Confirming previous reports, a new dummy mockup of the iPhone 13 obtained by Macotakara shows that Apple’s next-gen iPhone, as rumored, will boast a slightly smaller notch. The mockup depicted below is of the iPhone 13 Pro, so it remains to be seen if every single model in Apple’s 2021 iPhone lineup will feature a smaller notch.
While a smaller notch is admittedly not a game-changer, it does underscore Apple’s ongoing efforts to minimize the notch’s footprint before ultimately replacing it with a hole-punch display on the iPhone 14.
Aside from a slight aesthetic improvement, a smaller notch might also provide enough screen real estate to see iOS feature the battery percentage figure on the home screen once again.
The mockup in question can be viewed below:
A direct comparison of the iPhone 13 notch against the iPhone 12 can be viewed below. The notch is still substantial, but the overall reduction is still pretty evident. The report specifically relays that the new notch will be slightly taller and will measure in at 5.35mm compared to 5.3mm. The width of the new notch will reportedly be 26.8mm compared to 34.83mm on the iPhone 12.
Apple reportedly managed to reduce the size of the notch by moving the position of the earpiece speaker to the bezel right above the notch. For what it’s worth, I absolutely couldn’t stand the notch when Apple first debuted it on the iPhone X. I thought it was unsightly and would hamper the user experience in a decidedly un-Apple way. Before long, though, the notch seemingly faded into the background and I barely even notice it now.
As for other iPhone 13 rumors we’ve seen making the rounds, word has it that the iPhone 13 Pro models will include a 120Hz ProMotion display that should improve scrolling and responsiveness. We’ve also seen reports claiming that the iPhone 13 will boast an Always-on display, similar to what already exists on the Apple Watch.
“Always-On Display will have minimal customizability,” leaker Max Weinbach said a few weeks ago. “Current design basically looks like a toned-down lock screen. Clock and battery charge is always visible. Notifications seem to be displayed using a bar and icons. Upon receiving, the notification will pop up normally except that the screen will not entirely light up. Instead, it will display it just like you’re used to right now, except dimmed down and only temporarily.”
Other iPhone 13 rumors include a 1TB storage option on the Pro models, improved low light photography across the board, and Portrait mode support for video recording,
One of the more intriguing rumors we’ve seen suggests that one of the iPhone 13 Pro models will feature a texturized matte black.
“The matte back is getting refined,” EverythingApplePro reported last month. “So in the 2021 iPhones, I’m sure Max is referring to the Pro models, they’ll have a slightly more grippy texturized back. He says they’ll be slightly more comfortable and he assumes it’ll be like a soft matte, like on the Pixel series.”
Lastly, in contrast to the iPhone 12 last year, all iPhone 13 models will reportedly be released in September.
