Latest news with #iPhone13mini
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Apple's Liquid Glass got me dreaming of a future iPhone mini
Apple just revealed iOS 26 and the first beta is already out with the stable version likely to roll out alongside the iPhone 17 series in September. And one of the most interesting things it introduces is something called Liquid Glass – a new design that mixes the look of glass with a smooth, flowing feel. Liquid Glass is all about bringing more attention to your content while giving the interface a more dynamic and personalized vibe. It's part of Apple's broader effort to expand the glass-like surface design used in visionOS (for the Vision Pro) across more devices like iPhones, iPads and Macs. Video credit – Apple And according to Apple's Craig Federighi, the reason Apple seems so into this design is because it gives the illusion that interface elements aren't taking up as much space. And that got me thinking – if Liquid Glass is all about making the most of limited space, could this open the door for smaller screen phones again? So here I am, hoping that if the goal is to make things feel less cramped and more content-focused, maybe compact phones could make a comeback down the road. Now, let's be honest – we all have our phone preferences. Mine has always been clear: the iPhone 13 mini. It is not about the specs or flashy features. It is the size. It just feels right. Small enough to use with one hand, easy to carry around and it doesn't feel like I'm holding a tablet to my first gave us the mini with the iPhone 12 lineup, then followed it up with the iPhone 13 mini – and sadly, that was the end of the road. No mini after that. I've been using mine for four years now, and honestly, I don't feel like upgrading just for a bigger screen I never asked for. And I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. But clearly, we weren't the majority, and the sales numbers didn't help our case. So, Apple moved on. The mini got replaced by the Plus model – which, by the way, might not stick around either. Rumor has it that Apple's planning to launch a super thin iPhone 17 Air instead. Sleek and all, but again, not exactly compact. But let's get back to the idea of this article, shall we? What I find really interesting is how this new iOS 26 design seems to play right into the idea of getting more out of less space. It doesn't just slap a layer of UI on top of everything – it sort of blends in, lets the content shine through and makes everything feel more open and breathable. The current iOS 18 look next to the new iOS 26 . | Image credit – Apple That is especially useful on smaller screens. Traditional UI elements like buttons, nav bars and menus usually block part of your content. But with the transparent and blurry Liquid Glass style, the content underneath still shows through. The result? Less clutter, more room to breathe. Now, I know some elements already feel harder to read with the new translucent styling, and yeah, that raises a real question – if it's tricky on regular screens, how's Apple going to make it work on something even smaller? But to be fair, the current beta is pretty buggy, so it's possible the readability issues are just early-build problems and Apple will fix that. Apple says developers should use this in the navigation layer – that space where tabs and menus float above your content. That means even third-party apps could start adopting this new look, which would help cut down on visual clutter and make everything feel more open. Liquid Glass allows the content below to be visible. | Image credit – Apple And that could make a big difference. Whether you are gaming, watching videos or just typing out a message, those translucent layers could keep the experience from feeling cramped. Think navigation bars, keyboards, menus – all letting your content peek through instead of blocking it entirely. Apple wants to give us the illusion that interface elements aren't taking up as much space. | Image credit – Apple Tell me that wouldn't work perfectly on a compact phone. It feels like the kind of design that could bring small screens back into the conversation – if not right away, maybe sometime after Apple gets the whole iPhone 17 Air thing out of its system. Because let's be real, the Air might end up following the same path as the mini and the Plus: loved by some, ignored by most. And sure, not everyone's asking for a tiny phone – but not everyone wants a giant one either. Smaller screens still have real perks: easier one-handed use, better portability, fewer distractions and they make great companion devices if you are already using a Mac or iPad. Maybe. Liquid Glass might just be the beginning of a bigger shift in how iPhones look and feel – and that shift could hit in 2027. That's when Apple is rumored to drop a major redesign to mark 20 years since the original it's reportedly codenamed "Glasswing" (yeah, like the butterfly with see-through wings) and the idea is a device with curved glass wrapping around all sides, super thin bezels and no notches or cutouts will it be smaller than what we have now? Hard to say this early, but if Apple's really pushing the whole transparent, borderless, content-first design – then shrinking things down doesn't seem out of the question. I mean, that is where Liquid Glass could come into play. The way it makes the UI fade into the background and gives more room for content to stand out? It kind of cheats the feeling of a bigger screen without actually needing one. So, even if this rumored iPhone sticks with a standard display size, the overall experience might feel less cramped and more immersive. In other words, it's not a mini revival just yet – but I think Apple is playing with ideas that could make a smaller phone feel like less of a compromise for many.
Ammon
20-05-2025
- Ammon
iPhone 17 air battery capacity and weight allegedly revealed
Ammon News - Apple is expected to unveil an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while previous leaks have focused on its sleek design and camera layout, new information has emerged about the device's weight and battery capacity. According to the Korean-language Naver blog, citing a leaker known as 'yeux1122,' the iPhone 17 Air will feature a 6.6-inch display, weigh approximately 145 grams, and house a 2,800mAh battery. The details are said to come from a 'mass production confirmed sample.' The source has a track record of accurately reporting on Apple's component strategies. The reported weight is similar to lighter models like the iPhone SE 2 (148 grams) and iPhone 13 mini (141 grams). Meanwhile, the battery capacity is comparable to that of the iPhone 12, which featured a 2,815mAh battery. However, the post also mentions that Apple may opt for a high-density battery, which could boost the effective capacity by 15–20%. This lines up with a prediction from Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier stated that the iPhone 17 Air would use high-density battery technology. Supporting this, a recent Asian report noted that Apple supplier TDK is preparing to deliver a new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June, which may debut in the iPhone 17 Air. That said, there are conflicting reports about the phone's expected battery performance. According to The Information's Wayne Ma, internal testing shows that only 60–70% of iPhone 17 Air users are likely to get through an entire day without needing a recharge — a drop from the 80–90% seen in other iPhone models. To address this, Apple reportedly plans to offer an optional battery case for the device. Conversely, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman presents a more positive outlook, suggesting that the iPhone 17 Air's battery life will be comparable to current iPhones, thanks to hardware and software efficiency improvements. The iPhone 17 Air is also said to be just 5.5mm thick, potentially the thinnest iPhone yet. It may feature Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and omit the Ultra Wide camera, possibly freeing up space for a larger internal battery. The device is expected to replace the 'Plus' model in the iPhone 17 lineup and launch around mid-September, in line with Apple's usual fall release cycle.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Yahoo
Sorry Apple, but I really wish the iPhone SE 4 wasn't happening
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The iPhone SE has always been something of an outlier in the Apple line up. Sticking rigidly to an older design, the budget phone carries an air of nostalgia, particularly for a time when phones didn't require at least three hands to hold. But if all of the design rumours about the SE 4, reportedly due to be announced next week, are true, I'll be bitterly disappointed. The days of the 'small phone' have been spluttering to an end for a while now. After reportedly low sales, Apple unceremoniously ditched the 'iPhone mini' line up after just two years in 2022, replacing it with just the opposite – the enormous 'iPhone Plus'. In that landscape, the only option for those who prefer something truly pocketable was the iPhone SE 3, with its iPhone 8-inspired design. But the reported adoption of an iPhone 14-inspired body for this month's SE 4 suggests Apple will be slamming the door on several features; the Home Button, Lightning port and, most devastatingly for the short-fingered among us, a small size. If the iPhone SE does adopt a 6.1-inch display, and every rumour suggests it will, then the era of small phones will well and truly be over. The budget phone is rumoured to feature a single camera lens, 60hz display and USB-C port, bringing several contemporary features to the SE model (although it reportedly won't get a Dynamic Island, just a notch). But while the need to refresh the internals of the SE make sense, particularly with the advent of Apple Intelligence, I still don't want the SE 4 to happen. Or at least this version of it. In a perfect world (by which I mean my own very specific perfect world), Apple would use the body of the iPhone 13 mini for the SE 4. It's no secret that phones have become increasingly addictive, and in my own deeply unscientific opinion, those immersive screens probably aren't helping. The mini was perfect for those of us who see the phone as a tool rather than a portable IMAX display; something to be whipped out of a pocket when needed, then stowed away and forgotten about. Something that isn't a bright, shiny brick. Alas, it seems I'm almost alone in my views. The sales figures for the iPhone 13 mini speak for themselves – that is, they were apparently dire. The people simply don't want small phones. So before the era of small devices finally ends, you might want to snap up the iPhone SE 3 while stocks last. Because in the words of D:Ream, things can only get bigger.
