Come with three brand new camera sensors on the back, which promise to take better photos in low light, add longer zoom, and allow for tricks like macro photography and cinematic mode
Increase the battery size by quite a bit for an additional 1.5h of use on the iPhone 13 Pro and 2.5h on the iPhone 13 Pro Max (according to Apple)
If you wonder why the 20% smaller notch isn’t mentioned, that’s because it makes the iPhone 13 only about 20% less distracting than before. This simply isn’t good enough. It could as well be kept as it was before - no one would have complained. Also, the notch is now taller, making the iPhone 13 look like a Pixel 3 XL, which is... not pretty.
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max: Expectations (leaks) vs reality
But what didn’t Apple bring to the table with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max? We heard tons of rumors about the iPhone 13 (like we do every year). It was anything from stronger MagSafe magnets to a Sunset bronze color.
Spoiler: neither of them made it on our list, and also neither of them came to be. So, let’s start with the more obvious features, which were rumored to make it to the iPhone 13 series, but… didn't.
1. Satellite connectivity
As of now, there’s no word about the arrival of this feature, although it was heavily rumored and backed up by a few tipsters like Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo. It would have allowed iPhone 13 Pro to send text messages and perhaps even make phone calls by using a satellite connection. I guess that’s a no-show.
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Although I have to admit, the idea of such a feature is quite intriguing. You'd be able to send a text, or make a phone call from places you aren't currently able to do so. It can be a life-saver!
Found in: Thuraya X5-Touch - the only satellite smartphone to date
2. Astrophotography
This one’s a bit trickier because although we didn’t see “astrophotography” being announced as a separate feature, Apple swears by the new bigger sensors found in the iPhone 13 Pro series and promises that they’d be able to take great photos of the night sky.
“Astrophotography” is mentioned as a term in one of Apple’s official photo samples taken by iPhone 13 Pro, and the folder (which you can download), is even named “astrophotography”. Remember, “astrophotography” is just a photography term at the end of the day. Apple doesn’t have to make it a separate feature in order to use it as a term. Fair enough.
Found in: Google Pixel, Huawei, and more - usually requires a tripod, but not always
3. Always-on display
It just didn’t happen! It would’ve been nice to be able to see the time, date, and perhaps your battery percentage without having to touch your iPhone. Apple had all the necessary hardware to do it, especially thanks to the 120Hz ProMotion screen, which can refresh at as low as 10Hz, meaning it would’ve consumed very little battery.
It might not be very obvious, but Apple already sells a device with an AOD - the Apple Watch. And if the iPad Pro vs MacBook case is anything to go by, that might be exactly why Tim Cook and company don’t want to make the iPhone “too good” or rather too similar to the Apple Watch. At the moment, if you want an AOD, that's a reason to buy an Apple Watch.
Found in: Various Android phones (requires an OLED display for battery efficiency)
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max: Top Missing features that are present on Android flagships
And now we come to the features that iPhone users might not even know they are missing. In other words - the ones that are still missing but weren’t even rumored to make it to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max (and didn’t):
1. Periscope zoom camera
A periscope zoom camera for 5-10x optical zoom is just incredible to have. Will you use it all the time? No. Is it going to be amazing when you do use it? 100%! iPhone 13 Pro skips on this incredible feature, and it won’t be a shock if iPhone 14 Pro will too.
Found in: Various, with longest optical zoom range on Huawei P40 Pro+, Mate 40 Pro+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra - all with 10x optical zoom
2. Reverse wireless charging
At first, this might seem like a gimmick, but think about it… Apple has a couple of gadgets that will benefit from that - the Apple Watch, and of course, AirPods. Having the option to charge your earbuds on the back of your phone can be very handy in specific scenarios. For example, ironically, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 phones will give you one extra feature when paired with a pair of AirPods, which isn't the case with an iPhone.
Found in: Various (debuted on Huawei Mate 20 Pro)
3. Under-display Touch ID
Our readers much requested to have Touch ID back on the iPhone, but unfortunately this didn't happen. On a personal note, I’m not a Face ID guy, so I’m definitely looking forward to the day when Touch ID makes a comeback. As of now, it doesn’t seem like iPhone 14 Pro will get one, but maybe iPhone 15 will...
Found in: Various (first mainstream device to have it was the Huawei Mate 20 Pro)
4. Under-display-camera
We can’t be too harsh on Apple for this one, but it's still worth pointing out. UDCs are just starting to become popular. Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 4 is probably the best example for a well-done UDC, followed by the $500 ZTE Axon 30 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 (a distant third). An all-screen iPhone would simply not be possible unless Apple eventually switches to an under-display selfie camera. When? Come back in about four years - that’s my guess.
Found in: ZTE Axon 20, ZTE Axon 30 5G, Xiaomi Mi Mix 4, Galaxy Z Fold 3 (in order of release/annoucement)
5. Fast charging (wired and wireless)
This has got to be my biggest gripe with every iPhone! It’s borderline unacceptable having to wait two hours for your iPhone to reach a full charge. How long does the iPhone 13 Pro Max take to charge? Judging by the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which takes about two hours, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is expected to hit 100% in about 2:30 hours. Still, the biggest convenience of fast charging comes when you need a quick top-up, and the iPhone can reach about 50% in 30 minutes, which is not as bad as it once was!
Found in: Many Android phones (current fastest wired charging goes up to 120W, and comes from Xiaomi)
6. USB-C
No matter how many people want it, how many European authorities are willing to demand it, and how many other Apple devices use it (and they are many), USB-C simply doesn’t make it to the iPhone. Is it Apple being stubborn, or perhaps waiting to ditch the chagrin port in favor of MagSafe altogether? We’ll probably find out in the next 2-3 years, as iPhone 14 is expected to retain the Lightning port.
Found in: Pretty much any flagship, mid-range, or even budget Android device released today
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max: You can be the one
So, as you can see, there are many missing flagship features on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Android flagships have pioneered all of them in the past 2-3 years, or even longer ago in the case of fast charging, USB-C, and always-on displays.
It’s a relatively safe bet - features like a UDC, AOD, periscope zoom camera, reverse-wireless charging, and fast(er) charging will most likely make it to future iPhones… eventually. Others like USB-C, astrophotography (as a separate mode), and satellite connectivity are in question.
Are there any hardware and perhaps even software features that you think the iPhone needs to borrow from Android? Let us know in the comments!
Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.
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