All iPhone 13 models to feature LiDAR scanner, Pro models getting 1TB storage option

All four new iPhone 13 models feature a LiDAR scanner, a feature previously only available on the Pro models, and a key element of a high-quality augmented reality experience. The news comes from Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives in a note to investors seen by MacRumors, and it only confirms Apple’s serious intentions in AR.

LiDAR which stands for “light detection and range” debuted on iPad Pro in April 2020 and Apple then stressed that the new sensor will mainly be used for AR, although it also helps the camera focus faster in low light.

LiDAR technology is best explained as a 3D Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor. It emits light rays, and when they jump out of your surroundings, sensors inside are able to measure the time it took for the light to bounce back from surfaces and use this information to estimate a distance with a pretty good accuracy. Unlike Face ID, which is optimized to scan your face, the LiDAR scanner shoots more scattered light beams that are better optimized for scanning an entire room.

Despite all this, Apple has not really announced the LiDAR sensor much, and apart from the AR Measures app, the company is not yet using its full potential. However, this new leak that all four new iPhones have it certainly shows that Apple has serious intentions for AR.

Back in March, Ives was also among the first to predict that the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be available in a new 1TB storage option, doubling the current 512GB maximum storage version. In this latest report, Ives confirms once again that this is still about to happen.

Previous leaks also revealed that The iPhone 13 series gets everyone a neat battery upgrade with greater capacity for each model. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the one that gets the biggest battery boost with a battery up to 20% larger.

We also heard in the past that the iPhone 13 series could get a fingerprint scanner on the screen, just like what most Android phones use. We also expect to see two new color options for the Pro series: matte black and bronze.

Last but not least, Ives says Apple plans to unveil new 14 “and 16” Macbook Pros at WWDC next week. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously also said that Apple plans to unveil new Macbook Pros this summer, and another sweetheart, Jon Prosser, also expects the pair to arrive soon and possibly at WWDC.