It was a short week for most of us here at iMore because of Fourth of July last weekend, but it's been jam-packed with plenty to talk about, especially when it comes to the next iPhone. So let's dive right in!
Since it's July, we're about two months away from the iPhone 13 (no, let's not go the route of naming it the iPhone 12s, alright), and honestly, I'm so ready for it. One of the rumors this week for the iPhone 13 is that it could be getting reverse wireless charging, you know, that thing that has been rumored since the iPhone 11?
According to this rumor, Max Weinbach and EverythingApplePro suggest that the next iPhone could have better heat dissipation and faster wireless charging. But the new coils could also lead to the possibility of reverse wireless charging. For those who don't know what that means, reverse wireless charging implies that you can use your iPhone 13 as a power source to charge other Qi-compatible devices like iPhones, Android devices, and even AirPods with a wireless charging case. This has been a feature that I've wanted since the rumor first popped up several years ago, but we've never seen it come to light. Perhaps this is the year? I mean, I would love it just for the convenience factor, but I'm going to take this one with a grain of salt, as you should do with every rumor.
Other iPhone 13 rumors this week include what could be a massive camera bump size increase and slight shift in positioning of the mute switch. Upon further inspection, according to the original report, it may be just the iPhone 13 Pro and not the iPhone 13 Pro Max that would be getting the biggest bump increase. This could mean that the next iPhone 13 Pro may be getting a better camera, perhaps even matching what the Pro Max version is capable of? I suppose we'll find out in a few months.
One of the reasons why I continue to get the smaller Pro model is because it's tough for me to use the biggest iPhone comfortably, but I don't like that Apple made the Pro Max camera superior in the iPhone 12 lineup. I was a fan of how the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max had basically the same specs aside from screen size, so maybe this will be a return to that. Either way, while I'm not a huge fan of an even larger and unsightly camera bump on the back of my device, I always welcome having a better camera system with improved sensors and lenses, so this will be great news in the end. But if this bigger bump also shifts the mute switch down a bit, then most of my current iPhone 12 Pro cases may not work, which is always a bummer.
More iPhone 13 dummy models have also shown up again this week, which seem to confirm all of the other rumors and leaks that we've heard about in the past few months. The dummy devices are used by third-party accessory makers to produce cases in time for launch, so this is a good idea of what to expect. Other changes that may be coming are 120Hz display, under-display fingerprint scanner (yes, please), and A15 Bionic.
But that brushed metal finish on the dummy phones? Yeah, I'm not so sure about that. I'd much rather have an Iron Man red iPhone 13 Pro instead, or some other colorful options for the Pro models. C'mon Apple, let me have a pink iPhone! I'm begging you.
Speaking of concepts, there have been some cool ones in the past few days with a colorful new MacBook Air render and even a render of a possible new iMac Pro. Of course, I definitely don't need the power of an iMac Pro, but it certainly looks fantastic. The MacBook Air, on the other hand, I would totally be down for. The renders show a MacBook Air in bright new colors that I am drooling over and a new squared-off look that does away with the tapering that we've grown accustomed to after all these years. It would probably have Apple's M2 chip and even bring back MagSafe, which is something many of us would rejoice over. Of course, this is all just a concept, but either way, I'm looking forward to it.
Other things to look forward to include all of the new software that was announced at WWDC. So far, we have hands-on previews for iOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS Monterey for you to check out. Remember — these are sneak previews of what's to come, and some things may change by the final release in the fall. In short, these software updates are more about refining the foundation that is already there rather than bringing about significant new features.
Until next time, folks.
- Christine Romero-Chan
