Everything we have heard so far about the iPhone 13 series.
Why you can trust Pocket-lint (Pocket-lint) – The annual refresh of the iPhone is one of the biggest events in tech: it’s the phone that many aspire to own, one that sets trends and the phone that all others are looking to better. While leaks and rumours are nothing new to the world of tech, getting information about unannounced Apple devices is fairly rare. They don’t tend to leak as comprehensively as a Samsung or Google phone – but we’re gathering up everything we hear about the 2021 iPhone models right here. Apple iPhone 13 release date and price September/October 2021 Typically Apple holds its iPhone event in the second week of September and normally on a Tuesday. If 2020 had been a standard year, the iPhone 12 would likely have been unveiled on 8 September 2020. Of course,2020 was not a normal year thanks to the ongoing global situation. Instead, Apple revealed the iPhone 12 series on 13 October, breaking the pattern and making it harder to determine when the iPhone 13 (or iPhone 14) event might take place. If the pattern returns to normal for 2021 – which it has been claimed to do – the iPhone 13 event could take place on 7 September. It’s said availability could start in the third week of September. Of course no event is confirmed as yet, nor will it be until at least end of August 2021. In terms of price, we’d expect the iPhone 13 series to start around the same as the iPhone 12 range. What will the iPhone 2021 be called? iPhone 13/14 mini iPhone 13/14 iPhone 13/14 Pro iPhone 13/14 Pro Max Pre-2017, it was pretty easy to predict what the next iPhone would be called. Following the iPhone 3G up to the iPhone 8, Apple used sequential numbers and that was that. With the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max having launched in 2020, it’s pretty likely the 2021 iPhones will be called the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, if there are four iPhones again – there might not be a mini according to rumours. In terms of name though, as the number 13 is commonly associated with being unlucky, it could be that Apple skips 13 and calls the 2021 iPhones the iPhone 14 mini, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. There’s also been talk of iPhone 12S flying around so the naming is a little up in the air at the moment. Design Similar design Squarer edges Thicker The Apple iPhone 12 models came with a refreshed design, offering squarer edges more like the iPhone 4 or 5. It’s therefore likely that the iPhone 13 models will stick with this design as a design refresh two years running would be unusual. We’re hoping to see a reduced notch at the top of the screen of the 2021 models though – which has been suggested in rumours – or better still, no notch at all. A patent has previously been filed for a notch-less phone, but how Face ID would be accommodated remains a puzzle. It’s also been said that a notchless phone won’t arrive until 2023. Other rumours surrounding the design suggest a matte black finish could be on the cards, as well as a bronze finish and there’s been talk of a coating on the Pro models stainless steel frame to fight off fingerprints. There’s also been claims of the new models being thicker, but it’s unlikely you’d notice the difference in reality. Displays All OLED 120Hz refresh rate Always-on display With the iPhone 12 models all offering OLED displays, it is likely the iPhone 13 models will also all have OLED screens. There were reports of a variable refresh rate for the iPhone 12 models with a 120Hz refresh rate that could drop down to 60Hz when necessary, though this never happened, so perhaps it will be something we will see on the 2021 models. Samsung is said to be producing LTPO displays for the Pro models – and production is claimed to have started – so it’s possible we will see 120Hz variable refresh rates on the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. The iPhone 12 series comes in a 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models and a 6.7-inch model. With the display sizes changing for 2020, we’d predict they will stay the same for 2021, though you never know. Some speculation also suggested in-display fingerprint sensors for the iPhone 12 models. As this never appeared, perhaps this is something the iPhone 13 models will look to introduce alongside Face ID. There has also been talk of an always-on display, with icons like clock and battery showing even when the screen is locked, as well as notification bars dimly lighting up when a notification appears rather than the whole screen. Cameras Pro models likely to be better Improvements likely Astrophotography mode? Currently there aren’t many rumours surrounding the cameras iPhone 13 models, but we suspect Apple will stick with offering a better camera setup on the iPhone 13 Pro models. We’re hoping to see the standard iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offering the same again though. There have been claims to suggest all models in the iPhone 13 line up could offer sensor-shift image stabilisation, which is currently offered on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which would be great to see. There’s also talk of an upgraded ultra wide sensor with all four models moving to a lens with an f/1.8 aperture compared to the f/2.
