Apple finally got rid of the iPhone XR. And with the release of the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, the iPhone lineup has never been more consistent.
Apple has just announced its iPhone 13 and 13 Pro. But if the announcement of the latest models still takes light, it must be remembered every year that the iPhone is a full range of smartphones – which starts at 489 € with the iPhone SE. The top of the range renewed every year in the fall is only part of Apple’s offering, which aims to push back the technology and offer new ways of using it.
But since the release of the iPhone XR in 2018, Apple has stuck to keep this smartphone in its range. Let it be said: it is far from being a bad device. When it first came out, it was even one of the most highly recommended iPhones. But as of the release of the iPhone 11, the iPhone XR was relegated to the background, with a price difference too small with the newcomer to be able to advise it again.
The coup de grace came in 2020 with the release of the second-generation iPhone SE. This small smartphone equipped with Touch ID, in a historic format that Apple masters perfectly, included more powerful components than those of the XR, at an unbeatable floor price for a new device. The purchase of an iPhone XR therefore no longer had any possible justification – but Apple continued to sell it at an excessive price, when the refurbished market sold it off.
In 2021, this heresy came to an end: the iPhone XR finally left the iPhone line. It now consists of several smartphones which, for the first time in a long time, all have a particularly well thought out price positioning and truly high-end services.
The 2021 iPhone lineup: a great iPhone for every budget
- iPhone SE (2020), 489 € (our test) : this is the gateway to the Apple range. But the iPhone SE only has Touch ID of aging: it embeds the components of the iPhone 11 and is able to do wonders in photos. It is certainly an entry-level product, but a perfectly competitive product compared to the market – especially since it benefits from iOS 15 and the exemplary monitoring of Apple.
- iPhone 11 (2019), 589 € (our test) : it’s an iPhone from 2019 which is still extremely capable. We will see little difference in use with the latest models released, in most apps. Compared to the iPhone SE, it features Face ID, high-end facial recognition from Apple and an interface designed without a Home button.
- iPhone 12 and 12 mini, 689 € (our test) : here, it is the autonomy, the OLED screen and the 5G that we buy. At € 689, Apple is offering a future-ready smartphone that can keep up with technological developments for many years to come – 6G is not for now. At this price point, it’s almost the most recommendable iPhone in the range, with an incredible value for money.
- iPhone 13 and 13 mini, € 809 (the announcement of the iPhone 13) : a latest generation iPhone, with the main camera from last year’s Pro versions and an even more powerful processor. We also buy with 120 € more than the previous one this new screen and its smaller Face ID module. It is, like every year, the iPhone by default for those who do not have too many questions about the purchase.
- iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, € 1,159, (the announcement of the iPhone 13 Pro) : you have to like the novelty to put € 350 more in a Pro version compared to a normal iPhone 13. But this year, the difference will be visible: only the Pro version offers the ProMotion screen, ranging from 10 Hz to 120 Hz, allowing both energy savings and better fluidity. It is also on this iPhone that we will discover macro photography, the new zoom and advances in video.
