How a smaller notch and ProMotion redefined the flagship smartphone experience
In short: When Apple unveiled the iPhone 13 Pro in September 2021, it wasn't just about incremental updates. By shrinking the notch by 20% and introducing ProMotion technology, the device fundamentally altered how users interact with high-refresh-rate displays and computational photography.
The iPhone 13 Pro, part of Apple's fifteenth generation, arrived on September 24, 2021, following its reveal at Apple Park. While its design remained largely consistent with the iPhone 12 Pro, significant engineering shifts occurred under the surface. Most notably, the front-facing notch was reduced by nearly 20%, a feat achieved by relocating the front-firing speaker to the upper edge of the TrueDepth sensor housing.
Display technology saw a major leap with the introduction of ProMotion. This variable refresh rate technology allows the Super Retina XDR OLED display to scale from 120 Hz down to as low as 10 Hz, a mechanism designed specifically to preserve battery life. This was a significant departure from previous models, offering smoother motion through dynamic adjustment.
The device's computational power is driven by the A15 Bionic chip, which features a 16-core neural engine and a 5-core GPU. This hardware supports advanced features like Cinematic Mode, which uses software algorithms to achieve rack focus and shallow depth of field at 1080p 30 fps. Additionally, the camera system introduced Smart HDR 4, which performs local adjustments by recognizing faces separately within a photo.
Despite its technical prowess, the device's lifecycle was marked by geopolitical shifts. It was the final generation of iPhone sold in Russia before sales were suspended following the invasion of Ukraine. By March 2023, Apple had transitioned to selling refurbished models of the 13 Pro on its official website.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: IPhone 13 Pro
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