The rumors are intensifying: It should only be a good three weeks before the iPhone 14 is presented – probably together with the Apple Watch Series 8. This is the assumption of a usually well-informed reporter from the financial news agency Bloomberg, who relies on sources from the Apple environment supports.
Despite the lack of an official invitation from Apple, he sees September 7, 2022 as a likely keynote date. Apple will probably hold another virtual event, but this time it may also invite selected reporters to hands-on in Cupertino, as it did at WWDC 2022 in June. That would be a good idea because the new devices should offer some interesting innovations.
Because the 2022 iPhone generation could probably abolish some of the laws of Apple’s smartphones. Apparently, Apple is planning to make the Pro models stand out more clearly from the standard iPhones. This will play into both the look with the notch and the new features of the iPhone. There could be an always-on display for the first time – but not on all models in the line. There should be a size change for the non-Pro models, which should please price-conscious buyers.
On the other hand, there are contradictory statements as to whether Apple can produce the iPhone 14 in sufficient quantities for the start of sales. The global supply chain crisis has also hit the Californian group. At the same time, due to the global situation, it is also difficult to predict how exact the demand for the new smartphone will be.
Here’s a rundown of what’s been heard about the iPhone 14 so far:
Always-on display
With the new lock screen in iOS 16, iPhones are getting a makeover. This will be a figurehead, especially for the 14 model. The 2022 model will already be easy to recognize from the iPhone’s packaging, although Apple will probably change little in key design features such as the housing and the edges.
According to rumors, the new look of the lock screen will permanently accompany owners of the iPhone 14 Pro models: For the first time, an always-on display is to be installed, the functionality of which is known from the Apple Watch. There, when not in active use, the energy consumption is kept within limits by reducing the frame rate. The black screen is then history. The standard models should not receive this update.
Pill and hole instead of notch
Apple is also said to be planning to replace the larger screen cut-out called Notch with two smaller display breaks in the Pro models. In this “pill” and the “hole” the camera for the front and the sensors for the Face ID face recognition should find their place. As a result of the change, the screen gains a little height and there is more space for information in the status bar – just as users know from the time before Face ID. A leaked photo of the windshield shows that the aspect ratio of the screen changes slightly: from 19.5:9 to 20:9.
A second, cheaper Max model
In the case of the cheaper standard models, there is apparently a literally bigger change in the house: Apple supposedly wants to get rid of the mini model with its display diagonal of 5.4 inches (approx. 14 cm). Various market analyzes reported that the Mini did not sell very well. It is replaced by a 6.7-inch (approx. 17 cm) iPhone 14 Max. Users who want a large screen but do not necessarily need the Pro functions would have a cheaper alternative. Apple is said to be selling this iPhone 14 Max for less than $900.
Metal castings, a photo of which was leaked in China, seem to confirm that Apple’s 14 series will then only consist of two sizes (6.1 and 6.7 inch display diagonals) with different equipment. With the Pro models, the cameras should protrude a little more from the housing.
Do older iPhone cases still fit?
With the larger “camera bump” there is apparently a threat that older iPhone cases will hardly or not fit at all. This is at least suggested by a video by Mac Otakara, where you can see how dummies of the future iPhone are fitted with previous cases. Depending on how narrow these are cut, there could be problems in the camera area – according to the video, primarily with the 6.1-inch devices.
Pro buyers get more
In addition to the notch replacement and the always-on display, Apple is said to be planning to further differentiate the Pro models functionally in order to better emphasize the difference between the standard and Pro models.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will get a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera. So far, the iPhone cameras have a resolution of 12 megapixels. The Pro models could also be enabled for the first time to record videos in 8K resolution.
In addition, Apple allegedly wants to stop equipping all models in a new series with the latest chip. The A16 should therefore remain reserved for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Max should get the previous year’s chip from the iPhone 13 – the A15. The global shortage of chips also contributed to this decision.
Better selfie camera for everyone
All four new iPhones are supposed to get a better front camera, at least that’s what the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects. With a low aperture of f/1.9 and a hardware-controlled autofocus instead of the previous fixed focus, iPhone 14 users would get a noticeably better selfie camera.
With a view to the iPhone 13, there had already been speculation about Apple moving away from the Lightning connector. Instead, future iPhones should supposedly only be charged wirelessly via MagSafe. With this, Apple would have skipped the USB-C connector, which has prevailed in the smartphone industry and also in several iPads. In any case, according to analysts, USB-C is not yet to be expected for the iPhone 14. Ming-Chi Kuo expects to launch in 2023.
Apple is likely to be in trouble anyway if future iPhones are not delivered with USB-C. The European Union is currently working on a regulation to enforce USB-C. By the end of the decade, wireless charging options could also follow a common standard.
A rumor from last year, which is making the rounds again with a view to the iPhone 14, predicts an emergency call function via satellite. In areas without mobile coverage, the iPhone should be able to contact satellites in low earth orbit to alert emergency services. The function will also be introduced soon on the Apple Watch, according to Bloomberg.
The colors of the season
At Apple, each model series is traditionally characterized by a specific colour. On the iPhone 14, this will reportedly be purple, writes the blog AppleTrack referring to a post on the Chinese social network Weibo. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will therefore be sold in black, white, blue, red and purple. For iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Purple are envisaged as color options.
Keynote, release date and availability
There will only be certainty about the iPhone 14 with the official announcement, which is expected in September. It is exciting to see whether and to what extent Apple will be able to deliver the next iPhone shortly thereafter, given the massive disruptions in the supply chains and the lockdowns in China.
According to the current status, Apple should stick to its usual schedule. This means that a performance date in the first half of September, i.e. on September 6th or 13th, would be an option. Since September 5th is Labor Day in the USA, September 13th is considered a likely date.
But can Apple also deliver promptly and in sufficient quantities? And what about the demand? There are conflicting rumors about this. Recently there have been positive signals that the first components for the construction of the iPhone have already arrived. However, Apple is still looking for staff for production. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo contradicts statements that component orders from contract manufacturer TSMC have been reduced by 10 percent.
Kuo expects higher demand for the new iPhones in China than in previous years. The gray market already shows this. At the same time, however, it can be read that Apple is reportedly not expecting large growth this year. The disappearance of Russia as a market could contribute to this, but Apple is also known for being very conservative when it comes to forecasts, only to end up doing significantly better.
