iPhone 13 could solve the mini's biggest problem, claims leak

Iphone 12 Mini
Iphone 12 Mini (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 13 lineup at an event on September 14.
  • A new set of leaks claims we can expect some improvements to battery life across the board.
  • In particular, Apple's iPhone 13 mini is tipped to get a whole extra hour of battery life performance.

Apple has announced its iPhone 13 event, where it is expected to unveil a new flagship smartphone lineup on September 14. Now, a new set of leaks claims the mini version of the iPhone 13 could have a much better battery than the previous model.

The leak comes from PineLeaks, a Twitter tipster account run by leaker Max Weinbach, and states:

The Pro Max variant will continue to be the true flagship smartphone from Apple, differentiating itself from the standard Pro model.We expect the iPhone mini variant to offer an additional ~1 hour of battery life.

Weinbach and PineLeaks have previously accurately predicted Apple's plans, revealing details about products prior to launches and events. Whilst it's important to take all rumors with a grain of salt, Weinbach and PineLeaks have definitely proven themselves to be "in the know" in previous years.

Better battery?

If the rumor of a mini with stronger battery life is true, it could finally remedy perhaps the biggest complaint about the iPhone 12 mini, its weak battery life. Testing from our friends at Tom's Guide showed the phone can last about 7:28 minutes using 5G, in part because of its very small 2,227 mAh battery, a big downside to its small form factor. With a battery life that can't get most folk through your average working day, the iPhone 12 mini has struggled to garner sales and is often reported as the worst-performing device in the iPhone 12 lineup. So much so in fact, that Apple is expected to drop the mini altogether from next year. Despite this, it will reportedly get one more run out this year alongside a regular iPhone, and two 'Pro' models in a configuration that mirrors the iPhone 12, currently Apple's best iPhone. A resurgent 13 mini might not be enough to save the form factor altogether, but at least it would make the phone a more viable option for users who prefer its small form factor.

Apple is also tipped to launch new Apple Watch Series 7 and AirPods 3 next week, and PineLeaks also shared some information about big changes coming to Apple's earbuds.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9