Apple has announced the iPhone 14 lineup at its ‘Far Out’ September event. There’s no doubt that this is the next great iPhone from Apple, and there’s a lot to love. However, those who have been looking forward to another ‘mini’ size phone are going to be disappointed, as Apple has eliminated the 5.4-inch iPhone from the lineup, though the iPhone 13 mini still remains for sale.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new iPhone 14, which is set to be the best iPhone yet.
iPhone 14 models and sizes
The iPhone 14 will come in a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, as well as a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus. Allison Johnson at Apple says that the 6.1-inch screen size is the “perfect phone screen size,” so unfortunately, those who like the mini size are given the shaft. The larger screen size means more information and visuals are displayed on the screen.
iPhone 14 design, colors, and display
The iPhone 14’s design hasn’t changed compared to the previous model, with updates instead reserved for the internals. However, it comes in five colors; Midnight, Purple, Starlight, (PRODUCT)RED, and Blue.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus both have an updated internal design that gives them better thermal performance, so they should not get as warm during use or charging as previous iPhones.
The Super Retina XDR displays use OLED technology with up to 1200 nits of peak HDR brightness, a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and support for Dolby Vision graphics. the iPhone 14 has a display resolution of 2532‑by‑1170-pixels at 460 ppi, while the iPhone 14 Plus has a display resolution of 2778‑by‑1284-pixels at 458 ppi.
The Ceramic Shield front glass returns, which is exclusive to Apple’s iPhone devices and won’t be found on any other smartphone on the market. The Ceramic Shield keeps the display safe from common spills and accidents that involve water and dust.
However, it’s important to note that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will continue to have the notch that has been present since the iPhone X, though it seems to be smaller in size than its predecessors.
iPhone 14 processor, storage, and RAM
iPhone 14 will continue to use the A15 Bionic chip that is in the iPhone 13 lineup. This means a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores, and four efficiency cores, along with the 16-core Neural Engine. It also has a 5-core GPU for high-performance gaming and graphics, and it powers the new Photonic Engine. While doing all of this, the iPhone 14 lineup will still deliver impressive all-day battery life, with the iPhone 14 Plus having even more battery than the standard iPhone 14 thanks to its size. Apple says it’s the best battery life in an iPhone ever.
Both the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options.
iPhone 14 camera
While the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus still have a 12MP camera system, both have larger sensors and larger pixels than previous iPhones, so it is still an improvement (just not as big of one as the iPhone 14 Pro). It also has a new front-facing TrueDepth camera system and Ultra Wide lens and introduced the new Photonic Engine for vast improvements in low light performance.
The Photonic Engine is deeply integrated into the hardware and software, improving the overall quality of both mid to low-light photos across all cameras. This means up to 2x on the Ultra Wide camera, 2x on the TrueDepth camera, and 2.5x on the main Wide camera. Photonic Engine makes the improved quality possible by applying computational photographic features like Deep Fusion earlier in the imaging process. The end result should deliver incredible detail, preserve subtle textures, have better coloring, and preserve more overall data in a photo.
Some of the new specs of the dual-lens camera system on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus include a larger ƒ/1.5 aperture and 1.9 µm pixels on the main Wide camera. This improves lighting in all photos and has more detail, motion freezing, less noise, and faster exposure times. It also has optical image stabilization. The TrueDepth camera has a ƒ/1.9 aperture for improved low-light capture for both photos and video. There is also autofocus for the first time.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus also now have a new Action mode, allowing users to capture incredibly smooth video that will automatically adjust to shakes, motion, and vibrations. The Ultra Wide camera has low-light improvements, and the True Tone flash is 10% brighter with improved uniformity. Cinematic mode is now available in 4K at 30fps and 4K at 24fps, and there is also end-to-end Dolby Vision HDR.
iPhone 14 battery
Apple says that the iPhone 14 (6.1-inch) has a battery that’s good for up to 20 hours of video playback, 16 hours of streaming, or 80 hours of audio playback. It also has fast charge that can deliver 50% in around 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher.
The larger iPhone 14 Plus delivers a whopping 26 hours of video playback, 20 hours of streaming, or 100 hours of audio, and the same fast-charging capabilities. Of course, real-world use is likely to differ somewhat from Apple’s official figures.
Both support MagSafe charging up to 15W and standard wireless charging up to 7.5W.
iPhone 14 Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite
Apple is adding Crash Detection to the iPhone 14 as a new safety feature. Thanks to a new dual-core accelerometer, which can detect G-force measurements up to 256 Gs, as well as a high dynamic range gyroscope, Crash Detection is also included in the new Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE 2. With Crash Detection, the iPhone can detect a severe car crash as it happens, and automatically dial emergency services, which is especially helpful if the user is unconscious or unable to get to their iPhone. The new accelerometer and gyroscope are built on top of other existing components, like the barometer, which can now detect cabin pressure changes, GPS for speed changes, and the microphone, which can recognize loud noises that are associated with car crashes.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro now have satellite connectivity, but only for emergency services. With Emergency SOS via satellite, users can get through to emergency services even if they are out of range of cellular and Wi-Fi networks. With this feature, the iPhone will prompt the user with some questions, then guide them on where to point the iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro to in the sky in order to connect to the nearest satellite. The initial questions and follow-up messages are also relayed to a nearby emergency center staffed by Apple-trained specialists, who can then call for help on behalf of the user. The satellite connectivity can also be used for Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi signal.
Emergency SOS via satellite launches in the U.S. and Canada in November 2022, though it will be a subscription-based service. However, with the purchase of an iPhone 14, the service will be available free for two years.
iPhone 14 5G and eSIM
The iPhone 14 continues to use 5G, but it will also move to eSIM. This means no more SIM card trays on all U.S. models of iPhone as they move forward with eSIM only. Theoretically, this should make it easier to switch cellular plans and providers. Currently, it is used by carriers to lock your device to its network.
iPhone 14 price and availability
The iPhone 14 starts at $799, while the iPhone 14 Plus will start at $899. Pre-orders begin on Sept. 9, and the public launch will be on Sept. 16.
However, the iPhone 14 Plus will be slightly delayed, with an actual launch date of Oct. 7.