Still, on the iPhone 13 series, a lot has been said already but as the release gets closer, more information about the device continues to get revealed across the internet. The device will reportedly make its debut this September – hopefully, and the device is expected to be a premium-tier smartphone with improved features over the current models – the iPhone 12 series.
Number 13 is unfortunate in some culture
The number 13 is said to be an unlucky number for some people and whether Apple will decide to name its flagship smartphone is yet unknown. What is being rumored is the fact that Apple’s engineers consider naming the device iPhone 12 S” instead.
Despite being a better upgrade from the current iPhone 12 series, leaker Jon Prosser made it known that his sources indicate the naming will be made due to the negative connotation of the number 13 in some cultures, and with that, there might never be an iPhone 13 – instead iPhone 12 S and then maybe a jump to iPhone 14 in the future.
Only one report from a source with a pretty bad track record states the iPhone 13 will actually be called iPhone 13.
Design
There won’t be too much tweak in terms of the design of the iPhone 13 series according to rumors. Apple will retain the same design language of the current iPhone 12 series which includes the square design with sharp edges that some users complained about being too sharp compared to the previous iPhone 11 with curved sides.
One slight but unnoticeable tweak at the back of the device will be the camera module based on multiple dummies shared. There will be a diagonal camera placement on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini while the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max will retain the same camera design as the current iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max with the difference being a slight spacing among the three cameras.
Size
Reports indicate that Apple will follow the same lineup configuration as the iPhone 12, which means four phones in three different sizes:
- iPhone 13 mini (5.4-inch)
- iPhone 13 (6.1-inch)
- iPhone 13 Pro (6.1-inch)
- iPhone 13 Pro Max (6.7-inch)
Display
The screen is expected to be the part where Apple will shine in 2021 with the iPhone 13 series as the device could finally be getting the LTPO as well as a 120Hz refresh rate. This will be a big leap for the company considering the fact that Apple’s iPhone 12 series is the only device on the market lacking a high refresh rate as the current iPhone 12 series despite its price point and cool specs only has a 60Hz display.
Processor
The inclusion of a new A15 processor in the new iPhone looks like a certainty at this point, expect speed boosts and efficiency upgrades as per previous years.
Camera
There is a recent rumor that Apple will be including some three features on the iPhone 13 series such as ProRes, Filter, and portrait video. The camera modules will probably retain the current 12MP triple sensors on the “Pro” model with a Time-of-Flight camera while the configuration will be a triple setup.
Reports also claim that the iPhone 13 lineup, the two lower-end devices, will receive a boost by taking on the camera from the iPhone 12 Pro Max. As with iPhone 12, these are expected to be dual cameras. At least one leak indicates that LiDAR is only coming to the Pro iPhone 13 models. Multiple dummy units and case leaks indicate the camera layout of the regular new iPhone will be adjusted to a diagonal format, and that the bump will be larger.
Connectivity
Apple will further cement its presence on the 5G market with the iPhone 13 series and could support the faster mmWave 5G with WiFi 6E for faster internet connection.
Charging: Finally USB-C, right?
No. A report from Jon Prosser earlier this year states that Apple will never adopt USB-C in the iPhone and that Apple is planning to release one ‘portless’ iPhone next year. That’s right, at least one iPhone 13 could come with no ports whatsoever, relying on wireless connectivity and charging, or perhaps a smart connector to get the job done. Regardless, there will never be a USB-C iPhone. We have heard rumors however that the iPhone 13 might get a slight boost thanks to a new 25W adapter, however, the rumor doesn’t come from a source with a great track record.
Price
Again, there are no specific rumors about the price of the iPhone 13 yet, but in recent years Apple has followed the simple pattern of introducing a new phone at roughly similar price points to current models and then reducing the price of the old one. We’d be pretty surprised if the iPhone 13 is substantially different in price from iPhone 12. especially given the more minor ‘S’ upgrades apparently planned for this year.
Release date
The iPhone 12 debuted in a split launch and was delayed due to COVID-19. Multiple reports indicate that Apple’s iPhone 13 is expected to launch in September on its usual cycle. An educated guess, a September 14 event with a release date of Friday 24 seems most likely based on previous rollouts.
The return of Touch ID
That might have been RIP’d with the release of the iPhone SE back in 2020. Even though there have been different comments about Apple bringing back the TouchID as an under-display scanner due to the presence of OLED panels on the devices. It’s however unlikely that Apple will take this route but simply stick with its current FaceID after so long.
Smaller notch
There are multiple indications that Apple’s notch will be narrower, but not shorter, in the 2021 iPhone lineup. That should hopefully mean more space on either side of the notch for status symbols and indicators such as battery life and connectivity.