Given that the iPhone introduced in 2021 was indeed branded as the iPhone 13, we expect the 2022 iPhone to be the iPhone 14. Whether or not Apple ever returns to the “S” branding remains to be seen, but rumors indicate the 2022 iPhone will be a big enough upgrade to warrant a new number altogether.
We’re expecting the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max to be three of the names. What’s unclear, however, is the name of Apple’s new 6.7-inch non-Pro iPhone. While this device has been commonly referred to as the “iPhone 14 Max,” more recent reporting suggests it could actually be called the iPhone 14 Plus
Apple marketing names stay under wraps until the last minute. This means we’ll have to wait until the event itself to learn more about what this year’s release will be officially called.
iPhone 14: No notch, but…
The biggest change that we currently expect with the 2022 iPhone is the removal of the notch cutout. The notch design was first introduced with the iPhone X, and it has stayed the same since then. The notch is where Apple houses its sensors for things like Face ID.
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple will drop the notch in 2022, starting with the high-end iPhone 14 Pro. Instead of the notch, the iPhone 14 will use a new “pill hole” design. Rather than a simple hole-punch cutout used by many Android phones, Apple will use a combination of the hole punch cutout and a pill-shaped cutout.
This will allow Apple to squeeze the front-facing camera and Face ID hardware in, while also increasing the amount of available screen real estate. In March, 9to5Mac exclusively reported that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will have slightly larger screens. This was also corroborated by analyst Ross Young.
iPhone 13 Pro – 6.06″
iPhone 14 Pro – 6.12″
iPhone 13 Pro Max – 6.68″
iPhone 14 Pro Max – 6.69″
Here’s the technology currently located in the iPhone’s notch:
Infrared camera
Flood illuminator
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Speaker
Microphone
Front camera
Dot projector
In a report, Young explained:
We now believe Apple will have a hole + pill design on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. The smaller hole will not be invisible…The two hole concept will be unique to Apple, like the notch, not similar to all the pill models from Huawei.
The pill-hole design might not be as ambitious as some had hoped, but it’s the next step in the process of making the iPhone truly all-screen, without any cutouts at all.
But, Apple is also reportedly planning to use software trickery to bridge the gap between the two cutouts. This would put dead space between the two cutouts, creating the illusion that it’s actually longer pill-shaped cutout, rather than two separate ones.
In this space between to the two cutouts, sources tell 9to5Mac that Apple plans to put privacy indicators for the camera and microphone. This means you would see an orange dot in this space when an app is using your microphone and a green light when an app is using your device’s camera. Apple’s goal is to make the experience similar to the green indicator light that the Mac currently uses.
Speaking of the iPhone 14 Pro’s display technology, this will be the year that Apple finally adds always-on display support to the iPhone lineup. The company is reportedly planning to add always-on display support to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. This would allow users to see glanceable information on their iPhone display, even when it’s powered off.
You may be wondering why the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max can’t have this always-on display functionality. The key is that the iPhone 14 Pro models will have an updated ProMotion display technology that allows it to scale all the way down to a 1Hz refresh rate. The existing ProMotion displays used by Apple can scale down to a minimum of 10Hz.
The iPhone 14 Pro’s support for even lower refresh rates will help preserve battery life while simultaneously offering the always-on functionality. For context, the Apple Watch’s always-on display can scale to a 1Hz refresh rate as well.
There is a ton of evidence within iOS 16 to indicate that Apple is readying always-on display technology for the iPhone 14. 9to5Mac has found direct evidence of the feature in iOS 16, while Apple is also preparing its collection of default wallpapers to support the new technology.
The iPhone 14 will include dramatic improvements to the front-facing camera, according to Kuo. The biggest change will be upgrades to the front-facing camera’s auto-focus features. This has been described as the front camera’s “biggest upgrade in years.” The addition of auto-focus support alone will significantly improve the camera’s performance.
Other upgrades include a six-part lens, versus the existing five-part lens. The iPhone 14’s front camera is also expected to have a larger f/1.9 aperture, which would let in more light. More details here are unclear, but the front-facing iPhone camera has a way to go to catch up to the rear camera.
iPhone 14 will be the last iPhone with Lightning
For several years, reports have suggested that Apple could introduce a port-less iPhone. This iPhone would not feature a Lightning port, instead, it would be completely wireless. This was once rumored to come in 2021, but that did not happen.
The port-less iPhone is rumored to be something Apple is still testing, but it’s several years away at this point. In fact, Apple is expected to switch to USB-C in 2023. But the iPhone 14 coming this year will still use Lightning.
Apple is rumored to boost Lightning data transfer rates to USB 3.0 starting with the iPhone 14 Pro this fall, though. USB 2.0 supports transfer speeds of 480 Mbps, while USB 3.0 supports speeds of up to 5 Gbps. With 8K video recording on the way, faster data transfer speeds are a necessity.
While some rumors had anticipated that the iPhone 14 might use a new chip produced using 3-nanometer technology, that is no longer expected to be the case. Currently, Apple’s chip partner TSMC is expected to use an enhanced 5nm manufacturing process for the chip in the iPhone 14, likely referred to as the A16.
The ability for the iPhone to communicate via satellite connectivity was first rumored for the iPhone 13 last year, but that did not come fruition.
This feature is once again being rumored as a possibility for the iPhone 14 lineup. In fact, Ming-Chi Kuo says the hardware development for this feature has already been completed. The question is whether Apple has inked the necessary financial deals to launch it this year.
As reported by Bloomberg, satellite connectivity for the iPhone will allow users to communicate even when they are out of range of traditional cellular networks. The idea is that this feature will be limited to emergency situations and communication. For instance, you’d be able to communicate with emergency responders via the Messages app as well as to report major emergencies such as plane crashes, sinking ships, and other disasters.
Again, it’s unclear if this feature is ready for the iPhone 14. The hardware, however, is there. 9to5Mac has also found evidence in iOS 16 that Apple is continuing to work on the feature. In fact, the artwork for the event might very well hint at the new satellite features.
There are a handful of other iPhone 14 features and changes that have been rumored. Some of these are sketchier than others, but they are all worth noting as we head into the big day.
Stronger MagSafe magnets
A new “exclusive” MagSafe accessory
Faster 30W top charging speed
No improvements to wireless charging speeds
No improvements to durability
6GB of RAM in all models
Unfortunately, it looks like Apple is planning a price increase for at least the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will increase the price of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max by around $100 compared to the iPhone 13 lineup.
This means that the iPhone 14 Pro will start at $1,099 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will start at $1,199. While some were hoping that the company would increase the base storage to help offset the price increase, it does not appear that will be the case. We expect iPhone 14 devices to still start with 128GB of storage, just like the iPhone 13.
Apple has announced its iPhone 14 event, and it will be held on September 7 at 10:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m. ET. As such, we expect the iPhone 14 to go up for sale on September 9, with the first orders arriving on September 16. There are no indications that the iPhone 14 will face any delays, but the iPhone 14 Plus/Max could be more supply constrained than the rest of the lineup at the start.
What do you think of the iPhone 14 rumors? Are you planning to upgrade?