Apple’s event on September 7 is very likely to be the day Apple unveils the rumored iPhone 14 lineup. Rumors also point to the phone itself having a mid-September release date, possibly on the 16 of September But of course, nothing is official yet.
In the meantime, we have rumors and questions: How will the iPhone 14 compare to its predecessor, the iPhone 13? How much will the cameras improve? Will the iPhone 14 be more expensive? And what’s the deal with the notch anyway – is this the year of the notchless iPhone? We’ve sorted through the rumors to find some answers, or at least give us a better idea of what might appear in Apple’s 2022 flagship phone. To be clear, none of these specs or features have been confirmed by Apple.
Read more: Apple iPhone 14: Release date, price and any other noteworthy rumours
iPhone 14 design: goodbye notch; hello scraps
This has persisted for years, but one of the biggest rumors is about the notch at the top of the display. After introducing the notch to the iPhone X in 2017, Apple may finally ditch it this year, though apparently only on the Pro models. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo Kuo, the company is expected to replace it with a smaller punch-hole camera on the Pro models. A punch-hole design refers to a display with just a small circular cutout for the front-facing camera, as seen on several Samsung releases, including the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 4.
However, display analyst Ross Young predicts that the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will receive two cutouts: a hole and a pill-shaped cutout to accommodate the front-facing camera and Face ID. Right now, the notch houses the components that make Face ID work, meaning Apple may have to scale back all that technology to make a notch-less iPhone a reality. Whether the next iPhone gets a notch or two, the rumors we’ve been following point to members of the iPhone 14 lineup not having a notch for the first time in five years.
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iPhone 14 selfie camera: Front-facing camera revamped
Apple made major changes to its rear cameras over the years, but the front-facing cameras have been largely overlooked. This year it might not be like that anymore. If the notch goes away, the iPhone 14’s front shooter may be visually altered with the addition of cutouts, but there’s also talk of the camera system itself getting a noticeable functional upgrade.
In an April tweet, Kuo said the entire iPhone 14 lineup will get a larger aperture (f/1.9), which should help the device take better night photos and an upgrade to automatic focus. All of this represents potentially the biggest iPhone front-facing camera upgrade since 2019.
(2/2) AF support and a lower f-number can provide a better depth of field effect for selfie/portrait mode. In addition, AF can also improve the focus effect for FaceTime/Video Call/Live Broadcast.
— Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) April 19, 2022
The iPhone 14 display: Pro models can have an always-on display
One of the biggest iOS 16 features that Apple previewed was its overhauled lock screen. Set to launch in the fall as part of iOS 16, the lock screen will show more information at a glance, including the weather, activity progress, battery levels and your calendar . It’s a feature that pairs well with an always-on display, and it makes sense for Apple to roll it out with the upcoming iPhone 14.
A June report by 9to5Mac uncovered references to backlight management tools, as well as hidden flags for engineers that could allow them to test an always-on display on an iPhone 13 Pro. The always-on display is already on numerous Android phones, as well as the Apple Watch. Instead of lighting up the entire screen like the lock screen does, an always-on display only turns on part of the screen to save power.
iPhone 14 price: Pro models can be $100 more expensive
Apple didn’t make any price changes between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineup, but Wedbush analyst Dan Ives expects a $100 price hike for the iPhone 14 pro models. Currently, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099.
This is supported by Kuo, who recently said that he expects the average selling price of the iPhone 14 line to increase. The macroeconomic environment also points to a rise in prices. Inflation remains persistently high, while Apple continues to struggle with supply chain issues in China, both of which have raised the price of doing business.
iPhone 14 size: Same size, same but different bezel for Pro models
Apple’s last two iPhone lines have featured the same size of 6.1 inches for the base model, up to 6.7 inches for the Pro Max. According to a report from Nikkei Asian Review, Apple will stick with these sizes for the iPhone 14 series, but will do away with the 5.4-inch Mini. This rumor is corroborated by a March report from 9to5Mac. Reports showed slow sales of the iPhone 12 Mini, so it won’t be surprising if Apple ends up retiring the tiny phone in 2022.
While the next iPhone’s size is expected to remain the same, the Pro Max’s display bezels are rumored to be 20% smaller compared to previous iPhone generations, according to CAD renderings shared by the leaker from Twitter ShrimpApplePro. This means that the screen would be slightly larger. However, it’s important to note that this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt, as ShrimpApplePro doesn’t have an extensive track record to back up its speculation.