Difference to Expect between the iPhone 13, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max
Here’s how the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max compare based on rumors ahead of Apple’s next event on Sept. 14.
Apple’s next flagship phone said to be called the iPhone 13, will almost surely debut on Sept. 14 at the tech giant’s next 2021 event. We expect to see four iPhone 13 models next week: a standard iPhone 13 as well as Mini, Pro, and Pro Max versions. According to a filing with the Federal Communications Commission for a revised MagSafe charger, spotted by 9to5Mac and MacRumors, Apple references the four new iPhone models alongside the four “legacy” iPhone 12 models: the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The four-model lineup for the iPhone 13 was predicted previously by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Although the iPhone 13 is rumored to mirror the iPhone 12 lineup, Apple’s 2021 iPhones may feature a few new designs, cameras, and feature upgrades. The prices may also be a bit higher than for 2020’s iPhone 12 models.
Besides size, last year’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini are fairly similar. They share the same camera specs and storage options, and they both lack the lidar scanner Apple included in the Pro models. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max also share similar features, with a few small differences in their camera sensors and lenses. For the iPhone 13, however, we won’t know exactly how each model compares until they’re launched.
Here are all the rumors we’ve heard about the iPhone 13 collection so far, and how we expect each model in Apple’s new lineup to differ from each other. Just note that none of the iPhone 13 specs have been confirmed by Apple yet. We’ll keep this story updated as we hear more.
Price: iPhone 13 line could match the cost of its predecessor
Like most details about the iPhone 13, the exact pricing of Apple’s next lineup of phones has yet to be revealed. But we speculate it could mirror the price structure of the iPhone 12 lineup.
Of Apple’s 2020 line, the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini are the more affordable phones, with US starting prices of $799 and $699, respectively. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are considered Apple’s higher-end models, and cost $999 and $1,099.
We expect the iPhone 13 Mini to be about $100 less than the baseline iPhone 13, if last year’s price structure is any indication. Similarly, an extra Benjamin will probably be the difference between an iPhone 13 Pro and a Pro Max, with prices also varying across storage size and carrier.
If the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are priced comparably to the iPhone 12 line, the prices would be similar to other high-end smartphone models like the Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra, which cost $1,000 and $1,200, respectively.
But Apple could also raise the prices for its new lineup. According to an August report from DigiTimes, the tech giant is considering upping prices for the iPhone 13 models to compensate for the increased costs of chip production from its supplier TSMC. Apple’s supplier is looking to increase the cost by as much as 20% for “advanced and mature process technologies” by January 2022, the report says. What’s unclear is whether this would impact the price of the entire lineup, or if costs will be passed on unevenly across the different phones.
Here are US prices for each of the iPhone 12 models, for reference:
IPHONE 12 PRICING
| iPhone 12 model | 64GB | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 Mini (carrier model) | $699 | $749 | $849 | N/A |
| iPhone 12 Mini (SIM-free from Apple) | $729 | $779 | $879 | N/A |
| iPhone 12 (carrier model) | $799 | $849 | $949 | N/A |
| iPhone 12 (SIM-free from Apple) | $829 | $879 | $979 | N/A |
| iPhone 12 Pro | N/A | $999 | $1,099 | $1,299 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | N/A | $1,099 | $1,199 | $1,399 |
Design: All iPhone 13 models could have a smaller notch
Each of the iPhone 13 models are rumored to have a smaller notch than previous iPhones, according to Kuo. Apple has included a notched display on each of its smartphones since the 2017 iPhone X, as a place for the phone’s selfie camera. Some components of the design, however, will likely differ for each iPhone 13 model.
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max could be thicker and have larger camera bumps than their predecessors. MacRumors allegedly saw schematics of the iPhone 13 with a thicker camera bump, which could accommodate possible camera upgrades for Apple’s higher-end models. The rumor site even made a render showing what a possible iPhone 13 would look like with such a camera bump.
Changes in the design of the camera setup could be coming for the iPhone 13 Mini as well. Renders of the Mini model from leaker Sonny Dickson on Twitter in June show two camera lenses situated diagonally from each other, rather than one atop the other like on the iPhone 12 Mini.
In terms of size, the iPhone 13 line should mirror the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Dummy units of the iPhone 13 line, shared by Apple Insider, showed the iPhone 13 Mini at 5.4 inches, with the standard and Pro models at 6.1 inches and the Pro Max measuring an expansive 6.7 inches.
Display: iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max might get an upped refresh rate
Kuo predicts that the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max models will house LTPO technology in their displays for a 120Hz refresh rate. The standard and Mini models, however, may not have this feature. This would be a change from last year’s iPhone 12 lineup, which offered the same piddly 60Hz refresh rate for each of the four versions.
Although Apple has yet to add the upped refresh rate to its premium models, other high-end smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S21 and OnePlus 9 Pro, have a 120Hz refresh rate.
Camera: Will all the models get a lidar scanner?
Apple’s new iPhone could see a few camera upgrades, especially for the Pro and Pro Max models.
According to an August report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the iPhone 13 could get three new camera and video features: a video version of Portrait Mode, a higher-quality option to record video called ProRes and a new filter system to intensify the appearance of photos. Gurman speculated that ProRes may only be available for the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max.
It was previously rumored that all upcoming iPhone 13 models could get a lidar scanner, but more recent buzz from leaker Dylan on Twitter speculates that only the Pro and Pro Max will have that technology. This would be the second generation of iPhones to only feature a lidar scanner on its higher-end models.
Read Also: iPhone 13 Release: What to expect
The scanner, which made its debut in the 2020 iPad Pro, can be seen on both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The scanner is used to help with autofocus and taking pictures in low lighting. (You can also use lidar to measure your friends’ heights at parties, which is kind of cool.)
Battery: Each iPhone 13 model could get a battery size boost
Each model in the iPhone 13 lineup could feature larger batteries than the iPhone 12, according to gossip from Chinese social media platform Weibo in early June. The rumored battery specs, covered on 9to5Mac in June from a tweet by leaker @L0vetodream, show a 2,406-mAh battery for the iPhone 13 Mini, a 3,095-mAh battery for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro and a 4,352-mAh battery for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
IPHONE 13 RUMORED BATTERY SIZES
| iPhone 13 model | Battery size |
|---|---|
| iPhone 13 Mini | 2,406 mAh |
| iPhone 13 standard | 3,095 mAh |
| iPhone 13 Pro | 3,095 mAh |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | 4,325 mAh |
Just note that, although the iPhone 13 line could house a larger battery than the iPhone 12, it’s possible that the boost in battery size will not directly translate to longer battery life, since battery life isn’t the same as battery capacity.
We won’t know exactly how the four upcoming iPhone 13 models compare until Apple unveils the new smartphone next week. But, if you’re itching for the latest on the tech giant’s new iPhone, you can take a look at the iPhone 13 release date and our iPhone 13 wishlist. You can also check out what the main differences are between each iPhone 12 model, how the rumored iPhone 13 specs compare with the iPhone 12, and how to download the iOS 15 beta today.
IPHONE 13, 13 MINI, 13 PRO AND 13 PRO MAX RUMORED SPECS
| Apple iPhone 13 | Apple iPhone 13 Mini | Apple iPhone 13 Pro | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size | 6.1 inches | 5.4 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Camera features | Portrait Mode video and new filter system | Portrait Mode video and new filter system | Portrait Mode video, ProRes, lidar scanner and new filter system | Portrait Mode video, ProRes, lidar scanner and new filter system |
| Battery | 3,095 mAh | 2,406 mAh | 3,095 mAh | 4,325 mAh |
| Price (USD) | $829 (64GB), $879 (128GB), $979 (256GB) | $729 (64GB), $779 (128GB), $879 (256GB) | $999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB) | $1,099 (128GB), $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB) |
| Price (GBP) | £799 (64GB), £849 (128GB), £949 (256GB) | £699 (64GB), £749 (128GB), £849 (256GB) | £999 (128GB), £1,099 (256GB), £1,299 (512GB) | £1,099 (128GB), £1,199 (256GB), £1,399 (512GB) |
| Price (AUD) | AU$1,349 (64GB), AU$1,429 (128GB), AU$1,599 (256GB) | AU$1,199 (64GB), AU$1,279 (128GB), AU$1,449 (256GB) | AU$1,699 (128GB), AU$1,869 (256GB), AU$2,219 (512GB) | AU$1,849 (128GB), AU$2,019 (256GB), AU$2,369 (512GB) |
