It’s early in the year, but iPhone 13 rumors keep dropping. And it looks like some significant changes could be on the way, especially for those willing to drop the big bucks.
Some things are a given — more powerful CPU and GPU, better camera tech and such. But the rumors and supply chain chatter also point to some other things that could be landing, and these could make quite a big splash.
First up is the continued speculation that the iPhone 13 will not feature a Lightning port. Apple’s desire to reduce on ports is well-known, and dropping the Lightning port has been rumored for some time.
But this time around it seems more real, especially with the release of Apple’s own wireless MagSafe charging system.
Dropping the Lightning port would mean one less component to fit, one less thing to break, one less orifice for dirt, schmoo, and liquids to enter the iPhone, and more space inside the iPhone for all the spin-a-ma-things Apple puts in there.
I don’t know if you’ve looked lately, but it’s pretty cramped in there.
Next up, a storage bump to 1TB for the high-end models.
Storage is becoming cheaper, and since Apple already charges a premium for anything above the base offering, this is more about keeping the high-end iPhone competitive with the competition than it is about giving buyers a better deal.
Apple offers the iPad Pro with 1TB of storage. The base 128GB model costs $799, and the 1TB model is a stunning $1,299, which is the same as the 512GB iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Makes sense to bump it to 1TB.
Another strong possibility is that the next iPhone will feature an in-screen fingerprint reader.
It’s unclear if Apple is planning to replace Face ID with an updated Touch ID — seems unlikely to me given how convenient Face ID is (you look at your phone to unlock it — or add it as an alternative.
I’m leaning towards it being an extra option, perhaps adding dual-layer security for some features.
What’s on your wish list for the iPhone 13? Let me know in the comments below.
