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Features about the new iPhone 13 that parents will flip for

Sarah Prager
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The iPhone has long been a top choice for parents because of the iOS parental control options. The operating system allows you to choose which apps your child can use, the age rating of content they can access, prevent viewing certain web content, restrict game use, block purchasing, and share purchases and apps across family accounts. The whole system works well for kids, parents, and families, but the device iOS works on matters, too. Is the new iPhone 13 the one parents need? While your child may use an iPad or an iPhone, what do you use as a parent? There are iPhone features parents will love in the new smartphone to answer all these questions and more.

The new iPhone 13, released on September 24, 2021, has several features attractive for parents, from an improved camera to longer battery life. In these new iPhone features, parents find much of what they’re looking for. While the Apple OS and apps give families an excellent system, the hardware of the phone itself shouldn’t be overlooked either.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Better camera

Being able to take high-quality photos of your kids is a priority when choosing a phone since you’re not going to carry around a digital camera in addition to your smartphone nowadays. With phone pics looking more and more professional, the iPhone 13 will help you keep up and even take DIY family holiday photos that look like you shelled out for a photography session.

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The new camera captures 47% more light and the new night mode automatically adjusts to take brighter images in lower light scenes, like inside your house. The camera also has “sensor-shift optical image stabilization” that “keeps shots steady even when you’re not.” So when you’re chasing your adorable toddler to get the shot your pic is less likely to come out blurry. The camera is faster, wider, captures more detail in darker areas, and is in both the regular and mini-versions of the new phone.

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Better video recording

The video is also improved with the iPhone 13, not just the still images. Cinematic mode creates beautiful depth and focus, like Portrait mode does for still iPhone pictures. Your home movies will look like a videographer took them. You can also edit a video’s focal point after the fact on the phone, something that can’t be done practically anywhere else. So if the focus accidentally brought the piñata into focus instead of your kid, you can now change that.

Mini-version

If you want to get your child their own iPhone, you may want to consider getting the new iPhone mini. The iPhone 13 is 6.1 inches tall, while the iPhone 13 mini is 5.4 inches tall. It’s not minuscule by any stretch, but it may help fit in smaller hands. The price difference and the size aren’t very big, but they’re a step towards what you may be looking for.

Man with baby, bag, and phone
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Longer battery life

This is one of the most important upgrades on the iPhone 13! When you’re out on a field trip or playdate for hours and need your phone for everything from GPS to texting to photo-taking to looking up the nearest drive-through restaurant, you need your battery to last. This iPhone’s battery lasts up to 2.5 hours longer (1.5 for the mini) than the last iteration, a total game-changer.

5G connectivity

While the iPhone 12 was the first iPhone to feature 5G connectivity, this is worth highlighting. 5G means that FaceTime calls come in with better clarity, uploads and downloads go faster, and streaming shows and playing games won’t lag or buffer as much. That call from grandma will show up better and more reliably, and so will streaming “Sesame Street.”

More storage

The iPhone 13 starts with 128 GB, double the starting amount for iPhone 12. That means twice the photos, videos, and apps will fit on your phone and half as much worrying about your phone filling up or slowing down. While you can (and should) back everything up to a service like iCloud or Amazon Photos, having space on your phone is always a good idea, too.

Some features from the iPhone 12 or earlier that are still present include being water-resistant (important for when you have the teeth-brushing encouragement app running), strong glass that isn’t easily broken by clumsy toddlers, and Face ID (so your kids can’t unlock your phone without you there). With this new iPhone, parents have even more features to make them want to choose this option. The iPhone 13 retails for $799 and the iPhone 13 mini costs $699.

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Sarah Prager
Sarah Prager
Contributor
Sarah is a writer and mom who lives in Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National…
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