Sorry, the notch-less iPhone 13 that appeared in Ted Lasso probably isn’t real

The Apple TV Plus show Ted Lasso may have stolen our hearts, but the internet is abuzz that the latest episode gave us something: a quick look at a notchless iPhone, perhaps even a sneak peek at an iPhone 13, which is rumored to launch on September 14. 

That’s a massive ‘perhaps,’ but before we get into explanations, let’s look at the evidence. In the episode, the Richmond team owner Rebecca Welton’s mother is in town and receives a call on her phone. While we don’t get the best view, it looks to lack a notch – and a few seconds later, we can see it’s clearly meant to look like an iPhone 12 thanks to its flat edges and rear camera block.

Curiously, another scene later in the episode shows Rebecca’s phone also doesn’t have a notch when she sets it on her bed. And yet, moments later, the front of the phone is shown with its signature notch. But unlike the handset shown earlier in the episode, this phone’s rounded edges suggest it’s an iPhone 11 model (at least). 

In sum, we have two seemingly different phone designs with a disappearing notch, suggesting this isn’t exactly an iPhone 13 that Apple slipped into one of its premiere original shows. Odds are this was some prop iPhone or, more likely, CGI layered on top of phones in post-production, and they either forgot to add a notch back in or just didn’t care. Who would quibble over a small black tab? 

Analysis: probably not a notchless iPhone 13 – here’s why