Apple’s event on September 7 is very likely to be the day Apple will unveil the rumored iPhone 14 lineup. Rumors further point to the phone itself getting a mid-September release date, possibly September 16. But of course, nothing is official yet.
Meanwhile, we have rumors and questions: How will the iPhone 14 stack up against its predecessor, the iPhone 13? How much better will the cameras get? Will the iPhone 14 increase in price? And what’s the deal with the notch anyway – is this the year of the notchless iPhone? We’ve sifted through the rumors to find some answers, or at least form a better idea of what Apple’s 2022 flagship phone might include. To be clear, none of these specs or features have been confirmed by Apple.
Read more: Apple iPhone 14: Release date, price and every other noteworthy rumor
iPhone 14 design: Goodbye notch; hello scraps
This has been going on for years, but one of the biggest rumors is about the notch at the top of the screen. After introducing the notch on the iPhone X in 2017, Apple may finally ditch it this year — though apparently only on the Pro models. The company is expected to swap it for a smaller punch-hole camera in the Pro models, according to noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo Kuo. The punch-hole design refers to a display with only a small circular cutout for the front-facing camera, as seen on a number of Samsung launches, including the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 4.
However, display analyst Ross Young predicts that the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will get two cutouts: a hole and a pill-shaped cutout to accommodate the front-facing camera and Face ID. The notch is currently home to the components that make Face ID work, meaning Apple may have to shrink all of that technology to make a notch-less iPhone a reality. Whether the next iPhone gets a notch or two, rumors we’ve been following point to the iPhone 14 lineup going notchless for the first time in five years.
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iPhone 14 selfie camera: Updated front camera
Apple has made big changes to its rear cameras over the years, but the front-facing cameras have been neglected. This year, that may no longer be the case. If the notch goes away, the front of the iPhone 14 could change visually with the addition of cutouts, but there’s also talk of the camera system itself getting a notable functional upgrade.
In a tweet in April, Kuo said that the entire iPhone 14 lineup will get a larger aperture (f/1.9), which should help the device take better photos at night, as well as an upgrade to autofocus. All of this potentially represents the biggest improvement to the iPhone’s front-facing camera since 2019.
(2/2) AF support and lower f-number can provide better shallow depth of field effect for selfie/portrait mode. In addition, AF can also improve the focusing effect for FaceTime/video call/live streaming.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) April 19, 2022
iPhone 14 display: Pro models may have an always-on display
One of the biggest features of iOS 16 previewed by Apple was its lock screen overhaul. Set to launch in the fall as part of iOS 16, the lock screen will show more information at a glance, including the weather, activity progress, battery levels and your calendar. It’s a feature that pairs well with an always-on display — and it makes sense that Apple would roll it out with the upcoming iPhone 14.
A report from June by 9to5Mac found references to backlight control tools as well as hidden flags for engineers that could allow them to test the iPhone 13 Pro’s always-on display. The always-on display is already found on many Android phones, as well as the Apple Watch. Instead of lighting up your entire display like your lock screen does, the always-on display only activates part of the screen to save power.
iPhone 14 price: Pro models may increase in price by $100
Apple hasn’t made any price changes between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineup, but Wedbush analyst Dan Ives expects a price increase for the iPhone 14 pro models of up to $100. Currently, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099.
This is supported by Kuo, who recently said that he expects the average selling price of the iPhone 14 range to increase. The macroeconomic environment also points to a surge in prices. Inflation remains persistently high, while Apple continues to struggle with supply chain issues in China — both of which raise the cost of doing business.
iPhone 14 size: Same, same but different bezel size for the Pro models
Apple’s last two iPhone series have the same size of 6.1 inches for the base model, going up to 6.7 inches for the Pro Max. According to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review, Apple will stick to those sizes for the iPhone 14 series, but eliminate the 5.4-inch Mini. This rumor is confirmed by a March report from 9to5Mac. Reports indicate slow sales of the iPhone 12 Mini, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Apple eventually retires the small phone in 2022.
While the size of the next iPhone is expected to remain the same, the display bezels for the Pro Max are rumored to be 20% smaller compared to previous generations of iPhones, according to CAD renderings shared by Twitter ShrimpApplePro. This means that the screen will be slightly larger. However, it is important to note that this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt, as ShrimpApplePro does not have extensive experience to support their speculation.
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