Will Apple iPhone 14 Live up to the Hype?

The iPhone 14 – the latest version of Apple’s smartphone – has finally been revealed. And, as expected, four models are available (albeit not the same four models as in previous years). The iPhone mini is no longer available (RIP), but the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone Pro Max are available.

The event this evening revealed that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are, arguably, very incremental upgrades from the iPhone 13, with minor battery and camera improvements. Then Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 Pro, which is where things get interesting.

The new iPhone Pro comes in four color options: Black, Silver, Gold, and a new Deep purple. The stainless steel frame and Ceramic Shield display make a stunning first impression. 

And, yes, you are correct – the notch has vanished. Instead, it has a new pill-shaped cutout called ‘Dynamic Island’ on screen. Continue reading for the complete design and technical specifications of the iPhone 14.

Apple iPhone 14 Features: A Complete Guide

How Does the iPhone 14 Look Like?

Apple has revealed four iPhone 14 models, or you could think of it as two models that come in two sizes. The iPhone mini is no longer available. As Apple puts it, you now have “Big or Bigger.” 

They resemble the iPhone 13 in appearance, with the same rear camera module with a diagonal layout and the same slim notch. They are both available in five different colors: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Red. While the Pros are available in Black, Silver, Gold, and a new Deep purple color.

How long Is the iPhone 14?

The entry-level iPhone retains its 6.1inch screen size, and there is a new member of the family, the iPhone 14 Plus. It’s the iPhone 14 but bigger, measuring 6.7inch. In terms of design, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus haven’t changed much. 

iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, both measure 6.1inch and 6.7inch. In some ways, this simplifies the product line by providing an entry-level pair and a high-end pair of phones, both of which are available in the same two sizes. 

Many of the rumors we heard about the Pros turned out to be completely accurate. Many people will be relieved to learn that the much-maligned selfie-camera notch has been removed from the iPhone 14 Pro. 

That doesn’t mean it’s a perfect screen; instead, we have the pill-shaped cutout ‘Dynamic Island.’ This opulent-sounding solution can be expanded to display alerts and background activity.

The iPhone 14 Pro also had an always-on display, which was a significant change to the screen. The bezels have also been reduced in size, but the rest of the design remains largely unchanged from the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, with flat, stainless steel edges.

The Display

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus both feature Apple’s Super Retina XDR OLED display, which has a peak HDR brightness of 1200 nits. The front glass has Ceramic Shield for increased durability.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits for outdoor use, outperforming the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. As previously stated, they have an always-on display that can show notifications and other information even when the phone is locked. 

When the always-on display is enabled, a new LTPO panel allows the refresh rate to be scaled down from 120Hz to 1Hz to save battery life.

Technical Specifications

The iPhone 14 features the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 Pro, which Apple claims is 18% faster than the iPhone 13. Apple claims to have improved thermal performance, allowing you to push the iPhone 14 for longer periods, which should benefit those who want to use the phone for gaming.

Aside from that, the main enhancements are in the camera and battery life. Apple claims that the iPhone 14 can play video for up to 20 hours and the iPhone 14 Plus can play video for up to 26 hours. That would be the best iPhone battery life ever.

Another new feature is the long-rumored satellite connectivity. Emergency SOS with Satellite allows you to call for help even when you don’t have a mobile signal, which could be lifesaving for people living in remote areas. With the phone, you get two years of service for free.

There’s also Crash Detection, which detects when it believes you’ve been in a car accident and automatically contacts emergency services if you don’t respond. It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 14 lacks a SIM card tray, making it eSIM only.

The Pro and Pro Max will include a new A16 Bionic chip with a 6-core CPU built on a 4-nanometer process. It has a 5-core GPU with 50% more bandwidth and a Dynamic Island display engine. 

According to Apple, the Neural Engine can handle 17 trillion operations per second in computational photography.

The Camera

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have a new 12MP main camera with a larger sensor than their predecessor, resulting in a 49% improvement in low-light performance. The front camera is also 12MP, and for the first time, it includes autofocus as well as a faster lens for better low-light performance.

The new Photonic Engine technology improves low-light performance even more, with a 2x improvement on the front and ultra-wide cameras and a 2.5x improvement on the main camera. 

Video also receives an upgrade with the addition of an advanced stabilization mode called Action mode, which can be toggled on to make video smoother when moving.

The Pros, as expected, receive a significant camera upgrade. All three cameras (main, telephoto, and ultrawide) benefit from improved low-light photography, thanks in part to a new 9-LED flash. 

The new 48MP primary camera promises more detail and 2x improved low-light performance thanks to the new Photonic Engine.

ProRAW can also be used uncompressed at 48 megapixels, giving more editing flexibility, and video can now be shot at 4K up to 40 frames per second in Cinematic mode. There’s also the new Action mode that comes with the standard iPhone 14.

The Environment and the iPhone

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are environmentally friendly, with antenna lines made from upcycled plastic water bottles that have been chemically transformed into a stronger, higher-performance material. 

All magnets, including those used in MagSafe, in iPhone 14 models are made entirely of recycled rare earth elements, and the Taptic Engine is made entirely of recycled tungsten. Both models also include 100 percent recycled tin in the solder of multiple printed circuit boards, and 100 percent recycled gold in the plating of numerous printed circuit boards and the wire of all cameras. 

Fiber-based packaging eliminates the need for outer plastic wrap, bringing Apple closer to its goal of eliminating plastic from all packaging by 2025. Apple is currently carbon neutral for global corporate operations and plans to be carbon neutral across its entire manufacturing supply chain and product life cycles by 2030. 

This means that every Apple device sold will have a net-zero environmental impact, from component manufacturing to assembly, transport, customer use, and charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery.

How Much is the New iPhone 14 and Its Availability

The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be available beginning September 16. Apple.com will open for orders on September 9 at 5 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. BST. (Opens in a new window)

The iPhone 14 is $799 / £849, while the iPhone 14 Plus is $899 / £949. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will retain their starting prices of $999 / £1,099 and $1,099 / £1,199 from last year.

Wrapping up

While the iPhone 14 isn’t a significant advancement, it is a marginally more powerful phone than the previous generation, at least in some lenses, and may still have a raw performance advantage over some new Android phones.

But it’ll be difficult to look at the iPhone 14 without thinking about the slick new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max with their notch-free displays and 48MP cameras. I hope you found this article helpful.