iPhone 13 could fix one of the iPhone 12’s main issues

iPhone 12
The iPhone 12 (Image credit: Future)

New iPhone models tend to excel in most areas, but one thing they’re a bit inconsistent about is battery life, with some performing well, and others – such as the iPhone 12 – just performing okay. The iPhone 13, though, might have a battery boost according to the latest leak.

That’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a great track record for Apple leaks). He claims in an investor note obtained by 9to5Mac that the iPhone 13 will have a larger battery capacity than the iPhone 12, making the device heavier in the process.

He doesn’t say how big the iPhone 13’s battery will be, but with the one in the iPhone 12 being just 2,815mAh, there’s certainly room for improvement.

Smaller notches and higher refresh rates

And that’s not all he had to say. Kuo also claimed that the iPhone 13 range would have smaller notches and that the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will have a 120Hz refresh rate and use more power-efficient LTPO technology – things that have already been extensively rumored.

Other information in this investor note includes that the new models will apparently be the same sizes as the current ones, and that they’ll all include a Lightning connector (rather than being USB-C or portless). There will apparently be four iPhone 13 models too, just like with the iPhone 12 range, so it sounds like the mini model is here to stay.

While some sources suggest the iPhone 13 will have a fingerprint scanner (possibly an in-screen one), Kuo disagrees, but he does think the Pro models will have an upgraded ultra-wide camera, going from a five-element f/2.4 fixed focus lens on the current models to a six-element f/1.8 one with autofocus on the upcoming phones. This is something he’s said before, so he’s just reiterating it here.

Other details include a claim that LiDAR will once again be reserved for the Pro models, the 5G modem will be upgraded, with the iPhone 13 range apparently using the newer Qualcomm X60M, and the phones will supposedly sport space-saving designs, with their SIM card slots integrated into the mainboard. This might be how Apple is finding space to increase the battery size.

Of course, nothing is certain yet. While Kuo is a reputable source, we’re also a long way out from the likely September launch of the iPhone 13 range, so we wouldn’t be confident of any leaks yet. Still, things like 120Hz screens and smaller notches have leaked enough that they’re looking fairly likely.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.