The iPhone 14 rumors are picking up, and Apple’s new iPhones could bring the biggest changes in years. The leaks so far point to a sleeker new design, a faster A16 Bionic chip, a sharper new main camera and the possible return of Touch ID.
The iPhone 14 Pro models could see the most radical upgrades, as they are tipped to feature under-display Face ID and to ditch the notch for a punch hole front camera. They could also get USB-C connectivity. But the regular iPhone 14 lineup could get a big shakeup, too, as the mini is expected to be killed in favor of a new 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max.
In other words, it’s easy to see why the iPhone 14 is one of our most anticipated phones of 2022. Here’s what we’ve heard so far about the iPhone 14, why it figures to be one of the biggest Apple products of 2022 and what we’d like to see from the new flagships.
iPhone 14 latest rumors (Updated March 14)
iPhone 14 possible release date and price
We’ve heard no hint on a potential release date for the iPhone 14. But going by previous Apple iPhone launch events, we’d expect to see the iPhone 14 make its debut in September 2022.
According to the latest rumor, the iPhone 14 has entered into trial production. That’s an important step in the phone’s manufacturing process, and Chinese site UDN claims that Apple orders a similar trial each February. The idea is to finalize a device’s design, calibrate testing machines for quality assurance and identify any issues with the manufacturing process.
As for price, it’s also difficult to predict. But we suspect the iPhone 14 will match the price of the iPhone 13, which starts at $799 for the regular iPhone 13 and $999 for the iPhone 13 Pro. However, there could be no iPhone 14 mini at all, so we’d expect a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max to cost $899.
From there, the iPhone 14 Pro could cost $999 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max $1,099 or more.
However, leaker LeaksApplePro has claimed a price hike could be coming for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max with the phones costing $1,099 and $1,199 respectively. That’s a $100 price increase compared to their iPhone 13 counterparts. This relatively significant leap in launch price would certainly sting the wallet of anyone hoping to score a high-end next-gen iPhone 14.
If you’re on the fence between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, we’ve rounded up some reasons to buy the iPhone 13 now vs waiting for the iPhone 14.
iPhone 14 Max replacing iPhone 14 mini
Despite the iPhone 12 mini’s reportedly poor sales, Apple released an iPhone 13 mini alongside the other iPhone 13 models last fall. But the mini could be toast after that, as the company will reportedly shake up the iPhone 14 lineup for 2022. There could be a larger iPhone 14 Plus or Max to go along with the regular 6.1-inch iPhone 14. So there would be two regular size phones and two larger screen iPhone 14 models.
This was further backed up by leaker Jon Prosser, who claimed the iPhone 14 Max will be the replacement for a mini phone, offering a 6.7-inch display only without coming with a load of pro features and thus a hefty price tag. Given the appetite for larger phones, a big yet more affordable iPhone could be just the thing for iPhone fans.
Ditching the iPhone 14 isn’t the only big change expected versus the iPhone 14. See our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 comparison for all the biggest rumored differences so far.
iPhone 14 design
According to Jon Prosser and his Front Page Tech video, the iPhone 14 will look like an iPhone 12 crossed with an iPhone 4, in that it’ll stick with flat edges. But those edges could include a mute button and a group of rounded buttons for volume central, harking back to the iPhone 4.
Supposedly, the sides of the iPhone 14 could be made out of titanium, which could make it tougher and stronger than the previous iPhones, whereas the back would retain the glass finish but seemingly with a satin-like finish.
Another design change potentially in the cards for the iPhone 14 is the trio of rear cameras will no longer protrude from the iPhone’s rear but sit flush with the back. Given advancements in camera sensor technology and lens manufacturing, this could be a possibility.
A good few rumors have the iPhone 14 tipped to finally kill the display notch. But as it stands, it’s now looking like only the iPhone 14 Pro will be notch-less, opting for a combination of a single circular camera cutout and a pill-shaped cutout alongside it to hold Face ID sensors.
However, the standard iPhone 14 is now not expected to kill the notch, with tipsters suggesting the iPhone range as a whole will be notch-less in 2023.
A leaker on Weibo has also posted alleged schematics for the iPhone 14 Pro showing the Face ID cutout next to the front-facing camera. It seems divisive to us, but this is early stages.
As for other design changes, renders thus far have the iPhone 14 range to ditch the camera module in favor of a design that sees the cameras integrated into the chassis like older smartphones used to have as well as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
iPhone 14 display
We’re expecting a shakeup in the iPhone 14 range, as we’ll reportedly see a standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro come with a 6.1-inch display, and a possible iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max to sport a 6.7-inch display. So no more 5.4-inch mini.
Given the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max have a 120Hz refresh rate display, it would be great to see all iPhone 14 models have such a screen, likely using an LTPO panel or an evolution of that display tech.
A new supply chain rumor has the iPhone 14 Max, potentially called the iPhone 14 Plus, tipped to get a 120Hz refresh rate display. LG will apparently be the screen maker in this case, though it’s as yet unclear whether the standard iPhone 14 will get a faster refresh rare or stick to 60Hz.
One report from The Elec says that at least one iPhone 14 model with sport an LTPS display, which means a 60Hz panel could be sticking around. Subsequent supply chain reports have only reinforced the idea that the standard iPhone 14 may miss out on a fast-refreshing display.
Yet another slightly different rumor suggests the iPhone 14 and 14 Max could have 90Hz refresh rates. This would be an improvement over the iPhone 13 and 13 mini, but wouldn’t tread on the toes of the Pro model’s faster displays.
An always-on display would also seem logical for the iPhone 14 given it was tipped for the iPhone 13 but never made it into the latest iPhone.
iPhone 14 Touch ID
One of the most significant changes for the iPhone 14 over its predecessors is tipped to be the return of Touch ID. Only rather than get integrated into a power button, it will supposedly be embedded under the iPhone 14’s display, much like a lot of fingerprint sensors on the best Android phones.
According to a recently leak, the iPhone 13 Pro models will come with an under-display take of Touch ID. But the leaker was careful to say that this take on Touch ID is still being tested and it’s “unclear” if we will end up seeing it.
A separate leak from @PandaIsBald on Weibo in a since-deleted post says that the iPhone 14 actually won’t have in-display Touch ID, so the jury is out on how likely under-display Touch ID on the iPhone 14 will be. And yet another rumor — this time courtesy of LeaksApplePro at iDropNews — has gone further still. He says that sources have told him that not only will Touch ID be missing from the iPhone 14 but that it has been dropped from Apple’s plans entirely.
Instead, he says Apple is working on an under-screen solution for Face ID — though he claims this won’t be available until 2023, which would presumably mean the iPhone 15.
iPhone 14 cameras
We’re starting to hear some more about the iPhone 14 cameras, and the rumors are getting pretty interesting. One report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tips a 48MP main sensor for the iPhone 14 Pro models, which would be a big jump from the 12MP camera on the iPhone 13. TrendForce, a Taiwanese research firm, backs up the 48MP main camera rumor, suggesting that megapixels matter once more to Apple — at least when it comes to the company’s Pro phones.
However, this rumor has been challenged by another tipster, who claims the iPhone 14 Pro and thus the iPhone 14 range, won’t get a 48MP camera. Instead, the tipster claims Apple will stick with the same 12MP sensors found in the iPhone 13 range for the main camera.
Nevertheless, a bigger main sensor will be welcome, but we’re particularly interested in an improved telephoto lens, as the iPhone lags behind the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S21. In fact, it would be rather neat if Apple drew inspiration from the Galaxy S21 Ultra and opted for a secondary telephoto camera with something like a 10x optical zoom.
One Apple patent points to Apple working on a periscope-style zoom camera, which could make its way to the iPhone 14, or at least the Pro models. However, Ming-Chi Kuo now says the periscope camera won’t appear until the iPhone 15 in 2023.
iPhone 14 specs, battery life and charging
So far we only have tidbits of info on the potential iPhone 14 specs. We’re rather confident that 2022’s iPhone will make use of an A-series chip design by Apple. Likely to be the A16, the chip will almost certainly offer a notable boost in both processor and graphics performance over the A15 Bionic tipped for the iPhone 13.
The iPhone 14 is tipped to feature a 4nm chip from TSMC, which would be even smaller and more efficient than the 5nm A15 Bionic slated for the iPhone 13. However, a recent report claims that TSMC is having a problem producing the smaller chips, which means the iPhone 14 could stick with a 5nm chipset. If so, it will be the first time an IPhone’s gone three years with the same-size system-on-chip.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple may decide to give only the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone Pro Max the new A16 Bionic chip. And the regular iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max would be powered by the current A15 Bionic. That would be a big surprise, but the A15 will likely remain the fastest chip in a phone for some time.
See our take on a possible iPhone 14 4nm A16 Bionic chip and what it mean for you as analysts weigh in on the benefits.
Kuo also says that all four iPhone 14 models will have 6GB RAM according to Kuo, a boost from 4GB on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. However, the base models would use LPDDR 4X RAM like the current iPhone 13 range, while the Pro models will allegedly get faster and more efficient LPDDR 5 RAM.
Analyst Jeff Pu predicts has also predicted that all four iPhone 14 models will come with 6GB of RAM.
On the storage side, we’d expect Apple to continue with the options it has for the iPhone 13 range, which start at 128GB and go up to 1TB for the Pro models.
However, a rumor has the iPhone 14 tipped to get a huge 2TB of onboard storage. Given no Samsung phone offers this, and they’ve previously been generous with storage, we’re skeptical of an iPhone having the most storage on a smartphone to date.
A separate analyst note from Jeff Pu says that the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will start with 64GB of storage and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will start with a whopping 256GB. The latter is believable but not the former, as that would be half the storage in the regular iPhone 13.
Apple could also launch an eSIM-only variant of the iPhone 14, according to claims by analyst Emma Mohr-McClune of GlobalDate. The move would bolster the iPhone’s appeal among users who need dual SIM capabilities, such as business users and overseas travelers.
iPhone 14 5G
It’s possible that the iPhone 14 will feature an Apple-made 5G modem, following Apple’s acquisition of Intel’s modem business. This would presumably give Apple more control over both the 5G performance and battery life impact.
Apple is reportedly planning to equip the new iPhones with a new 5G chip that could result in lower power consumption while maintaining solid performance. A recent report from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News revealed that TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) has allegedly obtained Apple’s 5G chip orders for its upcoming iPhone 14 lineup.
The radio frequency chips are said to be produced based on the 6nm manufacturing process, which could allow the supplier to deliver a chip that is physically smaller, resulting in a decreased power consumption, without sacrificing the performance.
Additionally, a 5G chip that’s smaller in size could also make more room for Apple to pack a larger battery inside. So combined with better power efficiency, the described chip could improve the phone’s overall battery life.
Speaking of 5G modems, Qualcomm announced its new X70 modem at MWC 2022. But with an expected release date of late 2022, it’s unlikely that the iPhone 14 will see the new tech, which is expected to be a large improvement over the current-gen X65 modem.
iPhone 14 USB-C
A recurring rumor around the iPhone 14 is that it will drop the Lightning port and go for USB-C connectivity instead. As mentioned earlier, Prosser has expressed doubt on this being the case. But other leakers have touted the USB-C rumor, noting that the iPhone 14 Pro will come with USB-C.
With the European Union looking to force device makers to adopt standardized charging and cables by 2024, the days of the Lightning port could be numbered; Apple has a big European presence after all. But the jury is out on whether Apple will make such a move in time for the iPhone 14.
We’d welcome USB-C connectivity, given Apple’s iPads and MacBooks have adopted the port. But Apple can doggedly stick to its guns when it comes to the iPhone, so we’ll reserve out predictions until more rumors float to the surface.
iPhone 14: Software
Assuming Apple sticks to the pattern it’s used for the better part of a decade, the iPhone 14 will launch with a new version of Apple’s iOS software when it arrives in the fall. Since we’re currently on iOS 15, the next version is all but certain to be iOS 16 (unless Apple ditches numbers like it did with macOS).
We haven’t heard anything about Apple’s planned software updates for iOS 16, and we’re unlikely to until the company’s annual developer conference, which is normally held in June. With iOS 15.2 bringing a number of changes to the iPhone in December, Apple’s already pretty busy on the software front.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro
Based on all of the rumors so far it looks like the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max could be in their own league. We say that because only the Pros are once again expected to offer telephoto zooms. But also because the new iPhone 14 Pros are tipped to offer in-display Touch ID, which would trade the notch for a punch hole display.
In addition, the iPhone 14 Pro models will reportedly get a much sharper main camera at 48MP, which would be higher than the 12MP shooter expected for the regular iPhone 14. And it’s possible that only the iPhone 14 Pros will get USB-C connectivity instead of a Lightning port. See our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro comparison for more on the rumored differences.
However, analyst Jeff Pu believes that Apple could give all four iPhone 14 models a 120Hz display this time around and all four could feature 6GB of RAM.
iPhone 14: what we’d like to see
We’ve ranked the iPhone 14 rumors based on which ones are must-haves for Apple’s fall phones. But here’s a rundown of what we’re hoping to see when the iPhone 14 appears. And, now that the iPhone SE (2022) is out, here’s what the iPhone SE tells us about the iPhone 14.
A fresh design: Prosser’s renders of the iPhone 14 tease a rather attractive looking phone. But it’s not a vast jump in Apple’s industrial design aesthetic. Granted, Apple makes some of the nicest looking phones around, but we’d like to see if it could push phone design further; perhaps the iPhone 14 range could include the much-rumored iPhone Flip foldable phone.
No notch: The iPhone 14 could come with a notch-less display, and we hope all the rumors we’re hearing are accurate. We’d like too see an under-display camera so long as it didn’t impact imaging or Face ID performance.
Touch ID: We’d be rather confident that Apple will bring back Touch ID for the iPhone 14, even if it doesn’t happen via an in-display sensor. Perhaps the side-mounted power button could have a Touch ID sensor integrated into it like the one on the iPad Air.
Smarter features: While the Apple A-series chips have always been powerhouses, we’d like to see Apple lean more into the AI side of things, much like the Google Pixel 6 is set to do with its Tensor chip. That way we can have a smarter, more responsive Siri to compete with the Google Assistant, as well as smarter features that more intuitively serve up the data or services iPhone 14 users want when they want them.
Killer camera capabilities: The iPhone 13 Pro Max offers one of the best camera phones around, but we want to see Apple push its camera tech and hardware even further. As it stands, the lead between the Pro Max and the likes of the Google Pixel 6 and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra isn’t vast. With the iPhone 14, we’d like to see Apple deliver camera and a phone photography experience that wipes the floor with Android rivals, forcing them to up really their photography game with their next-gen phones. And catching up on the zoom front would help, too.