The last few iterations of the iPhone have not really introduced anything new in terms of design and have mainly been upgrades in the specs and camera department. While this is not really a big problem, many rumours have suggested that change is coming to the new line of iPhones such as a new design, new chip and a better display so here is everything you need to know about Apple’s upcoming flagship.
Display
Credit: MacRumours
Many Android enthusiasts have mocked the iPhone for not having a high refresh rate display or an always on display as these features have been available on Android flagships for the longest time but this looks set to change with the iPhone 13.
The iPhone is a fast and responsive phone thanks to iOS, but adding a high refresh display, similar to the ones found on the iPad Pro line would make the iPhone that much faster. Rumours suggested that this was supposed to make its way to the iPhone 12 Pro line but was omitted due to the impact it would have to battery life alongside 5G, however it seems that Apple have solved this issue as it seems more and more likely that these features will be in the iPhone 13 Pro line.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who has an amazing track record with Apple leaks has claimed that the iPhone 13 Pro models will have 120Hz displays that will use the same LTPO technology that is found in the Apple Watch Series 6. This technology allows for an always on display and a high refresh rate display to function without hurting battery life that much.
It is still unclear what this always on display will feature and if it will make its way to older devices through a software update but it should show the clock, battery and notifications without the need to wake your device.
Notch, Or Lack Thereof
Credit: TechRadar
The infamous notch was first featured on the iPhone X back in 2018 and while other manufacturers have increased the screen to body ratio on their devices by adding a hole punch, Apple have stuck to their trusted notch on the front of the iPhone.
The iPhone 13 is not going to have a design overhaul externally but it should feature a smaller notch. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, there will be four models of the iPhone 13 which include an iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. All these devices will be thicker as they will feature bigger batteries and bigger camera sensors but the flat design will remain.
Many rumours also point to a smaller notch on the device. These reports suggest that Apple is optimising components to reduce the overall footprint of the notch which would move the speaker right up to the edge of the device. The notch will still be pretty visible but it will also be noticeably smaller than the ones on previous devices which does give the iPhone a more modern look. These reports also suggest that Apple will be keeping the Lightning port on the iPhone and will not be heading the portless route just yet.
Cameras
The camera setup on the iPhone 12 series, while good, was not a huge upgrade from the ones found on the iPhone 11 but the story might be different with the iPhone 13.
Reports suggest that the devices could come with better ultra-wide cameras and an automatic astrophotography mode as well. The Pro Max device will still have the best cameras and might feature a larger f/1.5 aperture lens on the main lens but overall, all devices will produce better image quality.
8K recording is not expected on the iPhone 13 as according to Kuo, Apple are not in a rush to get 8K content out there as 8K screens are still rare so it would be hard for users to view their recordings in the full 8K resolution.
Performance
As with every new iPhone, the iPhone 13 is set to feature a new chip from Apple, the A15 . Apple has been producing really good custom silicon recently with the likes of the M1 outperforming its competition so the expectations are high for the A15. The A14 featured some stellar performance and while it is uncertain how much better the A15 will be, you can expect it to deliver faster speeds and better battery life. The iPhone 13 is also set to feature Qualcomms new Snapdragon X60 modem and WiFi 6E.
Overall, the iPhone 13 is looking like a good upgrade especially for iPhone XS users. While none of these are confirmed, they do seem likely but as always do take everything with a pinch of salt. The launch of iOS 15 at WWDC should provide more clues as to what we can expect from the iPhone 13 so stay tuned for that.
