A report earlier this week revealed 3D renders showing the purported iPhone 13 design. The leaked images seemed to confirm that the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 will indeed have the same overall design as its predecessor. But the imagery also showcased two key design changes expected for this particular model.
The first change concerns the notch, which is expected to be narrower on every iPhone 13 model. We’ve seen at least a couple of other leaks pointing to the same notch modification. The second design change was a surprising revelation about the rear camera module. The iPhone 13’s two cameras will apparently not be placed on top of one another, as seen in every iPhone model with two cameras released since the iPhone X. Instead, the two cameras will sit on the diagonal of the camera bump square. This might seem an inconsequential design modification, but it might confirm that every iPhone 13 model is getting a signature iPhone 12 Pro Max feature.
A brand new leak contains similar renders for the iPhone 13 Pro, and the 3D imagery highlights three key design changes for this model. One of them is the notch, and one of them also concerns the rear camera. But it’s the third big change that could be the most exciting.
Shared by 91Mobiles, the images that follow show off an iPhone 13 Pro with the same overall design as the iPhone 12 Pro.
The notch on the front is not as wide as the default notch seen on every iPhone model launched since the iPhone X. The design detail is in line with the iPhone 13 design leak from the other day as well as other recent renders. The speaker’s placement in the thin bezel at the top of the notch matches those leaks.
On the back, we see a three-lens camera system with a familiar design. But the rear camera module is larger than expected for the Pro. That’s in line with the camera differences between the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The latter features a larger, thicker module than the iPhone 12 Pro. That means the camera bump is decidedly more significant on the Max. That’s because the camera system has a different placement for the three cameras.
As we explained in an earlier analysis, the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s wide camera is larger than the iPhone 12’s wide camera. That’s the phone’s primary lens and the only camera in Apple’s iPhone lineup that comes with sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS). Rumors suggest that sensor-shift OIS is coming to every iPhone 13, and these leaked renders seem to provide evidence to back those claims up — that’s assuming the renders are genuine, of course.
Bringing sensor-shift tech to the iPhone 13 Pro Max would force Apple to reshuffle the placement of the cameras, increase the size of the module, and increase the bump. Specifically, the wide camera would probably be moved from its top-left position (seen below) to the bottom-left, where the telephoto lens sits currently.
This brings us to the third notable design change from this leaked iPhone 13 Pro render. 91Mobiles provides measurements for the leaked iPhone 13 Pro: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.6 mm. They are almost identical to the iPhone 12 Pro’s dimensions. The only thing that changed is the thickness. The iPhone 13 Pro is 0.2mm thicker than the iPhone 12 Pro.
The thickness increase has two potential explanations. A thicker overall body would help Apple reduce the rear camera protrusion. But the main benefit would concern battery life. The extra space could help Apple increase the battery capacity, which might be a priority for the Pro models this year. These are the only phones to feature 120Hz OLED screens, according to reports, and those screens will consume more energy than the standard 60Hz displays, even though Apple will use more efficient LTPO panels, combined with more efficient A15 chips. Other reports claim that iPhone 13 battery capacities will increase compared to the iPhone 12 models.
That said, there’s no way to confirm the iPhone 13 Pro design renders at this time, no matter how exciting they might be.
