Design

Apple is will continue offering four iPhones in 2021, with no changes to the sizes. So we can expect a 5.4-inch iPhone mini, a 6.1-inch low-cost iPhone, a 6.1-inch Pro model, and a 6.7-inch Pro Max model. Rumors have suggested the iPhone 12 mini has seen lackluster sales, but Apple is still planning for an iPhone 13 mini at this time. The 2021 iPhone models are not expected to feature major design changes because the 2020 iPhone models marked a significant technology and design overhaul. According to Bloomberg, Apple engineers consider the 2021 iPhones to be an "S" version of the 2020 models. Apple has in the past used the "S" nomenclature in years where iPhone models featured more minor updates. According to Japanese site Mac Otakara, the new iPhones will be the same size as the iPhone 12 models, but thickness could increase by approximately 0.26mm. The iPhone 13 models are also expected to be slightly heavier due to larger batteries. Japanese site Mac Otakara has said that the TrueDepth camera will be shallower because the receiver at the top of the display is being relocated to the edge of the case. This will allow for a design that's thinner rather than shorter. The thinner notch design has also been echoed by a leaker that believes Apple will introduce a smaller notch in the 2021 iPhone lineup. Rather than being shorter in width, the notch may have a reduced height to make it less noticeable and better able to blend in to the top of the iPhone. DigiTimes believes the notch on the iPhone 13 models will "shrink" in size, becoming smaller. A new camera design is said to integrate the Rx, Tx, and flood illuminator into the same camera module to allow for the smaller size. Barclays analysts have similarly explained that a smaller notch on iPhone 13 models will be the result of a "more tightly integrated version of the current structured light system" for Face ID.