iPhone 13 leak suggests a big camera bump – here's why it could be a good thing

(Image credit: Future)

We’ve heard enough iPhone 13 rumors to date to suggest the new iPhone will look a lot like its predecessor, but there could be some noticeable changes upon closer inspection come September, according to a new leak. Specifically, the camera block could protrude from the back of iPhone 13 series far further than that on last year’s devices, especially on the still-rumored iPhone 13 Pro.

While the iPhone 12 Pro cameras extended out from the back by 1.7mm, the iPhone 13 Pro is estimated to extend 3.65mm, according to alleged schematics seen by MacRumors and depicted in the renders below. The cameras for this year's standard iPhone 13 extend from the back of the phone to a lesser degree – 2.51mm – but that’s still noticeably more than the 1.5mm of the iPhone 12 cameras.

iPhone 13 leak — (Image credit: MacRumors)

The iPhone 13 Pro camera block could also be noticeably wider and taller, with dimensions of 36mm x 37mm, up from the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro’s 28mm x 30mm block, per the schematics leak. The iPhone 13 camera block will be roughly the same size at 29mm x 29mm.

Here's why the iPhone 13 cameras may be so big

The Apple leaks we’ve seen have mostly supported the idea that the iPhone 13 will retain the iPhone 12’s flat-edged, round-cornered block design, but with very small changes. This MacRumors leak also claims the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro will be 7.57mm thick, which is 0.17mm thicker than their predecessors, which aligns with previously rumored predictions of a slight increase in thickness, possibly to account for a more advanced 120Hz refresh rate display.

Other iPhone 13 rumors suggest largely similar cameras to the iPhone 12, but with small advancements like improved telephoto lenses and bringing features previously reserved for the iPhone 12 Pro Max to the entire iPhone 13 range, like LiDAR and more advanced ultra-wide cameras. It’s possible that these extras explain why the iPhone 13’s cameras are expected to be more massive, but we look forward to clarification as more rumors come out in the lead-up to the phones’ expected launch in September.

Via AppleInsider

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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.