Tag Archives: iPhone 13

Apple launches long-awaited Self Service Repair program for the public

The news: You can now buy genuine Apple parts to fix your iPhone yourself, thanks to Apple’s new Self Service Repair program.

Here’s how it works…

  • There are 3 iPhone models currently included in the program: iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and iPhone SE 3 (Macs with Apple Silicon will be added to the repair program later this year)
  • Before ordering any parts, Apple recommends you take a look at the appropriate repair manual to get a sense of the service process (the manuals are incredibly extensive and well-documented)
  • Then you can go to selfservicerepair.com to order all the genuine Apple parts you need…and even rent a hefty toolkit from Apple for $49 that will be shipped to you along with the parts
  • “Every genuine Apple part is designed and engineered for each product, and goes through extensive testing to ensure the highest quality, safety, and reliability. The parts are the same ones — at the same price — as those available to Apple’s network of authorized repair providers. For certain repairs, customers will receive a credit when returning a replaced part for recycling,” Apple says

Sam’s take: I woke up a bit late to see this news, but I’m stoked. We’ve been waiting on this for months but Apple really followed through…and from what I can see they nailed it (no pun intended). Sure, the scope now is limited to only the 3 newest iPhones, but Macs are coming later this year and it’ll also be expanded outside of the US later, too. I’m super satisfied with this initial launch and it seems like the wait was worth it. Now it’s time to see how hard repairing the screen on my iPhone 12 Pro will be…

Download the new green iPhone 13 wallpapers here

The wallpapers: Alongside a new iPhone SE with some beautiful gradient wallpapers, Apple also debuted two new colors for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro at their March 8 event.

  • Both new images, which match the original wallpapers that launched with the flagships in September, have been Matrix-ified with fresh green hues and tinting
  • You’ll be able to walk into an Apple Store and buy these new green iPhones when they release on Friday, March 18

iPhone 13

iPhone 13 Pro

Exclusive: New green iPhone 13 and purple iPad Air launching at March 8 event

The exclusive: Apple is preparing to launch new color options for iPad Air and iPhone 13, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke with Luke Miani.

  • The people, who asked to remain anonymous, said Apple is bringing a new dark green color to iPhone 13…think somewhere between the Mint iPhone 12 and Midnight Green iPhone 11 Pro
  • A refreshed iPad Air will also launch this week in a new purple color, similar to what is available on the current iPad mini

Luke Miani’s take: This exclusive reporting covers some of the updates we can expect to see tomorrow, and I’m very confident in its accuracy. We can add this information to what others have heard about the refreshed iPad Air already: A15 chip, 5G support and Center Stage are also expected. As for the iPhone 13, don’t expect any updates beside color: this is basically what happened at last year’s Spring Loaded event, when Apple added a new Purple iPhone 12 with no other changes.

New photo claims to show upcoming Spring 2022 iPhone 13 cases

The leak: Apple is preparing to release 4 new iPhone 13 cases, according to a new photo shared by Twitter account Majin Bu.

  • New yellow, orange, blue and turquoise MagSafe cases for iPhone 13 seem to be next up for Apple to release as soon as this Spring
  • Bu, who has been wrong on other leaks before, has shared credible information in regards to new iPhone case colors in the past

Sam’s take: I’ve been going caseless on my iPhone for years now (I know, high-risk move), so these don’t appeal to me at all. But if I had to choose one to rock, it would be the new turquoise color.

Apple releases iOS 15.1.1 update for iPhone 12 & iPhone 13 only

The news: Apple just dropped a fresh version of iOS 15…but only for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 devices.

  • “iOS 15.1.1 improves call drop performance on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models” the release notes say
  • Apple has not apparently made any additional changes or fixed other bugs in this latest update

Our take: Hoping to see some additional bugs in iOS 15 addressed in the near future (ex. general stability and less app crashes), as this is an issue I wasn’t even familiar with until now.

Unboxings show first hands-on of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro

The news: Apple’s embargo for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro have been lifted for members of the media to share their first impressions online.

The takeaways so far….

  • The lack of plastic wrap has made the unboxing experience less satisfying than before
  • Some reviewers still wish there was a charger in the box
  • Pro colors are quite subtle across the board and more vibrancy would be appreciated
  • The Midnight iPhone 13 is not exactly black, it has a slight blue tint
  • Bigger camera bumps are larger than you’d think in real life
  • But the camera bump causes the phones rock less on a flat surface
  • Overall, the design changes are subtle year over year, but the weight difference between iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 is noticeable

Our take: Strictly looking at the unboxing experience…it seems pretty underwhelming this year. But the new phones look incredible and I can’t wait for mine to come in on Friday.

Download the official iPhone 13 wallpapers here

The wallpapers: The official wallpapers for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro are now available, due to Apple dropping the public releases of iOS 15.0.

  • Apple has included 18 new wallpapers across iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max that are available in light/dark mode variations
  • My favorite is the iPhone 13 Pro Silver wallpaper in dark mode

iPhone 13

iPhone 13 Pro

Rumor says iPhone 13 will start at 128GB storage, iPhone 13 Pro gets 1TB

The rumor: Apple is upgrading base and Pro iPhone storage with iPhone 13, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).

  • According to a new research note obtained by AppleTrack, Kuo provides the following info for iPhone 13 storage:
    • iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
    • iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
  • Over the past year, rumors have been a mixed bag on how much storage the Pro iPhones specifically will have

Our take: I still don’t really understand the need for 1TB of storage on an iPhone, but here it is: it’s happening. But I’d bet the best part of this new option will be the pricing…

iPhone 13 rumor says new bronze and pink colors coming

The (sketchy) rumor: Apple is planning to make a splash with fresh colors on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, according to Ukrainian retailer KTC (not yet tracked).

  • iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 are said to be getting a new pink colorway (concept above) while the Pro models will see a more reserved bronze option to replace Pacific Blue
  • KTC also suggests that iPhone 13 models will max out at 128GB storage and Pro models will go up to only 512GB…not 1TB like sources have suggested

Our take: I have no idea if KTC has any inside info whatsoever, but bronze has been rumored multiple times before. Pink, though, while I think it would sell incredibly well, has not yet been leaked by a reputable source…

iPhone 13 may see NO price hike, longer battery life & major camera upgrades

The rumor: iPhone 13, which is just days away, sees a number of new features and functionality leaked by Max Weinbach (68.8% accurate).

In the large report publicized by PineLeaks on Twitter, here’s what they expect to see on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models next week:

  • Same pricing as iPhone 12 series
  • Across all models, weight and thickness will increase a bit, with this most noticeable on the iPhone 13 Pro Max (this will be “the true flagship smartphone…differentiating itself from the standard Pro model”)
  • Battery life: 5.4-inch getting an extra hour of battery life, 6.1-inch have ~10% larger batteries, 6.7-inch has 18-20% larger battery; on Pro models, enabling Low Power Mode will disable the 120Hz display
  • Camera details: Camera sensor on all models gets 15% more light, with the ultra-wide lens getting 40% more light; Cinematic Video feature will keep a subject naturally centered in frame; Night Mode shots get upgraded color science and the ability to automatically detect stars for improved astrophotography

Our take: Pretty much every detail in this massive report is a good one, and sets reasonable expectations for the iPhone 13 series. I’m still most excited to hear about the new satellite connectivity, but these auxiliary upgrades will make a compelling upgrade.

iPhone 13 satellite features to be emergency focused at first, include new messaging capability

The rumor: Apple’s plans to allow the iPhone 13 to communicate with satellites will generally be focused on emergency situations, according to Mark Gurman (88.8% accurate, via Bloomberg).

  • “The first component, dubbed Emergency Message via Satellite, will let users text emergency services and contacts over a satellite network when there’s no cell signal available. That feature will be integrated into the Messages app as a third protocol — alongside the standard SMS and iMessage — and appear with gray message bubbles instead of green or blue” Gurman says
  • These satellite messages will be limited to only so many characters and will push through Do Not Disturb when it is enabled
  • Apple is also working on a second feature that will allow you to report an emergency as it happens, such as someone falling overboard at sea or to report suspicious behavior or weaponry
  • According to Gurman’s source, “the features are unlikely to be ready before next year”

Our take: I’ve seen a lot of takes minimizing how important this tech could be and I don’t understand why. What Gurman, the best Apple source in the game is reporting here, is exactly what I envisioned and will be truly game-changing when it launches. This will allow humans to communicate to each other at the times when they need to most, and I really hope that the iPhone 13 series does end up shipping with this functionality. This alone could be worth upgrading for if you are someone who finds yourself in areas without cell-coverage frequently.