Tag: iPhone 13 Pro Max

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Mobile Syrup

Apple launches ‘Shot on iPhone’ macro photography challenge

Apple wants iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max users to show off their macro photography chops in a new ‘Shot on iPhone Challenge.’

In a news post, Apple said the challenge opened on January 25th, 2022 and will run until February 16th, 2022. To participate, all you need to do is share your favourite macro photo taken on iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #iPhonemacrochallenge.

Apple will review submissions alongside a panel of expert judges, including Canadian photographer and filmmaker Peter McKinnon. The company will announce the ten winning photos in April — winners will be celebrated in a gallery on Apple’s Newsroom page, website, Instagram, and other official Apple accounts. Moreover, Apple says the photos may appear in digital campaigns, Apple Store locations, billboards, or in a public photo exhibition.

Other judges include Anand Varma, Apeksha Maker, Paddy Chao, Yik Keat Lee, Arem Duplessis, Billy Sorrentino, Della Huff, Kaiann Drance, and Pamela Chen — you can learn more about these judges here.

Finally, Apple shared some macro tips for would-be iPhone photographers:

  • Make sure to get close to your subject — you can get as close as 2 centimetres (about an inch) away.
  • Place the primary point of focus near the center of the frame, as that’s where the sharpest focus is when shooting in macro on iPhone.
  • Tap an area in the viewfinder to set a specific focus point.
  • Shoot at .5x to capture an Ultra Wide field of view, or try shooting at 1x for tighter framing — iPhone will automatically switch cameras as you get close while maintaining the 1x framing.

You can learn more about Apple’s macro photography challenge here.

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Mobile Syrup

What was your favourite smartphone that launched in Canada last year?

Last year, a variety of smartphones were released in Canada, including several flagships, mid-rangers, budget devices and even foldables.

For this week’s MobileSyrup ‘Community Question,’ we want to know what your favourite smartphone from last year is?

I’d say my favourite smartphone from last year was the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It’s worth noting that I didn’t purchase the device myself and instead reviewed a unit Samsung sent to me, so to be fair, I didn’t have to spend $1,999.99 to get my hands on one. However, if I were looking for a new smartphone this year, I can definitively say that I’d purchase the Z Fold 3.

This year’s Z Fold 3 is well-built and waterproof this time around. I also like that it features two 120Hz refresh rate displays and on the main screen, it sports a cool under-display camera. Playing games like League of Legends: Wild Rift or reading on a larger screen, has also been great.

The Z Fold 3 has some downsides though, including making my skin tone brighter in pictures, the fact that it’s costly, and a little bulky. However, I’d argue that it’s worth its expensive price tag even with these shortcomings. That said, I’m also a big fan of the Pixel 6 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

With all of this in mind, what’s your favourite smartphone from 2021? Let us know in the comments below.

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This custom iPhone 13 sports the 2007 iPhone’s motherboard etched on its back

Custom iPhone maker Caviar has released a new Phone 13 Pro series device that includes parts from the original 2007 iPhone.

Designed to pay homage to late Apple founder Steve Jobs, the custom iPhone has Jobs’ signature laser-etched to the lower case of the device, which is made of titanium.

Titled the iPhone 2G, the device is technically an iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max, with all the features of the current-gen device but has a portion of the original 2007 iPhone’s motherboard embedded in the rear Apple logo.

Check out the image below for reference:

The smartphone’s rear cover also features the device’s internal components etched together, with lines connecting all the components and flowing directly into the central motherboard.

“They are striving towards the center of the world — the Apple logo — like a circulatory system pushing blood towards a pulsating heart,” reads Caviar’s iPhone 2G description.

The custom device is available in iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models, with the former’s price starting at $6,990 USD ($9,023 CAD) and the latter capping at $8,610 USD ($11,114 CAD).

It’s also worth noting is that Caviar is only making 19 of these custom iPhones, so if you’re someone who is passionate about the fully functioning collectible and has a ton of cash to burn, you should act fast.

Learn more about the custom device here.

Image credits: Caviar

Source: Caviar

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Mobile Syrup

Some iPhone 13 users are reporting touchscreen issues

Several iPhone 13 users report experiencing intermittent touch issues with the new smartphone, causing screen swipes and presses to be delayed or not recognized altogether.

Posts on Twitter, Reddit, MacRumors’ forums and Apple’s official support forum include several posts from users experiencing touchscreen-related issues with the iPhone 13. The problem seems to affect all devices in the iPhone 13 lineup, including the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro max.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been consistently using the iPhone 13 Pro Max for the last few weeks and haven’t encountered this particular issue — at least not yet.

Thankfully, given the issue also seems to be affecting older iPhone models, it’s likely not tied to a hardware problem and instead could be related to iOS 15.

Though iOS 15 is relatively stable, the update has featured a few issues, including a bug related to ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ not working with the iPhone 13, widget issues and security vulnerabilities.

Given Apple’s track record for rapidly fixing bugs, it’s likely that this touchscreen issue will be fixed relatively quickly.

Source: Reddit Via: MacRumors 

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Mobile Syrup

The iPhone 13 Pro Max supports up to 27W charging, with the right brick

The iPhone 13 Pro Max can reportedly charge faster than Apple’s other iPhone 13 models.

According to tests done by YouTube channel ChargerLAB and Twitter user ‘DuanRui‘ (@duanrui1205), the iPhone 13 Pro Max can handle up to 27 watt charging when using a compatible charging brick. The iPhone 13 Pro Max can go from zero to full in under 90 minutes when charging at that speed.

9to5Mac reports that the iPhone 12 capped out at around 22W charging speed. In other words, the iPhone 13 Pro Max offers a roughly 5W boost over the previous generation of iPhones. Unfortunately, that bonus is limited to the 13 Pro Max — DuanRui said the iPhone 13 Pro could only charge at 20W.

Of course, none of this matters if you still use the awful 5W brick Apple included with every iPhone up until it stopped putting chargers in the box with the iPhone 11 (the iPhone 11 Pro did get a fast charger in the box, but it’s an 18W brick). It also doesn’t matter if you use wireless charging or Apple’s fancy MagSafe for charging — both cap at 15W.

To really take advantage of the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 27W charging, you’ll need a cable and a charging brick capable of putting out at least 27W of power. Apple does sell a 30W power brick on its website for $59, but before you go dropping the money, it may be worth checking if you have a 30W+ brick already.

You might already have a charging brick that works with the iPhone 13 Pro Max

The Verge notes that Apple includes a 30W charger with the new MacBook Air and a 61W charger with MacBook Pros, both of which can provide the 27W charging needed for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Alternatively, you can check your power bricks’ charging capabilities by reading the regulatory text printed on them. It should break down the output the brick can deliver, but if you don’t see it in watts, you can multiply the volts and amps to get the wattage. For example, the Pixel charging brick I had by my desk can output at 5V, 3A (15W) or 9V, 2A (18W), and thus would not charge the iPhone 13 Pro Max at full speed.

And of course, nothing can ever be that simple, so The Verge warns that some 30W chargers won’t charge the iPhone 13 Pro Max at 27W because the iPhone looks for 9V at 3A.

It’s a lot of extra complexity that Apple could have avoided if it opted for a better system than just removing the charger from the box. For example, if Apple provided a voucher with new iPhones that let people who actually needed a charger get one (and, specifically, the right one to charge their phone quickly), it could avoid customers having to watch YouTube videos and read tiny regulatory text on the bottom of a charger brick to figure out if they’ll get fast charging with the fancy new iPhone.

Source: ChargerLAB, DuanRui (Twitter) Via: The Verge

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Apple says iPhone 13 ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ fix is coming soon

After several reports, Apple finally confirmed that ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ doesn’t work with the iPhone 13 series through an updated support document.

However, the tech giant says that a fix is coming in an upcoming update. The support document update reads as follow:

“Apple has identified an issue where Unlock with Apple Watch may not work with iPhone 13 devices. You might see “Unable to Communicate with Apple Watch” if you try to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask, or you might not be able to set up Unlock with Apple Watch.

This issue will be fixed in an upcoming software update. Until the update is available, you can turn off Unlock with Apple Watch and use your passcode to unlock your iPhone 13.

To turn off Unlock with Apple Watch, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.”

Until the update drops, Apple says that iPhone 13 users should turn off the ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ feature and use a passcode to unlock the smartphone. You can find this under the Apple Watch settings and then ‘Face ID & Passcode.’

While a minor issue, it seems strange that Apple wouldn’t be aware of this problem before releasing the iPhone 13 series, especially given how useful it’s been amid the pandemic and face mask mandates.

Given Apple’s track record for quickly fixing issues, an update to solve the Unlock with Apple Watch problem will likely drop shortly.

Source: Apple Via: MacRumors 

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Developers will need to update iPhone apps to take full advantage of 120Hz

It seems app developers will need to make some tweaks to take full advantage of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max’s new 120Hz display.

According to iMore, Apple posted a developer article detailing that iPhone apps require a key added to a ‘.plist’ file to “unlock” 120Hz support.

The clarification came after some developers reported that scrolling in an app used 120Hz, but animations were capped at 60Hz. By adding the plist entry, apps can start taking advantage of the higher refresh rate.

Apple also noted that the iPad Pro doesn’t require this special configuration. While it isn’t entirely clear why, Engadget suggests it may be a limitation to help preserve iPhone battery life — the iPad wouldn’t need a similar limit since the larger battery would experience less of a hit from 120Hz.

Further, Apple also confirmed a fix was incoming for some apps ‘Core Animation’ animations. In short, the bug limited the speed for these apps, but a future iOS 15 update should remedy the issue.

Overall, if you’re one of the lucky ones out there with a brand-new iPhone 13 Pro and you notice some apps aren’t as smooth as others, it might be because developers haven’t updated the apps yet. As with all significant changes to iPhone displays, it may take time for developers to add support.

Those interested can view the full Apple developer article here.

Source: Apple Via: iMore, Engadget

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iPhone 13 mini charges slowest in lineup over MagSafe

Apple’s iPhone 13 mini charges at 12-watts with MagSafe-certified wireless chargers instead of 15-watts like the rest of the iPhone 13 lineup, according to a new Apple Support document.

While many users were hoping the 5.4-inch tiny smartphone would get a charging speed upgrade this year, the lower charging speeds come as no surprise since the iPhone 12 mini suffered the same fate.

The iPhone 13 mini, of course, has the smallest battery out of the entire iPhone 13 lineup, so it likely won’t take a long time to charge anyways. It’s also worth noting that since the mini is a smaller device, it also likely heats up faster, which could be what Apple is hoping to offset by the slower charging speed.

If you are looking to fast charge your iPhone 13 mini, you can get maximum charging speeds of up to 22-watts by using a charging brick with at least 20-watts of output.

Source: Apple Support Via: MacRumors

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Fido drops pricing of iPhone X, iPhone 11 and iPhone 12

Rogers’ flanker brand Fido has discounted a few older iPhone models, including the iPhone 11, the iPhone 12 and the iPhone X, now that the iPhone 13 series has been revealed.

This includes $14.39 off the monthly cost of an iPhone 11 Pro and $8 off the monthly cost of an iPhone 12 mini. While none of these deals are incredible, they still offer a slight discount if Apple’s iPhone 13 doesn’t interest you.

For more on the iPhone 13 series, check out our review of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini and the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Deals

  • iPhone 12 Pro Max – $33.34 per month ($6.50 savings each month) – $640 upfront cost
  • iPhone 12 Pro – $33.34 per month ($6 savings each month) – $496 upfront cost
  • iPhone 12 – $34.99 per month ($3.81 savings each month) – $0 upfront pre-owned
  • iPhone XR – $19.99 per month ($9.19 saving each month) – $0 upfront
  • iPhone 12 mini – $20.99 per month ($11.68 savings each month) – $0 upfont pre-owned
  • iPhone 12 mini – $26.04 per month ($8.34 saving each month) – $0 upfront
  • iPhone 11 Pro – $39.99 per month ($14.39 savings each month) – $0 upfront

You can check out all the deals on Fido’s website.

Source: Fido

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iPhone 13 Pro macro photography toggle is coming this fall

Though I didn’t encounter this problem, several early iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max reviews have cited that it’s not possible to turn off macro photography when you’re using the smartphones’ ultra wide-angle lens to snap a picture of a subject close up.

However, a fix for this issue is already in the works that includes a toggle to turn macro photography on and off, according to a statement Apple sent to MobileSyrup.

iPhone 13 macro shot

Macro photography with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is one of the smartphones’ best new features.

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max can focus on objects at just 2cm away. I’m not entirely sure why you’d be taking a wide-angle shot and want to be close to a subject, but I guess this could happen if you were trying to take a group selfie or a similar type of shot.

Generally, the iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max’s macro photography features is extremely impressive. While I found that it can sometimes be challenging to get the lens to focus when you’re taking snapping a photo of an object that’s moving, it’s generally works quite well.

For more on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, check out my review.