Apple seems to be betting heavily that the iPhone 13 will be a huge success in terms of sales.

This is one possible interpretation from a new report that Apple is looking for suppliers to ramp up production of the handset this year. Specifically, according to Bloomberg, Apple wants to increase production of the new iPhone by 20% over last year in preparation for the fall launch of its latest device.

This is no small request, by the way. Since four models debuted last fall, the iPhone 12 has driven record sales for Apple. Asking suppliers to produce even more phones suggests that Apple believes the demand for the iPhone 13 will be even greater.

On the surface, it would seem that this is not in line with what we expect the iPhone 13 to offer. There are some rumored enhancements, but for the most part, expectations for the iPhone 13 suggest a phone that does not radically deviate from the iPhone 12.

Still, there are several reasons to buy into Apple's optimism regarding this year's iPhone, even though many iPhone 13 features remain rumored at this point.

The iPhone 12 was the first Apple phone to support 5G. And while the iPhone 12's strong sales mean that 5G-enabled iPhones are in the hands of many Apple customers, there are many who are still carrying around older handsets. (For example, I still alternate between the original iPhone SE and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and I also have a 5G-enabled iPhone 12 for testing.) This means that many people are ready to upgrade this fall when the iPhone 13 is released.

"5G is a generational shift," says Avi Greengart, principal analyst at Techsponential. 'After most of the initial hype, carriers around the world are now deploying 5G with meaningful coverage in the mid-band frequency bands where speeds will noticeably increase.' 'In other words, if consumers upgrade their old iPhones to take advantage of the new network, they will actually benefit from faster app and file downloads, higher quality video, and, in the future, new types of apps.'

That's why CNBC points to a new report from Credit Suisse that points to 5G as a driver of cell phone upgrades because it means the growth of 5G networks is no longer just for early adopters. 5G networks on T-Mobile has now reached 300 million subscribers, and AT&T announced this week that it has expanded its 5G coverage to 250 million subscribers. Verizon is not far behind with 230 million.

Rumors point to an improved 5G experience in the iPhone 13 as well. iPhone 12 supported an extensive number of 5G bands, but Apple's new model will feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon X60 5G modem, which is expected to be faster than the current model

However, the new model is expected to be faster than the current model.

However, the iPhone 13 may pack other attractions, especially for customers eyeing the iPhone 13 Pro model, to spur a big surge in upgrades. These expensive phones are expected to adapt a fast updating display that adjusts its speed depending on the activity you are engaged in. Such features will put the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max on par with the Galaxy S21 lineup and other Android phones that use this technology.

While rumors have pegged the iPhone 13 Pro as a more exciting upgrade than the standard iPhone 13, these cheaper models will benefit from a faster A15 Bionic processor and tweaks to the phone's design that shrink Apple's signature notch figure to benefit from a faster A15 Bionic processor and Apple's signature notch-shrinking phone design. Recent rumors claim that the Pro model will remain the only model with a LiDAR sensor, but adding that feature to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini would enhance support for augmented reality apps.

And also, as the iPhone 13 rumors have been detailed up to this point, there is always the possibility that another feature we have not yet heard of will emerge by the phone's launch later this year. But even if the actual iPhone 13 model is as rumored, Apple seems to think it has another potential winner on its hands.