Apple iPhone 13

The rumor of a green iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini comes from YouTuber Luke Miani who also created a render for the occasion. How nice!

Apple's spring event will be mainly focused on bringing new products. For example, new Macs with the Apple M2 processor are expected, as well as the new iPhone SE 2022. Announcing a new color for an existing iPhone may sound a bit questionable but Apple did it before.

Tried recipe

For example, in April of 2021, Apple announced a purple version of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. Releasing a new color of an existing model is a good way to boost sales of somewhat old phones. Apple announced the iPhone 13 almost six months ago at the time of this writing. Apple's "Peek Performance" event will be broadcast live at 7 PM CET.

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are modest updates with subtle differences. Apple mainly focuses on a longer battery life and improved camera. The latter is mainly due to the new way of image stabilization.

By not moving the lens but the sensor instead, you can shoot sharper pictures, even in the dark. Sensor-shift OIS also works when shooting video. The now 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera with larger pixels offers 47% better light capture for better night shots. On the software side, iPhone 13 users now get an additional mode; Cinematic Mode. This mode thinks along with you to create cinema-like videos by automatically focusing on subjects and people. Or modify it afterwards.

Smaller notch

Both the Apple iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini offer a slightly narrower notch than their predecessor. In the software, Apple doesn't make use of this extra screen space (for now). On the back, the biggest difference is that the cameras are placed diagonally instead of underneath each other. On the inside, there are more differences.

For example, both phones feature the A15 Bionic processor. This 5 nanometer-based chipset features nearly 15 billion transistors and ensures apps launch quickly and iOS 15 runs smoothly. The Super Retina XDR screen remains unchanged and thus does not feature the high 120Hz refresh rate that the Pro models do.

More energy efficient

Thanks to the more energy efficient chip, and larger battery, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini manage to last longer. For example, the iPhone 13 gets two and a half hours more compared to the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 mini gains an hour and a half compared to the iPhone 12 mini.

Apple didn't give many details about the A15 Bionic. Usually we hear how much more powerful it is than its predecessor but those numbers are missing this year. Just assume that the A15 is faster than the A14 but not with the big steps that we saw in previous years.

iPhone 13 (mini) pricing and availability

The iPhone 13 and 13 mini will be in stores starting Friday, October 8, in the colors Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight and (Product)RED. Gone is (finally) the 64GB entry-level model. Storage memory this year starts at 128GB, through 256GB to 512GB. Prices start at 909 EURO for the iPhone 13 and 809 EURO for the iPhone 13 mini.

Apple traditionally announces its new generation of iPhones in September. The big exception was 2020 when Apple announced the new iPhones in October due to the Corona crisis. The event starts at 10:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 19:00 Central European Time.

It's easy to guess what we'll be seeing on Tuesday, September 14. The iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have been appearing in the news for months. But a 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini is also expected, perhaps the latest iPhone mini.

120Hz ProMotion

If the rumors are true, the iPhone 13 generation will be the first iPhone with a screen refresh rate higher than 60Hz. iPhone screens have always looked a little more smoother than their Android counterparts but it's kind of embarrassing that Apple is only now moving to much smoother screens. The iPad had already made that step earlier. Other differences are likely to include sensor-shift image stabilization and an improved ultra-wide-angle camera on the Pro models.

Apple Watch Series 7

In addition to new iPhones, we may also get to see the Apple Watch Series 7. If the rumors are true, it will have a new design with a flat screen. For the first time, the sizes will also differ. Instead of 40 and 44mm, we will soon get 41 and 45mm. Whether Apple also comes with a "One More Thing" is still unknown. New AirPods are a good possibility.

If you know, please let us know, preferably in the comments. We expect an invitation for the iPhone unveiling somewhere in September. So it's not surprising that we're already seeing cases for the iPhone 13. According to the source, these are the official Apple cases. And on them is written quite large "iPhone 13".

iPhone 13 Pro Max Silicone Case #Apple #IPhone13 pic.twitter.com/jkcQ0sdtXF

- Majin Bu ? (@MajinBuOfficial) September 4, 2021

So is this the ultimate proof about the final name of the next iPhone? Perhaps. But as long as the latest iPhone has not been officially announced, we dare not say for sure. If Apple indeed chooses iPhone 13 it doesn't believe critics who claim it scares off customers. In many cultures, 13 is considered an unlucky number. More than enough reason to avoid the number like the plague.

Supercycle

With the iPhone 12 Apple experienced a so-called Supercycle. Many people with old iPhone models switched to an iPhone 12; the first iPhone model with 5G support. Maybe that's why Apple is expecting slightly lower sales anyways. In that case, the '13' makes little difference anyway. The iPhone 13 is expected to come with a 120Hz display and improved cameras.

Apple has more faith in Face ID than Touch ID, at least for iPhones. And that automatically means the notch will stick around for a while. It's going to be difficult to fit all the Face ID components under the screen. Something Apple is reportedly working on though. It is technically possible to place a selfie camera under the display, but the image quality is still not on par. For Face ID, even more components are needed and the challenge becomes even greater.

According to rumors, Apple made the notch of the iPhone 13 a little narrower but it is not completely gone. The notch has become synonymous with old-fashioned. The notch is an interim solution. From when phone screens had wide bars above and below to completely borderless. The location of the selfie camera seems seems to be the biggest problem. In the first generation of phones, the selfie camera was placed in a notch. Nowadays, the punch-hole is more common. Hidden under the screen is something we're starting to see more and more.

Other iPhone 13 Specifications

For the Apple iPhone 13, we're expecting a smooth ProMotion screen of at least 120Hz instead of the dated 60Hz now. Apple also seems to be using larger batteries though we don't expect longer battery life. The new generation iPhone 13 will probably have to make do with several improved cameras. Perhaps Apple finally adopts a periscope lens to zoom further than the maximum 2.5x of the iPhone 12 Pro Max without loss of quality.

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Apple hasn't really been very innovative on display technology after the introduction of Retina displays. For example, it embraced AMOLED back in 2017 when many other manufacturers long started using it. And also the latest trend, high refresh rates, is not yet standard in iPhone-mania. And this while the competition have been showcasing this for several years now. Apple preferred 5G to high refresh rates last year.

But at the end of 2021 it will finally happen; an iPhone with a refresh rate higher than 60Hz. The panels seem are said to be made by Samsung and are of the LTPO type. They have the advantage that they work with a dynamic refresh rate of 120Hz all the way back to 1Hz. The latter is useful for static content like text and helps save battery. For scrolling through a list you want the highest possible refresh rate. Apple will undoubtedly give it a nice marketing twist during the keynote but the fact is that Galaxy S21+ and the OnePlus 9 Pro are already equipped with it.

LTPO only for more expensive models

Samsung Display makes the LTPO displays for the more expensive iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, the cheaper entry-level iPhone 13 has to make do with regular LTPS panels from LG. After all, there's something to choose money to be made. Our source The Elec notes that LG supplies panels for 2 different models so perhaps there will also be a iPhone 13 mini after all.

Interestingly, Apple has been working with LTPO screens for some time. The Apple Watch Series 5 from 2019 was already equipped with one. So why did it took so long for the iPhone to be equipped with it remains a mystery. As in previous years, Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone 13 sometime in the fall. Traditionally, that will be sometime in September. There is no reason to believe that Apple will bring that date forward.

The biggest surprise during the announcement of the iPhone 12 wasn't 5G, it was the absence of a high refresh rate. So Apple has something to make up for and we may see that starting with the iPhone 13 (or whatever that device will be called).

Indeed, thanks to a surfaced patent, we know that Apple is working on a Pro Motion display with a variable refresh rate of 60 and 120Hz. The patent also leaves open the possibility that Apple will opt for an ever higher refresh rate of 240 Hz. The Samsung Galaxy S21 series also works with a variable refresh rate and the S21 Ultra can even scale down to 10 Hz to save battery.

Other iPhone 13 innovations

Rumors surfaced earlier that the next Apple iPhone 13 will get an Always On Display, stronger MagSafe magnets, and astrophotography. The notch remains but it will presumably be narrower.