Does The iPhone 13 Pro Have A Smaller Notch?



Apple’s iPhone 13 range is now official and brings some subtle but equally useful updates over the iPhone 12. But does the iPhone 13 Pro model have a smaller notch?


If we’re being totally honest, Apple’s iPhone 13 range of phones should have been called the iPhone 12s. As updates go, the changes were subtle and more of a refinement of what came before – the iPhone 12.

Apple has made some notable changes and adjustments, however, the most notable of which is improving the iPhone 13’s battery life; each model in the series sports pretty impressive gains in battery life over the iPhone 12 series’ battery life performance, bringing the iPhone 13 back in line with the iPhone 11.

Does The iPhone 13 Pro Have A Smaller Notch?

Ahead of the launch of the iPhone 13, there were loads of crazy rumors about the iPhone 13 series. Most of which turned out to be complete bunk. We didn’t get LiDAR sensors on all models, nor did we get 120Hz ProMotion displays on the entry-level models.

There were also plenty of rumors about Apple either completely doing away with the notch or reducing its size.

All of Apple’s iPhone 13 phones, including the iPhone 13 Pro, do have smaller notches than the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 models launched in September 2021 have 20% smaller notches than the iPhone 12.

Is this a big deal? Not really. Even side-by-sides of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 it is difficult to see the difference in notch size. The reduction in the size of the notch, however, is said to be paving the way for Apple getting rid of it entirely on either the iPhone 14 or iPhone 15.

Again, this is just a rumor right now, but plenty of sources agree that Apple is planning on bringing back TouchID to its iPhone. Only this time, TouchID will live under the iPhone’s OLED display. If this does happen, Apple could theoretically get rid of FACE ID altogether or, more likely, bundle it inside an under-the-screen sensor.

Again, right now we’re dealing with rumors and speculation. But if Apple does introduce some big design changes on either the iPhone 14 or iPhone 15, the simplest place to start would be with the display – making it a seamless panel, complete with under-display sensors.

This alone would alter the entire visual aesthetic of the iPhone; it’d be as big a change as when Apple switched from its home button design to its modern FACE ID-lead design. I just hope the rumors about Apple removing all ports from the iPhone 14 are baseless.

With things like ProRes and improved video-recording abilities, the iPhone needs USB Type C now more than ever…

iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Pro / Max Updates

iPhone 13 Updates List

  • iPhone 13 gets trickle-down updates from iPhone 12 Pro; it now runs the same 12-megapixel lens with an f/1.6 aperture as 2020’s iPhone 12 Pro. The iPhone 13’s new ultrawide camera also has a faster f/2.4 lens and 120-degree field of view, as well as sensor-shift stabilization technology.
  • All iPhone 13 models feature Cinematic Mode; this technology will automatically transition focus in real-time which will make all the phones in the range better for shooting video. Apple used a parody of Knives Out to demonstrate how Cinematic Mode works.
  • The iPhone 13 range features a smaller notch. The notch on the iPhone 13 is 20% smaller than it was before.
  • iPhone 13 has better 5G performance than the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13’s connection to 5G networks is faster, according to Apple, and it will support more than 200 carriers in over 60 countries by the end of 2021.
  • The iPhone 13 features Apple’s new A15 CPU. Apple says the new A15 chipset, while still a 5nm SoC, is 50% faster than its nearest competitor (the Snapdragon 888), although these claims have not been tested yet.
  • The A15 chipset features two new high-performance cores and four new high-efficiency cores.

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone Pro Max Updates List

  • All of Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro models feature new 120Hz Super Retina XDR screens with improved brightness (up to 1000nits).
  • The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are available in the following colors: graphite, gold, silver, and a new light blue.
  • All three cameras have been updated inside the iPhone 13 Pro lineup; you have better low light performance, thanks to larger sensors, a wider aperture for the ultra-wide lens, and 3x zoom for the telephoto lens. Night Mode is now supported on all three lenses too.
  • The 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max now feature a new macro lens that’ll let you shoot objects from just 2cm away. All of Apple’s Pro models now feature sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
  • The Pro models also get Cinematic mode but will also benefit from Apple’s new ProRes technology. You can film in 4K up to 30fps with the iPhone 13 Pro models and, with ProRes, a higher quality video format, you can then edit in more detail after footage has been filmed.
  • All iPhone 13 Pro models get an extra tier of storage, 1TB – this is likely down to its use of ProRes.
  • Apple has improved the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro’s battery life; the iPhone 13 Pro will last 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will last 2.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

For more information on the iPhone 13 range, check out our dedicated iPhone 13 resource hub. And here’s the answer to does the iPhone 13 come with AirPods? And check out Does The iPhone 13 Need A Screen Protector?

Richard Goodwin

Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.

Keep Reading