A new leak claims that Apple will continue to keep the LiDAR scanner exclusive to the iPhone 13 Pro series this year. This contradicts previous rumors and reports which claimed that Apple would make the LiDAR scanner standard across all iPhone 13 models.
The LiDAR scanner is exclusive to the iPhone 12 Pro series right now. The sensor allows the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max to offer better and up to 6x faster autofocus speeds in low-light. It also allows them to capture Portrait shots in Night mode, which is not possible on the non-Pro iPhone 12. Many iOS apps also use the LiDAR scanner to deliver an immersive AR experience.
https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1414338686314074116
Initial rumors surrounding the iPhone 13 claimed that Apple would make the LiDAR scanner available across the entire lineup. However, recent case mold and render leaks seem to confirm that the LiDAR sensor will remain exclusive to the Pro models. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will switch to a diagonal camera layout likely to make space for sensor-shift stabilization that Apple will add across the entire iPhone 13 lineup this year.
Apple is expected to make the iPhone 13 series thicker to make space for larger batteries. This should help with battery life. A faster and more efficient 5G modem should also help reduce the power draw on 5G networks. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are rumored to feature a 120Hz OLED display, while the regular iPhone 13 models will feature a 60Hz display. The entire iPhone 13 lineup will feature a smaller notch.
