iPhone 13 to get better camera and battery at no extra cost, says leaker

A new report says that Apple's iPhone 13, expected to be unveiled next week, will bring improved camera features and better battery life, but won't cost more than Apple's current best iPhone, the iPhone 12

A big dump of information from PineLeaks, a Twitter account run by leaker Max Weinbach, has passed on several bits of information regarding the iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, and Apple's rumored AirPods 3. Regarding the iPhone specifically, Pine states:

We are not expecting a price hike across the iPhone lineup. The overall device weight and thickness will increase, compared to last years models. This will be especially noticable on the Pro Max variant, as you'd expect.

Pine says this size increase will be most obvious on the Pro Max variant, which they tip to get an 18-20% battery increase. Whilst there's no larger battery in the regular-sized 6.1-inch iPhone, performance improvements are expected, however, the Pro may reportedly see a dip in performance because of 120Hz.

Interestingly, and perhaps to be expected, the Pro series' displays will be limited to 60Hz in the iPhone's low power mode on iOS 15.

When it comes to cameras Pine says "all sensors across the board now receive at least 15% more light, while the Ultra Wide sees the biggest change with up to 40% more light."

Previously leaked features also include a new portrait video mode dubbed 'cinematic video', and a smoother optical image stabilization system. There are also reported changes to Night Mode that can auto-detect stars in photos.

Pine and Weinbach have previously accurately leaked details about Apple products prior to launch, including last year's iPhone. Whilst impossible to verify, all of these rumors make sense and Weinbach has a strong track record of accurate Apple leaking to his name.

Worth the wait?

All of the iPhone 13 rumors point to a fairly marginal upgrade, compared to the iPhone 12 which was a massive jump in performance, features, and design. That will make it harder for some people to justify the leap from 12 to 13, but if your phone is your primary camera, or you have to be on top of the curve when it comes to Apple, then the 13 will be a welcome upgrade. 120Hz is expected to be the biggest single upgrade to performance, but this will be limited to the 'Pro' models so comes at a premium. Reports indicate a rumored under-display fingerprint sensor for Touch ID has not made the cut for the iPhone 13 this year.

The rumor of no expected price hike is particularly pertinant because a recent rumor suggested Apple would have to eat rising costs of chips and manufacturing for its next iPhone, suggesting Apple could pass on the price to customers with a more expensive lineup.

Apple's event is just a few days away, and will hopefully put to bed all of the rumors and speculation in favor of some nice hard, cold facts.