We already know Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 range is getting a “complete redesign”. But now we know a lot more, and Apple’s design decisions are going to send shockwaves through iPhone fans.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro “hole + pill” design render based on leaks
MacRumors
A pair of leaks this week ask serious questions of Apple’s next-gen iPhone strategy and are likely to divide fans. Let’s break them down.
The first leak, via industry display specialist Ross Young, reveals that Apple will replace the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max with a punch “hole + pill design”. The circular punch hole is expected to house the Face ID dot projector, with the pill-shaped cutout containing both the front camera and Face ID infrared camera.
Interestingly, Young (who has a near-perfect track record) states that “the smaller hole will not be invisible… The two hole concept will be unique to Apple.” This design, rendered above, is likely to prove highly divisive with Apple seemingly keen to retain a design differentiator at all costs.
Meanwhile, the second leak is equally head scratching. According to a research note by analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities (via MacRumors), Apple is planning a curious combination of upgrades and downgrades for the standard iPhone 14 and new iPhone 14 Max.
Apple was previously tipped to go with a more conventional pill-shaped punch hole only.
Ben Geskin
The analyst claims that Apple will upgrade them with 120Hz ProMotion displays and bump their RAM from 4GB to 6GB. This will bring them into line with their iPhone 14 Pro-model equivalents. On the flip side, Pu states that Apple will downgrade the iPhone 14 models from 128GB to 64GB of entry-level storage. A move that would shortly cause considerable backlash.
Both these leaks are troubling in different ways. The new iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max design is a big risk and if Apple plans to give its biggest differentiator — the ProMotion display — to the standard models you’d expect an exodus to them. That said, reducing entry-level storage may also alienate fans here. Especially with price rises expected.
There’s still a lot to get excited about. Previous iPhone 14 leaks claim Apple will introduce all-new cameras, bigger batteries and even remove the SIM card slot to go eSIM only. More outlandish leaks boast that Apple will restore Touch ID, ditch Lighting in favor of USB-C and switch iPhone 14 Pro models to a titanium chassis
Whether Apple will also make the necessary hardware changes to stop the latest serious iPhone hack remains to be seen.
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