iPhone 13 may debut Portrait mode video along with astrophotography mode

Aside from an always-on display with limited customizability, the iPhone 13 should debut new photography features like Portrait mode improvements and an all-new astrophotography mode.

Firstly, the next iPhone should let you capture video in Portrait mode. The iPhone 7 debuted depth-of-field portraiture photography as the first iPhone with dual rear cameras. And now, the iPhone 13 is said to extend Portrait mode to video for the first time.

And secondly, the new astrophotography mode will let you take better night sky shots by optimizing the computational photography features. That’s according to EverythingApplePro on YouTube, based on findings by prominent leaker Max Weinbach.

Portrait mode video is coming

The iPhone 13 will boost photography features with support for shooting video in Portrait mode. Weinbach doesn’t describe how it may work. Conventional wisdom tells us the feature may function similarly to portraiture photography, available on the iPhone since the iPhone 7.

Apple's latest Shot on iPhone video about Portrait photography

“You’ll be able to record a portrait video and change the depth of field in post,” the video explains. This is a very exciting feature that’s obviously going to require tons of horsepower.

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The iPhone 12 currently lets you take single Portrait mode shots, but not bursts (let alone video). If the next iPhone can capture a video’s individual frames with depth information and blur out the background, in real-time, it’ll be a first for any smartphone. Weinbach says in the video this is something Apple’s engineers have been working on for “quite some time.”

Taking better night sky shots

The iPhone 11 family, and especially the current iPhone 12 series, has brought Night mode, improved sensors and rich computational photography features to the table. The iPhone 13 should take smartphone photography further with the so-called astrophotography mode.

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Basically, you’re going to point your iPhone up at the sky. Upon detecting stars or the moon, the phone will automatically switch to the new astrophotography mode optimized for night sky photography. While in astrophotography mode, the handset will use even longer exposure times and more internal processing in order to capture beautiful images of the night sky.

It’s unclear whether this promising feature could require a tripod accessory to work.

iPhone 13 “more grippy” to hold

The video goes on to describe other possible iPhone 13 capabilities, including a power-sipping always-on display described as a toned down Lock screen offering limited customizability in terms of choosing what’s show on it (time, date, battery status, notifications, etc.).

The iPhone 13 should be “more grippy” to hold in one’s hand due to a refined matte back texture (could be limited to Pro models) that’s similar to the Pixel series. As a bonus, it should make MagSafe accessories more pleasurable to use thanks to a stronger array of magnets.