It’s that time of year again — we’re just a week away from the expected introduction of Apple’s flagship iPhone 13 lineup. This year, we’re expecting a focus on camera upgrades, performance improvements, and a smaller notch. With the iPhone 13 looming, should you buy an iPhone now or wait until later this month?
iPhone 13 expectations
As we’ve rounded up in our full guide right here, the iPhone 13 lineup will look quite similar to the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 lineup is expected to include the iPhone 13 mini with a 5.4-inch display, the iPhone 13 with a 6.1-inch display, the iPhone 13 Pro with a 6.1-inch display, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch display.
On the high-end iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple is rumored to introduce a new always-on display similar to the Apple Watch, as well as a ProMotion display. This will enable refresh rates up to 120Hz, similar to the iPad Pro. The notch cutout within the display is also expected to get smaller this year. According to reports, the iPhone 13 will feature around a 30% reduction in size in terms of width.
Another focus this year is expected to be on the camera, particularly for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. For the former, this includes things like the wide lens with sensor-shift stabilization. Last year, Apple included better stabilization and 2.5x optical zoom only on iPhone 12 Pro Max.
For the full details on what to expect from the iPhone 13 lineup, check out our full roundup of the latest rumors right here.
What will the iPhone lineup look like after the iPhone 13 is introduced?
While Apple used to keep a relatively straightforward iPhone lineup, things are more complex nowadays, and it’s unclear which iPhone models might stick around following the introduction of the iPhone 13.
Here’s what Apple’s iPhone lineup looks like today:
Following the introduction of the iPhone 13, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will almost certainly be discontinued. The standard iPhone 12 could stick around at a lower price point, while the iPhone 11 could move down into the iPhone XR price point.
Buy now or wait?
Every September, 9to5Mac gets inundated by people asking whether or not they should buy the previous year’s iPhone model or wait to see what Apple has in store for September. Even if you don’t care about the new tech coming in that year’s new iPhone, the answer is always clear: wait.
Even if you wait a month for the iPhone 13 but still end up buying an older model, you’ll be glad you waited. Following the introduction of the iPhone 13, older iPhones — directly from Apple and from third parties — will get cheaper. As always, August is the worst month of the year to buy a new iPhone, even if you don’t end up the latest and greatest.
Heading into the holiday season, be sure to keep an eye on 9to5Toys for details on iPhone sales — we’ll likely see discounts sooner rather than later on last year’s models.
Do you plan on upgrading to the iPhone 13 this fall? Let us know down in the comments!
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