The upcoming iPhone 14 Pro looks revolutionary. But if you’re buying the standard iPhone 14, you may be in for some disappointment. Leaks and rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 is nearly identical to its predecessor—this is the kind of thing people say every year, but it’s especially true in 2022.
Broad Details: Release Date, Pricing, and Models
We expect the iPhone 14 lineup to debut during Apple’s “Far Out” event on September 7th. Apple will probably show off four devices—the standard iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a new iPhone Max that replaces the iPhone Mini.
That’s right; Apple is replacing the iPhone Mini. And if rumors are correct, a new device called the iPhone 14 Max will sort of take the Mini’s place.
We expect the standard iPhone 14 to retain last year’s $799 price tag. But the iPhone 14 Max will slot in at $899, offering a larger screen with zero other improvements. (For clarity, the iPhone 14 Max is the same size as the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Customers can finally buy a larger iPhone without shelling out for the most expensive model.)
Design: The Face ID Notch’s Last Hoorah?
The iPhone 14 will look nearly identical to its predecessor. It uses a new 6.12-inch display, which is a tiny upgrade from last year’s 6.06-inch screen. It may also have a slightly-larger rear camera hump than last year’s model.
And while the iPhone 14 Max is a neat idea, it’s just a larger version of the iPhone. It uses a 6.69-inch display instead of the smaller 6.12-inch panel. (For reference, both the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max use this larger display. The iPhone 14 Pro is the same size as the entry-level iPhone 14.)
Still, the iPhone 14 design is notable for one important reason—it’s the last mainline iPhone to feature the massive Face ID notch.
Leaks indicate that the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will use a pill-shaped cutout in place of the Face ID notch. This feature is exclusive to the “Pro” models, but it will probably trickle down to next year’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Max. If anything, this may be a reason to hold out on the new iPhone and wait for next year’s model.
Unfortunately, we haven’t heard too much about the iPhone 14’s color options. But we expect Apple to reuse a few of last year’s colors, specifically pink, white, and blue—this is an assumption based on past releases, so don’t get your hopes up.
Spec Talk: Satellite Texting and Last Year’s Chip
Under the hood, Apple’s iPhone 14 won’t look very different from last year’s model. The biggest upgrade, as Digitimes reports, is 6GB of DDR4 RAM. That’s up from 4GB in the previous model. (Oddly enough, the iPhone 14 Pro could introduce DDR5 RAM.)
But what about the chipset? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Ming-Chi Kuo claims that the iPhone 14 will reuse last year’s A15 processor. This rumor is supported by several other leakers and analysts, so it looks to be true.
Now, Apple may hide this embarrassing fact by calling its chip “the new A16 Bionic.” But again, RAM seems to be the only upgrade here. Those who really want an upgraded processor should buy the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro max. (And the Pro models get a pretty big upgrade, by the way.)
If you’re bummed by the lack of upgrades, there’s still one thing that may entice you. All iPhone 14 models are expected to contain a satellite modem (via PhoneArena). This modem will allow users to text without a cellular signal. Other satellite functionality is unknown, but slow data speeds probably prevent satellite connectivity from supporting apps or browsers.
The Cameras: A New Selfie and Ultra-Wide Camera
Apple
It seems that the iPhone 14 will use a dual-camera array. This is the same setup that we saw in previous base-model iPhones. Thankfully, the iPhone 14’s aging cameras should receive a few improvements.
As Ming-Chi Kuo explains, all models of the iPhone 14 will use an autofocus selfie lens. This sounds like a small upgrade, but it could dramatically improve the quality of selfies or FaceTime calls—assuming that Apple builds software to actually take advantage of this feature. Additionally, all iPhone 14 selfie cameras may use a new f/2.2 aperture to improve low-light performance.
Additionally, Apple could bring the iPhone 13 Pro’s six-element ultra-wide camera to the iPhone 14. This is a trickle-down upgrade, but it’s still a notable improvement that should boost the iPhone 14’s camera quality, especially when shooting night photography.
Apple should debut the iPhone 14 lineup during its “Far Out” event on September 7th. While the standard iPhone 14 model should retain its $799 price tag, the new iPhone 14 Max probably slots in at $899.
We will update this article as new information comes to light. Be sure to join our free newsletter to stay up to date with all iPhone 14 developments!
