iPhone 14: Here's what we know so far about the upcoming Apple device
The "ber" months are coming, and the season's not just ushering in Christmas—it's bringing the next generation of iPhones, too!
And with the release of the iPhone 14 just around the corner, rumors and leaks about the upgrades we'll see in the new device have come up. Most say that there'll be small upgrades but some big changes will be coming with the new lineup.
No more mini
For starters, leaks say that there won't be a mini version of the iPhone 14 this year. ICYDK, the mini is a 5.4-inch iteration of the iPhone, which is the smallest and the most affordable in the range. However, this cheaper iPhone has been outsold by older models like the iPhone SE, iPhone 11, and iPhone XR.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple did not test a mini version of the 14, but MacRumors say there will still be four models in the line: the iPhone 14 (6.1-inch), iPhone 14 Pro (6.1-inch), iPhone 14 Max (6.7-inch), and iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7-inch).
Bye-bye notch
When it comes to design, Apple has been behind its competitors—last year's iPhone 13 still had a notch but things might change this year.
Most sketches and renders that surfaced show no notch and instead, there's a pill-shaped cutout for the TrueDepth sensors. This also means there'll be more screen space.
iPhone 14 front panels have leaked on Weibo - here are the changes to note:
— Saran (@SaranByte) April 28, 2022
1) thinner bezels on the Pro models, as reported by other sources
2) aspect ratio is also slightly different on the Pros (19.5:9 to 20:9); this corroborates with 9to5Mac’s report regarding taller displays pic.twitter.com/UtqNcBB9aP
Other than that, there aren't any significant design changes expected in the iPhone 14.
Camera
Every year, Apple improves its smartphone cameras and it won't be any different this 2022. Specifically, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to have better cameras and it is said to boast a thicker camera bump.
The two Pro models are expected to get 48MP cameras with 8K video recording, giving them an edge over the standard versions.
Power and battery
A new A16 Bionic chipset will be powering the new iPhone models. It's said to be built on the same 5-nanometer process as the A15 Bionic on the iPhone 13 line, and there won't be any significant performance gains with the new chip.
From a fairly reliable source, but take this one with a big grain of MSG.
— ShrimpApplePro 🍤 (@VNchocoTaco) May 26, 2022
A16 Bionic will continue to use 5nm from TSMC N5P. From the list I received from source “TSMCFF5”
Upgrades are slightly better CPU, LPDDR5 RAM and better GPU. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/lYebcki94F
The new iPhone 14 Max and Pro Max are expected to pack 4,325mAh batteries, while the regular 14 and 14 Pro will have 3,279mAh and 3,200mAh batteries, respectively.
It's not much of an improvement from the batteries of last year's models. Teardowns have revealed that the iPhone 13 Pro Max's battery capacity is 4,352 mAh, iPhone 13 Pro has 3,095 mAh, while the regular iPhone 13 has 3,227 mAh batteries.
Availability and Pricing
Recent leaks claim Apple will raise the prices of the new models, and Apple analysts Ming-Chi Kuo said that the new models could be 15% more expensive than the previous series due to price hikes and higher shipment proportion.
Wedbush Securities analyst Dave Ives also expects the iPhone 14 to be more costly at launch date, $100 (~P5,600) more than the iPhone 14.
As for color options, leaks suggest the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will come in black, white, blue, red, and purple, while the Pro versions will come in graphite, silver, gold, and purple.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is eyeing to launch the new iPhones on Sept. 7. A new Apple Watch, new AirPods, and a new entry-level iPad could also be revealed.
Remember, all of these are just rumors that won't be confirmed until the iPhone 14's official launch. Take everything with a grain of salt, and just see this as hints on what to expect from the next iPhone line.
Update: Apple has sent out invites that the new iPhones will be launched on Sept.7, 1 pm ET— that's Sept. 8, 1 am in Philippine time.