Apple (AAPL 1.69%) announced a range of new products on Tuesday. Its Apple Watch was overhauled with a tougher form factor, a larger display, a faster processor, and other new features. In addition, Apple announced an all-new iPad Mini, an updated entry-level iPad, and new workouts for Apple Fitness+. But four new iPhone models -- the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max -- took center stage at the event.
While investors should be interested in all of Apple's products, the iPhone remains the tech company's most important product. In the company's most recent quarter, for instance, the iPhone accounted for about half of the tech giant's sales. But will the latest iPhones bring enough excitement to the table to get some consumers to upgrade?
Here's a look at some of the most notable key features on Apple's latest and greatest: the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max.
iPhone 13 Pro. Image source: Apple.
1. Super Retina XDR display
When Apple announced the device on Tuesday, executives spent a lot of time showing off the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max's new Super Retina XDR display. The display's adaptive refresh rate -- from 10Hz to 120Hz -- is arguably its key feature. The rapid adaptation makes "the touch experience faster and more responsive," Apple says. This, combined with faster graphics processor performance and other performance upgrades, will make "activities like gameplay feel faster and more responsive," reads the company's press release about the new phone.
In addition, the display will be easier to see in daylight, as it offers up to 25% greater outdoor brightness.
2. A15 Bionic
Apple's latest iPhone, of course, is packed with the company's latest computing power: its new A15 Bionic, with a five-core graphics processor unit. Based on 5-nanometer technology, Apple asserts that the system is "the fastest chip on a smartphone," helping the iPhone seamlessly navigate demanding tasks.
3. Enhanced camera system
The iPhone's camera system has upgraded ultrawide, wide, and telephoto lenses. The telephoto camera on the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max devices impressively enable 3x optical zoom for the first time in an iPhone. That compares with 2x and 2.5x optical zoom for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Max, respectively.
4. Improved 5G connectivity
Apple also built more 5G bands into the iPhone 13 Pro models. Apple's efforts to improve 5G connectivity reflect growing global investment in the faster wireless network. The company said that by the end of this year, more than 500 carriers and 50 countries and regions will support 5G connectivity for iPhone.
5. Longest iPhone battery life ever
Battery life may be one of the most compelling selling points for the iPhone 13 Pro Max specifically. Apple said the iPhone 13 Pro battery will, on average, last one and a half hours longer than that of the iPhone 12 Pro; and the iPhone 13 Pro Max has the longest battery life of any iPhone ever, lasting up to two and a half hours longer than iPhone 12 Pro Max.
6. Up to 1TB of storage
The flagship iPhone 13 Pro Max comes at a premium price, starting at $1,099 -- $100 more than the iPhone 13 Pro. But prices for both phones go much higher than that. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max's storage options go all the way to 1TB for the first time. These maxed-out versions cost $1,499 and $1,599, respectively.
With a form factor that looks largely the same as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro models' performance, display, and camera upgrades may not be enough to persuade many iPhone 12 Pro Max users to upgrade. But it's a significant enough step-up from previous iPhones to push many other smartphone owners to pay up for the device. Of course, Apple has done a good job of making these upgrades easy, from trade-in offers, third-party financing, and subsidized offers from wireless carriers. So it wouldn't be surprising to see strong sales of the latest iPhones, as usual.
