'iPhone 13' camera specifications detailed in purported leak

Apple has yet to introduce an expected "iPhone 12," but an avid Twitter leaker is already sharing details on a next-next-generation handset that supposedly sports a quad-camera layout.

An image shared by "Fudge," who goes by the Twitter handle "@choco_bit," depicts the now familiar square iPhone camera "bump," but with four lenses and an accompanying LiDAR sensor. Notably, the LiDAR module is located below the camera array and is not integrated into the hump area as seen on iPad Pro.

In a follow-up tweet, Fudge claims the "iPhone 13" will feature a 64-megapixel shooter with wide lens and 1x optical zoom (6x digital zoom), 40MP telephoto lenser with 3x to 5x optical zoom (15-20x digital zoom), 40MP ultra-wide with 0.25x "optical reverse zoom" and a 40MP anamorphic lens sporting a 2.1:1 ratio.

Apple has been consistently conservative on megapixel count, often delaying jumps to higher resolutions in favor of in-sensor modifications that result in a better picture without added data throughput overhead. More recently, the company has turned to machine learning to power software-driven photographic enhancement features, like Deep Fusion and Night mode.

Beyond the massive increase in sensor resolution, up from iPhone 11 Pro's 12MP cameras, the anamorphic option appears to be aimed at filmmaking.

Apple has concentrated on boosting iPhone's still photography prowess for a decade, but only recently turned its eye toward videography. When unveiling the latest iPhone 11 Pro, for example, Apple showed off a novel feature from FiLMiC Pro that enables users to record "multi-cam" video from the handset's front and rear cameras, a good solution for documentaries.

The latest iPhone flagship is also capable of shooting 4K video with extended dynamic range and "cinematic video stabilization" at 60 frames per second, and sound capture is enhanced with directional mic algorithms. Together, the new features amount to a capable videography tool that, thanks to COVID-19, has been employed by media professionals in lieu of bulky and expensive equipment. "Saturday Night Live," "American Idol," "Conan" and "Parks and Recreation" all used iPhone to shoot one or more episodes during the coronavirus lockdown.

As for today's rumor, Fudge tempers expectations with a caveat, saying the camera specifications should be taken with a "[h]uuuuugggeeeee amount of [salt]."