iPhone 13: Everything We Think We Know About The New Apple Phones

Apple’s next iPhone generation with atomic number 13 is only a few weeks away. Many details about the new models have already leaked out. Among other things, the Pro versions will receive a 120 Hertz display and the camera will once again receive a small update. We summarize.

Last year Apple introduced four iPhone 12 models and given them a major redesign. The devices, the appearance of which with their angular housings is based on classics such as the iPhone 5, came up trumps with a better camera, partly larger batteries and different display diagonals. In addition, Apple has introduced the new Magsafe feature with them, which can be used not only for inductive charging, but also for attaching accessories.

After the major design update in 2020, the 2021 generation of models has less design revision, instead it seems to be a new “S-Class” that shines with incremental improvements target. The next iPhone generation can therefore be classified as an improved iPhone 12, but Apple is hoping for a riotous approach: According to reports, the manufacturer has ordered a 20 percent larger production volume than in previous years.

As the cause of the smaller upgrade, which would correspond to about a step from iPhone X to iPhone Xs, insiders name, among other things, the Covid-19 pandemic by Apple’s development team had been greatly slowed down. Still, the upcoming iPhones seem to have some exciting features. On the other hand, Apple had never introduced completely redesigned devices two years in a row.

Not only because of the rather smaller optical update, Apple could not jump to the 13 in its next iPhone generation, but name it 12s. Because 13 is considered an unlucky number in many cultures – there is even a technical term for it with triskaidekaphobia. The fear of 13 goes so far that in some skyscrapers the 13th floor is missing and the 14th floor immediately follows the 12th floor. If you believe a survey by Sellcell, 18.3 percent of the 3,000 respondents would not buy an iPhone 13. A whopping 74 percent would prefer a name other than iPhone 13 for the next iPhone generation, with iPhone (2021) being the preferred name at 38 percent. Other responses were iPhone 21 (16 percent), iPhone 12S (13 percent), and iPhone 14 (7 percent).

Aside from that Poll also suggest a report by Trendforce and information from leaker Jon Prosser on the designation iPhone 12s. Trendforce writes continuously from the iPhone 12s, Prosser wants to know about the naming in February and refers to his YouTube video. Given triskaidekaphobia and the other reports, it could well amount to an iPhone 12s this year. Contradicting news comes from the Taiwanese industry journal “Economic Daily News”, which claims to have found out that it will be an iPhone 13 despite the unlucky number. We are now assuming an iPhone 13, especially since Apple did not shy away from the supposed number with iOS 13.

Apart from the question of the name, there are already many equipment details in circulation : As for the first time in October 2020, Apple is likely to use four different iPhone variants again this year. Although the mini model is not selling very well, there should still be a successor this year. Accordingly, we can rely on a model with 5.4 inches, two with 6.1 and another with 6.7 inches, whereby two of them should be located in the Pro series. If one believes Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, who is known for his excellent connection to Apple informants, the new iPhone models will correspond to a gentle facelift and bear the internal code names D16, D17, D63 and D64. His statements coincide with those of the speaker Max Weinbach, whose sources assume that above all the matted back of the Pro models will be revised and more grippy.

One of the highlights of the iPhone 13 series that has been rumored for months should actually the return of the Touch-ID fingerprint sensor, which was successively replaced in almost all models with the iPhone X (test) against the 3D face recognition Face-ID. So far it has been said that Apple could integrate an in-display fingerprint sensor into its new generation of models, as is standard on many Android smartphones. Mark Gurman rejects the hopes: Apple has tested this function in this year’s devices, but it will probably not appear in this generation.

Although Apple integrated a new unlocking function for its iPhones with iOS 14.5, with which the devices can be unlocked via Apple Watch – this makes perfect sense in many places, especially in Covid-19 times with mouth and nose protection mandatory in many places The return of a fingerprint sensor would probably have been a welcome addition to 3D face recognition for many.

Even if Apple is supposed to forego the return of Touch ID the front Face ID sensor phalanx can be reduced in size. In the long term, however, Apple is planning to completely abolish the notch in order to have the entire front mi t fill screen. As an interim solution for the 2022 or 2023 model series, a punchhole camera on the screen can be expected, they say.

In addition to a smaller notch, improved screen technology is also expected, which should originally have landed in the iPhone 12 models: We are talking about displays with a bi ld repetition rate of 120 Hertz, which should at least move into the Pro versions of the 2021 generation.

As reported by the portal The Elec and Bloomberg , Apple will use Samsung’s LTPO screens, which are already installed in the Galaxy S21 Ultra (test) and Oneplus 9 Pro (test) and have a 16 percent improvement in energy efficiency than previous solutions. It is believed that Apple did without a 120 Hertz display for the iPhone 12 in favor of a better battery life. However, not all iPhone 13 variants could be equipped with the higher refresh rate, but rather only the Pro versions.

In the Android -World, displays with 90 to 144 Hertz have been standard for a while, especially in the upper-class segment. Apple would be lagging behind in the iPhone segment with the technology; the iPad Pro models have had this technology, which Apple calls “Promotion”, on board for a while.

The leaker Max Weinbach also wants to know that Apple could give its upcoming iPhone series an always-on display, possibly as an exclusive iOS 15 feature. This feature has been around on Android smartphones for years. In standby mode, it shows, among other things, the time, date and new messages. According to the leaker, the display should only be easily adjustable and look like a reduced lock screen – the time and battery charge are always visible. New notifications would be shown in the form of icons. Upon receipt, a notification is displayed normally, but the screen does not light up completely, just dimmed.

Apple had already massively upgraded the cameras in its iPhone 12 series and provided the Pro Max version with sensor shift image stabilization, believes According to the report from South Korea by ET-News, this stabilization, borrowed from DSLR photography, is now also to be found in other models – at least the smaller iPhone 13 Pro. Some industry insiders even assume that the image stabilization of the Pro-Max version could be extended to the entire 2021 lineup. With sensor shift stabilization, the entire sensor is stabilized and not just the lens, as is usual with smartphones. Low-light pictures should be free of blurring even with a two-second exposure.

It is also expected that the Pro models will continue to have three camera sensors the rear, while the cheaper models could again have two main cameras plus the lidar sensor previously reserved for the Pro models. Trendforce assumes, however, that Lidar will initially be reserved for the Pro models. With lidar, augmented reality functions are to be made available to a broader mass. We remember: Tim Cook thinks this technology is the next big thing.

The ultra-wide-angle camera is also to be improved: The five-lens element with f / 2.4 aperture built into the iPhone 12 is to be improved be exchanged for a seven-P lens element with f / 1.8 aperture, the analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Weinbach report almost congruently. According to Everything Apple Pro, which gets its information from Max Weinbach among others, the pixel size is to grow from 1.7 micrometers to two micrometers this year. Photos taken with the 13 series should therefore have more details and less noise – especially in poor lighting conditions. Rumor has it that the optical zoom function will also be improved.

If you believe a report from Bloomberg, the new iPhone Pro series will be a video version of portrait mode. In addition, videos are given a new, higher-quality ProRes format that Apple introduced in 2020 for photos. A new filter-like system to improve the image quality and the colors of photos is also to be introduced. The format is said to be used by professional video makers in the film industry and is usually not intended for the mass market because of the massive file sizes, among other things. ProRes will be recorded on the next iPhones in both HD and 4K resolution, it is said. According to Bloomberg, the camera functions are to be marketed as one of the biggest selling points for the successor to the iPhone 12.

Apart from minor optimizations, Kuo does not expect any significant upgrades of iPhone cameras until at least 2022 – the last time he predicted that the iPhone 14 (?) series should have a 48 megapixel camera. Despite the minor changes to the cameras, Apple could improve the camera quality of the 13 series through software improvements.

For an even better performance there will be a new processor from our own development, the probably A15 Bionic is baptized. According to the latest information, the chip is produced in the five-nanometer-plus process (5nm +) by the contract manufacturer TSMC.

Apple could use the improved computing power, among other things, to create a portrait mode for videos to introduce. Apple has been working on this feature for “quite a while,” says Weinbach. With the function it is possible to record a portrait video and change the depth of field afterwards. In addition, Apple is planning to introduce an astrophotography function with which the stars or the moon can be recorded using long-term photography. Google has been offering this feature in its Pixel models for years.

Rumors have been circulating for years that Apple has all connections to its iPhones want to get rid of. After the audio jack, the Lightning port could also believe in it this year. In addition to Mark Gurman, this is also reported by the leaker John Prosser. Prosser said in 2020 that Apple would rather cut all ports completely instead of switching from Lightning to USB-C. Even the iPhone X v on 2018 there was almost no connection. But since wireless charging was even slower than cable charging at that time, one of the reasons why one would have decided against it. At least one of the upcoming iPhone models could be completely connector-free, it is said. Corresponding patents for a kind of Magsafe or Pogo-Pin charging connection on iPhones were recently awarded to Apple, according to Patently Apple.

With the magnetic charging solution Magsafe, Apple has already ensured that the iPhone 12 can also be reliably charged wirelessly, although the charging power of a maximum of 15 watts is not particularly fast with compatible charging pads. But that can still change, especially since the competitors are already implementing wireless charging with up to 50 watts. References to improved wireless charging performance come from Max Weinbach, who claims to have found out that the Magsafe charging coils on iPhones are to be enlarged. The next iPhones could also have a reverse wireless charging function, with which, for example, the Airpods in the case can be charged by placing them on the back of the device. Apple introduced the first approaches to this function with iOS 14.7: The Magsafe battery pack can be charged using an iPhone. To do this, however, the smartphone must be supplied with power via the Lightning connector.

In addition to an extended Qi wireless charging function, Apple could this year also increase the battery capacity, which means that the iPhone 13 models may gain a little weight, but could also run longer. At least that’s what the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports.

We can not only assume pure wireless charging for the 2021 iPhone, but also data transfer between Devices could run faster. At least there are indications that Apple will integrate the latency-free WLAN standard 802.11ay into future smartphones. With the iPhone 11, Apple had already introduced a U1 ultra-broadband chip, which is described as a GPS for the living room and which should bring new uses over time. In addition, Apple should support a wider range of 5G frequencies than the first iPhone generation with the fast cellular network.

It will be for storage According to recent rumors, there will be no changes, although it has meanwhile been said that Apple could possibly offer its Pro models with up to one terabyte. This means that the standard versions should be offered with 64, 128 and 256 gigabyte options, the Pro versions with 128, 256 and 512 gigabytes.

Apple’s next generation of iPhones should be presented – if not slowed down again by the corona pandemic – possibly again in September, as traditionally done. In 2020, Apple only unveiled its iPhone 12 models in mid-October because of the corona pandemic. Among other things, the analyst Kuo assumes that the schedule for the mass production of the iPhone 13 is the same as for models before the 12 series. This means that all iPhone 13 models could be available until September 2021, provided there are no more delays. The analysts at Wedbush are also assuming this schedule. They reported that the 2021 iPhone models would hit the market by the end of September. Prosser says the iPhone event could take place on September 14th this year. As a rule, the new models will go on sale about two weeks later on a Friday – that would be September 24th.

As far as pricing is concerned, Apple should be based on the prices of the 12 series. The basic models should therefore cost between 780 and 880 euros. The Pro versions will probably start at around 1,100 euros.

Article last updated on August 20, 2021.

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