The new iPhone 13 is coming in 2021, and here’s what we know about Apple’s next big iPhone upgrade.
The iPhone 13 and its siblings are likely to be the most popular smartphones of 2021, though they might not launch under that name, with the iPhone 12S also being a possibility. Names aside though we have an increasingly good idea of what to expect from the new iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Ever more leaks and rumors keep rolling in, revealing everything from the likely release date (September) to the probable design, specs and features. These include things like upgraded cameras and a 120Hz refresh rate, plus a more powerful chipset, but with a design that’s similar to the iPhone 12 range. You’ll find full details of all that and more below, and make sure to check back here regularly if you’re interested in the iPhone 13, as we’re keeping this article constantly updated with all the latest news and rumors. When will you be able to buy a new iPhone for yourself? We expect the iPhone 13 release date to be set for September 2021, but that may be subject to change given the Covid-19 pandemic. For the last 10 years, Apple has consistently introduced its flagship phones at an event near the start of September and released the phones 10 days later. All that changed in 2020, due to the pandemic, and the phones were delayed beyond their usual window. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were pushed back to October, and the other two devices – the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max – were released in November, reportedly due to a lack of parts for the manufacturing process. We’d normally expect Apple to keep to that September window, but apparently the 2020 delay resulted in increased sales for the phones. That may mean Apple decides to keep to this new window. Another analyst has since said similar, with the iPhone 13 range apparently going on sale in the third week of September – meaning an announcement earlier in the month. However, one or more models might not hit stores until October. If we were betting on a date, we’d expect Apple to move its iPhone 13 release date back to September 2021, and indeed at least one well-respected Apple analyst agrees with us. Before 2020, Apple has often announced its new iPhones on either the first or second Tuesday of September. If that happens again in 2021, we’d expect them to be revealed on September 7 or September 14. September 7 seems early in the month for Apple to reveal them, but the company did use that date in 2016 to reveal the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. We’d then expect the iPhone 13 release date to be 10 days later, so either September 17 or September 24. The iPhone 13 range is seemingly on track for this September launch too, as we’ve elsewhere heard that its chipset will start shipping to Apple by the end of May. That’s actually supposedly ahead of schedule, as the goal was apparently for it to enter production by the end of May. That’s all relevant because the iPhone 12’s didn’t enter production until late June of last year. A more recent report from late May suggests the chipset is now entering mass production – suggesting it might not be ahead of schedule anymore but should still be on schedule. Little is known about the price of the iPhone 13, but we’d expect it to be a similar level to the iPhone 12 family. Those handsets cost more than the 2019 phones – the iPhone 11 series – but that’s because of the addition of 5G and a few other technical elements. We’ll be sure to include more 2021 iPhone price leaks and rumors as we hear them, but below you can see the prices for the iPhone 12 series that we’re relatively confident will be similar on the iPhone 13. You may think with the iPhone 13 release date so far in the distance that we wouldn’t know much about the next-gen phone, but a variety of sources have shown us some things to expect on the next iPhone. First off, we’re expecting four members of the iPhone 13 family. Those are likely to be – but this isn’t guaranteed – the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The company focused on three models until 2020, when it introduced the mini model as the fourth handset in the iPhone 12 family. Most rumors suggest that’ll continue in 2021. If any model gets dropped it would probably be the mini, as the iPhone 12 mini reportedly hasn’t sold well, but rumors suggest Apple will still make an iPhone 13 mini (though perhaps in place of an iPhone SE 3). Below you’ll find the bulk of the iPhone 13 rumors, split into different categories. We’re expecting similar designs to the iPhone 12 family, and the screen technology is likely to be similar as well because the company made big upgrades to that element of the iPhone 12. A recent rumor suggests that Apple will manage to trim down the camera bump this year, as well as introduce a matte black option for the Pro models of the phone, reworked from the current graphite. One thing rumored for the iPhone 12 that didn’t come to fruition was the addition of a high refresh rate display. Rumors suggest that may be introduced on the iPhone 13, and that’ll make the display look smoother when playing games or scrolling through your social media feed. That technology may also work in a similar way to what we’ve seen on the company’s iPad Pro lineup where it is able to vary the refresh rate depending on what activity you’re doing on your phone. Multiple rumors have suggested the 120Hz refresh rate feature may be incoming, and that includes reports from DigiTimes as well as well-placed analysts that have further suggested this tech might only be on two of the four anticipated iPhone 13 models. Maybe this means the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will have 120Hz screens while the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, or whatever they end up getting called, won’t. One of the sources of this claim (Korean site The Elec) has since reiterated it, adding that industry sources say the top two models will get a 120Hz screen. That site has also now added more details, claiming that Samsung will be the sole supplier of these 120Hz panels. It’s also now claimed that Samsung Display is in the process of converting its iPhone screen production line into one that makes this sort of screen. And more recently it’s said that Samsung will supply 110 million iPhone 13 displays, including the 120Hz ones. The panels are apparently now in production. Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a great track record) has also said to expect a 120Hz screen on the Pro models. In fact, there’s a chance it will have an even higher refresh rate, as an Apple patent talks about a phone with multiple refresh rates, possibly topping out at 240Hz – which is a rate no mainstream phone currently offers. But patents often don’t develop into features, so we’d take this with a pinch of salt. Another upgrade the screen might get is the addition of an always-on display, with a reliable leaker saying this could be in the works. Android phones have offered this for years, so it’s about time Apple got on board. The topic of the notch has been under scrutiny as well with some sources claiming that it’ll remain the same size as the iPhone 12 and others believing it’s more likely to shrink in 2021. What will happen here is particularly unclear right now, though more sources point to it shrinking than staying the same size, with one source adding that the Face ID sensor has apparently been shrunk, which would allow for a smaller notch. We’ve even now seen a couple of leaked photos reportedly showing the screen glass for the iPhone 13 range, and there’s a visibly smaller notch, achieved by moving the earpiece to the bezel above. Similarly, a 3D-printed iPhone 13 mock-up also shows a smaller notch. Specifically the notch here is 26.
