iPhone 13 release date, price, specs and every new iPhone leak
The iPhone 13 range is fast approaching, with September being the likely launch month. But you don't have to wait until then to find out all about the phones, as they've been extensively leaked already.
We're expecting a new iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Leaks and rumors keep rolling in, revealing everything from the likely release date to the probable design, expected specs and some exciting new features.
These include things like significant camera improvements, loads more storage than ever before, a silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate for the screen, and a more powerful chipset.
Not everything's likely to change though, as it's looking likely that these phones will mirror the iPhone 12's design, and there's even a chance we could see the phones launch under the iPhone 12S name instead of the iPhone 13 moniker, marking them out as just modest upgrades.
Want the full picture of the iPhone 13 leaks so far? You'll find it below where we run you through each element of the upcoming phones. And check back soon, as this article will be regularly updated with all the latest iPhone 13 news ahead of the big reveal later this year.
We've now seen chassis models supposedly showing the iPhone 13 range. Plus, a leak suggests the iPhone 13 Pro might have a much bigger camera block than the iPhone 12 Pro.
- iPhone 13 Touch ID – is it time for an in-screen fingerprint sensor?
iPhone 13: cut to the chase
- What is the iPhone 13? Apple's next iPhone, perhaps iPhone 12S
- When is the iPhone 13 out? Most likely September 2021
- What will the iPhone 13 cost? Expect $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 or more
iPhone 13 release date
The iPhone 13 release date is likely to be in September 2021, and we expect it to hit stores on either the third or fourth Friday of the month (which makes it September 17 or 24).
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 the iPhone 13 range to be revealed on September 7 or September 14 and release 10 days later. Though Wednesday is occasionally used, meaning it could be September 8 or 15 instead.
An analyst has now said to expect an announcement in the third week of September this year, which means that September 14 (or 15) is the most likely date. Based on Apple's usual approach we'd then expect pre-orders to open on September 17 (the Friday), with the release date being September 24 (the following Friday).
There's no guarantee this will be the iPhone 13 release date though, and that's mostly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were pushed back to October in 2020, and the other two devices – the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max – were released in November of that year.
Plus, apparently the 2020 delay resulted in increased sales for the phones. That may mean Apple decides to keep to this new window, but there's no real indication of that.
| Model | Announced | Released |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 (predicted) | September 7 / 14, 2021 | September 17 / 24, 2021 |
| iPhone 12 + 12 Pro | October 13, 2020 | October 23, 2020 |
| iPhone 12 mini + 12 Pro Max | October 13, 2020 | November 13, 2020 |
| iPhone 11 series | September 10, 2019 | September 20, 2019 |
| iPhone XS series | September 12, 2018 | September 21, 2018 |
| iPhone 8 series | September 12, 2017 | September 22, 2017 |
iPhone 13 price
The only price leak about the iPhone 13 range suggests that the upcoming models will cost a similar amount to the iPhone 12 range. That's in line with what we'd expect too.
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.
If anything though prices might rise slightly this year, especially outside the US, with rumors that much of the world will get the mmWave 5G tech that US iPhone 12s already support, pushing the price up in the process. But we wouldn't expect a big change.
| Phone model | US | UK | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 mini | $699 | £699 | AU$1,199 |
| iPhone 12 | $799 | £799 | AU$1,349 |
| iPhone 12 Pro | $999 | $999 | AU$1,699 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | $1,099 | £1,099 | AU$1,849 |
iPhone 13 leaks and what we know so far
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).
The below is our best picture of specs we expect so far for each model. Note that everything here is based on leaked information, and there is no guarantee we'll see similar from Apple when the phones are unveiled.
| iPhone 13 mini | iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.4-inch | 6.1-inch | 6.1-inch | 6.7-inch |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2532 x 1170 | 2532 x 1170 | 2778 x 1284 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Camera | 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP + 12MP |
| Selfie camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Chipset | A15 | A15 | A15 | A15 |
| Battery | 2,406mAh | 3,095mAh | 3,095mAh | 4,325mAh |
| Storage | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB |
iPhone 13 design
We're expecting similar designs to the iPhone 12 family across the iPhone 13 range, but 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.
The notch might also be changing, with some sources claiming that it'll remain the same size as the iPhone 12 but many others believing it's more likely to shrink.
Indeed, far more sources point to it shrinking than staying the same size, so a smaller notch seems likely, with one source adding that the Face ID sensor has apparently also been shrunk, which would allow for a smaller notch.
We've now also 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.
iPhone 13 Front Glass Reveals Smaller Notch With Earpiece Relocated to Top Bezel https://t.co/3eAmyPSCq0 by @rsgnl pic.twitter.com/0xnzkYVuoSMarch 23, 2021
Similarly, a 3D-printed iPhone 13 mock-up also shows a smaller notch. Specifically the notch here is 26.8mm wide (compared to 34.83mm on the iPhone 12), but it's also 5.35mm deep, making it stick out a tiny bit more than the 5.3mm one on the iPhone 12.
The mock-up also shows that the contents of the notch may have been moved around a bit, with the selfie camera shown on the left rather than the right, and the earpiece moved into the bezel.
The smaller notch can once again be seen in some unofficial renders, which also highlight a slightly different camera layout but an otherwise similar design to the iPhone 12 range.
iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Pro design finalized according to leaked CADs by @mysmartprice & @91mobiles Here's our concept for the 2021 iPhonesAny thoughts?#iPhone13 #iPhone13Pro #iPhone12S #iPhone12SPro pic.twitter.com/Oylnu2g8FWApril 14, 2021
An iPhone 13 Pro Max dummy unit - created based on leaked schematics and other leaks - also shows a smaller notch, as well as larger camera lenses (more on which further down).
However, the design and even the size is otherwise more or less the same as the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
We've seen a very similar design in unofficial iPhone 13 Pro renders, supposedly based on a 'finalized version’ of the handset.
These include a larger, flatter camera bump than on the iPhone 12 Pro, plus larger camera sensors, a smaller notch, and an apparently less fingerprint-prone stainless steel frame.
Say hi to your first look at the finalized version of the iPhone 13 Pro.Thanks again to @ld_vova for the amazing work he has done with this.(Note that some things could be changed during mass production as what happened with AirPods Max, but that isn’t likely). pic.twitter.com/WMl9fIbTNmMay 21, 2021
Leaked CAD files also show a smaller notch, plus a diagonal camera layout for the iPhone 13. They appear to show a slightly thicker build too, likely to accommodate the larger batteries that have been rumored.
Plus, we've also seen dummy units of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, which again match up with all the leaks above, so this design (shown below) is very likely what we'll see from the iPhone 13 range.
Note also the colors used here, which appear to include white for the dual-lens iPhone 13, and silver for the triple-lens iPhone 13 Pro. So perhaps these will be among the colors that the phones are sold in.
And we've now seen chassis models of the iPhone 13 range as well. These were shared by a case maker and are used by it to design cases. Apparently the company has already made cases based on these designs too, so it's presumably confident in them.
You can see images of these chassis models below, and they fully match up with what we've seen elsewhere - with the biggest visual differences being the layout of the cameras on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, and the size of the camera blocks on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Another leak has also suggested the company may finally be ready to introduce an under-display fingerprint scanner. A lot of Android manufacturers include this technology on flagship phones, and this leak suggests Apple is ready to follow suit. In fact, we've now heard talk of an in-screen scanner multiple times at this point, with Apple apparently considering it in addition to Face ID. This isn't a certainty, though, as noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests the feature is coming in some 2022 iPhones – aka the iPhone 14 – and will presumably skip the iPhone 13 line.
Some sources suggest this change is further out, but an iOS 15 leak suggests the company's next major software update will arrive with support for dual biometric authentication – a feature which would only be possible to implement on a device with both Face ID and Touch ID. Still, we wouldn't count on this.
If you're interested in this feature, check out our deep dive on the case for and against in-screen Touch ID.
One thing that probably won't be changing is the sizes of the phones, with leaks suggesting we'll see four models, with the same screen sizes as the iPhone 12 range.
That said, the dimensions may vary slightly, with a report suggesting that the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro will be 7.57mm thick, making them 0.17mm thicker than their predecessors.
The same report suggests the camera blocks will stick out much further, with the iPhone 13 Pro's apparently sticking out by 3.65mm (compared to 1.7mm on the iPhone 12 Pro), and the iPhone 13's by 2.51mm (compared to 1.5mm on the iPhone 12). You can see how that difference might look in the image above.
iPhone 13 display
One thing heavily rumored for the iPhone 12 that didn't come to fruition was the addition of a 120Hz 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.
Most important development on the iPhone 13 models from my perspective will be ProMotion with variable refresh rates through LTPO adoption on the Pro models.October 2, 2020
That technology may also work in a similar way to what we've seen on the company's iPad Pro range, 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.
Korean site The Elec added that industry sources say the top two models will get a 120Hz screen, so this may just be a Pro model feature in 2021. That site has also now added more details, claiming that Samsung will be the sole supplier of these 120Hz panels.
In fact, there's a chance it will have an even higher refresh rate than 120Hz, 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.
What sizes should you expect for the iPhone 13 family? The same as last year's models, based on rumors, meaning a 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, a 6.1-inch iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max.
iPhone 13 colors
We've now heard multiple times that the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max might come in a matte black shade. Apparently this will be a reworked version of the graphite iPhone 12 Pro, but a lot darker.
Other rumored iPhone 13 colors include rose pink, purple, and orange, though these all sound less likely so far, with the former two coming from a source without much track record, and orange apparently probably not making it past the prototype stage.
In general, we're expecting a similar set of shades as you get on the iPhone 12.
That means you're likely to see more color options with some brighter shades on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, while the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are more likely to have fewer choices with more sedate shades like silver, graphite and gold.
- iPhone 13 colors: what shades to expect from your 2021 Apple phone
iPhone 13 camera
As for the camera, industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo – who is often right about Apple information – has suggested the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max's ultra-wide camera may be bumped to a f/1.8, six-element lens from the current f/2.4, five-element lens on the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max.
He additionally claims that the Pro models will get autofocus for their ultra-wide lenses, with all four iPhone 14's getting this upgrade in 2022. And Kuo reiterated this claim in June 2021, so it seems he's confident in it.
That said, we've also heard the same change in aperture from analysts at Barclays, but they claim this upgrade will come to all four iPhone 13 models. This should allow for better low light performance - though potentially also a shallower depth of field, which can be less desirable in the landscape shots ultra-wide cameras typically excel at.
The Barclays analyst note also mentioned that the iPhone 13 Pro could get the same telephoto snapper as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, allowing for 2.5x optical zoom, up from 2x on its predecessor.
Kuo meanwhile has said the telephoto camera will get a similar six-element upgrade to the ultra-wide one, at least on the "high-end" models.
As for the main camera, Kuo also has news about that, claiming that on the iPhone 13 Pro Max it will be switched to an f/1.5 aperture (from f/1.6 on current models). This should improve low light performance and the bokeh effect for portrait shots, but it's a change that apparently won't be coming to the rest of the iPhone 13 range.
A report has also suggested that all four iPhone 13 models might get a LiDAR scanner, rather than just the Pro models having it as on the iPhone 12 range. The same site has since reiterated that claim more than once, as has another source, so this seems likely. That said, another source has contradicted this claim, so we're still not certain.
A source has also said that all four iPhone 13 models will get sensor-shift OIS (optical image stabilization), which would be an upgrade for all but the Pro Max, which already has that, and that the two Pro models will get a larger main lens. Another rumor also suggests that sensor-shift OIS and autofocus will be added to the ultra-wide cameras in the new phones, but potentially only the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max models.
Elsewhere, sources have claimed that Apple is ordering far more voice coil motors (VCMs) than normal. This is apparently for improvements both to the rear cameras (likely the addition of sensor-shift, which uses a VCM) and for improvements to the 3D sensors for Face ID.
All these changes could lead to a much bigger camera block, at least in the case of the iPhone 13 Pro, as a photo of a case supposedly designed for the phone but housing an iPhone 12 Pro shows that the camera cut-out is far too big for the current model, as you can see above.
We've also heard rumors about potential redesigns of the two rear cameras on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini: instead of being aligned vertically, they may be arranged diagonally.
A purported photo (above) of an iPhone 13 mini prototype was uploaded to Weibo showing what the final phone - and those redesigned cameras - might look like. You can also see the new camera design in some of the leaks further up.
Finally, there are reports that Apple is looking into adding a periscope camera to a future iPhone. This would allow for a greater zoom range than current models, maybe up to 10x optical zoom, potentially without making the camera components any thicker. However, based on rumors this might not arrive until the iPhone 14 or an even later device. Kuo says not to expect it until 2023.
iPhone 13 software
One thing we already know a fair bit about is the iPhone 13's software, since it's sure to run iOS 15, and while the next-gen software isn't out yet it has been announced by Apple.
Highlights of iOS 15 include various FaceTime improvements, such as the ability to join calls via a web link which even Android users can access, plus spatial audio and voice isolation coming to it.
Messages meanwhile is getting statuses, a live text feature will allow you to translate text in images or copy it to a document, the weather app has been redesigned, Maps is getting new details for commercial districts and buildings, and more.
iPhone 13 battery
On the battery front, we've heard from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that the iPhone 13 might switch to soft board technology, which could allow for physically smaller batteries without reducing the capacity
In fact, Kuo has since said that the iPhone 13 might have a higher capacity battery than the iPhone 12. Kuo has repeated that claim again saying Apple is experimenting with a "space-saving design", so he seems certain that this is an improvement we'll be seeing later in the year.
A leak from Digital Chat Station on Weibo claims a similar thing, and it also provides us with potential battery capacities. If the leak is correct, we may see the below in each of the models (plus we've included the sizes of the equivalent 2020 models too).
| Model | Size | Last-gen size |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 mini | 2,406mAh | 2,277mAh |
| iPhone 13 | 3,095mAh | 2,805mAh |
| iPhone 13 Pro | 3,095mAh | 2,805mAh |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | 4,325mAh | 3,687mAh |
Elsewhere we've heard that there might be improvements to wireless charging. Reportedly the iPhone 13 range will include a larger wireless charging coil, which could allow for faster charging, better heat management, and potentially even reverse wireless charging (so you could put, say, your AirPods on the back of your iPhone to juice them up).
These larger charging coils could also work in tandem with the stronger MagSafe magnets that the same source has also claimed are coming.
There's also an Apple patent that talks about a 'protective charging' mode, which would stop you overcharging the phone even if you leave it plugged in for long periods (such as overnight). However, patents don't always get used, so don't count on this.
iPhone 13 specs and performance
One source (leaker Jon Prosser) has also suggested that 2021 may be when we see the introduction of 1TB iPhones. That's a storage size the company hasn't experimented with yet, at least for its smartphones, and we'd expect it to be an option on the most expensive Pro handsets.
hope y’all are ready for 1TB iphonesOctober 28, 2020
If Prosser's information is correct, that may well make for the most expensive iPhone ever as that's a lot of storage on one handset. This kind of option would be more useful for professionals than average users, but for now it's just a prototype Apple is testing apparently.
That means we might not see it, especially as another source points to the storage capacities remaining the same as last year.
There have also been rumors of a portless iPhone debuting in 2021. It's a claim that we've heard from a number of sources, but most suggest that only one model (most likely the iPhone 13 Pro Max) will go portless. Apple is apparently trying to figure out how a portless iPhone could be reset, too.
Performance should be boosted as it normally is every year, but we've heard talk that advanced vapor chamber cooling is going to be deployed in the iPhone 13 – though if it's not ready this year, we might have to wait until the iPhone 14 to see it.
We've also heard that the A15 chipset expected to power the iPhone 13 range has entered mass production. The source of a report on that topic also says that it's a 5nm chipset, which is the same size as the A14, possibly meaning the improvements here won't be massive.
Another source has also now said that the iPhone 13 range will have a 5nm chipset, with 3nm expected for the iPhone 14.
Other iPhone 13 leaks
Expect 5G support to continue in 2021 iPhones of course, but a source suggests that mmWave models will be more widely available than they were with the iPhone 12 range (which only got mmWave in the US), with both the UK and Australia (among other places) potentially getting them.
We've since heard this again, with over 50% of the world's iPhone 13 models supposedly getting mmWave support. This is potentially far faster than the sub-6GHz 5G that iPhone 12's in most of the world are stuck with, but it also requires the right infrastructure and spectrum to be available, which it isn't yet in most places.
Staying with wireless technologies, we've also been led to understand that the iPhone 13 is going to come packing some Wi-Fi 6E connectivity for an even faster link to the web and the cloud.
This was first predicted by analysts and they've since said the same again with more certainty, even naming the apparent suppliers of the Wi-Fi 6E tech.
Finally, an Apple patent details a system allowing an iPhone to track your gaze, so it can see what part of a document you're reading and obscure the other parts, by swapping or rearranging the letters in words.
This would mean you could read sensitive documents in public places without much risk of snoopers. However, we're not convinced this will make it to the iPhone 13.
iPhone 13 name: will it be the iPhone 12s?
There’s every chance the next iPhone won’t be called the iPhone 13, and there are a few reasons for that.
For one thing, reports so far suggest that this upcoming model could be a relatively modest upgrade, with a similar design and only slight camera improvements. Indeed, the only big change might be the rumored move to a 120Hz screen - and not all of the models will probably even get that.
With that in mind, Apple might call these phones the iPhone 12s and iPhone 12s Pro range. While we haven't seen the 'S' used in the last couple of years, it's something that Apple has a history of using to mark out more minor upgrades, and it's something which at least one leak has referred to the upcoming phones as.
Not only that, but the number 13 could be an issue, as it's seen as an unlucky number in many parts of the world, including the US, so it may be that Apple wants to skip this numeral when it comes time for a new iPhone.
Of course, calling this year's phones the iPhone 12s range doesn't solve the problem of the number 13, it just delays it, so either this year or next year it's possible Apple will skip past 13 straight to the iPhone 14 range.
iPhone 13: what we want to see
We don't know much for certain about Apple's iPhone 13, so we've put together a list of things we'd love to see the company introduce for its next-gen device. Some of these will match with what you've read about above, and others are just things we want to see Apple do.
1. A big camera upgrade
The iPhone 12 series brought some slight camera tweaks to the family of handsets, but it wasn't a significant overhaul that many were hoping for.
Expect to see an improved camera in 2021, and we're hoping for a big one that can mean the company can hold onto its footing in making some of the very best shooters on the market.
Sadly, based on the leaks available at the time of writing we're not expecting anything too major on the camera front - it looks like we'll be waiting until 2022 for that.
2. Improved battery life
The iPhone 12 range doesn't have much better battery life than the iPhone 11 series, so we'd like to see Apple put more of a focus on battery life in the future.
Nowhere is this more true than on the iPhone 12 mini, which has the worst battery life of the entire family. It's okay enough to cope with on a day to day basis, but we'd like to see Apple commit to improving battery life further.
3. An iPhone 13 mini
This may seem like an obvious one, but we really like the iPhone 12 mini and we'd like to see it become a mainstay of the iPhone family.
Smaller handsets that are as capable as the flagship alternative are few and far between in 2020, so we'd like to see the company commit to this new size of handset again for the iPhone 13.
At the time of writing this is looking likely - though possibly at the expense of an iPhone SE 3.
4. A price drop
This is unlikely to be possible for the iPhone 13, but with the price of the iPhone 12 series increasing over the iPhone 11 we'd like to see the company drop its prices again in 2021.
With a rumor suggesting the company will only be using 5G technology relevant to whatever market you live in, that may allow Apple to drop the price lower than it had done before.
5. The death of 64GB iPhones
The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 are both available with 64GB of storage, and we believe that isn't enough room on a smartphone in 2021. Some will be able to handle that, but if you want to make the most of your device you'll likely find it will clog up after a few years of usage.
We'd like to see Apple introduce 128GB as the minimum device size in the next model, and hopefully bring the price of the larger storage variants down to a more affordable level.
6. A high refresh rate display
Rumored for the iPhone 12, a high refresh rate display will be another solid screen upgrade that we'd love to see included on the iPhone to keep it competitive with other smartphones on the market.
It's the sort of upgrade you don't know you want until you've used a phone with the technology included, but it's something that would make a noticeable difference to the iPhone experience.
7. A better option for chargers
The iPhone 12 was the moment Apple decided to drop chargers in the box. According to Apple, that's an initiative it believes will save on ewaste and while that may be true it isn't the most user friendly way of doing so.
We'd like to see the company come up with an alternative way to offer chargers to those who want them, while also not including them in the box by default.
Perhaps each iPhone could come with a charger coupon that you can cash in if you're in need of a charger but it strongly discourages you from doing so if you already have a way to charge your phone?
Contributer : Techradar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2UUC5oH
Reviewed by mimisabreena
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Saturday, July 10, 2021
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