Apple’s upcoming iPhone could have a smaller notch and thicker camera bump. We may have even gotten a glimpse of a notchless iPhone on Ted Lasso.
Apple’s upcoming iPhone, said to be called the iPhone 13, is expected to get a makeover with a new design and color options (maybe even bubblegum pink). The new iPhone is rumored to feature a smaller notch and thicker camera bump. But, we won’t know the exact iPhone 13 specs until Apple’s September event.
We’re expecting to see four new iPhones from Apple — the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The new phones will follow the release of the purple iPhone 12 and 12 Mini earlier this year.
From the rumors and leaks published so far, we aren’t expecting a major design change for the iPhone 13 — it’ll likely be pretty similar to the iPhone 12 in terms of models, camera size and price. (See more about how the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 are expected to stack up.) But there are a few notable changes and upgrades that could make using the iPhone 13 a lot easier. Here’s what we know right now.
iPhone 13 sizes
These are the rumored iPhone 13 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
These sizes are the same as the iPhone 12, but may end up being just slightly thicker (more below).
A smaller notch
Apple has included a notched display on every iPhone since the 2017 iPhone X, as a place for the selfie camera. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in March predicted that the iPhone 13 will have a smaller notch than its predecessors.
We may have gotten a glimpse of a notchless iPhone during episode of popular Apple TV series Ted Lasso. In two brief scenes of episode 6, we see an iPhone without a notch running iOS. Some speculate that the phone in question could have been the iPhone 13. But, we shouldn’t get our hopes up too much. Despite the buzz generated by shots of the phone, it’s more likely a CGI imperfection in post-production than a sneak peek of Apple’s new iPhone.
The same Lightning port (for most iPhone 13 models)
While the headphone jack is a thing of the past for iPhones, some had predicted that the rise of MagSafe accessories last year meant that the next iPhone would be portless. However, Kuo predicts that all iPhone 13 models will still include a Lightning port — except for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The iPhone 13 could also be completely buttonless, but this change is more likely on a subsequent release.
A 120Hz display
In March, Kuo also predicted that the two iPhone 13 Pro models will use LTPO technology in their displays for a 120Hz refresh rate, which we’ve heard in previous rumors as well. The number of hertz a phone screen is able to display refers to its number of frames per second, which determines how fast and smooth the screen feels when you’re scrolling through apps and web pages. It also affects how smooth supported games feel.
Many people were expecting to see the 120Hz refresh rate in the iPhone 12, since some higher-end phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, have this feature. On Twitter, tech analyst and leaker Jon Prosser claimed the decision not to implement 120Hz in the iPhone 12 pro was made due to battery life issues, since 5G drains so much battery on its own. But that will likely be less of a problem in the iPhone 13.
A bigger battery
All four iPhone 13 models will feature larger batteries than their iPhone 12 counterparts, according to Kuo. This would support the 120Hz display.
A thicker width and camera bump
The iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models may end up being thicker than their iPhone 12 predecessors, according to a May MacRumors report. Both of the new models are expected to be 7.57mm thick, up from 7.4mm in the iPhone 12 models. But that’s a difference that most people probably won’t notice.
More noticeable could be a change to the camera bump, MacRumors reported: While the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have camera bumps around 1.5mm to 1.7mm, the iPhone 13’s bump will be 2.51mm, and the 13 Pro’s will be 3.56mm. The increased size will prevent the lenses from sticking out as much as they do on the older phones.
A photo from leaker Sonny Dickson on Twitter in late June showed the alleged design of the four models, with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini’s camera bump showing two lenses situated diagonally.
iPhone 13 colors
We haven’t seen a ton of reliable leaks involving potential iPhone 13 colors. The iPhone 12 comes in six colors: deep blue, minty green, Project Red, white, black and most recently, purple. Apple usually replaces one color with another in its new models, but we aren’t yet sure what that will be.
Apple could be adding a new color, called “Sunset Gold” to the iPhone 13 lineup, according to leaker Ranzuk on Naver, a Korean blogging platform. The color is said to have a “bronze feel” and be slightly less pale than Apple’s rose gold. Renders of the iPhone 13’s new color were posted to Twitter by @RendersbyIan.
There was talk earlier in the year about a pink iPhone 13, and while there’s definitely potential for that color, this “rumor” was more like wishful thinking. Rumors about a new matte black color also circulated online this spring, as reported by EverythingApplePro on YouTube, courtesy of leaker Max Weinbach.
For more, check out our review of the iPhone 12, and the best ways to sell or trade in your old iPhone.
