New iPhone 13 Pro: Plans, prices, and deals in Australia

By Alex Choros

Last updated 24 September 2021

The iPhone 13 Pro is here! If you're thinking about picking up Apple's latest, here's everything you need to know about the new device, including plans, pricing, and more.

This page focuses on the iPhone 13 Pro, but you can find more about the other 2021 iPhones here:

iPhone 13 Pro Price

Apple stayed the course with Phone 13 pricing, meaning every model has the same starting price as last year's equivalent. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max do however benefit from more expensive 1TB options, for those after a ludicrous amount of storage on the go.

iPhone 13 mini 128GB: $1,199
iPhone 13 mini 256GB: $1,369
iPhone 13 mini 512GB: $1,719

iPhone 13 128GB: $1,349
iPhone 13 256GB: $1,519
iPhone 13 512GB: $1,869

iPhone 13 Pro 128GB: $1,699
iPhone 13 Pro 256GB: $1,869
iPhone 13 Pro 512GB: $2,219
iPhone 13 Pro Max 1TB: $2,569

iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB: $1,849
iPhone 13 Pro Max 256GB: $2,019
iPhone 13 Pro Max 512GB: $2,369
iPhone 13 Pro Max 1TB: $2,719

iPhone 13 Pro Design

The entire iPhone 13 family looks pretty similar to the iPhone 12 family, but with a 20% smaller notch and a slightly thicker build to accommodate extra battery.

The iPhone 13 Pro has the same size 6.1-inch display we saw in last year's iPhone 12 Pro, but with a smaller notch. The iPhone 13 Pro Max also measures in at 6.7-inch once again.

The below image compares the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max both have high resolution OLED displays. OLED screens are more vibrant and have higher contrast. Photos and videos have a little extra pop, and the screen is able to display deep levels of black as it lights up individual pixels as needed.

If you're thinking about going Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max stand out from their standard iPhone 13 thanks to a high refresh rate ProMotion display. A typical screen has a 60Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max can dial this up to 120Hz when necessary for smoother motion.

ProMotions displays have been used in iPad Pros for a couple of years now, and high refresh rate screens are now a common feature in Android phones. While the tech can burn more battery, the ProMotion display has a variable refresh rate, so it can also turn down the refresh rate to as low as 10Hz if you're not interacting with the device.

Like last year's iPhones, the iPhone 13 family all have "Ceramic Shield" glass on the front. This makes them four times more drop-resistant than iPhones without Apple's fancy protective glass.

iPhone 13 Pro Camera

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have Apple's best camera configuration yet, even outshining the standard iPhone 13.

In a first for Apple, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have an entirely unique camera setup when compared to the standard iPhone 13. Both the 12MP primary and 12MP ultra-wide cameras have a wider aperture, which will further improve low light performance. These are joined by a 12MP 3x optical zoom lens. The Pro models also feature a unique macro mode that can shoot subjects as close as 2cm.

The iPhone 13 Pro cameras are also joined by a LiDAR sensor. This is said to improve autofocus in lowlight, reduce capture time in dark environments, and assist with augmented reality applications.

Avid videographers will should enjoy the new "Cinematic" video mode that helps create professional focus transitions. For example, it can anticipate when a subject enters the frame, or change focus when your subject gazes at something else. You can also tap to shift focus at any time, or lock focus on a subject. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max can even refocus video after it's shot. Talk about fixing it in post.

iPhone 13 Pro Colours

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are available in a choice of four colours: sierra blue, silver, gold, and graphite.

iPhone 13 Pro Battery Life

Apple says the iPhone 13 Pro battery will last about 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro.

Apple's official battery metrics for the iPhone 13 Pro are as follows:

Up to 22 hours of video playback
Up to 20 hours of streamed video playback
Up to 75 hours of audio playback

That's a solid improvement over the iPhone 12 Pro, which we found would last about a day per charge. We'd still expect about a day per charge from the iPhone 13 Pro rather than a day-and-a-half, but you should get more of a buffer.

iPhone 13 Pro 5G

The entire iPhone 13 family has 5G connectivity, just like last year's devices.

As with the iPhone 12 family, all four iPhone 13 models have 5G connectivity. Once again, Australian models only feature sub 6 connectivity, rather than mmWave as in the US. No phone in Australia has launched with mmWave capabilities, yet.

WhistleOut's coverage checker tool has been upgraded with 5G coverage maps, making it easy to see whether you can get 5G. All you need to do is pop in your address when searching for a new phone plan. After you've done so and hit Search, you can jump straight to the coverage map by tapping See Coverage Map and then tapping Click To Activate Interactive Map.

This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, but unticking 4G and 3G can help make it clearer. The drop down menu lets you choose between telcos.

Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions such as buildings.

Click to Activate Interactive Map

Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception. Coverage © Mosaik

iPhone 13 Pro Processor

The entire iPhone 13 family are powered by an A15 processor, Apple's fastest smartphone chip yet. No matter what iPhone 13 you get, they all share the same brain. The iPhone 13 Pro does however have a slight edge when it comes to graphics.

Apple says the A15 processor is 50% faster than the leading competing chip, but hasn't named names or disclosed year-on-year improvements. We're nonetheless expecting the A15 to be zippy as heck.

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also have an additional graphics core on their A15 processor, which should provide some slight improvements for demanding tasks like gaming and video work.

iPhone 13 specifications

	iPhone 13 mini	iPhone 13	iPhone 13 Pro	iPhone 13 Pro Max
Display	5.4-inch OLED	6.1-inch OLED	6.1-inch OLED	6.7-inch OLED
Resolution	Super Retina	Super Retina	Super Retina	Super Retina
Refresh Rate	60Hz	60Hz	120Hz	120Hz
Rear Cameras	2x 12MP	2x 12MP	3x 12MP + LiDAR	3x 12MP + LiDAR
Front Camera	12MP	12MP	12MP	12MP
Processor	A15	A15	A15	A15
Storage	128GB - 512GB	128GB - 512GB	128GB - 1TB	128GB - 1TB
Water-Resistance	IP68	IP68	IP68	IP68
5G	Sub 6	Sub 6	Sub 6	Sub 6
Price	From $1,199	From $1,349	From $1,699	From $1,849

Choosing an iPhone Plan

With the WhistleOut search tool, you'll be able to compare iPhone 13 Pro plan pricing and inclusions across every provider. But there's a lot more to iPhone plans than just cost and data. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.

Telstra iPhone plans are often the priciest on the Australian market, but they do come with a few perks. These include:

Access to Telstra's super-fast 4GX network
Data-free access to Apple Music
Access to the Telstra Plus perks and rewards program

While Telstra iPhone plans aren't cheap, they're all rather flexible. They're no-contract on the basis that you can leave at any time, you'll just need to pay out the remaining value of your phone. You also have the option to step up or down in plan inclusions up to one time per month, which is great if you have variable usage.

Telstra also offers the option to pay off your iPhone over 12 or 24 months. And all plans come with zero excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream video in SD. But speeds may be slower during peak times.

Compare Telstra iPhone plans

Optus iPhone plans come with big data inclusions and entertainment extras. Optus iPhone plans come with:

Free access to Optus Sport
Discounted movie tickets for Hoyts cinemas through the Optus Perks program

All Optus plans are contract-free, devices can be paid off across 12, 24, or 36 months, and you can customise inclusions like roaming and international calls on a month-to-month basis. In addition, all Optus postpaid plans are now free from excess data charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be slowed to 1.5Mbps rather than being billed $10 per gigabyte.

Compare Optus iPhone plans

Vodafone iPhone plans may not come with the kinds of freebies and perks you can get from Optus or Telstra, but they do offer a lot of flexibility. Like Telstra and Optus plans, Vodafone plans are contract-free on the basis that you can leave at any time without penalty. You'll just need to pay out the remaining value of your handset.

You can also step up or down in plan inclusions up to once per month, and ease the burden of an iPhone price tag with the option to pay it off over 12, 24 or 36 months. You'll pay the same overall for your iPhone no matter which option you pick.

Vodafone postpaid plans are all free from excess data charges. When you go over your plan allowance, you'll be capped to 2Mbps and 10Mbps, depending on how much you're spending per month. The higher your bill, the higher your capped data speeds. Vodafone also has a truly unlimited plan, with one slight catch - you'll only get 30GB of data for hotspotting each month.

You'll also get access to Vodafone's famous $5 roaming, which is still easily the best way to travel with your Australian phone number.

Compare Vodafone iPhone plans