iPhone 13 Leak Details Camera, LiDAR Upgrades, Reveals New Color

Apple’s iPhone range looks set to take a truly radical design turn in future, but right now new leaks have revealed that the company has some stunning design decisions planned for this year’s iPhone 13 range as well.  

iPhone 13 line-up concept render based on new leaks

EverythingApplePro

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In a new video, popular YouTuber Filip Koroy (aka EverythingApple Pro) has again teamed up with prolific leaker Max Weinbach to reveal “a lot of exclusives” about the iPhone 13 range, including serious audio, design and camera upgrades. Koroy notes that several of these are “confirmed”. 

iPhone 13 Pro Design

First Koroy reveals that after several aborted attempts, Apple will finally release a “matte black” version of both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The finish is understood to be similar to the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s ‘phantom black’ (which was a big hit on release), with Koroy rating the new option as “very likely to happen.” On the flipside, Weinbach says an orange finish Apple was testing for the range will not make it (concept render above). 

Apple is also making a practical upgrade to the iPhone 13 Pro lineup with Koroy reporting that there will be an improved coating applied to the phones’ stainless steel frames to make them more smudge and fingerprint resistant. 

Separately, Weinbach endorses recent leaks that Apple will reduce the size of the notch across the iPhone 13 range. He says the design shift will see Apple improve the microphone at the same time, creating clearer audio using beamforming. 

iPhone 13 Pro Cameras

“Here’s a really juicy one,” states Koroy. “Max Weinbach’s source confirms that the camera will be getting a new look on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max and he’s got a lot of details.” 

Breaking it down, Koroy reports that Apple is “really trying” to reduce both the protrusion of the individual lenses on both models as well as the mass of the glass housing around them. This year Apple will also bring the thickness of both camera units into alignment. Currently, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is thicker as it uses upgraded sensors so this may signal a move back to feature parity. 

iPhone 13 Pro concept renders showing flatter new camera design

EverythingApplePro

Next, Koroy reveals that Apple is building superior software-based optical stabilisation for both models. “Essentially, when you’re focused on a target, that target will stay in frame no matter your hand jitters. The OS will automatically cut and crop and stay focused on that image.” If correct, this is a potentially game-changing improvement. 

That is not all. Weinbach explains that Apple is making radical changes to Portrait mode on both iPhone 13 Pro models:

“Portrait mode on the new iPhones will be overhauled greatly,” he claims. ”It will now rely heavily on a new process that combines both data from the lenses as well as LiDAR. LiDAR is specifically going to be used for much better edge detection. Things like smaller gaps in street signs are now supposed to be detected by the new process. this goes with portrait video as a portrait video mode overhaul that Apple is working on for their 2021 iPhones.” Max Weinbach. 

Koroy comments that the pairing of optical stabilisation and portrait mode upgrades “is going to be a killer combo” and – if they’re right about this as well as three further camera upgrades they leaked earlier this month – then I fully agree. 

iPhone 13 Mini 

Finally, Koroy says that poor sales of the iPhone 12 Mini will not result in a premature end for the model. “Max confirms that the iPhone 13 Mini will continue” he explains, revealing there will be battery improvements (the primary weakness of its predecessor) via a “new and more efficient A series SoC” rather than a much larger battery. 

All of which suggests the iPhone 13 lineup, particularly the Pro models, will not be the iterative upgrades many expected with fundamental design, photography, software and battery life changes. Combine this with leaks stating Apple will also use next-gen 5G modems with global coverage and improved power efficiency, incorporate a ’disruptive’ new WiFi standard, double storage and introduce in-display Touch ID alongside Face ID for more mask-friendly security and you would be right to be excited. 

And this is before we get to the iPhones which fold. 

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