows.

iMazing allows for hassle-free Time Machine-like wireless backups with multiple backup versions available. With iCloud and Apple's Mac/Windows backup tools older backups are overwritten rather than being saved, making it more difficult to get to the backup that you might prefer. With iMazing, you can also do your backups on a set schedule so you never forget to save your data.

You can browse through all of your backup snapshots to see your saved data, with backups able to be saved for weeks, months, and longer. Backups can also be encrypted for privacy, and iMazing backups are useful for device-to-device transfers like when you upgrade your iPhone.

If you need to transfer photos from an iOS device to a Mac, there's a simple drag and drop option that lets you move your images from one device to another. You can keep what you need and delete what you don't want, and iMazing is able to load HEIF, RAW, and PNG, and JPG files so you can see what's what. There's also a built-in EXIF viewer that provides information on file type, size, and location.

iMazing is also useful for saving backups of your iMessages or your WhatsApp messages. You can save all of the content of your messages, like photos, videos, contacts, and links, and export that content later if it's needed.

For those who download their own music, iMazing can be used to transfer songs from an iOS device to a computer and vice versa. This can be particularly handy if you have an old iPhone or iPod and no other way to get the music off of it. Data remains local, with nothing uploaded to the cloud when you're working with iMazing.

If you want to see what makes iOS tick, you can also dig into system files, find logs, access a real-time device console, and check device diagnostics, including information on the iPhone's battery. Configuration and supervision tools are available for small businesses, making it easier for them to manage multiple devices.

App management features are helpful for those who miss the app access that iTunes used to provide on the Mac. iMazing supports bulk deleting apps, backing up and restoring app data, and downloading apps to the iMazing app library so they can be reinstalled if an app is deleted from the App Store.

iMazing gets regular updates, and some of the newest features include spyware detection and a podcast management feature. iMazing is compatible with iOS 15 and the upcoming macOS Monterey update. Those who want to purchase iMazing can do so from the iMazing website, and we have a 30 percent off discount for MacRumors readers. Just check out with the promo code MACRUMORS21 to get it.

We have one iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max to give away to a lucky MacRumors reader. The winner will be able to choose their preferred device, including storage space and color.

To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (September 17) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 24. The winner will be chosen randomly on September 24 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with iMazing. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

During Tuesday's media event, Greg Joswiak noted that Apple has redesigned the packaging for the iPhone 13 lineup to eliminate the traditional outer plastic wrap on the box, a change that will avoid creating 600 metric tons of plastic waste.

As shared in a tweet by leaker DuanRui earlier today, it appears that Apple's solution is one already used on many Apple accessories, involving a sticker with a tear-off strip that secures the box until it's ready to be opened.

Apple is not the only company making changes to its packaging for sustainability reasons as part of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 launch, with Belkin today announcing that its new lineup of screen protectors for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 family will arrive in packaging made entirely of recycled plastic water bottles and forest certified paper.

In addition to the packaging change, which is part of a broader internal and external sustainability initiative at the company, Belkin says the Screen Protector Applicator kits made available to retail stores to assist with installation will also transition to more sustainable materials including kraft paper, plant-based plastic liners, and soy-based ink.

Belkin's Anti-Glare Screen Protectors for all ‌iPhone‌ 13 models are available from Apple for $19.95, while the UltraGlass Screen Protectors with double ion-exchange strengthened lithium aluminosilicate glass are priced at $39.95.

Starting next month, Apple is ramping up COVID-19 testing requirements for employees. According to The Verge's Zoe Schiffer, unvaccinated employees will be required to get frequent COVID-19 tests, while vaccinated employees will receive infrequent tests if going into an office or store.

Unlike other tech companies, such as Google and Facebook, Apple has not mandated vaccines for its employees and still does not require workers to get vaccinated to remain at Apple. Prior to the upcoming testing mandate, testing was encouraged, but not required.

Apple earlier this month began asking employees to provide details on their vaccination status, and it has been pushing vaccines through an internal vaccination campaign.

Apple offers vouchers to get employees vaccinated through Walgreens along with on-site vaccinations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Austin. Paid time off is available for vaccine appointments, as is paid sick leave for those who experience side effects.

Many corporate employees are still working from home at this point and will not be returning to the office until January at the earliest, but Apple also has a large retail workforce.

The details on Apple's testing plans came from today's company-wide town hall meeting, where Cook also spoke on plans for a hybrid work model going forward. "We learned as a company what it means for everyone to come in everyday because we did that before," he said. "We know what it's like when hardly anyone comes in. We don't really know about the middle range. We need to learn."

Cook said that Apple is committed to learning and tweaking its plans going forward, and he said that Apple plans to give everyone an extra three days off next quarter. In the U.S., employees will receive this time off on Thanksgiving week.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple this week expanded the option to extend an expiring AppleCare+ plan for iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch to additional countries, including France, Italy, and Spain.

Prior to now, extended ‌AppleCare‌+ coverage options for ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Apple Watch were limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Japan. The three new countries have been added in an updated version of Apple's ‌AppleCare‌+ support document.

In all eligible countries, if you paid upfront for an ‌AppleCare‌+ plan for ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Apple Watch, you may be eligible to purchase new coverage that renews monthly.

Apple says that new coverage must be purchased within 30 days of when the original coverage ends, and customers can find out if they're eligible for extended coverage by going to mysupport.apple.com and following the on-screen instructions. The new coverage plan will automatically renew until it is canceled.

Except in places where local law requires it, Apple will not provide notifications that an ‌AppleCare‌+ plan is about to expire, so customers must check themselves.

Apple has a separate renewal plan for customers in mainland China, who can pay annually for continued ‌AppleCare‌+ coverage once their original plans expire.

‌AppleCare‌+ provides device coverage beyond the initial warranty period, plus it covers two incidents of accidental damage every 12 months, with customers paying a small deductible for repairs or replacements.

Update 7:10 p.m.: Based on Apple's support document, this article originally indicated that annual renewals of ‌AppleCare‌+ for Mac were now available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Apple has, however, updated its support document again to note that Mac renewals remain exclusive to the U.S., and this article has been revised accordingly.

Apple today published a seven minute video positioned as a tour of the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, with the walkthrough coinciding with the pre-orders that are now live.

Filmed at the Tower Theater Apple Store in Los Angeles, the tour highlights the four available sizes, camera technology like Cinematic Mode and improved low-light performance, the Ceramic Shield display and IP68 water resistance, battery life, ProMotion Display, and more.

Apple suggests the video will help users choose the ‌iPhone‌ that's the right fit for them.

Find the right iPhone for you. Let's walk through the new iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max as we explore the incredible new features, sizes, and colors available.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 and 13 Pro models are available for purchase as of today, and pricing starts at $699 for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini and goes up to a $1099 starting price for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max.

Customers who pre-order today can expect to get their devices starting on Friday, September 24.

Apple is planning to use an LTPS OLED display for at least one of the four models planned for the iPhone 14 series next year, according to Korean website The Elec, meaning that at least one iPhone 14 model would still have a 60Hz display.

The report lines up with information previously shared by display industry consultant Ross Young, who accurately claimed that the new iPad mini would feature an 8.3-inch display.

The new iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max unveiled this week feature ProMotion displays with a variable refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz, resulting in smoother appearing content when watching video, gaming, or scrolling text. The devices are able to offer this feature because they are equipped with lower-power LTPO OLED displays, whereas the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini have LTPS OLED displays without support for ProMotion.

The lack of ProMotion on at least one iPhone 14 model wouldn't be too surprising, as Apple may keep the feature limited to the Pro models next year to maintain differentiation with the standard iPhone 14 models. Rumors suggest Apple plans to launch four iPhone 14 models next year, including a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, with no iPhone 14 mini.

The report adds that LG Display is aiming to start supplying Apple with LTPO OLED displays in 2022, which would give Apple another supplier of ProMotion displays for iPhones beyond Samsung, which is currently its exclusive supplier.

In the past, The Elec accurately reported that Apple would launch a new iPad Pro with a LiDAR Scanner in March 2020.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro pre-orders started today, and while many customers have successfully placed their pre-orders, some have experienced issues when attempting to complete their purchase with an Apple Card or Apple Pay.

Some customers have turned to Twitter to express their frustration with the pre-ordering process, sharing screenshots of errors that they received, such as "there was a problem with the card details you entered" or "something went wrong." Apple's system status page does not yet reflect any widespread issues with the Apple Card or Apple Pay, but it's clear that quite a few customers have been impacted by the issues this morning.

In the U.S. and the U.K., some affected customers are trying to place their pre-order through the iPhone Upgrade Program, but this is not always the case.

There isn't a clear-cut solution to the issues for now beyond switching to a different payment method, but for Apple Card holders, this could mean missing out on 3% Daily Cash. The pre-ordering issues have also resulted in some customers missing out on securing their preferred iPhone 13 configuration for launch day delivery on September 24, as delivery estimates have already started slipping into October for some models.

Update: Apple has since acknowledged the issues on its system status page, noting that "some Apple Card customers are not able to make iPhone Upgrade Program purchases." Apple said it will update the page when the issue is resolved.

In 2021, Apple unveiled the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro as the successors to the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, featuring a smaller notch, the A15 Bionic chip, longer battery life, significantly improved cameras, and new color options across the lineup.

When they were both available together, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 started at $799, while the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro started at $999. As both of these iPhones share a large number of features, should you consider purchasing the lower-cost model to save money, or opt for the high-end "Pro" model? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhones is best for you.

Comparing the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro share a majority of features, such as display size, processor, and 5G connectivity. Apple lists these same features of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro:

Similarities

• 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi, featuring HDR, True Tone, P3 Wide Color, and Haptic Touch
• 20 percent smaller notch
• Face ID authentication
• A15 Bionic chip and new 16-core Neural Engine
• Sub-6GHz 5G connectivity (and mmWave in the U.S.)
• 12MP Ultra Wide and Wide cameras with sensor-shift optical image stabilization and 2x optical zoom out
• Photography features including Photographic Styles, Portrait mode, Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4, and more
• Videography features including Cinematic mode in 1080p at 30fps, Dolby Vision HDR video recording in 4K at 60fps, Night mode Time-lapse, and more
• 12MP front-facing TrueDepth camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture and features including Retina Flash, Photographic Styles, Portrait mode, Night mode, Smart HDR 4, Cinematic mode in 1080p at 30fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision in 4K at 60fps, and more
• Ceramic Shield front glass
• IP68 dust and water resistant up to a depth of six meters for up to 30 minutes
• Compatible with MagSafe accessories and wireless chargers
• Available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options
• Lightning connector

Apple's breakdown shows that the iPhones share a large number of important features, but there are some key differences between the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, including the ProMotion display, LiDAR Scanner, and Telephoto camera lens.

Differences

Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see what exactly both iPhones have to offer.

Design and Colors

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro both have the same squared-off industrial design with a flat band around the sides that was first introduced with the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup. The most noticeable visual difference between the two devices is their different use of materials and finishes.

• iPhone 13 Colors: Deciding on the Right Color

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 uses aerospace-grade anodized aluminum on the edges and a single piece of polished glass on the rear, while the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro uses surgical-grade polished stainless steel on the edges and a single piece of matte, frosted glass on the rear. The dimensions of both devices are the same, but the ‌iPhone‌ 13 is 30 grams lighter due to its use of aluminum rather than the much heavier stainless steel.

The two devices also use completely different color palettes. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 is available in PRODUCT(RED), Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, and Green while the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is available in Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, and Alpine Green.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro espouses a more luxurious appearance and heavier, tactile feel in the hand, but the ‌iPhone‌ 13 still looks like a premium device with a more diverse range of color options. As the designs are similar, and only vary in terms of color options, materials, and rear camera configurations, preference for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 or the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro will come down to personal taste.

ProMotion Display

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro features the ProMotion technology that Apple initially introduced with the iPad Pro in 2017, offering an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz. This means that the refresh rate of the display changes based on what is on the screen. The display of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is also able to get 200 nits brighter than the ‌iPhone‌ 13 in typical, non-HDR use.

When viewing a website that is static, the device will use a lower refresh rate, but while playing a game, watching sports, or scrolling through content, the refresh rate will increase to provide a smoother and more responsive experience. ProMotion technology is even able to accelerate and decelerate the frame rate to match the speed of a user's scrolling on the screen.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 does not have ProMotion, but it is not an essential feature for most users. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is the first ‌iPhone‌ to feature the technology, with all other iPhones to date having a display with a non-variable and lower maximum refresh rate. This means that the ‌iPhone‌ 13's display still provides a good, familiar experience, and those who have not enjoyed a 120Hz display on a device in the past will likely not feel that they are missing out.

Cameras and LiDAR

The main difference between the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is their rear camera setups. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 has a dual 12MP camera system with Ultra Wide and Wide lenses. On the other hand, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro has a triple camera setup that adds a Telephoto lens. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is also able to optically zoom three times in due to its Telephoto lens, which the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lacks entirely. It is also able to digitally zoom in ten times further than the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

Each lens of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro features a larger aperture than on the ‌iPhone‌ 13 to allow more light in, with an ƒ/1.8 Ultra Wide and ƒ/1.5 Wide compared to the ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide and ƒ/1.6 Wide cameras of the ‌iPhone‌ 13, which should make for better image quality.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is also able to take photos in Apple ProRaw and record video in 4K ProRes at 30 fps, file formats that take full advantage of the device's rear cameras. These features are aimed at professional photographers and videographers, so users with workflows that can make good use of these formats should get the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro. For the vast majority of users, ProRAW and ProRes will likely not be used at all, making the ‌iPhone‌ 13 a more fitting option.

In addition, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro has a LiDAR Scanner in the rear camera array to accurately map the environment and depth. This allows the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro to take Night mode portrait photos and offers enhanced AR experiences.

‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro clearly provides a more capable, pro-oriented, and fully-featured camera experience, so users who prioritize maximum quality and a range of photo and video capabilities should get the more expensive device. However, beyond the telephoto lens, many of these features, such as ProRAW, ProRes, and LiDAR, will not be important to the majority of users. For most people, the ‌iPhone‌ 13's camera setup will be more than sufficient to take excellent photos and videos, and it still offers a range of practical, easy-to-use camera features such as Night mode, Portrait mode, and Deep Fusion.

A15 Bionic Chip

Both the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro contains Apple's latest A15 Bionic chip, which offers moderate performance improvements over last year's A14 chip. While the chips in both iPhones are the same, the GPU in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro contains one additional core. Users can therefore expect slightly better performance from the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro when performing activities such as gaming or video editing.

The A15 in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is also paired with 2GB more memory than the standard ‌iPhone‌ 13, meaning that it should be able to keep more browser tabs and background tabs active at any given time.

Battery Life

When playing back video, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro offers three extra hours of battery life compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 13, and it can provide five extra hours when streaming video. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro has a clear advantage over the ‌iPhone‌ 13 in terms of battery life, and those users who need the absolute maximum available battery life in this form factor should choose the higher-end model as a result.

Storage Options

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro are both available with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage, but the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is also available with a 1TB storage option for $1,499.

Users who already easily fill up smaller storage capacities with music, apps, and movies, may prefer to get the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro since it offers a much larger maximum storage option. The 1TB capacity is likely more aimed at professionals who intend to store large ProRes files, but could be useful to anyone with large enough libraries of podcasts, photos, or games.

Other iPhone Options

It is worth noting that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini provides the same feature set as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 for $699, simply with a more compact design, a 5.4-inch display, and a slightly shorter 17 hours of battery life (during video playback). Likewise, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max mirrors the feature set of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, but with a larger design, a 6.7-inch display, and a longer 28 hours of battery life (during video playback) starting at $1,099.

If you feel that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 is slightly out of your budget and you do not need the latest A15 chip or the most advanced cameras, you may wish to consider the ‌iPhone‌ 12. The ‌iPhone‌ 12 broadly uses the same design as the ‌iPhone‌ 13, has the same 6.1-inch display size, and starts at $599. The ‌iPhone‌ 12's A14 Bionic chip, 17-hour battery life, and dual-camera setup are still highly capable for everyday use, and the device shares an overwhelming majority of the ‌iPhone‌ 13's most versatile features, such as 5G connectivity, Night mode, ‌MagSafe‌, and IP68 water resistance.

We have a host of Buyer's Guides that take deep-dive into all of the differences between various ‌iPhone‌ models, so if you are now considering either the ‌iPhone‌ 13 or ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, take a look at our comparisons with the ‌iPhone‌ 12, ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max to be sure you are making the right decision:

• iPhone 13 Mini vs. iPhone 13 Buyer's Guide
• iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max Buyer's Guide
• iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12 Buyer's Guide

We also have dedicated review roundups for both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, giving an in-depth look at what YouTubers and journalists made of the new devices immediately after launch.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro offers clear advancements over the ‌iPhone‌ 13, particularly in terms of its materials, display, and rear cameras. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is $200 more than the ‌iPhone‌ 13, and many people will find it difficult to justify the additional cost simply for display, camera, battery, and design improvements that do not significantly change the day-to-day use of the device. Those opting for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro will be seeking a more premium and full-featured ‌iPhone‌ that offers a better experience and set of capabilities in all areas, or be interested in specific features such as ProMotion, the Telephoto lens, or shooting video in ProRes.

Since the two phones share a large majority of features, including design, an OLED Super Retina XDR display, 5G connectivity, the A15 Bionic chip, and ‌MagSafe‌, it is difficult to actively recommend the more expensive model. As the improvements of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro are specific and do not hugely change daily interaction with the device, most people should get the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

Coinciding with the start of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro pre-orders, Apple today started offering 0% financing for an extended 24 months on new iPhone purchases in Canada through financing partner PayBright, up from six months previously.

For example, customers with approved credit can now pay for the iPhone 13 Pro with 128GB of storage for 24 equal monthly payments of $58.29, with zero interest applied over those two years. Taxes must be paid in full upfront at the time of purchase. The financing option is available through Apple's website, retail stores, or by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE.

With the lack of an iPhone Upgrade Program or the Apple Card with Monthly Installments in Canada, this financing offer from PayBright finally provides Canadians with a way to finance an iPhone purchase directly from Apple over two years.

Update: PayBright has been experiencing issues today with the iPhone 13 pre-order process, according to complaints on Twitter.