Apple Inc. launched four new 5G-enabled iPhones on Wednesday with pre-orders to start Friday in Taiwan, as well as new iPad models and the latest Apple Watch.
The four new smartphone models — the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max — are powered by the new A15 Bionic chip, currently the fastest for smartphones and made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).
The A15 Bionic was manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 5-nanometer fabrication process and includes 15 billion transistors that make the new iPhones up to 50 percent faster than other brands, according to the company.
The introduction of the new iPhones is expected to benefit TSMC significantly, market observers said.
Customers in Taiwan will be able to pre-order the new phones on Sept. 17 before the devices become available to the general public on Sept. 24.
This year marks the sixth consecutive year since 2016 that Taiwan is on the list of countries and regions able to pre-order Apple’s new smartphone models in the first round after their debut, which also includes Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and more than 30 other countries and regions.
The iPhone 13 mini starts at NT$22,900 (US$826.79), the standard iPhone 13 starts at NT$25,900, the Pro starts at NT$32,900, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max at NT$36,900, according to the Apple Online Store in Taiwan.
The Pro model features a 6.1-inch display and the Max a 6.7-inch screen, while the iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4-inch display and the iPhone 13 a 6.1-inch display.
The iPhone 13 has a smaller display cutout at the top of the screen, as well as larger batteries that provide the devices with between 1.5 and 2.5 more hours of battery life than last year’s models depending on device size, Apple said.
At the same product launch event, the company also unveiled a new iPad which features a faster A13 processor and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera for improved video calls such as on Zoom. The new iPad starts at NT$10,500 in Taiwan.
Apple also announced a new iPad Mini, which has a smaller 8.3-inch screen, a 12-megapixel rear camera, and stereo speakers, with a price starting at NT$14,900 in Taiwan.
Apple also rolled out its latest Apple Watch Series 7, which features narrower borders that allow the display to maximize screen area while minimally changing the dimensions of the watch itself. The new watch will be released sometime this fall, according to Apple.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel