As we mention in our article comparing the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 13 one reason to wait for the 2021 iPhone, rather than buy an iPhone 12 series model now, is that the new iPhone is likely to have an always-on screen.
This feature will be familiar to owners of the Apple Watch Series 5 or 6. It means that even when the display is off you can still see information like the time, battery level and notifications. It’s a feature that many Android handsets already have.
The YouTube channel Everything Apple Pro has published a video in which EverythingApplePro discusses claims from Apple leaker Max Weinbach about this year’s new iPhone models.
The video discusses Weinbach’s claims that the new iPhone screen will feature a 120Hz refresh rate and that Apple will use LTPO OLED screens, which will enable an always awake screen.
Apple uses LTPO for the Apple Watch Series 5 and Series 6, whose always-on screens display time and other information, with updates once a second.
The iPhone 13 is said to show time and date as well as buttons for camera and flashlight. Notifications could also be displayed but without animations, and with low brightness.
The video also claims that the matte black colour option will be manufactured with a new technology that provides more texture and better grip around the back of the phone.
The video also discusses some other features coming to the iPhone 13 (or iPhone 12s): it’s expected that the new iPhone will feature a slightly better ultra-wide-angle camera – which is a confirmation of previous information from Ming-Chi Kuo. There will apparently be stronger magnets in the MagSafe mount. And a new star photography mode will be activated when you point the camera at the night sky and the app sees stars or the moon.
Read all the news about the iPhone 13 in our iPhone 13 rumour round up.
This article is based on a report from Macworld Sweden. Translation and additional reporting by Karen Haslam.
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld almost two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.