The time is almost upon us!
Apple's iPhone 13 event will be held on September 14, 2021 at 10 am PT. Here's everything we can expect for Apple's upcoming replacement to iPhone 12.
Name: Unlucky for some
Whilst there had been rumors that Apple would skip iPhone 13 as a moniker, recent packaging leads could indicate this is false. Internally, this year's iPhone is reportedly considered an 'S' upgrade, but iPhone 13 seems nailed on at this point.
Design
The brand new design of the iPhone 12 with its square edges has been a big hit with plenty of customers, and there are no reports that Apple plans to deviate from this design in 2021.
Multiple dummy units and CAD files indicate Apple is going to make some slight tweaks to the iPhone's design this year, the regular models will feature a rearranged camera configuration, whilst the iPhone 13 Pro will reportedly feature a much larger camera bump and enlarged camera lenses. We've also heard lots of rumors about a smaller notch coming to this year's iPhone.
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
If reports are correct, 2021 could finally be the year of 120Hz on the iPhone. According to reports, the iPhone 13 Pro lineup is expected to feature a ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate display, thanks to LTPO adoption. This is the same technology Apple uses in Apple Watch and Mark Gurman says this will bring an always-on display to iPhone, as well as 120Hz capability. We aren't expecting the regular iPhone models to feature 120Hz this year.
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
One big rumored improvement for the next iPhone is the camera. Reports suggest that at least the Pro versions of the device will feature a Time-of-Flight camera, with a triple-lens configuration.
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.
Battery
The only reports we have about the iPhone's battery this year indicate a pretty substantial upgrade in capacity is coming. How this will translate to real-world performance, however, is a different matter, with upgrades to the display, connectivity, and camera, it could be the larger batteries only make for a slight performance increase or even something in line with last year.
Connectivity
Apple is expected to expand support for its much faster mmWave 5G with this year's iPhone, bringing support to more countries, as well as Wi-Fi 6E for improved browsing speeds wherever you are! Apple is also reportedly working on a spicy new satellite feature that will enable two new safety features. Emergency Services via satellite will let users text emergency services and contacts over a satellite network even without cell signal. A second feature will reportedly be used to report emergencies like a plane crash or sinking ship using satellite networks.
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.
Storage
Rumors state that we might be getting a new 1TB storage option for the iPhone 13, which sounds like overkill to be quite honest, not to mention it'll probably cost an absolute fortune.
Price
Recent reports suggest Apple might have to eat some increased pricing when it comes to iPhone manufacturing, leading some reports to speculate the iPhone 13 could cost more than its predecessor.
Release date
Apple's iPhone 13 event is taking place on September 14, so we can expect the phone to be released later that week for pre-order, arriving in stores the following week.
The return of Touch ID
There were multiple reports that Apple had planned to include in-screen Touch ID in the year's iPhone, but this has reportedly not made the cut and won't feature this year.
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.
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