Apple is expected to be releasing a new iPhone 14 to succeed the iPhone 13 in 2022. This one got an early start on the rumor mill, with the first bits of news coming in before the iPhone 13 had even made its debut. But as it’s so far out, the little bits we have heard are likely to evolve and change over the coming year. Phones take a long time to build, and conditions like the ongoing pandemic and chip shortage could still force a change in plans before launch, so take everything here with a pinch of salt.
For now, here’s everything we expect so far from the next iPhone 14:
iPhone 14 pricing and release date
As with all Apple iPhones in the recent past, the next iPhone is expected to launch in or around September 2022. Whether Apple will hold a virtual event like the past two years or have its first in-person launch in years is something we can’t say for now.
Pricing-wise, it’s not clear if Apple will keep the same pricing structure as the current iPhone lineup, or if it’ll move the regular iPhone size down a tier to fit in the rumored iPhone 14 Max. Either way, Apple may well start the iPhone at around $699, with prices going to the mid $1,000s, depending on the configuration.
iPhone 14 models
Apple has shipped multiple iPhone models since the iPhone 5S, and the iPhone 14 is expected to be no different. Unlike the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 12 before it, however, the 14 is predicted by multiple analysts to be discarding the 5.4-inch iPhone 14 Mini model.
Instead, Apple may instead release a new iPhone 14 Max, a 6.7-inch version of the regular iPhone 14. This will be the same size as the current iPhone 13 Pro Max model and offer a bigger screen and a larger battery, and is perfect for those who want a large screen iPhone experience, without paying a premium for the Pro model’s better camera.
iPhone 14 design
Depending on who you ask, the iPhone 14 will either feature a design revamp that will change the look Apple has favored for the last four generations of iPhones, or it may simply be more of the same. Renders submitted by leaker Jon Prosser hint that Apple will be adopting the hole-punch design that’s preferred by Android phones. This would mean the removal of the now-iconic notch, and the adoption of an in-display fingerprint sensor in place of FaceID or the implementation of under-display Face ID.
A later report from South Korea’s The Elec pins Samsung and LG as candidates to supply the displays for this notch-less iPhones, and it’ll be iPhone Pro-exclusive. This will be a visual differentiator between the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, and older or cheaper iPhones, if true. Given The Elec’s track record with supply chain reports, this does make it more likely than not that Apple would be adopting a novel design for the iPhone 14 Pro.
The iPhone 14 could also keep the squared-off edges and elongated buttons Apple introduced with the iPhone 12, and there may be no camera bump at the rear for the first time. Prosser’s renders are backed up by earlier reporting from reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who also claimed that Apple would be dropping the notch on 2022 iPhone models. A further report from Mark Gurman in his January Power On newsletter corroborated that the iPhone 14 series would have a cut-out for Face ID on the top, with this and a report from Dylandkt adding that the punch-hole would be pill-shaped. This shape would be a differentiator from Android devices, which often have a simple circle, allowing iPhones to retain a distinct silhouette.
Going even further, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), Ross Young, says that Apple would be putting both a pill and a circle cut-out side by side. This would be a first in modern smartphones, with even Android phones that have similar aesthetics choosing between one or the other. You won’t be confusing the iPhone 14 for another iPhone — or any other smartphone — if true.
We now believe Apple will have a hole + pill design on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. The smaller hole will not be invisible…The two hole concept will be unique to Apple, like the notch, not similar to all the pill models from Huawei…Let's see those new renders pic.twitter.com/Udt8cTKzPZ
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) January 12, 2022
iPhone 14 cameras
Kuo previously shared that Apple is considering a 48-megapixel camera for the iPhone 14. The company has stuck with 12MP for the last few iPhones, so a 48MP main camera would be a pretty huge increase and allow for tricks like oversampling, which phones like the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21 already use. Kuo also says that the new iPhone could support 8K video, further pushing Apple ahead as a mobile videography champion. That’s interesting because Qualcomm recently released the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, its new flagship processor that specifically supports 8K HDR video recording and a slew of other A.I.-enhanced features for smartphone photography. The ball is in Apple’s court now to respond with its own in-house Bionic chips.
One other camera upgrade for the iPhone 14 is rumored to be autofocus support in the ultrawide camera. While Apple already implemented this for the iPhone 13 Pro, it would come to all models in the iPhone 14 lineup, allowing even those who purchase the cheaper iPhones to capture sharper wide shots.
The iPhone 14 probably won’t have the periscope camera we see in the Pixel 6 Pro, according to Kuo. Apple is testing a periscopic telephoto lens, but that’s likely to make a debut with the iPhone 15 in 2023.
Anything else?
There have been whispers here and there about Apple dropping Lightning for USB-C. With the EU bearing down on the company to make its phone more interoperable, that’s not an impossible scenario. Apple has invested a lot in the Lightning ecosystem, but the company has already started to move to USB-C on the rest of its products, from iPads to MacBooks to HomePods. The iPhone stands out as a holdout, and the sooner the transition is made, the better. Aside from that, there’s a lot still up in the air about the iPhone 14, but we’ll be updating this piece frequently as new leaks, rumors, and other information comes out, so check back periodically.
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