Apple has branched out into one of the biggest technology companies in the world. Their first smartphone to be launched went on sale on June 29, 2007, and technology has advanced ever since. New models have captivated customers into buying the newest iPhones. 

The iPhone 13 is one of the most recent launches by Apple. It launched in stores and online on September 24, 2021. Its lineup consisted of the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. This latest product has brought up many discussions about people’s opinions and mixed feelings about the new smartphone.

The iPhone 13 isn’t quite as exciting as the iPhone 12 that launched on October 23, 2020, and the iPhone 11 that launched in September 2019. The three cameras were introduced to us in 2019 and that invention has been used ever since. 

This brings up the many aspects that are always brought up: the design of the phone. There are minimal changes in the models that people have noticed throughout the previous launches. Ashlyn Canete, a freshman at the iSchool, shared her opinion on this aspect of the iPhone. She mentioned that “it feels like it’s the same as the rest of the phones they’ve been creating. The only difference is the camera, the longer battery life, etc. But other than that it’s the same.”

Apple has started to have “up to 2.5 hours more battery life on iPhone 13” and “up to 1.5 hours more battery life on iPhone 13 mini”. It’s a big difference that they are offering us, as well as the camera. 

Three parts of the camera have been brought up again in the model. It includes the Ultra-Wide camera, the Wide camera, and the sensor-shift optical image. The Ultra-Wide camera “reveals more detail in the dark areas of [the] photos”, whereas the wide camera “captures 47% more light for

better photos and videos”. The sensor-shift “optical image stabilization keeps shots steady when you’re not”.

This update is really helpful for those who are interested in photography because it provides a new and advanced feature that we haven’t seen yet in most of the phones by Apple. Not only that, but the recording system has changed in this new launch. 

We were presented with the new Cinematic mode, where “iPhones make it easy for you to bring the same storytelling technique to your videos”. It automatically gives us a focus transition in the camera, which is a really good feature for individuals who are interested in filmmaking.

The iPhone 13 starts from $799, making the Mini cheaper and the Pro Max the most expensive. I have mixed feelings towards this, considering that there aren’t many changes to it. 

Marisol, a college student, says “As an android user, it doesn’t feel like something new. All their phones do the same stuff and there are minimal updates on each new phone. They’re the same thing, just pricier.”

After everything that has been said, I got to hear from Edgar Garcia, a freshman at the iSchool who owns an iPhone 13. He mentions that “[his] personal opinion about the iPhone 13 is that it’s a really good phone. The camera on this phone is great. They added a new feature to it called the ‘cinematic mode’ where you can record a video in portrait mode. This new feature makes the camera in this phone good. The iPhone 13 has a longer battery life but it’s a heavy phone. I do own an iPhone 13 and I’d say that if you are looking for a phone just for a camera, you should buy it. But if you just want the phone in general, I’d say buy the 12 or 11. Those two are great options and they both are way cheaper than the iPhone 13.”

Vanessa Saavedra, a freshman at the iSchool, also spoke on her thoughts saying that “[her] personal opinion is that it’s okay. I didn’t like that they didn’t include headphones and the charger brick. I think they should include it because it’s just so much money to buy each of them when they can instead sell it together.”

I feel that the iPhone 13 would be worth the purchase if you own one of the earliest models that don’t include the new features. It will be a huge difference to upgrade to a higher advanced phone. For those who own the iPhone 11 or any of the latest models, then stay where you are right now because the changes from the latest release are the same ones that we’ve seen in those previous launches. 

“I think the color palette is really pretty and all, but I heard this rumor about how every single time Apple launches a new iPhone, the older ones keep getting slower and slower. It’s making me uneasy about my iPhone XR because I don’t know if it’s going to get slower or not” says Kelly Puzhi, a freshman attending the iSchool.

From 2007 until now, Apple has had major changes in terms of technology and models. 

When the announcement of the iPhone was released, people were excited to finally have a new source of communication through an advanced invention. It had many features that made everyone gasp. The people at the time were fascinated by a small piece of technology. Flip-phones were mainly used during this time, so seeing something that is used by just tapping into a piece of glass made everyone want their hands on it.

The first generation of the iPhone was 4.5 inches in height and 2.4 inches in width. I’d say th

at it’s a better option to have phones with bigger screens because more text can be displayed. 

I believe that the first iPhone shows improvement when you compare it with the iPhone 13. The newest release may not be worth it for now. Even though there are new features, you are just paying for a phone that has minimal differences from the other previous launches. 

Many opinions from students give us only a portion of what people’s thoughts are towards the new release. Some aspects are more negative than others, and it creates a conflict between iPhone users. Even Samsung users have an opinion on the iPhone 13. Most of the interviews came out to be very crucial towards the newest release and the Apple company overall.