Teenage iPhone opts for subtlety

If the iPhone were a human, it would be a teenager by now. The device, destined to become the first smartphone regular people cared about (not counting early-noughties BlackBerry users), saw the light of day in 2007 – if you can believe it – and is now well into its second decade.

Why point this out? Well, to frame expectations. Once upon a time, in the iPhone’s early life, each year brought massive, transformational change: an app store, a video camera, a high-res display, a virtual assistant, fingerprint scanning, portrait photography, digital payments, face identification … the list goes on.

Given what had gone before (that is, rudimentary mobile phone features), each one of these evolutions was basically a revolution. But the rapid pace of innovation can only last so long. In more recent years, given how mature the platform already was, the refinements have become much more subtle and incremental.

Each successive refresh seems a bit more familiar than the last, especially when rivals (read: Android) often get there first. But, hey, it’s still Australia’s highest-selling smartphone, and nobody said being a teenager was easy.

What is it? iPhone XR How much?

Around $599

Pros: Wait, isn’t this column about the newest iPhones? Yes, but it wouldn’t be Money if we didn’t steer you to some economical detours. You can still find the cheaper XR model at some retailers, and it’s an affordable alternative if you don’t mind a 2018-ish handset.

Cons: Older features, but a decent option at a fraction of the price of new iPhones. Also consider the newly discounted iPhone 12, plus the budget-centric iPhone SE. apple.com/au

What is it? iPhone 13

How much? From $1199

Pros: Design-wise, the latest default iPhone largely resembles last year’s redesigned model – albeit with a slightly smaller camera notch! – but inside you get a faster, more powerful A15 Bionic processor, a cavalcade of revamped camera features, larger entry-level storage, an improved display and longer-lasting battery life.

Cons: That “from” price is actually the “mini” (5.4in) version. The regular-size 6.1in edition starts at $1349 for 128GB, extending to an ouchy $1869 for 512GB. apple.com/au

What is it? iPhone 13 Pro

How much? From $1699

Pros: As in previous years, Apple reserves its premium touches for its most expensive gear. Here, the 6.1in Pro (and 6.7in Pro Max) utilise the same A15 chip as the iPhone 13, but build upon it with a faster-refreshing, more responsive ProMotion display and significantly upgraded camera optics (enabling macro photography, among oodles of other tricks).

Cons: None, apart from eye-watering cost, with the Pro Max breaking the $2500 threshold in its Max-iest (1TB) configuration. apple.com/au