The iPhone 12 series was released just three months ago but it’s already looking outdated. Also, the rumours and leaks pertaining to the 2021 iPhone make the device seem worth waiting for rather than investing in an iPhone 12. The upcoming iPhone 13 is likely to have an in-screen fingerprint reader and a 120Hz high-refresh rate display – both are very useful additions.
The in-screen fingerprint reader will make the iPhone once more easier to use. FaceID on the current flagship iPhones is fun and sometimes easy to use as well, but not all the time. A fingerprint reader allows users to unlock an iPhone even when wearing a mask and also generally unlocking a phone by fingerprint is somewhat less apparent. Unlocking an iPhone through FaceID requires pulling the phone (slightly) up to the face level.
In-screen fingerprint reader & 120Hz display
Most flagship Android phones have had an in-screen fingerprint reader for sometime now. Samsung started packing an in-screen ‘Ultrasonic’ fingerprint reader with the Galaxy S10 and S10+. However, the reliability of the system was not upto the mark for a longtime but the current generation Galaxy S21 has a much improved in-screen fingerprint reader. Physical fingerprint readers are always preferred but in-screen fingerprint reader tech is also continuously improving.
The iPhone 13 will reportedly be the first iPhone to use a 120Hz high-refresh rate display. In this case as well, Android phones have had this feature for years now. Another interesting point is that the iPad Pro has had a 120Hz display since 2018, even before Android phones. However, Apple has not brought the tech over to the iPhone yet. Sources with insider information reported that because of 5G’s high battery consumption, Apple decided to postpone the addition of high-refresh rate displays on the iPhone 12.
Apple already makes some of the most power efficient chips in the industry. The A-series chips offer high performance while also offering high-efficiency and as a result, the iPhones have always had smaller batteries compared to Android phones. The next iPhone could have a much more power efficient chip which could manage the high power consumption of a 120Hz display.