iPhone 13 rumors and specs

The new 2021 iPhone 13 models are about to launch in September, so we checked all rumors  about what to expect from the new devices.

The new 2021 iPhone lineup will look similar to the former iPhone lineup, with four devices in sizes:  5.4-inches, 6.1-inches, and 6.7-inches, and two higher-end “Pro” models and two positioned as lower-cost, for those seeking an affordable device.

Real or big design changes are not expected, and 2021 iPhones will have the same feature set as the 2020 iPhones. However we expect camera improvements, a faster A-series processor, a new 5G chip from Qualcomm, and important for users an increased battery life, and a smaller size of the ugly notch.

There were some early rumors that one iPhone in 2021 would feature a portless design entirely relying on wireless charging, but this rumor has not been confirmed anymore.
Apple iPhones will continue to rely on Lightning connections with no transition to USB-C.

A smaller notch is definitely expected, and some found mockups suggest it could be less pronounced. The new iPhone 13 is also expected to feature 120Hz display refresh rates for the more expensive Pro models.

If there’s onething I would like to see happening, is the return of the fingerprint sensor which in addition to Face ID could provide as a second authentication method, but apparantly according to rumors this will not happen until 2022.

Camera’s are a major feature of any mobile and every year we see a kind of contest which mobile has the best camera technology on board. Samsung, Google and iPhones are in a steap competition which in the end favors us buyers getting a more sophisticated camera time after time. Rumors suggest we may find a larger sensor in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, along with an updated Sensor-Shift Stabilization feature for better auto-focus and stabilization. The new iPhone 13 Pro, is getting a much larger camera array. (iPhone 12 and 12 mini face diagonal camera setup).

Rumors claim improvements to the Ultra Wide lenses on the “Pro” iPhone 13 models for better performance in low-light conditions and improved autofocus.

Batterylife of iPhones or mobiles in general is a major technical issue as we can barely use our mobiles for 15 hours a day when we get the all familiar blinking of a drained accu. Apple’s new iPhone 13 models are to have a larger battery capacity than earlier models, but taking the above ‘table’ in considiration I guess we still face the same problems even though the new A15 chip is somewhat less power hungry.

SOME DESIGN CHANGES

The new iPhones 13 face no changes to the sizes, so we can expect a 5.4-inch iPhone mini, a 6.1-inch low-cost iPhone, a 6.1-inch Pro model, and a 6.7-inch Pro Max model.

The 2021 iPhone models have beside the less pronounced ‘notch’ no real design changes, however thickness is expected to increase by approximately 0.26mm. The iPhone 13 models are also expected to be slightly heavier due to larger batteries.

The standard iPhone 13 model with dual-lens camera setup could see the lenses arranged diagonally rather than a vertical design. What makes Apple choose for the new lens-layout is unknown to me.

SMALLER NOTCH

As mentioned the iPhone 13 is expected to feature a smaller notch, which may result in an iPhone looking like this composed image just to show the difference in dimensions.

The TrueDepth camera will be shallower because the receiver at the top of the display is being relocated to the edge of the case. This information originally suggested the notch would be shallower rather than smaller, but later mockups have indicated it will be shrinking in width rather than height.

The iPhone 13’s Face ID transmitter is said to be made from a plastic material instead of glass, made possible thanks to improved coating technologies.

The smaller notch can be seen in leaked display panels said to be for the upcoming iPhone 13 models. In these images, the panels have smaller notches because the earpiece speaker has been moved into the top bezel.

IPHONE 13 AND PORTLESS DESIGN

Apple’s ultimate goal is to build an iPhone with no external ports or buttons for a clean, resulting in a streamlined device, but Apple will not introduce a portless iPhone in 2021 with no Lightning port. Apple also has no plans to transition the iPhone lineup from Lightning to USB-C.

TOUCH ID

Now, will the new iPhone 13 feature an in-screen fingerprint (Touch ID) reader yes or no ?

To implement a 120Hz refresh rate on the iPhone, Apple needs to adopt LTPO display technology, which is rumored to be happening in 2021. At least two 2021 iPhone models will use OLED displays with low-power LTPO backplane technology, which will pave the way for 120Hz refresh rates. LTPO offers a more power efficient backplane, which turns the individual pixels on and off on the display, and allows for better battery life. The two models with LTPO are expected to be the Pro models, which are the ones that are rumored to adopt ProMotion technology.

Samsung will supply the LTPO OLED displays that will allow Apple to implement the 120Hz refresh rate in the 2021 iPhone models, and BOE and LG Display may also provide Apple with some displays set to be used in the new iPhones. Samsung began producing LTPO OLED displays for Apple in May 2021.

Apple will use Y-OCTA display technology, which allows touchscreen circuitry to be patterned on the OLED panel without the need for a separate layer. This results in a thinner display that’s also more affordable.

Apple suppliers Samsung and LG Display are believed to be in the process of converting parts of their production capacity to produce low-power LTPO OLED panels for the iPhone 13. The complete conversion of production from LTPS displays to LTPO will likely be completed in the first half of 2021.

(source: https://www.macrumors.com/2021/05/29/samsung-production-iphone-13-displays/)

FEATURE AN ALWAYS ON DISPLAY

The iPhone 13 could feature an always-on display similar to the Apple Watch, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. This would presumably allow some data like the time to be shown on the iPhone’s Lock Screen even when it’s off.

A15 PROCESSOR

CAMERA FEATURES