In the past few years though, there have been a few devices that have been announced in September but appeared slightly later, with the iPhone XR coming in October 2018, while the iPhone X arrived in November 2017.
Due to the problems caused by COVID-19, we also saw the iPhone 12 delayed until October, but if things return to some semblance of normality, then we would expect the traditional September release for the iPhone 13 in 2021.
That’s backed up by a prediction by the ever-accurate Ming-Chi Kuo, who told investors that Apple is due to revert back to the traditional September launch with the iPhone 13 in 2021.
Of course, the iPhone SE (2020) breaks these rules by turning up in the Spring whenever Apple decides to update the range. For this reason, the SE range should always be counted as an outlier rather than a guide to potential release dates for the flagship models.
How much will the iPhone 13 cost?
Prices for the standard iPhone have been going up and down with recent releases, as you can see from this list;
- iPhone X: £999/$999
- iPhone XS: £999/$999
- iPhone 11: £729/$699
- iPhone 12: £799/$799
The arrival of the iPhone 11, with the sudden price-drop, is more easily understood when you take into account that it coincided with the release of the iPhone Pro range. Why the iPhone 12 saw an increase by £70/$100 is less clear, but it does mean that the current Apple smartphone range now has a very regimented feel, with options at most price points. Here’s how the iPhone catalogue breaks down;
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – £1,099/$1,099
- iPhone 12 Pro – £999/$999
- iPhone 12 – £799/$799
- iPhone 12 Mini – £699/$699
- iPhone 11 – £599/$599
- iPhone XR – £499/$499
- iPhone SE – £399/$399
As you can see, the iPhone 12 sits just above the middle, £100/$100 more than the new iPhone 12 mini but £200/$200 less than the iPhone 12 Pro. The lower end of the list is made up of previous iPhones that have been kept around to offer buyers the chance to enter the world of iOS without spending around £700/$700.
With this model in place, we think there’s a good chance that Apple will replace devices like-for-like when it updates the line in 2021. So, the iPhone 13 is likely to cost £799/$799, with Mini and Pro varieties either side.
What new features will Apple bring to the iPhone 13?
Obviously, with it still being many months until the iPhone 13 is unveiled, there isn’t much in the way of confirmed news about features or specs. That hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from going into overload though, with various leaks and prognostication about what Apple has in store. Here’s what’s been said so far.
Processor & storage
It’s a pretty safe call to say that the iPhone 13 will arrive with the latest version of Apple’s own A series processors. Just as the iPhone 11 sported an A13 Bionic and the iPhone 12 arrived with the A14 Bionic, it’s a good bet that the iPhone 13 will come with a new A15 Bionic. How this will improve things is still to be determined, but expect performance boosts and better energy management with the updated silicon.
One interesting tweet that appeared in October 2020 from tipster Jon Prosser is that the iPhone 13 will offer a 1TB storage tier.
hope y’all are ready for 1TB iphones
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) October 28, 2020
This would double the maximum currently available on the iPhone Pro lineup and quadruple that of the iPhone 12 standard model.
New display with a smaller notch
Since the launch of the iPhone X, the notch at the top of the screen that houses the Face ID cameras has been something of a Marmite issue. Some like it, others have just grown used to it, while a further group actively hate it.
Now, it does seem unlikely to disappear in the iPhone 13, but a rumour from Ice Universe suggests that the notch will be slimmed down so that it protrudes less into the display.
iPhone13 still continues the notch design, but notch is shorter.
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) October 7, 2020
That’s backed up by the ever-reliable MacOtakara, also reporting that the iPhone 13 will feature a smaller notch thanks to the shrinking of the TrueDepth camera system.
However, a competing tweet from reliable tipster @MauriQHD suggests that an upcoming iPhone could ditch the notch altogether, albeit at a cost of slightly thicker bezels.
The tipster was upfront in stating that it’s unclear whether it’ll come to the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14, and given the sheer number of rumours detailing a smaller notch, it’s likely that this display change is still some time away.
Ming-Chi Kuo also believes that the notch will shrink on the iPhone 13, and even goes as far as to suggest Apple will move a holepunch-esque setup with certain iPhone 14 models expected in 2022.
Regardless of the notch, the display itself is expected to see significant upgrades, with lots of expectation that the iPhone 13 will move up to a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate that would allow ProMotion scrolling and catch the Apple smartphones up with the majority of Android flagships.
There’s also the chance that the new model with benefit from switching to Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide (LTPO) panels, as found on the Apple Watch. These would bring increased energy-efficiency over the current OLED panels, which in turn could add a chunk of time to battery life.
That’s backed up by a report from The Elec, claiming that both the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max will sport 120Hz refresh rates, and even goes a step further, reiterating previous rumours that the two Pro models will use LTPO OLED display tech.
Max Weinbach, via the EverythingApplePro YouTube channel, also claims that 120Hz LTPO displays are coming, but that’s not all – the leaker also suggests always-on display tech is on the way.
The feature, exclusive to the 120Hz LTPO display, is said to mimic your lock screen, with your clock and battery icon constantly visible, and notifications appearing temporarily on-screen.
As well as generally being more battery efficient, the LTPO tech allows the display to automatically adjust the refresh rate without any additional hardware. The iPhone 13 and 13 Mini are rumoured to use the existing LTPS tech, suggesting that they’ll be capped at 60Hz.
Improved camera setup
When it comes to the camera setup, rumours suggest that small – but significant – changes are in store.
Mac Otakara suggests that the rear camera setup of the entire iPhone 13 range will be covered in sapphire glass, and that the iPhone 13 Pro will sport the same camera module as the 13 Pro Max, complete with sensor-shifted OIS.
That’s not the only change though; the EverythingApplePro report claims that the ultra-wide camera is due to get an upgrade across the entire iPhone 13 range, with improved low-light performance.
There’s also said to be the introduction of an automatic astrophotography mode, and a portrait video mode too.
The return of Touch ID
This one has been rumoured for quite some time, with some suggestion that it’d be a feature of the iPhone 12, but as we now know, that wasn’t the case.
The current suggestion, via Bloomberg, is that Apple is planning on bringing Touch ID back to the iPhone – it remains a staple on Mac and cheaper iPhones after all – but with a significant change: it’ll be built into the display this time around.
Now, this isn’t a new concept. Android smartphones have featured in-display fingerprint scanner tech for quite some time, and while it was initially a bit hit-and-miss, recent implementations show that it can be just as reliable as a side-mounted scanner. However, it’s not something Apple has dabbled in – until this point.
The reintroduction of the tech makes sense given our need to wear facemasks in our daily lives, rendering Apple’s high-end Face ID tech essentially useless. A combination of Face- and Touch ID would give users the best of both worlds and speed up the unlock process when out and about.
The rumour was backed up weeks later by a separate report from the Wall Street Journal. According to former Apple employees that spoke to the publication, Apple is looking at incorporating Touch ID into the display of an upcoming iPhone, although the source wasn’t sure that it’d be available on the iPhone 13.
Given the number of rumours – some going back over a year – that claim Apple is working on an in-display fingerprint scanner, it’s likely that we’ll see it make an appearance on the iPhone 13.
Apple to ditch all ports on the iPhone
One of the stranger rumours that’s gathering momentum is that Apple will remove the Lightning port, but rather than move to USB-C like on the MacBook and iPad Pros, it will simply have no ports at all. This would mean all charging is wireless and connecting your iPhone to another device or peripheral will have to be done by Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or witchcraft.
Jon Prosser and fellow tipster Fudge (so many of them have fun names) have already agreed publicly on this idea, and Bloomberg also claims Apple has discussed the idea internally.
With Apple’s history of removing popular ports while simultaneously releasing very expensive wireless accessories, we can see it happening, although maybe not with the next iteration of iPhone.
Keep checking back to see what rumours appear, but in the meantime read our iPhone buying guide and best iPhone 12 & 12 Pro deals.