iPhone 13's radical new design will deliver a BIG change from iPhone 12 – here's how

Apple's official iPhone 12 unveiling may be in just a few days, but that doesn't mean it's too early to start thinking about the iPhone 13. 

Apple has yet to confirm any rumors about the iPhone 13 – or whatever it might be called – but there have been several rumors and patents that indicate the direction it could go in. One topic that always seems to rise above the rest when it comes to new iPhone designs is whether the notch will remain or be altered somehow.

Nothing has changed in terms of the rumor mill, then. A new prediction, perpetuated by leaker Ice Universe, indicates that the iPhone 13 will "continue the notch design," but the notch itself will likely be "shorter." Ice Universe included a diagram in an attempt to illustrate how much "shorter" the notch might become.

When speaking in terms of "shortness," the notch is more shallow and protrudes less from the top of the phone. It will remain the same width, however, as Ice Universe predicts. 

Previously, a patent for a ToF camera suggested that the new iPhone might feature a front depth or a LiDAR sensor. However, another patent indicated that an ambient light sensor could simply be embedded below an iPhone display. This would eliminate the need for a notch entirely. 

There have been several reports about the notch overall, including the idea that it will shrink or be done away with entirely, but it isn’t clear at this point which is representative of the truth just yet. 

It's possible that the iPhone 13 will include most, if not all of, the patents seen floating around that Apple has registered. With the iPhone 12 release just around the corner, we'll soon be able to see what Apple has up its sleeve for this iteration. Since it's so early in the hypothetical iPhone 13 life cycle, it's difficult to ascertain which patents will stick. It's certainly entertaining to try, however. 

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