What to expect from the iPhone 14
Apple is expected to release their iPhone 14 lineup this September, and as we’ve become accustomed to, a plethora of rumours about the upcoming flagship phones have followed. But how do you know which rumours to believe?
Apple fans love this time of year – with the latest iPhone models closer to launch, die-hard Apple followers find the rumours to be just as interesting as the phone itself. And this year, we’re expecting several changes that might excite (or annoy) iPhone fans.
The iPhone 14 is expected to change a lot. If the rumours are true, prepare to say goodbye to the notch design, the lightning port, the SIM card slot, and the Mini, and welcome a much better camera sensor, bigger price tag, and an entirely new iPhone model.
Trying to keep up with the rumours can be overwhelming, so we’ve done the hard part for you. We’ve put together the most-likely-to-come-true rumours so you can separate iPhone 14 reality from fantasy. Read on to find out.
iPhone 14 rumours that are likely true
We covered the iPhone 13 lineup last year and compared it to the iPhone 12 lineup. Both years gave us some of the sleekest, smoothest performing flagship phones we’ve seen in a while.
We expect much of the same this year, and so do the millions of iPhone fans out there. According to Statista, Apple’s iOS captured over 55 per cent of the Australian mobile operating system market last year. This indicates that more than half of all mobile devices in Australia are Apple products, while Samsung’s share of the market is just a little over 20 percent.
With Apple dominating the country, Aussies far and wide can’t wait for another iPhone launch, and they’ll get that towards the end of the year.
For now, however, all we have are rumours. But like the many times we’ve covered Apple products prior to their release, we have an idea of which rumours are more accurate than others. Here’s a look at the Apple iPhone 14 rumours that are likely to come true:
Apple might dump the notch design
Die-hard Apple fans love the iPhone’s unique notch design, but they might have to say goodbye this year. Reliable sources have rumoured that the iPhone 14 will ditch the notch design for a new hole and pill design.
What does that even mean? Well, reports indicate that the iPhone 14 will feature a dot towards the top of the screen which houses the Face ID projector, along with a separate horizontal pill-shaped section that houses the front camera and Face ID infrared camera.
Comparing the iPhone 13 to the notch-less iPhone 14 design. src
Apple might ditch the Mini
The notch isn’t the only thing that might get canceled by Apple. The manufacturer’s iPhone 14 lineup might not include a Mini version. Recall Apple launched the Mini in their iPhone 12 lineup, giving customers an economical option. They followed with he iPhone 13 Mini last year, but it seems the Mini versions have never really been a hit despite their lower price tag.
The upcoming iPhone 14 line-up is expected to get rid of the Mini altogether, replacing it with a new model – the iPhone Max, which we will cover later on in this post. But don’t worry, Apple has already launched the iPhone SE, starting at a budget-friendly AU$719, and it compares favourably to the iPhone 13 Mini.
Apple iPhone 14 might be an eSIM only device, ditching the SIM card slot
Late last year, after the iPhone 13 line-up was launched, Brazilian website Blog do iPhone reported that Apple will get rid of the SIM card slot in 2023, opting for an eSIM only iPhone line-up. That rumour sounded a bit absurd at the time, but it seems a lot more true today. In fact, reliable sources like MacRumours now believe the iPhone 14 line-up will ditch the SIM card slot this year instead of next year.
While this is possible, we believe Apple will make the eSIM-only version optional. eSIM technology is a great addition to smartphones and we’ve been covering the technology for several years. However, despite how great the eSIM technology is, it just isn’t that widespread yet because many MVNOs are yet to get access to eSIM plans. Launching an eSIM-only iPhone lineup will mean Australians on MVNO SIM plans will be cut off from servicing upcoming iPhones for a while, and we just don’t see that happening this year. A more likely scenario will be Apple offering an eSIM-only iPhone 14 version, making it optional.
Apple iPhone 14 lineup may dump the lightning port for a USB-C port
Apple iPhones are unique for a number of reasons, and one of those reasons is the lightning port. This port means that iPhone users have unique charging cables – meaning you can’t borrow your friend’s Android phone’s charging cable to give your iPhone’s battery some juice.
However, the iPhone 14 lineup might get rid of the lightning port, opting for the more common USB-C port instead. Many iPhone fans have wanted this for a long time, and their wish might just be granted this year.
Apple iPhone 14 lineup could feature a much improved camera sensor
Many Australians have been won over by Apple because of the iPhone’s advanced cameras. Such fans expect camera improvements every year, and they might be in for a great surprise this year.
The iPhone 14 line-up is expected to feature an improved camera sensor that boasts of 48MP. Compare this to last year’s iPhone 13 line-up which featured a 12MP camera sensor. And the best part is that the iPhone 14 is rumoured to feature both 12MP and 48MP modes – the former will be for lower light images, and the latter for well-lit conditions.
iPhone 14 lineup might feature a larger rear camera lens bump
Apple launched its unique three rear camera housing with its iPhone 12 lineup. The manufacturer kept that design on the iPhone 13 lineup and plans to do the same with the iPhone 14 as well.
However, rumours suggest that the iPhone 14 lineup will feature a much larger rear camera lens housing than previous models. The increase could be as much as 5 per cent in both height and width when compared to the iPhone 13 lineup. The housing could protrude at 4.17mm for the iPhone 14 Pro, while the iPhone 13 Pro camera housing protruded 3.6mm.
The leaked design diagram below will give you an idea of the new rear camera dimensions.
Leaked diagram from Weibo showing the iPhone 14 front and rear dimensions. src
Apple iPhone 14 lineup might include new model
Recall we cited rumours that Apple might get rid of the Mini model. The manufacturer is also expected to launch a new model this year – the iPhone 14 Max.
The iPhone 14 Max is expected to replace the iPhone Mini, while the iPhone SE will become the go-to model for Australians looking for a more affordable iPhone. That being said, this year’s lineup might look like this: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
iPhone 14 lineup might include the upgraded A16 Bionic chip
Pretty much everyone was blown away by Apple’s A15 bionic chipset in the iPhone 13 lineup last year. This year, Apple could blow us away even further with the A16 bionic chip which is expected to launch in the iPhone 14 lineup. However, a reliable Twitter tech leaker @shadow_leak claims that the iPhone 14 Pro will maintain the A15 bionic chipset. The leaker also claims that all four iPhone 14 models will launch with 6GB RAM.
Apple will raise prices with the iPhone 14 launch
Apple iPhones have never been cheap, but they might get even more expensive this year. According to iDropNews, the iPhone 14 lineup will start at US$799 (AU$1200). The Pro and Pro Max versions will likely feature price hikes of around US$100 (AU$140).
Final words – You can rent an iPhone 14 instead of paying outright
We’re expecting a lot of changes this year – the iPhone 14 lineup will get rid of some longstanding Apple features and add new ones. But what will certainly stay the same are the expensive price tags that we’ve become accustomed to when covering any iPhone release.
This year, the iPhone 14 lineup will likely feature even more of a price hike. Thankfully, Apple is considering a subscription service which will allow customers to rent an iPhone 14 this year. We’ve written an article about how Apple wants you to rent an iPhone 14, so be sure to take a look at it if you’re discouraged by how pricey flagship phones have become.