We’ve heard some rumors about what might be in store for the iPhone 13 later this year, and now there’s a new piece of cutting-edge technology that we can add to the list of potential updates: steam-chamber cooling.
According to well-known Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, via AppleInsider, Apple is “aggressively testing” the technology to include it in future iPhones – although it remains unclear whether or not it will be ready in time for devices. 2021.
The cooling system is essentially a miniaturized version of those seen on high-end gaming platforms. Water or another type of liquid is evaporated by the heat from the main internal components, with the thermal energy then spread throughout the enclosure.
Improved cooling means less risk of overheating and potentially faster speeds to target applications and graphics on the screen. According to Kuo, Apple has been working on the technology for some time, although it has not yet been considered of a high enough standard to include in the company’s smartphones.
Keep calm
Steam cameras on smartphones are not really new – Huawei included one in the Mate 20 X, for example, and we know that Microsoft has been exploring the concept as a potential option to keep its mobile devices running cooler.
Especially under long periods of high stress – so in games and other demanding applications – CPUs and GPUs will sometimes have to strangle themselves to prevent components from overheating and causing a system failure.
More advanced cooling would help solve this problem, keeping the iPhone cool to the touch, regardless of how it was being used. Without any official word from Apple, though, we may have to wait until September to see if it will be included in the iPhone 13.
Other changes that are coming with the iPhone 13 include the introduction of a fingerprint sensor on the screen, which would probably mean that Touch ID is also coming back. The same source suggests that the Lightning port may also be abandoned.