The long-standing rumor is that while Apple won’t be eradicating the notch with the iPhone 13, the handset will see one that is much reduced. That’s thanks both to miniaturization of the various Face ID components and the relocation of the earpiece to the top bezel of the device.
But now the consistently reliable leaker LeaksApplePro has given the presumed full dimensions of the notch, claiming it will be just 26mm wide – the same size measured on an iPhone 13 Pro Max dummy unit back in May. For comparison’s sake, the current notch is 35mm – the same width as it was on the iPhone 11, iPhone XS and iPhone X before it.
- The best iPhones you can buy today
- iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro: How will they be different?
- PLUS: Face ID could be coming to Macs in the next couple of years
Notably, another 3D printed iPhone 13 model came up with a similar – though not identical – 26.80mm width for the new notch. While the notch was shrunk in terms of width, it was slightly taller, coming in at 5.35mm rather than the 5.3mm of the iPhone 12.
Combining these figures, PhoneArena estimates that the iPhone 13 will reach an 88% screen-to-body ratio, up 2% from the iPhone 12 and 8% from the iPhone X, where the notch first appeared. Apple’s handset without a notch, the iPhone SE, manages just 65%.
This is obviously moving in the right direction, but is still less impressive than Android flagships which, thanks to the wonders of pinhole notches, pop-up cameras and under-screen lenses, have been known to break through the 90% barrier in the past.
There’s one other notable thing about the original LeaksApplePro tweet: the tipster refers to the handset as the iPhone 12S. While this isn’t an original idea, it is one that seemed to be ruled out via supply chain sources earlier this month.
It would make a certain sense to call the handset the iPhone 12S. While the ‘S’ line has been inconsistently used by Apple — last seen on the iPhone XS in 2018 and the iPhone 6S in 2015 — it has been a handy way of signaling incremental hardware updates, and all signs point to the next handset being incremental all the way.
Still, there are several other upgrades tipped for the iPhone 13 that sound worthwhile. Those include a faster and more efficient A15 Bionic chip, improved 5G and camera features like portrait mode video and a new astrophotography mode for shooting the night sky.
Based on the rumors the iPhone 13 Pro sounds more impressive, including a possible 120Hz refresh rate for the screen, an always-on display and a more advanced ultra wide camera with auto focus.
