Tag: iPhone 13 Pro

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Mobile Syrup

1TB iPhone 13 Pro available for $39/mo at Fido, Koodo

If you’re in the market for an iPhone 13 Pro with lots of storage, now might be the time to buy. According to deals spotting by RedFlagDeals (RFD) user ‘waterwaterwater,’ the 1TB iPhone 13 Pro is available at Koodo and Fido for $39/mo over two years.

Fido’s offer uses the provider’s device financing, which means customers pay $0 down and $39/mo for 24 months ($936 total before tax). Typically, Fido charges $83.12/mo financing for the 1TB iPhone 13 Pro, so this isn’t a bad deal.

Similarly, Koodo has the 1TB iPhone 13 Pro on a $39/mo Tab instead of through financing. However, the pricing works out the same at $936 over 24 months. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, Koodo was out of stock on the 1TB 13 Pro, but it had the 512GB at the same $39/mo price.

Also at the time of writing, Virgin Plus did not have the iPhone 13 Pro.  It’s worth noting that Apple no longer sells the iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max, so any available stock is leftover from before the iPhone 14 Pro launch.

Plus, with Koodo and Fido both offering $50/40GB plans for Boxing Week, the deal is a little sweeter. The main downside is that the $50 plan only lasts 15 months, so for the remainder of the contract, you’ll need to pay $65/mo instead. However, some RFD users reported success in keeping the $45/50GB Black Friday plan and getting the iPhone 13 Pro — the Black Friday plan lasts 24 months before the price goes up.

Anyway, if you want to grab an iPhone 13 Pro with tons of storage for a lower price than normal, you may want to move quick before stock runs out. You can grab the 512GB from Koodo here, or the 1TB from Fido here.

Source: RFD

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Mobile Syrup

Peak Design’s ‘Sage’ Everyday is my new favourite iPhone 14 Pro case

When it comes to smartphone cases, you often get what you pay for.

Cheaper cases from accessory makers like Spigen can be awesome, but if you really want a premium case to match your device that likely costs well over $1,000, you’ll need to shell out a bit of extra cash.

This is where Peak Design’s new ‘Sage’ Everyday iPhone 14 Pro case comes in.

Peak Design, which is best known for its camera bags, entered into the smartphone accessory space a few years ago with its Everyday case line. Along with smartphone cases, the company also sells various accessories like a Car Mount, its Out Front Bike Mount, a Wireless Charging Stand, a Mobile Tripod and more that all snap directly into a built-in connector system that’s surprisingly secure.

While the broader accessory ecosystem tied to the Everday Case doesn’t really appeal to me, I’m a huge fan of the company’s smartphone cases. I used its Charcoal case with the iPhone 13 Pro for several months and recently switched over to the Sage version of the same case design with the iPhone 14 Pro.

The case fits snugly on my device and prevents debris from getting inside it, features a sizable rim around the iPhone 14 Pro’s rear camera array for added protection and offers precision cut button covers. More importantly for me, it feels extremely premium, especially its green patterned fabric rear (even more so than the ‘Charcoal’-coloured version).

I often find myself absentmindedly running my fingers along its soft backing. As an added bonus, it doesn’t attract smudges, scratches or grease like other smartphone cases thanks to its fabric backing. That said, you can scuff it if you happen to drop your device on a hard surface (this happened to me with my iPhone 13 Pro Everyday Case), but it’s difficult and far more durable than any case I’ve ever used.

Peak Design sells cases for iPhones ranging all the way back to the iPhone 11 series, though only in Charcoal instead of the new Sage colour and fabric pattern. There’s even a version of the case that includes a built-in loop under its mounting system. The camera accessory maker also sells cases for Samsung’s Galaxy S series devices and Google’s Pixel line.

Peak Design’s Everyday iPhone 14 Pro case costs $55.96 and is available on its website.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro lineup achieves significantly faster 5G speeds than its predecessor

On paper, the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are outright better devices than the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, thanks to the addition of a new and advanced A16 Bionic chip and a better rear camera system. But how much of these advancements show a difference in daily practical use?

A new comparison test conducted by SpeedSmart suggests that the new iPhone 14 Pro lineup can achieve 47 percent faster 5G speeds than its predecessor.

The test by SpeedSmart was conducted with an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPhone 13 Pro on T-Mobile and Verizon’s networks in the United States.

Check out the results of the comparison below:

Download (T-Mobile)

  • iPhone 14 Pro: 255.91 Mbps
  • iPhone 13 Pro: 173.81 Mbps

Upload (T-Mobile)

  • iPhone 14 Pro: 28.25 Mbps
  • iPhone 13 Pro: 22.51 Mbps

Download (Verizon)

  • iPhone 14 Pro: 175.56 Mbps
  • iPhone 13 Pro: 126.33 Mbps

Upload (Verizon)

  • iPhone 14 Pro: 27.28 Mbps
  • iPhone 13 Pro: 21.64 Mbps

While the difference in upload speeds wasn’t all that significant between the two devices, download speed did receive a big boost, showcasing a 47 percent increase with T-Mobile’s network and a 38 percent increase with Verizon’s network.

Similarly, ping over Verizon and T-Mobile’s networks also exhibited a lower average latency (the lower, the better). The average ping for the iPhone 14 Pro came in a 52.88ms with T-Mobile, while the iPhone 13 Pro averaged 62.20ms on the same network.

The average ping for the iPhone 14 Pro came in a 37.09ms with Verizon, while the iPhone 13 Pro averaged 52.24ms on the same network.

The difference is attributed to the iPhone 14 Pro lineup featuring a more advanced 5G Snapdragon X65 modem, compared to the iPhone 13 Pro lineup’s X60 modem. The former can reach download speeds of up to 10Gbps, whereas the latter can achieve up to 7.5Gbps download speeds.

Read the SpeedSmart report here. MobileSyrup has plans to run similar tests on Canadian carrier networks

Source: SpeedSmart 

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Mobile Syrup

Bell offering bring-it-back iPhone 13 Pro for $5/mo for 24 months to some users

Some Bell customers are reporting seeing a solid ‘bring-it-back’ promotion on the iPhone 13 Pro.

According to RedFlagDeals user Jetz03, Bell is currently offering the iPhone 13 Pro for $5/mo for 24 months.

$5/mo for 24 months comes out to $120 over the course of two years, which is a great deal; however, you’ll have to return the phone after the period.

While I wasn’t able to find the deal on Bell’s website, Jetz03‘s screenshot indicates that you’ll be able to keep the phone by paying $438.50 after two years.

While the deal sounds too good to be true, Bell will surely squeeze out a few extra bucks from you depending on which plan it is offering with the device. Regardless, it’s still better than purchasing the device outright.

Check the Bell website and app to see if the deal is available to you.

Image credit: RedFlagDeals user Jetz03

Source: RedFlagDeals user Jetz03

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Mobile Syrup

iOS 16’s top 10 new features

Earlier this month, Apple finally granted public beta access to iOS 16. Before the public beta, Apple only had the developer beta, which was meant to give app developers early access to identify major bugs and ensure their apps work with the future version of iOS. Now that the public beta is out, anyone willing to live a little on the wild side can install the OS update and experience the new features. While also enjoying a decrease in battery life and less-than-entirely stable performance.

You’ve likely already read about the new lock screen, notification view, and widgets as the headlining features coming to iOS in the fall. But if you haven’t, we wrote a great piece covering the new lock screen.

Compared to previous years, the iOS 16 beta actually feels reasonably stable. With that said, installing a beta is not for the faint of heart. If you want to install the beta, you should remember that it’s called a beta for a reason. You should be a reasonably technical person who is okay with losing a few hours of their day restoring your phone if something happens. Additionally, ensure access to a computer to do a Finder or iTunes backup before installing the beta. Apple doesn’t provide any support for a beta release of their software except for restoring your device.

So, whether you’re a beta thrill seeker like me or patiently waiting for the official Fall release, here are my ten favourite features coming to iOS 16 that really improve the overall experience of iOS.

Haptic Keyboard

It’s not hard to go out in public and hear the distinctive click, click, click of an iPhone’s keyboard. Before iOS 16, keyboard clicks were the closest we could get to our iPhone keyboards mimicking physical ones. However, if you’re like me, you keep your iPhone on vibrate only the vast majority of the time, so you lose out on the brain illusion that is the iOS keyboard clicks.

iOS 16 introduces haptic feedback when typing. By turning on haptic feedback, your iPhone will make small vibrations as you type regardless of if your sound is on or off. This gives your brain another small trick into thinking it’s using an actual physical keyboard. This was one of the first things I turned on when I installed iOS 16, and I’ve enjoyed it every day since.

To turn on haptic feedback while typing:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap ‘Sounds & Haptics’
3. Tap ‘Keyboard Feedback’
4. Toggle ‘Haptic’ on (green)

iMessage Improvements

There are few apps you likely interact with more often than Messages. A top selling feature of the iPhone is getting access to the blue bubble club, aka iMessage. iMessage certainly has its advantages, including group messaging for up to 32 people, iMessage effects, tap-back response, and encryption.

iOS 16 brings three more welcomed additions to iMessage: mark as unread, un-send message, and edit message. By swiping left to right on a message thread, you can now tap to mark a thread as unread. This is handy if you want to revisit this message thread later, especially for work-related messages. In addition, for up to 15 minutes after sending an iMessage, iOS 16 allows you to edit your message or un-send it entirely.

Even the SMS experience has been improved a little. For example, in a group chat with an SMS user, it can be annoying to see tap-back responses written out as “Joe liked…”. So, now with iOS 16, tap-back responses from an SMS thread will get turned into proper tap-back reactions we’re used to seeing in iMessage conversations.

Adding a Stop to a Route

In May, I went on a road trip to New York. Frequently throughout our journey, my friend and I would have liked to have added a slight detour to our navigation route. iOS 16 brings the ability to add not just one but up to 15 stops to a route in Apple Maps. When starting a trip in iOS 16, you can tap the “add stop” button to add a new destination to your route. This makes for a great feature when needing to make several stops in an area you aren’t familiar with.

Redesigned Home App

HomeKit users can now rejoice like Apple TV users did when the remote was redesigned. HomeKit is Apple’s smart home standard that allows multiple third-party smart home accessory makers to work within the Apple Home app. iOS 16 brings both a complete redesign to the Home app and some impressive performance improvements.

The most critical metrics now live at the very top of the Apple Home app. For example, climate, security systems, leak alerts, and on-lights appear there. Below these key metrics, users can organize rooms, cameras, scenes, and their favourite accessories into whatever order makes the most sense to them for easy access. Additionally, Home app users can tap on each category to expose all of the accessories within the room, such as lights, thermostats, or door locks.

There are also now new icons and thermostat tiles. But perhaps the best improvement is HomeKit’s overall speed and performance. Accessories seem to respond faster daily, and delays are just about non-existent. In addition, all users automatically get the redesigned Home app when they upgrade to iOS 16.

Clipboard Paste Privacy Permission

iOS has always been a privacy-focused operating system. After all, if you go into the Privacy section of the settings app, you’ll see 19 unique privacy-related categories. iOS 16 adds a new one…kind of. Likely prompted by previous reports of apps unknowingly accessing users’ clipboards, iOS 16 users will be prompted the first time they try to paste into an app.

Whether you copy a piece of text or an image, you’ll be prompted by a simple panel when you attempt to paste that object into an app for the first time after updating to iOS 16. iOS 16 will ask if you want to allow the app to access your clipboard. If the user taps allow, they’ll never be prompted again. If the user taps “don’t allow,” they will be prompted the next time they try to paste something into the app.

Locked Hidden Photo Album and Deleted Folder

Continuing on the privacy streak, we have two new locked photo albums in iOS 16. Snapchat users are likely familiar with the “eyes only” concept where you can passcode protect specifically marked photos. The app store has been filled with apps offering this functionality for years.

iOS 16 finally brings an additional level of privacy to our photo libraries. It’s not uncommon to hand someone your phone to perhaps make a phone call or let your children play a game. However, currently, they can access your photo library, including your hidden photos.
In an earlier version of iOS, Apple did add the feature where users could hide their hidden photo album from showing up in the photos app.

However, it still didn’t secure the album. Only hid it. iOS 16 fixes that by automatically requiring TouchID or FaceID to unlock the hidden photo album and the delete photos album. Apple was actually reasonably smart with this. Opting to only use biometrics and not accepting the iPhone’s passcode guarantees that only you can access those photo albums.

Improved Lock Screen Media Player

Among the widgets and new wallpaper options, iOS 16 brings another new lock screen feature: a new media player that shows music albums and podcast artwork in full screen. While this change doesn’t do much functionally, I think it looks terrific. It offers a nice change from your device’s wallpaper and allows you to appreciate album or podcast artwork. In addition, a user can switch between both the old and new media players by simply tapping on the podcast artwork.

Reveal WiFi Password

While I never forget my Wi-Fi password thanks to my handy dandy password manager, I often go to a friend or family member’s house where they don’t know theirs. An earlier version of iOS tried to address this by allowing iOS devices to securely share passwords with other devices by prompting already authorized devices.

While that feature is near-magic, the prompt doesn’t always appear, creating frustration. iOS 16 introduces a new secure field with the Wi-Fi password hidden. To reveal the Wi-Fi password, all a user needs to do is tap on the protected field, and they’ll automatically be promoted to copy it.

End Calls via Siri

Heavy Siri users will be thrilled with this new feature. While using your AirPods or HomePod, users can accept an incoming call by saying, “Hey Siri, answer call.” That’s wonderful for hands-free interaction. Now, iOS 16 brings the ability to end a call via Siri by saying, “Hey Siri, end call.” This may sound a little strange for the person on the other end, but it’ll be a nice improvement for the person cooking a messy dinner in the kitchen.

Disable Lock to End Call

Lock to end call is a feature where you can click your iPhone’s side button to end a phone call. I don’t know about you, but I’ve ended many phone calls accidentally pressing the side button. iOS 16 now introduces a toggle which allows you to turn that feature off. That’s right; I’d end a call with Siri rather than with the side button on my iPhone.
To disable lock to end call:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap ‘Accessibility’
3. Tap’ Touch’
4. Toggle’ Lock to End Call’ off (grey)

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Mobile Syrup

Everything you can add to the Apple Wallet App

You likely take three things with you when you leave your home: your wallet, your keys and your phone. Apple and Google are working to eliminate two of those items through the third. Both companies aim to replace your keys and physical wallet with a digital wallet stored on your phone.

Apple has long worked hard to evolve its Passbook app, which was once used for loyalty cards and tickets, to the modern Wallet app we have on iPhones today. The Apple Wallet app is the cornerstone of Apple’s strategy to eliminate our keys and physical wallets.

Apple previewed three new features coming to iOS 16 during its WWDC 2022 keynote. First, we have Apple Pay Order Tracking, which will offer real-time shipping notifications for orders sent by participating merchants. Millions of Shopify-powered vendors will be a part of Apple Pay Order Tracking at launch.

Second, Apple unveiled a new buy now pay later service called Apple Pay Later. Apple Pay Later joins Apple Card and Apple Cash as another US-only financial service the California tech giant offers. Lastly, Apple provided an update on their plan to add IDs to the Wallet app. Currently, two US states offer functionality, with eleven more coming soon.

Between driving a Tesla, installing a HomeKit door lock, and using the Wallet app, I’ve been able to reduce my physical wallet down to just three cards; my credit card (for purchases over the $250 contactless limit), my province’s health card and my drivers’ license. All three conveniently fit into the Magsafe Wallet attached to my iPhone 13 Pro.

With Apple revisiting the Wallet app, I wanted to take the opportunity to share all the things Canadians can add to their iPhone’s Wallet app, so hopefully, you too can start to eliminate your physical wallet.

Let’s get into it:

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is likely the first way iPhone users get exposed to the Wallet app. Despite Apple Pay being available in Canada for years, I still get joy from using my Apple Watch to pay for things. Apple Pay is a mobile payment solution for your Apple devices. Users can add a credit or debit card to their iPhone or Apple Watch and make contactless payments much like they would by “tapping” their physical card.

Many people have security concerns about using Apple Pay instead of their physical card. What’s interesting is that Apple Pay is more secure than using a physical card. First, because you’re using a smart device like an iPhone or Apple Watch, your device can verify if a payment terminal is legitimate. This is in contrast to a regular credit or debit card, which constantly offers up your card details to any device close enough to read it. Second, Apple Pay doesn’t actually hand over your card number, expiry date, or other information. Instead, Apple Pay transmits a device ID number to the merchant, which allows the bank to validate a transaction.

This process prevents merchants from accessing additional data that may be provided by your physical card. Additionally, it prevents your payment details from leaking if the merchant has a data breach.

To add a card to Apple Pay:
1. Open the Wallet app
2. Tap on the plus icon in the top right-hand corner
3. Tap Debit or Credit Card
4. Tap Continue
5. Align your card with the image viewer and your card details will automatically be entered
6. Tap Next
7. Enter your 3-digit CVV
8. Tap Next
9. Tap Agree
10. Complete your card verification if prompted

Passes

Passes include movie tickets, airline boarding passes, Genius Bar appointments, Apple Store online order pick-up confirmations, Airbnb reservations, and so much more. Passes are the catch-all for digital event confirmations that can be added to the Wallet app. In the before times, people had to print the boarding passes and movie tickets they purchased online. In 2022, people can store those confirmations digitally on their iPhone or Apple Watch.

Passes have QR codes, allowing event staff to quickly scan and validate the digital pass. Additionally, passes can have metadata like location and time-based prompts. For example, when you’ve arrived at an event venue or movie theatre, your ticket will be presented on your iPhone’s lock screen.

To add a pass to the Wallet app:
1. Look for the Add to Wallet icon on a confirmation email or within an app
2. Tap Add to Wallet
3. Tap Add

Loyalty Cards

So many of us have Wallets overflowing with loyalty cards. We all want to collect points to redeem gift cards or get money off a future purchase. However, there are so many loyalty programs that people forget which programs they’re a part of and lose their cards.

The Wallet app is a great way to reduce physical wallet clutter while keeping better track of your points cards. Some popular loyalty cards that can be stored in the Wallet app are Air Miles, Scene+, PC Optimum, and Ikea Family.

For the loyalty cards that can’t natively be added to the Wallet app, third-party apps like Stocard may be able to add them. I’ve used Stocard to add TJX, Moores, Global Pet Foods, and my local library card to the Wallet app.

To add a supported card to the Wallet app:
1. Download the loyalty programs iOS app (i.e. Scene+ or PC Optimum)
2. Locate the loyalty card within the app
3. Tap Add to Wallet
4. Tap Add

Insurance

Some auto insurance companies allow you to add your policy card to the Wallet app. I would never recommend handing your iPhone over to law enforcement. However, having your policy card in the Wallet app makes it easy to reference if you’re filling out paperwork or filing a claim with your insurance company. Different insurance companies may have you add their card to the Apple Wallet app differently. Zenith, for example, will send new customers an email with the “Add to Wallet” button at the bottom.

Meanwhile, Intact follows what loyalty card companies do and have you add it from their app. While not all auto insurance companies may support adding your policy card to the Wallet app, if you’re interested in adding it, check your insurance company’s app or look for your original confirmation email.

To add your insurance card to the Wallet app:
1. Tap Add to Wallet
2. Tap Add

Gift Cards

Some retailers like Starbucks and Apple support storing their gift cards to the Wallet app. Adding your gift cards to the Wallet app offers several benefits. First, you reduce clutter in your physical wallet. Second, you won’t forget to spend your gift card balance because, similar to passes, gift cards can use your location to show up on your lock screen when you’re near a related retail location.

Third, balances redeem in real-time, meaning you can stop questioning how much remains on that gift card. Lastly, you won’t lose your gift cards because they’re safely stored digitally in the Wallet app.

To add a supported gift card to the Wallet app:
1. Check the back of the gift card for a QR code
2. Open the camera app on your iPhone
3. Hover your iPhone’s camera over your gift card’s QR code
4. Tap on the Add to Wallet prompt
5. Tap Add

COVID-19 Vaccination

COVID-19 has been a challenge for everyone; for some communities, the struggle is still far from over. As a result, some shops and locations may not require proof of vaccination, while others may. However, Apple has made showing and validating your COVID-19 vaccination card really easy by adding support for it in the Wallet app. The COVID-19 vaccination card in the Wallet app shows the number of doses you’ve received, the dates the doses were received, your name, vaccine insurer, and the vaccine manufacturer. Additionally, there’s a QR code allowing for easy verification. I’ve found it handy to double-click my iPhone’s side button to expose my vaccination card over hunting for it in the Photos app.

If you have a physical QR code, you can add your COVID-19 vaccination card to the Apple Wallet app by:

Pull up your vaccination QR code on a piece of paper or another device
1. Open the camera app on your iPhone
2. Hover your iPhone’s camera over your vaccine QR code
3. Tap on the yellow Health app prompt
4. You’ll be taken to the Apple Health app
5. Tap Add to Wallet & Health

If you have an already saved photo of your COVID-19 vaccination QR code, you can add it to the Apple Wallet app by:

Select the photo in the photos app
1. Tap and hold on the QR code until the Health app prompt appears
2. Tap the Health app prompt
3. You’ll be taken to the Apple Health app
4. Tap Add to Wallet & Health

Keys

Some chuckled when keys were first announced as an addition to the Wallet app. Keys don’t go into our wallets, people laughed. While that’s true in the physical world, keys fit nicely next to our credit, debit, and loyalty cards in the digital world. Keys work similarly to Apple Pay by using the iPhone or Apple Watch’s NFC chip to communicate with a terminal device to grant you access.

You can add four different types of Keys to the Wallet app: Student IDs, Employee Badges, Car Keys, and Home Keys. Each of these keys has its own set of minimum device requirements, but all need the latest versions of iOS or watchOS.

Unlike third-party apps, Keys within the Wallet app can access Express Mode and Power Reserve Express Mode. Express Mode allows users to access their school, office, car, or home without further authentication. They simply need to wave their iPhone or Apple Watch. Power Reserve Express Mode allows users to still use their Wallet keys while their iPhone or Apple Watch is dead. A small amount of battery is reserved so that a person can reliably get home.

Student IDs launched in the Wallet app with the idea that students could access their dorms and pay for meals using their digital ID on their iPhone or Apple Watch. University of New Brunswick and Sheridan College were the first two Canadian universities to deploy this option to their students. While you must check that your institution supports student IDs in the wallet app, you can read more about adding them here.

Employee badges are similar to student IDs, with their purpose being to digitize the employee access experience. However, employees can use their iPhone or Apple Watch instead of having to wave a physical badge to access an office. You’ll need to chat with your employer to see if they support this feature. You can read more about Employee badges with this Apple Support article.

Car Key is Apple’s attempt to simplify the car key experience that your car manufacturer provides. Car Keys grant the ability to unlock your car as your approach and lock your vehicle as you walk away. Car Key is available on eighteen cars as of March 2022. Most of which are from BMW, with Kia and Genesis offering some alternative models. To use Car Key, you need at least an iPhone XS, iPhone SE (2nd generation), Apple Watch Series 5, or Apple Watch SE, all running the latest versions of iOS or watchOS. In addition, you can read this support article from Apple to learn how to set up Car Key.

Home Key is the latest addition to the keys in the Wallet app family. Home Key allows iPhone and Apple Watch users to unlock their doors as quickly as making a purchase as Apple Pay. Simply wave your iPhone or Apple Watch near the door lock. As of March 2022, only two locks are being released with Apple Home Key support.

The Schlage Encode Plus is available at Home Depots in the United States and will hopefully come to Canada soon. Aqara’s A100 lock will likely only be released in China soon. Car Keys and Home Keys can also be shared digitally via a text message or email. They can also be revoked remotely if ever needed. Of course, Apple has a support article for you to learn more.

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Mobile Syrup

Pela’s compostable iPhone 13 case is still stellar one month later

If you have a new phone and you’re looking to protect it with a trendy-looking case that’s also good for the environment, then you’ve come to the right place.

I’ve been testing 0ut the Lavender iPhone 13 Pro case from a Canadian company Pela, and it’s my new favourite case for two main reasons.

One is the soft-touch feel. Above all else, a case needs to feel good in my hand, and the combination of flax shive and plant-based biopolymers that the company uses is incredibly soft. Imagine the smooth back of the Nexus 5x, but better, with more cushion and in tons of eye-pleasing colours.

That leads to my second favourite point. The cases come in a huge array of designs, but the pleasing pastel-inspired hues that the company uses as its standard colours are fantastic. I’ve been testing out the Lavender colourway, and the flax inside of it gives it a bit of a speckled effect that looks really nice. If it’s not for you, there are cases with graphics, other colours and even clear cases with compostable bumpers.

Finally, it wouldn’t be a good case without protection, and the Pela’s iPhone 13 case holds up there too. The model I’m using is quite rubbery, so it offers a decent amount of impact resistance. The case also fits snuggly onto my iPhone and doesn’t add too much bulk to it either. If you opt to use a standard Pela case and a Pela liquid screen protector, the company even offers a guarantee that it’ll fix your screen if it breaks.

I’ve been using this case on my phone for about a month now and it’s held up like a trooper. There was even a day when it got packed tightly in my bag and ended up getting some black scuffs on the edges, but after a few more days of use, they washed away.

My favourite thing about the case has to be its colour, but the company’s green mission is a close second. As a tech reviewer, I go through a lot of plastic waste and specifically, a lot of phone cases. Having a case that I know isn’t going to end up in a landfill offers peace of mind, and having it be as stylish as a Pela case is a huge plus on top of that.

If you’re interested in learning about how these cases are made the company has a great video on it that you can watch below.

You can buy your own case at Pelacase.ca and the iPhone 13 Pro model featured here retails for $48.95.

MobileSyrup publishes sponsored posts. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content.

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iPhone SE (2022) Review: A powerful, budget-friendly relic

The iPhone SE (2020) felt dated back when I reviewed it two years ago, and the nearly identical iPhone SE (2022) is an absolute relic in today’s smartphone landscape.

It features the same 4.7-inch display with chunky bezels, haptic Touch ID Home Button, camera array, and iPhone 8-like design as its predecessor.

Switching from using the iPhone 13 Pro to the iPhone SE (2022) over the last few days has been an understandably jarring experience — but this entry-level device isn’t designed for my taste in smartphones, and not everyone needs the latest and greatest when it comes to tech.

With that in mind, there are notable hardware changes under the hood with Apple’s new iPhone SE, including the iPhone 13 series’ powerful A15 Bionic chip, 5G connectivity, better battery life and more durable glass on the front of the back of the device.

Still, the overall design of the iPhone SE (2022) feels ancient, and it’s difficult not to imagine a device that features a more iPhone 11-like design with no Home Button and Face ID compatibility.

iPhone SE (2022)

iPhone SE (2020)

Display

4.7-inch, Retina HD, LCD display, 1334 x 750 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision

4.7-inch, Retina HD, LCD display, 1334 x 750 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision

Processor

Apple A15 Bionic

Apple A13 Bionic

RAM

4GB

3GB

Storage

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

Dimensions (in.)

138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm

138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm

Weight

148g

148g

Rear Facing Camera

12-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, wide angle)

12-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, wide angle)

Front Facing Camera

7-megapixel (f/2.2)

7-megapixel (f/2.2)

OS

iOS 15

iOS 13

Battery

1821mAh

Network Connectivity

LTE/ 5G

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Sensors

Touch ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Touch ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

SIM Type

Nano SIM, eSIM

Nano SIM, eSIM

Launch Date

March 18, 2022

April 15, 2020

Misc

Colours: Starlight, Midnight, Product Red

Colours: Black, White, Product Red

Display

iPhone SE (2022)

4.7-inch, Retina HD, LCD display, 1334 x 750 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision

iPhone SE (2020)

4.7-inch, Retina HD, LCD display, 1334 x 750 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision

Processor

iPhone SE (2022)

Apple A15 Bionic

iPhone SE (2020)

Apple A13 Bionic

RAM

iPhone SE (2022)

4GB

iPhone SE (2020)

3GB

Storage

iPhone SE (2022)

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

iPhone SE (2020)

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

Dimensions (in.)

iPhone SE (2022)

138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm

iPhone SE (2020)

138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm

Weight

iPhone SE (2022)

148g

iPhone SE (2020)

148g

Rear Facing Camera

iPhone SE (2022)

12-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, wide angle)

iPhone SE (2020)

12-megapixel (f/1.8, OIS, wide angle)

Front Facing Camera

iPhone SE (2022)

7-megapixel (f/2.2)

iPhone SE (2020)

7-megapixel (f/2.2)

OS

iPhone SE (2022)

iOS 15

iPhone SE (2020)

iOS 13

Battery

iPhone SE (2022)

iPhone SE (2020)

1821mAh

Network Connectivity

iPhone SE (2022)

LTE/ 5G

iPhone SE (2020)

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Sensors

iPhone SE (2022)

Touch ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

iPhone SE (2020)

Touch ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

SIM Type

iPhone SE (2022)

Nano SIM, eSIM

iPhone SE (2020)

Nano SIM, eSIM

Launch Date

iPhone SE (2022)

March 18, 2022

iPhone SE (2020)

April 15, 2020

Misc

iPhone SE (2022)

Colours: Starlight, Midnight, Product Red

iPhone SE (2020)

Colours: Black, White, Product Red

The dated iPhone 8-like look returns

iPhone SE 2022 screen

Both smartphones look identical when the iPhone SE (2020) is placed directly beside the iPhone SE (2022).

The 3rd-gen iPhone SE features the same 1334 x 750-pixel resolution display, rounded design and, of course, physical Home Button. The new iPhone SE’s LCD display is passable, but it looks dated compared to more modern smartphones. Its colours are washed out and the lack of a higher refresh rate is noticeable after primarily using devices for the past few years that feature between a 90Hz and 120hz screen. The screen blur is real and very apparent, but of course, like a lot of the new iPhone SE’s shortcomings, these are issues a lot of people may not notice.

The sole 12-megapixel f/1.8 camera lens is back in a single camera bump on the iPhone SE (2022)’s rear, but thanks to the A15 chip, it borrows computational photography features like ‘Deep Fusion’ from Apple’s modern iPhone models (more on this later).

The front and rear of the iPhone SE (2022) features more durable glass this year. That said, this isn’t the same ‘Ceramic Shield’ technology featured in the iPhone 13 series. Instead, it’s the glass Apple uses on the rear of iPhone 13 devices. While Apple is likely embellishing a little when it says the 3rd-gen iPhone SE features “the toughest glass in a smartphone front and back,” the device’s build is still likely more durable than 2020’s iPhone SE.

It’s also worth pointing out that I found it difficult to switch back to a physical Home Button given I’ve been using Apple’s more intuitive swipe navigation since the release of the iPhone X. Again, this is likely part of the iPhone SE line’s appeal though. On that note, it would have been great to see Apple add Face ID to the new SE, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen this year.

There’s an argument defending this dated design that I’ll delve into later, but for now, if you were hoping the 3rd-gen iPhone SE would be the device to update the lines’ time-capsule look, the 2022 edition isn’t it.

iPhone SE (2022) Lightning port

Other returning features include IP67 water and dust resistance, Qi wireless charging and very similar colour options: ‘Midnight’ (black), ‘Starlight’ (white) and ‘Product Red’ (red). The storage options also remain the same at 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.

So what’s actually new?

iPhone SE (2022) fingerprint sensor

This year, the most significant addition to the iPhone SE is Apple’s powerful A15 Bionic chip. With the new chip, the device hits the impressive 1,734 single-core and 4,651 multi-core score, putting it in the range of the iPhone 13 Pro in terms of power (1,737/4,817) thanks to its lower-resolution, smaller display. Its multi-core score is lower than the iPhone 13 Pro, but this was also the case with the 2nd-gen iPhone SE when compared to the iPhone 11 Pro.

But if you’re buying an iPhone SE, you probably aren’t checking Geekbench scores for your device. Instead, the iPhone SE (2022)’s target audience just wants a phone that performs better than the iPhone 6, iPhone 7 or iPhone 8 they’re clinging to. Based on my experience, the iPhone SE offers smooth performance across the board, whether you’re swiping through iOS 15, have 15 Safari tabs open at once, or playing relatively resource-intensive titles like Apple Arcade’s Fantasian.

iPhone SE 2022 benchmarks

Next, there’s the new 5G support. While I agree modern smartphones should support 5G, the speed boost isn’t as significant as Canadian carriers make it out to be. In essence, Canadians who live in more populated areas with 5G coverage will sometimes hit data speeds roughly 15-25 percent faster than what they experienced on LTE. This is great, sure, but it’s also a boost in performance I’d argue the average smartphone user probably won’t notice.

It’s also worth mentioning that, like the iPhone 13 series and the iPhone 12 series, the iPhone SE (2022) doesn’t support mmWave 5G in Canada and is only compatible with the sub-6 GHz version of the next-gen wireless technology. In the context of the Canadian market, this isn’t an issue because mmWave 5G doesn’t exist here and likely never will.

The iPhone SE (2022) also features marginally improved battery life thanks to the power efficiency of the A15 chip. Anecdotally, I found the performance to be very similar to the iPhone SE (2020)’s, with the new SE’s battery easily lasting well into the evening on a full charge with moderate use.

The same camera, with upgrades

iPhone SE (2022) camera

Contrary to what some earlier rumours indicated, the iPhone SE (2022) features the same single 12-megapixel f/1.8 rear shooter as its predecessor. The upgrades this year include ‘Deep Fusion’ Sweater Mode, ‘HDR 4,’ and the ‘Photographic Styles’ Apple brought to the iPhone 13 series last year. All of these are welcome additions to the new SE, but I’m fond of HDR 4 in particular, which helps illuminate faces under challenging lighting.

However, the camera doesn’t feature the iPhone 13’s ‘Cinematic mode’ or even ‘Night mode.’ Though Cinematic mode is hit or miss, Night mode is useful when you’re snapping photos under low-light conditions, and it’s disappointing the iPhone SE doesn’t offer this feature despite it being available in iPhones as far back as the iPhone 11.

The questions at hand here are, how do the iPhone SE (2022)’s photos compare to the iPhone SE (2020)’s and also, what is the image quality trade-off compared to the iPhone 13 series?

From left to right: iPhone SE (2022), iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone 13 Pro.

The difference between the three shots of my partner (see above) are pretty negligible. With the 3rd-gen iPhone SE, there’s additional detail captured in her face and a slightly wider range of colours compared to the iPhone SE (2020). You’ll also notice that her skin tone is more washed out with the 2nd-gen iPhone SE. The iPhone 13 Pro, as expected, features more shadows and depth, resulting in a vibrant, three-dimensional image. Still, all three shots are very similar, which is a testament to Apple’s prowess in the smartphone camera space.

Overall, it’s impressive the iPhone SE (2022)’s camera quality is so close to the iPhone 13 Pro’s, though to be fair, the 2nd-gen iPhone SE is near that mark as well.

From left to right: iPhone SE (2022), iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone 13 Pro.

The next comparison is far harder to discern the differences in quality. For example, while the bushes in the back of the photo (see above) are slightly more clear with the iPhone SE (2022) compared to the iPhone SE (2020), the photos otherwise look nearly identical to my eye. The iPhone 13 Pro photo, on the other hand, is overall crisper and offers colours that are more true to the dreary conditions I shot the image under. That said, some people may prefer the brighter, more yellow-infused look of the 2nd and 3rd-gen iPhone SE. The iPhone 13 Pro photo also offers greater contrast than the iPhone SE (2022), though only by a small margin.

In general, the experience of just pointing and shooting a photo with the iPhone SE (2022) is impressive. Like its predecessor, the phone struggles with backlit photos and other challenging lighting situations, but the results are generally outstanding even under low-light.

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The 7-megapixel f/2.2 selfie shooter also seems to perform reasonably well but doesn’t seem to offer much of an improvement over the last iPhone SE.

Who is the 3rd-gen iPhone SE for?

iPhone SE (2022) side view

The iPhone SE series is always challenging to review because the smartphones lack nearly every feature I care about. Optical zoom? Nope. A great display resolution with a refresh rate above 60Hz? Definitely not. What about a Night shooting mode, a sleek design and Face ID? Also no.

These features matter to me and are why I’d rather pay the extra money and opt for the iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 Pro, but when it comes to the iPhone SE (2022)’s target audience, most of this higher-end functionality isn’t important.

This device is designed for people still using an iPhone 6, iPhone 7, iPhone 8 or even an earlier version of Apple’s smartphone. They want a familiar user experience that offers reliable performance and a camera capable of snapping good photos. More importantly, they want to pay a reasonable price. The new iPhone SE checks all of those integral boxes.

Sure, these people could opt for the $679 iPhone 11 and likely get a more modern iPhone experience, but I think the physical Home Button is necessary for the iPhone SE’s audience (at least for now) as much as I’d like to see it disappear. You could also easily make the argument that even Google’s $799 Pixel 6 is a better buy and a more capable smartphone than the iPhone SE (2022), though I think the average iPhone SE user would never consider making the jump to Android.

iPhone SE users like what they like, and that’s part of why they’re not willing to move to a more modern iPhone.

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Mobile Syrup

What was your favourite part of Apple’s ‘Peek Performance’ event?

Apple showed off several new devices at its March ‘Peek Performance’ event, including green colour variants for the iPhone 13 series, the iPhone SE (2022), the iPad Air (2022), the M1 Ultra chip, the Studio Display and the Mac Studio.

While the pretty new green iPhone 13 models are cool and the iPad Air now offers an M1 chip, the show’s stars were the Mac Studio and the Studio Display.

The Mac Studio is a high-performance desktop device that features up to 128GB of RAM and Apple’s powerful M1 Ultra chip. On the other hand, the Studio Display sports a 5K resolution and a built-in 12-megapixel webcam powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, the same processor featured in the iPhone 11.

What was your favourite part of the ‘Peek Performance’ event? Let us know in the comments below.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Here’s the ‘Green’ and ‘Alpine Green’ iPhone 13/iPhone 13 Pro

Apple’s new ‘Green’ iPhone 13 mini/iPhone 13 and ‘Alpine Green’ iPhone 13 Pro/iPhone 13 Pro Max are now available to pre-order, starting at $949/$1,099 and $1,399/$1,549, respectively. The new green iPhone 13 devices release on March 18th.

The smartphones are identical to the rest of the iPhone 13 lineup beyond the new green colour. Last year, Apple released a new ‘Purple’ iPhone 12/iPhone 12 mini colour, but with the iPhone 13, the tech giant opted for two distinct green hues across the iPhone 13 lineup.

After briefly going hands-on with the ‘Green’ iPhone 13 and the ‘Alpine Green’ iPhone 13 Pro, I’d say I prefer the Pro variant of the new colour. It reminds me of the awesome-looking ‘Midnight Green’ iPhone 11 Pro colour and is a cool throwback to Apple’s 2019 flagship smartphone.

Check out a few photos of Apple’s new green iPhone colours below: