What if an iPhone 13 could transform into a Mac when connected to a desktop monitor? In theory, this could eliminate the need for many iPhone owners to own a separate desktop or laptop computer.

After all, a new rumor from leaker Mauri QHD on Twitter claims that a future iPhone might do just that.

The next-generation Mac will be powered by a processor with an architecture similar to the A-series chips Cupertino already incorporates in its smartphones and tablets, and Apple's mobile and desktop platforms will one day exist side by side on the same device There is no reason why they can't.

Mauri QHD seems pretty sure that Apple will take advantage of this possibility, and mentions two prototypes that they say Apple is currently testing: the "Linda" use case and the "DeX" use case.

Linda refers to Razer's Project Linda, a concept developed in 2018 by hardware and gaming peripheral maker Razer, which envisioned the Razer Phone powering an ultra-portable laptop. The device would be placed where the trackpad would normally be, essentially powering the computer's shell. This is one way Apple could implement macOS on the iPhone, in the body of a MacBook.

As for the DeX prototype, it refers to Samsung's DeX system, which is actually on the market and has been present in the past few iterations of the giant tech company's Galaxy S and Galaxy Note flagships.

DeX allows you to either plug your phone into a dedicated dock or, if you have a newer device with one of the later versions of this software, directly into an external monitor using a USB Type-C cable. The monitor is still technically Android, but it supports a mouse and keyboard and provides a desktop experience that operates more like Windows.

According to Mauri QHD, Apple has tested both, but will ultimately choose only one of these approaches to launch this initiative. While there is no timeframe in which it could launch, the earliest we see it happening is next year with the launch of the iPhone 13. By that time, Apple should ideally have several Macs on the market with their own silicon instead of Intel's, so it should be more feasible to make macOS available on the iPhone. Mauri QHD states that they are "95% sure" that it will eventually come.

If Apple does get on board with the DeX pitch, Rieker believes that the solution will be a wired connection using a Lightning-to-USB-C cable. This is similar to how DeX already works with Samsung products. Apple is also researching some sort of wireless connection between the device and the monitor, but that will be a ways off.

Dating back to Motorola's long-forgotten Atrix 4G, many tech companies have tried over the years to create an experience that turns a phone into a PC. However, none of these implementations ever really enthused the world, and with the exception of DeX, most were abandoned. If Apple can finally execute this idea in a way that shows value to users, it could actually change desktop computing as we know it. Indeed, if any cell phone manufacturer could pull it off, it would be the one that makes the iPhone.