iPhone 13 mini prototype leak shows diagonal rear cameras

iPhone 12 Pro Max
(Image credit: Future)

A new iPhone 13 mini leak shows what could very well be the back of the smallest new iPhone for 2021 and, crucially, the rear pair of cameras rearranged to a diagonal setup rather than the vertical line seen on the iPhone 12 mini.

The leak, sourced from a post on Chinese social media site Weibo, appears to be an actual photo of the purported iPhone 13 mini prototype. While there’s no way to tell if the device is functional or anything more than a hollow plastic mock-up, it’s still the first potential design we’re seeing in the wild – and more support for rumors that the rear cameras will indeed move to a diagonal setup.

iPhone 13 mini

Purported iPhone 13 mini, uploaded by Weibo user 数码疯报. (Image credit: Weibo)

That idea surfaced in previous weeks, especially after iPhone 13 CAD models based on insider info showed the rear cameras arranged diagonally, followed by 3D renders showing the same info mocked up in modern iPhone style. The going theory is that the lenses may have been rearranged to house a larger camera sensor that may be trickling down from the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but it could just be Apple shaking things up in its design.

Via GSM Arena

iPhone 13 mini: real or not?

Of course, even an iPhone 13 mini rumor suggests we’ll get an iPhone 13 mini. The iPhone 12 range featured the debut of a mini-format Apple phone, which is the smallest handset the company has released in years, but sales were reportedly so low that Apple was considering shuttering production in the middle of 2021.

But leaks have emerged suggesting we’re still getting an iPhone 13 mini, perhaps at the expense of other devices like the iPhone SE 3. That’s good news for folks who enjoyed an iOS device in a much smaller form factor, though hopefully, Apple will improve on its shortcomings (like, say, lasting a full day without needing to recharge the battery).

David Lumb

David is now a mobile reporter at Cnet. Formerly Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, he covered phones, tablets, and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best-looking smartphone ever made. He's most interested in technology, gaming and culture – and where they overlap and change our lives. His current beat explores how our on-the-go existence is affected by new gadgets, carrier coverage expansions, and corporate strategy shifts.