New iPhone 13 leaks point to a matte black option and camera changes

iPhone 12 Pro
(Image credit: Apple)

There's a pile of new iPhone 13 rumors to sift through, covering the colors and the design choices Apple might have in the pipeline, as well as upgrades on the software side. The same batch of leaks also includes an update on the Apple AirTags.

The leaks come courtesy of Filip Koroy at EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach, who are both known for having solid insider information more often than not. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit is an indication that Apple could be planning a matte black iPhone 13.

The new color will apparently be exclusive to the Pro models, and is said to be a reworking of the current graphite shade. It matches up with an Apple patent we caught sight of at the end of last year, hinting that the company was working on a matte black finish for both the iPhone and the Apple Watch.

According to sources speaking to EverythingApplePro and Weinbach, Apple is also working on a bronze or orange finish for a future iPhone – but the word is that this color option is far less likely to make it to a finished product than the matte black.

A return for the mini?

Apple is also seemingly working on a new coating for the stainless steel frame around the iPhone, to reduce the effects of smudges and fingerprints. On the software side, improvements to portrait mode (leveraging the LiDAR sensors in the Pro models) are also said to be on the way.

Another nugget of information we've gleaned from the leaks drop: despite sluggish sales of the iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 13 mini is going to happen – and it's going to come with a slightly bigger battery installed as well.

Other revelations from this particular batch point towards an improved audio experience and a redesigned camera module – one that means less of a camera bump for the iPhone 13 models when they appear (September being the most likely launch month).

Finally, the tipsters also revealed more details of the Apple AirTags: they are said to measure 32 mm x 32 mm x 6 mm (1.26 inches x 1.26 inches x 0.24 inches) and cost $39 a pop, with a release alongside new iPad Pros in the near future.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.