With iPhone 13 launch, we decided to do an iPhone 4 vs iPhone 13 to compare how long did apple evolve. The iPhone has come a long way since it was first debuted, the most recent release being its 13 version. It is the fourth generation, succeeding the iPhone 3GS and preceding the 4S. iPhone 4 was first unveiled on June 7, 2010, more than a decade later the iPhone 13 was unveiled on Sept 14, 2021. As a whole decade has passed since the introduction of the iPhone 4, we decide to compare it to the latest release, to show you the growth that has been made.
Display
The display of the iPhone 4 was manufactured by LG as part of an exclusive contract with Apple. It used to have a LED-backlit TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen which provided a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch on a 3.5-inch screen.
The iPhone 13 on the other hand has a Super Retina XDR display, 6.1‑inch all‑screen OLED display, which provides 2532×1170-pixel resolution at 460 PPI.
Camera
iPhone 4 had a modest camera setup that included an additional front-facing VGA camera, and a backside-illuminated 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with a 3.85 mm f/2.8 lens along with a LED flash.
When you compare it to the iPhone 13 which offers a dual 12MP camera system: Wide and Ultra-Wide cameras, Wide: ƒ/1.6, Ultra-Wide: ƒ/2.4 along with a 120° field of view, 2x optical zoom out, Digital zoom up to 5x, Portrait mode along with advanced bokeh and Depth Control along with loads of other modes to be listed here.
Software
The iPhone 4 rocked the iOS 4, which was the latest version of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system at the time. iOS 4 introduced a multitasking system and also introduced FaceTime. The iPhone 4 supported up to iOS 7.
The iPhone 13 comes with the latest version of Apple iOS, namely the iOS 15, which also brings unique features of its own.
Processor & Memory
The iPhone 4 was powered by Apple’s A4 chip, which was designed by Intrinsity, manufactured by Samsung. The Apple A4 chip was the first-ever CPU originally designed by Apple. The iPhone 4 used to have 512 MB of DRAM.
The iPhone 13 is powered by the A15 Bionic chip, which houses New 6‑core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores, New 4‑core GPU, as well as a New 16‑core Neural Engine. Along with its 6 GB RAM.
Storage
The iPhone 4 had storage capacities of 8, 16, or 32 GB.
While the iPhone 13 has storage capacities of 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB.
iPhone 4 vs iPhone 13 comparison table:
| Device | iPhone 4 | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | 5-megapixel rear-facing camera along with a 3.85 mm f/2.8 lens | Dual 12MP camera system: Wide and Ultra-Wide cameras, Wide: ƒ/1.6, Ultra-Wide: ƒ/2.4 along with a 120° field of view, 2x optical zoom out, Digital zoom up to 5x, and many Modes. |
| Display | LED-backlit TFT LCD, pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, 3.5-inch screen. | Super Retina XDR display, 6.1‑inch all‑screen OLED display, 2532×1170-pixel resolution at 460 PPI |
| Processor | A4 chip | A15 Bionic chip |
| Memory | 512 MB of DRAM | 6GB RAM |
| Storage | 8, 16, or 32 GB | 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB |
| Software | iOS 4 | iOS 15 |
| Color | Black, White | Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink |
| 5G | Of course, Not | 5G (sub‑6 GHz)4 |
| Video playback | Up to 10 hours | Up to 19 hours, up to 15 hours if streaming |
| Audio Playback | Up to 40 hours | Up to 75 hours |
| Space voyage | In 2011, 2 iPhone 4’s equipped with a special application were taken to the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle on the STS-135 mission. | None as of yet. |
| Rating for Hearing Aids | 3G network – 850/1900MHz: M4, T4 2G network – 850MHz: M3, T3 2G network – 1900MHz: M2, T3 | M3, T4 |
| In the Box | iPhone 4 Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic Dock Connector to USB Cable USB Power Adapter Documentation | iPhone with iOS 15 USB-C to Lightning Cable Documentation |
| Sensors | Three-axis gyro Accelerometer Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor | Face ID Barometer Three‑axis gyro Accelerometer Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor |
| Power and Battery | Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery USB to computer system or power adapter | Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W10 Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W10 USB to computer system or power adapter Fast-charge capable: available separately |
Excluding these, there are loads of features that the iPhone 13 brings to the table that can’t be compared to anything that the iPhone 4 has to offer. This comparison might show the iPhone 4 as some kind of medieval object, that is all thanks to the growth that has taken place over the last decade. This is a testament to how much technology and Apple has evolved in a decade.
