Recent iPhone 13 leaks have revealed a very different iPhone range to what many fans expected with Apple making some controversial feature cuts. But now some surprising all-new iPhone 13 design decisions have been revealed.
Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max dummy model (left) has massive new rear cameras compared to the iPhone 12 … [+]
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In a pair of exclusives, Bloomberg’s acclaimed Apple insider Mark Gurman and popular Chinese site MyDrivers have revealed out of the blue upgrades to the iPhone 13 range’s displays and charging. Both of which will have Android rivals turning their heads.
iPhone 13: Always-On Display
Bloomberg first, and Gurman used his Power On newsletter to reiterate that Apple will fit larger battery capacities in the iPhone line up with their additional stamina powering new LTPO (low-temperature Polycrystalline oxide) 120Hz ProMotion displays on iPhone 13 Pro models. This backs up several previous leaks, but where Gurman breaks new ground is his revelation that the big batteries would also power always-on displays.
Gurman believes that this would also be an iPhone 13 Pro-only feature with Apple relying on the variable refresh rate technology LTPO displays deliver (they can dynamically switch from 1-120Hz) to conserve power in an always-on standby mode. Apple already has precedence here, with the Apple Watch 5 Series providing an always-on display thanks to an LTPO display and a similar system of time, date and app notifications would make sense on the iPhone too.
Apple’s Android rivals have had always-on displays for several years now and the feature is popular, making it a logical catch-up move. That said, it’s a shock to hear a new feature leak from such a reliable source with the new iPhones only circa six weeks from release.
The Always-On LPTO display in the Apple Watch Series 5
Apple
iPhone 13: Faster Charging
MyDrivers (via MacRumors) has a similar out of the blue revelation, leaking – for the first time – that Apple plans to offer increased 25W fast charging across the iPhone 13 range. While on paper this is just a modest 5W bump from the 20W maximum charging speed of the iPhone 12 line-up, the real surprise is it would see Apple upgrade its power specification just a year after moving from 18W to 20W.
MyDrivers doesn’t specify if 25W will be via the Lightning port and/or MagSafe. That said, it would tie-in with recent leaks that Apple is upgrading MagSafe this year (despite some notable medical concerns). The move may also be to keep charge times consistent, given the aforementioned larger battery capacities on iPhone 13 range.
If correct, both upgrades are likely to prove popular with iPhone fans — especially after Apple scrapped plans to restore Touch ID this year, despite Face ID struggling in a mask-wearing world. Moreover, the latest leaks may prove to be the icing on the cake for potential iPhone 13 upgraders already excited by reports that the range will also have a smaller notch, supersized rear cameras, some extreme image stabilization and a cutting edge A15 chipset with next-generation 5G.
Yes, the first iPhone 14 leaks do look even better but that phone is more than a year away whereas the iPhone 13 launch is fast approaching.
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