Though the iPhone 13 is selling like hotcakes, that hasn’t stopped Apple from hard at work on the iPhone 14; thanks to a surprising number of leaks, we have a good idea of what the company could be planning for its 2022 flagship range.
And if the rumors about a redesign, the elimination of the Face ID notch, and an improved camera setup pan out, it could be a much more exciting upgrade than the iPhone 13.
When can we expect Apple to introduce the iPhone 14?
In September 2021, Apple introduced the iPhone 13, so the arrival of the iPhone 14 is rapidly approaching.
With the exception of 2020 during the pandemic, iPhone releases typically occur in September, so we anticipate the iPhone 14 range being released in September of 2022.
In September, on what date? Even though Apple hasn’t officially announced a September event (or the release of the next iPhone), we can still use the timing of previous announcements as a hint. On September 14, 2021, Apple unveiled the iPhone 13, while on September 12, 2019, it unveiled the iPhone 11. Apple prefers Tuesday releases, and in particular, the second week of September, if we discount the late 2020 release.
In light of this, we provide a complete rundown of everything we know about Apple’s next flagship iPhone, the iPhone 14, including the latest leaks and rumors about its design, features, and release date (sometime in 2022).
How Much Will iPhone 14 Cost?
This year’s iPhone 13 range comes in at the same price as last year’s, despite chip shortages in 2022 driving up the price Apple has to pay for components.
It’s encouraging to see that Apple is making an effort to maintain the iPhone’s current price point, though this doesn’t guarantee that this year’s models will follow suit.
Indeed, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts an increase in the iPhone 14 price range as a result of rising production costs. In a Twitter post, the analyst predicts a 15 percent price increase within the range.
Considering Apple’s penchant for rounding up or down to the nearest $49 or $99, we speculate that the iPhone 14 will start at $799/£799 (in comparison to the 13 Mini prices) and that the iPhone 14 Pro will start at $1,099/£1,099 (in comparison to the larger previous-generation iPhone 13 Pro Max price).
Recent claims from Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu suggest the range will come in the same 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options as its predecessor, dispelling rumors that Apple could increase the storage of the range, possibly introducing a new 2TB model.
What to expect from the iPhone 14 range
We have a general idea of what the iPhone 14 will offer, despite being quite a while away from the potential release, and if rumors are to be believed, it is set to be an exciting one.
Bye Mini, hello Max
Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple will officially end production of the iPhone mini in 2022 due to poor sales of the iPhone 12 mini and widespread expectations that the iPhone 13 mini will fare similarly.
Instead, the company is rumored to offer 6.1in and 6.7in versions of both the standard and Pro models, suggesting the arrival of a new iPhone 14 Max alongside the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
No more Face ID notch
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo made predictions for both the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 back in March 2021. Back then, however, he simply called the iPhone 14 he was predicting the iPhone of 2022.
The analyst implied in his or her note to investors that some iPhone 14 variants might omit the notch that houses the Face ID sensors. Even though Apple shrank the unit by 20% on the iPhone 13, they apparently aren’t done yet. It has been present on every iPhone since the iPhone X.
Camera improvements
Camera improvements are almost a given when it comes to the yearly iPhone update, but the iPhone 14 Pro range is said to house something special; a new 1/1.3in 48Mp CMOS image sensor for the main wide-angle lens. What’s more impressive is that the new sensor could offer hybrid operating modes to improve pixel size and light-gathering capabilities.
The first eSIM-only iPhone
eSIM support first appeared in the iPhone XS and XR in 2018, but since then it has been standard on every iPhone model.
For the uninitiated, it is essentially a digital SIM card that enables activation of a plan without the need for a physical SIM card and will work with over 100 carriers around the world, making it ideal for securing reduced data rates while traveling.
Communicating via satellite
While Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman speculates that satellite connectivity will debut on the iPhone 14 series, it was a late rumor for the iPhone 13 that never materialized.
iOS 16
Although it may seem obvious, iOS 16 will be responsible for many of the most significant improvements to the iPhone 14.
It’s true that iOS 16 will eventually be made available on all iPhones (beginning with the iPhone 8), but the iPhone 14 series will be the first to ship with the updated operating system.
