iPhone 13: New designs and colors could be on the way

The iPhone 13 release is already on the horizon. We’re expecting to see four new iPhones from Apple in September — the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max (though they may have different names). 

From the rumors and leaks published so far, we aren’t expecting a major design change for the iPhone 13 — it’ll likely be pretty similar to the iPhone 12 in terms of models, size and price. (See more about how the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 are expected to stack up here.) But there are a few notable changes and upgrades that could make using the iPhone 13 a lot easier. Here’s what we know right now. 

Read more: iPhone 13’s juiciest rumors: Smaller notch, lidar and more leaks

iPhone 13 sizes

These are the rumored iPhone 13 sizes:

• iPhone 13 Mini: 5.4-inch
• iPhone 13: 6.1-inch
• iPhone 13 Pro: 6.1-inch
• iPhone 13 Pro Max: 6.7-inch

A smaller notch 

Apple has included a notched display on every iPhone since the 2017 iPhone X, as a place for the selfie camera. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in March predicted that the iPhone 13 will have a smaller notch than its predecessors. 

The same Lightning port (for most iPhone 13 models)

While the headphone jack is a thing of the past for iPhones, some had predicted that the rise of MagSafe accessories last year meant that the next iPhone would be portless. However, Kuo predicts that all iPhone 13 models will still include a Lightning port — except for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. 

A 120Hz display

In March, Kuo also predicted that the two iPhone 13 Pro models will use LTPO technology in their displays for a 120Hz refresh rate, which we’ve heard in previous rumors as well. The number of hertz a phone screen is able to display refers to its number of frames per second, which determines how fast and smooth the screen feels when you’re scrolling through apps and web pages. It also affects how smooth supported games feel. 

Many people were expecting to see the 120Hz refresh rate in the iPhone 12, since some higher-end phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, have this feature. On Twitter, tech analyst and leaker Jon Prosser claimed the decision not to implement 120Hz in the iPhone 12 pro was made due to battery life issues, since 5G drains so much battery on its own. But that will likely be less of a problem in the iPhone 13.

A bigger battery

All four iPhone 13 models will feature larger batteries than their iPhone 12 counterparts, according to Kuo. This would support the 120Hz display. 

Colors

We haven’t seen a ton of leaks involving potential iPhone 13 colors. The iPhone 12 comes in five colors: deep blue, minty green, red, white and black. Apple usually replaces one color with another in its new models, but we aren’t sure what that will be yet. 

For more, check out our review of the iPhone 12, and the best ways to sell or trade in your old iPhone.