Major upgrades over its predecessor include improved battery life, improved cameras and computational photography, rack focus for video in a new "Cinematic Mode" at 1080p 30 fps, Apple ProRes video recording, a smaller notch by almost 20%, a new A15 Bionic system on a chip, and a variable 10–120Hz display, marketed as ProMotion.

[17] The successor to the iPhone 12 Pro models began in development to make the size of the notch 20% smaller as thanks to the front-firing speaker placed into the upper edge from the True-Depth sensor housing and utilizing the display refresh rate up to 120 Hz for smoother motion found.

In March 2023, Apple began selling refurbished iPhone 13 Pro models on their official website.

The Face ID and camera module on the front display, or "notch", is now 20% smaller than in previous generations.

[29] The iPhone 13 Pro has a 6.06 inch (154 mm) (marketed as 6.1-inch (15 cm)) OLED display with a resolution of 2532 × 1170 pixels (2.9 megapixels) at 460 PPI, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 6.68 inch (170 mm) (marketed as 6.7-inch (17 cm)) OLED display with a resolution of 2778 × 1284 pixels (3.5 megapixels) at 458 PPI.

The rear-facing cameras all contain larger sensors than the iPhone 12 Pro, allowing for more light-gathering.

The wide and ultra-wide also have larger apertures to capture more light and increase low-light performance.

The 77 mm telephoto has a smaller aperture than the 12 Pro's, but has the advantage of being able to use Night Mode.

Smart HDR 4 processes recognized faces in photos separately using local adjustments.

Users can also choose from a range of photographic styles during capture, including rich contrast, vibrant, warm, and cool.