The new iPhone 13: UK release date, colours, specs and more

published 23 September 2021

Apple's new iPhone 13 is almost here, and it's going to be epic. Not sure whether to wait for it to launch or get the iPhone 12 instead? Keep scrolling for your complete guide.

iPhone 13 release date UK

The entire line-up will launch on Apple in the UK on Friday 24th September 2021, so you don't have long to wait at all (though you can pre-order it now if you wish).

iPhone 13/iPhone 13 Mini

So, what to expect from the iPhone 13 (6.1 inch display) and the Mini (5.4 inch display) - pictured below? Well, lots as it turns out. The selling point is its dual-camera system, its most advanced yet.

The new Wide camera with 1.7μm pixels is the biggest sensor ever put in an iPhone dual-camera system, and gathers 47 percent more light for less noise and brighter results. The new sensor (first delivered in the iPhone 12) in the Ultra Wide camera also delivers more details in the dark areas with lower noise. In other words, Night Mode just got better.

For those who love their filters, you'll be pleased to hear you can shoot directly in your signature mode - Standard, Vibrant, Rich Contrast, Warm, Cool - to avoid having to edit later.

Then there is Cinematic mode, which as the name suggests, will give cinematic quality to all your videos, shot in Dolby Vision HDR (now supported up to 4K at 60 fps on all cameras). Cinematic mode brings beautiful depth-of-field effect and it automatically changes the focus, for example if two subjects are talking or looking away from each other.

Even more impressive, you can change the focus both during and after capture, making the collection the only devices able to edit the depth-of-field effect, including the level of bokeh and where the focus is applied in video even after recording.

The battery life is another main improvement with this model, since its A15 Bionic chip will provide users on average an extra 1.5 hours of battery life for the 13 Mini versus the 12 Mini, and 2.5 more hours for the standard size versus its old iteration.

iPhone 13 Pro/iPhone 13 Pro Max

Now onto the Pro (6.1 inches) and Pro Max (6.7 inches). As the names suggest, these models are best suited for content creators as they emphasise more flexibility and better quality results in their cameras.

Both phones introduce an all-new Pro camera system with new Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras - Apple's biggest camera advancement ever. You can capture low-light photos like never before thanks to Night mode on every camera. With a wider range of framing options, you can shoot everything from classic telephoto portraits to macro photos, and also personalise your photos with Photographic Styles.

As with the others in the range, Cinematic mode is unreal. You can basically shoot like the Pros do with ProRes video.2 , and both phones support advanced features like Deep Fusion, Apple ProRAW, and HDR video with Dolby Vision.

As for the battery life, you'll get 1.5 and 2.5 hours longer in a day respectively than the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max Pro.

iPhone 13 colour

Whether you are a minimalist or a maximalist, there's a shade to suit everyone in this line-up. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are available in five gorgeous new colours (pictured at the very top of this article): Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight and Red.

As for the Pro and Max Pro, you can choose from four chic finishes (below): Graphite, Gold, Silver, and all-new Sierra Blue.

All models come with a flat-edge design with Ceramic Shield front, which is still tougher than any smartphone glass, and industry-leading IP68 water resistance.

How much does the iPhone 13 cost?

Customers can get iPhone 13 for £32.34 a month for 24 months or £779 before trade-in, and iPhone 13 mini for £28.29 a month for 24 months or £679 before trade-in from apple.com/uk/store,, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple Store locations.

Customers can get iPhone 13 Pro for £39.54 a month for 24 months or £949 before trade-in, and iPhone 13 Pro Max for £43.70 a month for 24 months or £1,049 before trade-in online, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple Store locations.

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.