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iPhone 14: News, rumors, leaks, pricing, and release date

We’ve rounded up the best news and rumors regarding Apple’s upcoming iPhone. Here’s what to know.

Apple store signage selling iphones
Image: Unsplash

Apple’s iPhone 14 won’t be here until later this year, but we already know a fair bit about the upcoming smartphone and its variants. Most of the rumors are just that, but some are based on supply chain analysis which adds to their credibility.

Whatever the leaks say, it’s a fair bet that the iPhone 14 will feature better battery life, a better processor, and better cameras. I mean, that’s the trifecta that Apple always targets, so why change a winning formula?

That’s not all, however, as other rumors point to Apple using new materials on the iPhone 14 and even reports the company is finally getting rid of the Lightning port. Will these outlandish claims come true?

READ MORE: Is the iPhone 14 worth buying? Here’s what the reviews say

Until Apple announces the iPhone 14, take anything you read with a hefty serving of skepticism. We rounded up the claims and added some of our takes on the news below.

iPhone 14 release date – when should we expect the next iPhone?

Iphone 13 in-hand
Image: Unsplash

Apple traditionally releases the latest iPhone models in September every year, so that is when the new iPhone is most likely. Expect an Apple Event mid-month in September, with retail availability closer to the end of September.

UPDATE 8/25/2022 3:42 PM ET: The next Apple event is scheduled for September 7. Here’s how to watch it.

That’s also when iOS 16 is likely to release, as Apple always ships the latest iPhone with the latest version of iOS.

Pricing for the iPhone 14

All the current rumors say that this year’s iPhone 14 range are going to be more expensive than their iPhone 13 counterparts. PhoneArena, and iDropNews both have the same pricing, which is as follows:

  • iPhone 14: $799
  • iPhone 14 Max: $899
  • iPhone 14 Pro: $1099
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1199

In addition to these pricing rumors, a new rumor also states that the base iPhone 14 will stay at $799, backing up the earlier claims.

READ MORE: Should you buy the iPhone 14?

Note that this is the price for the base storage option of each model. That’s rumored to be 128GB of storage for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max, and 256GB for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Design notes for the iPhone 14

Render purporting to be the iphone 14 showing a flatter design with usb-c
Image: FrontPageTech

UPDATE 5/16/2022 8:20 AM ET: A new mockup from case makers has revealed what the iPhone 14 Pro Max could look like.

Early leaks from Jon Prosser at FrontPageTech show the iPhone 14 without the usual ‘notch’ at the top of its screen. His renders have a hole-punch selfie camera instead.

His renders also showed inset camera modules, for an altogether sleeker look. New CAD files say that was wishful thinking, as the camera bump is going to be thicker than ever.

The reason? Apple is using a larger 48-megapixel sensor in the main camera, which needs slightly more space than the iPhone 13’s setup.

READ MORE: What will the iPhone 14 look like?

The thing with that is that Apple needs space for more than just a camera on every iPhone screen. Face ID needs a dot projector, a flood illuminator, and an infrared camera. Then there’s the proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and the speaker and microphone. That’s a lot of things for a single hole.

Ben Geskin thinks that Apple is going to fix that with a pill-shaped hole punch, instead of a circular one. That would give them the space to put more sensors in, without sacrificing screen space.

Ross Young of DSCC thinks that it will be a combination, with both a punch-hole and a pill-shaped hole. This will be a unique configuration that only Apple is using. Since that first tweet, he’s refined his position to only the two iPhone 14 Pro models with this design; with all four iPhone models having it in 2023.

Iphone 14 pill-shaped front camera
Image: Ross Young / @DSCCRoss

Those holes are going to be bigger than expected. A post on Weibo showed much larger cutouts for both the hole-punch and the pill-shaped sections.

READ MORE: Will the iPhone 14 have USB-C?

Jon Prosser at FrontPageTech overlaid this graphic with the earlier screen protector dimensions, with shocking conclusions. See, the cutouts are now in-line with the actual sizes of the camera and other sensors that Apple uses for Face ID. Get used to seeing an ‘i’ on your iPhone.

It’s the end of the notch as we know it

Iphone 14 pro render by 91mobiles
Image: 91mobiles

New CAD renders of the iPhone 14 Pro done by 91mobiles confirm the “pill plus hole” screen. No more notch for the iPhone Pro.

The renders, which were done from industry source dimensions, do show the presence of a SIM tray cut-out. That probably means no SIM-less version of the iPhone 14 Pro.

That’s the smaller of the two Pro models, but what about the Pro Max? Well, ShrimpApplePro has us covered in that case, with new renders that supposedly show the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Clearly shown are the “pill plus hole” screen cutouts for the selfie cam and Face ID sensors.

https://twitter.com/VNchocoTaco/status/1511015279102357508

They’re even more visible than the earlier renders of the non-Max model, which might be down to how the rendering was done. I mean, Apple’s not going to put huge camera bezels in the center of the screen, are they?

The base model iPhone 14 will keep the notch, with almost the exact same design as the iPhone 13. Yes, if you want the new design, you’ll have to pony up for the Pro models.

https://twitter.com/mysmartprice/status/1504298502587039744

Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, says that the four iPhone 14 models will share two screen sizes. Each tier of normal and Pro will have a 6.1-inch and a 6.7-inch display option.

He also thinks the iPhone 14 won’t have a mini version. The end of the iPhone mini has been confirmed to 9to5Mac by multiple sources.

Now that it’s getting closer to release, dummy units of the iPhone 14 models have been popping up. Sonny Dickson has all four models in the video above, clearly showing that Apple is only using two screen sizes across the range.

Assuming those dummies are also color-accurate, the iPhone 14 Pro models are going to have some super-shiny sides. Those sides are supposedly titanium, a change from the stainless steel used on the iPhone 13 Pro models.

According to LeaksApplePro, Apple has stopped the development of under-screen fingerprint sensors for Touch ID. That doesn’t rule out Touch ID coming back in other forms, like as part of the power button.

Panel type

Little is known about the base-model iPhone 14 screens, but there have been some reports about the Pro versions of the iPhone 14. A new leak claims the base-model iPhone 14 will have a 90 Hz refresh rate screen.

READ MORE: How much is the iPhone 14?

Both models are reportedly using similar LTPO OLED displays. That enables a 120 Hz variable refresh rate, which Apple calls ProMotion. Those might be supplied by both LG and the existing supplier, Samsung. That could help ward off any supply chain crunch.

Processors and RAM

Apple iphone 13
Image: KnowTechie

Here’s a curveball for you. Ming-Chi Kuo, the usually-accurate analyst of everything Apple-related, thinks that this year is the first time Apple will use two different chips in the fall iPhone release.

He thinks the base model iPhone 14 and iPhone Pro Max will stick with the A15 Bionic that currently powers the entire iPhone 13 range, and the newly-announced iPhone SE with 5G.

If so, that will be the first time Apple hasn’t used the newest chip in every model of a numbered iPhone launch. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg agrees with Kuo, saying that his read is Apple trying to differentiate the normal and Pro lines more.

A new report from Taiwanese research company TrendForce backs this up, saying the base iPhones will get the A15 Bionic, while the Pro models will get the new A16 Bionic.

That report also mentions that all four models will get 6GB of RAM. That will be of different types on the base and Pro models. The A15 supports LPDDR4X, while the A16 should support LPDDR5.

That earlier report has been backed up by new reporting from DigiTimes. They also mention that Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology are all creating RAM for the iPhone 14 range. We expect Samsung will be producing the LPDDR5 for the Pro models, as their DDR5 has higher bandwidth.

LPDDR5 will bring more responsiveness to the Pro models, as they are both faster and more efficient than the LPDDR4X options. That should make the Pro models clearly worth the extra cash.

Cameras

Iphone 11 pro camera
Screenshot: KnowTechie

The primary sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro models will be a 48-megapixel one if reports are to be believed. This will be the first time Apple has used this high of a megapixel sensor in an iPhone.

It will be capable of 8K video recording, and the larger sensor size should improve low-light photography. Currently, the largest camera sensor on any iPhone uses a 12-megapixel one.

That 12-megapixel sensor is staying on the regular iPhone 14 models, so you’ll want to buy the Pro models if you want the upgraded main camera. That’s according to multiple sources, including Mark Gurman at Bloomberg.

Ming-Chi Kuo also believes that autofocus is finally coming to the front camera on the iPhone 14. That’s big news and improves the fixed-focus mode on the iPhone 13 range. It’ll also feature a lower f-stop, of f/1.9, which will bring improved background blur.

A new report from Kuo backs up those earlier musings, with autofocus, a lower f-stop, and six components in the lens, up from five components in the existing one. All four iPhone 14 models will get the huge upgrade to the selfie camera.

Oh, and those rumors about Apple using an under-display front camera? Don’t expect those until 2024, according to Kuo. Under-display Face ID will come at the same time, giving the iPhone 15 a sleek, unbroken screen.

While the new camera systems Apple has in place look great, some recent leaks point to issues with low-light performance. Hopefully, the iPhone maker will be able to push software updates to fix any latent issues.

Satellite connectivity

Iphones fanned out
Image: Unsplash

Apple has been working on emergency connectivity via satellite for some time now. The feature missed the deadline to be included in the iPhone 13, but it might be ready for the iPhone 14.

Mark Gurman at Bloomberg thinks it could be included in the iPhone 14. He’s also found out that the Apple Watch is going to gain the emergency feature, either this year or next.

Again, this isn’t meant to let you make calls if you go out of cellular range. The feature is for sending short messages to emergency services, so they can find you if the worst happens.

More iPhone 14 rumors and possible changes

Iphone 13 pro camera and screen
Image: KnowTechie

Apple has reportedly told mobile carriers in the US to prepare for an eSIM-only phone release. That leak had a September 2022 date on it, which would coincide with this year’s iPhone 14 release.

That will improve weatherproofing if so. It will also make manufacturing less complicated and free up internal space that can be used for things like bigger batteries. The only thing? Not every carrier supports eSIM, but you can bet they will if Apple pushes for it.

Better battery life might also come from Apple using a new 5G chip with better power efficiency. That’s according to Taiwanese news outlet Economic Daily News, which reports TSMC is making the 5G chips for the iPhone 14.

The change to a smaller process node should improve power consumption, while also increasing the amount of space left in the chassis to stuff the battery into.

Don’t expect the iPhone Pro to have USB-C

USB-C has been a hot topic with the next iPhone, but don’t hold your breath. iDropNews says Apple loves money too much. They’re making bank from charging third-party accessory companies to license the Lightning connector.

They do think Apple is making the Lightning connector upgrade to USB3.0 speeds though, so that’s something. Currently, it uses USB2.0, which is slow.

The iPhone Pro models might gain a titanium chassis, which will improve structural stability while letting Apple shave off some weight. Early renders also show the volume buttons going back to an iPhone 4-inspired rounded shape, and a thicker chassis as the camera lenses were flush with the back of the device.

We’ll be updating this post as more leaks happen throughout the year. Apple is reportedly already moving forward with a small production run to figure out issues before going into mass production. It’ll be interesting to see how many of these are accurate when the iPhone 14 releases this fall.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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