The notch, which features Apple's clever Face ID scanning technology, has been a staple of iPhone design since the iPhone X in 2017. However, it appears that the rumors were correct, and the notch will be slimmer on the iPhone 13, which will arrive this September.

Mac Otakara has obtained what appears to be a 3D printed mockup of the iPhone 13 Pro. As can be seen in the photos and video below, the overall phone is similar in size, but the notch is much smaller when held side-by-side with the iPhone 12 Pro.

If it is difficult to determine how small the notch on the iPhone 13 Pro is, the photographer placed a ruler on both devices. In fact, it is slightly higher at 5.35mm versus 5.30mm for the old notch, but the new notch is significantly thinner at 26.80mm versus 34.83mm for the iPhone 12 Pro.

The crude mockup also reveals how Apple changed it without affecting functionality: the earpiece appears to have been pushed up into the iPhone 13 Pro's bezel. The front-facing camera also appears to have been moved from the right side of the notch to the left.

Photos of the back show no change at all, with the same triangular triple camera array housed in a small square bump in the upper left corner.

Mac Otakara does not share the full dimensions of the model, but the mockup of the iPhone 13 Pro does not look that different from the previous model, suggesting an iterative update in terms of design.

However, looks can be deceiving. Not only are we expecting the usual performance and efficiency improvements that come from the new Apple A chip (the 5nm A15 is reportedly about to go into production), but Apple clearly has plans for battery technology that could debut in the iPhone 13 family Has.

According to reports last year, Apple will introduce a less layered softboard battery that will provide increased capacity in a smaller physical footprint. In other words, the iPhone 13 Pro could improve on the previous model's disappointing stamina without requiring a thicker body to compensate for it, which seems to be Apple's plan. This would be helpful since Apple is also expected to introduce a 120Hz panel on the iPhone 13 Pro model.

The iPhone 13 is also expected to offer better camera performance, with sensor-shift image stabilization extended to the entire lineup, a wider aperture for the ultra-wide-angle lens, and perhaps an astrophotography feature for shooting the night sky.

While this iPhone 13 dummy unit is definitely not proof that the new iPhone will be a smaller notch, there is growing evidence that Apple is moving in this direction.