Hands-On With iPhone 14 Models Showing New Sizes and Camera Design Updates

[JM]

What about the iPhone 14? Do you prefer to pull-shape design?

Front of the phone looks great! Pill shape, notch, it’s all good (I actually do really think they did a phenomenal job with the notch: the radius on curves is “right”, and it looks very balanced. It’s funny I actually like the notch on 12 series and below, better. The smaller notch on the large 13’s don’t look as good. On the mini it looks great!)

The problem I have is the back of phone of the Pro especially. They did well on the 13’s with the diagonal two camera array, but the protrusion is too much. It’s even worse on the pro, and it just screams that they didn’t care how it looks “just put the sucker on there!” Yes they tried to minimize the protrusion with the square block that absorbs half of the extension, but even with that, the large cylinders poking out are much too intrusive and demand most of the attention.

Back to the front of the phone, I didn’t know how much I missed that shiny band around the screen with the stainless steel, and it took me right back to the 5s and how I loved that glimmer every time it caught a light. It’s that shiny glint that separates the bourgeoisie from the plebes, and it’s stupid but I might have to be a hypocrite and buy a pro for that alone (no not completely alone: I really want the telephoto lens 🫤)

 

[Virinprew]

Is there going to be a compelling reason for anyone to buy the base Phone 14 over say a cheaper iPhone 13?

Probably 6 GB of ram rather than 4, and a few camera upgrades.

 

[JM]

That’s a bummer. If the article is true and the non “Pro” models don’t include ProMotion and still use the A15 chip, why would anyone would buy the 14 Max over the 13pm?

Correct. Very good rhetorical question.

The 14 max is going straight to the bargain shoppers that buy on 3 year “contracts” with cell providers in America. It’s absolutely going to be the “Commodity Phone”.

And the 14 Pro line will have enough differences to really make Apple’s best stand out. Separating the masses again based on purchase power: spend more money and feel good about yourself.

While seven years ago you had ONE choice: the 5s as Apple’s best; the separation was on the cost of the phone vs what else was out there: $649 or a bargain bin quality Android.

Now, you got Apple users separating themselves from Apple users, with the Pro line vs “normal” line.

It’s actually quite maddening: I couldn’t/wouldn’t spend the $$$ then for the top of the line (I “splurged” on the last year’s phone, and saved $100. Dumb. Regret it) but then when I had more money and could finally feel comfortable spending $650 on Apple’s best, they go and release that d***ed $1000 iPhone X. FFS Apple, why u do this to me? 😫

 

[MayaUser]

Is there going to be a compelling reason for anyone to buy the base Phone 14 over say a cheaper iPhone 13?

None, is even worse if the iphone 14 is bought by many at the same price as the 13 was, this way you agrees with what is Apple doing
Keep the starting price for a phone that has the weakest update ever
If you have the 13, not a single real reason to go 14
If you come from 12 or early, just take the 13 at lower price

 

[x-evil-x]

“Apple won’t ever drop the notch”. I’ve been saying it since it came out. It’s a transition until there is a full screen phone. The notch wasn’t meant for “recognition“ of an apple device. It was always just a transition period in technology till they can have a full screen device. Doing the pill shape explains this. But I bet people will sayin the same thing about the pill shape design. Instantly recognizable as an iphone blah blah.
hopefully by 2025 there won’t be any cutout whatsoever on the phone.

 

[KOTN91]

Additional year of iOS support. More RAM. Better camera lens and sensor.

Those aren’t compelling reasons. The 13 is likely to be supported for at least another 6-7 years from this point so an extra year top of that is hardly here or there today, not to mention most will have upgraded again long before the end of that support period

Most people neither know nor care how much RAM their iPhone has, and in any case the performance on the 13 is blisteringly fast and will be for a long time

Minor camera updates are not compelling when the camera on the 13 is an absolute beast and most users probably don’t know about 90% of its features - its more than enough for instagram and Snapchat (and has been for years too as well) and takes some beautiful photos in both day and low light. For those who are professional photographers or have to have the very best money can buy, I imagine they would have a specialist camera and/or be getting the Pro anyway, and are not the demographic who would be considering whether to upgrade to the standard 14 over the standard 13

 

[nollic]

These things become more and more serious competition for the SLR and mirror-less market …

Tell that to my medium format.

Lol.

 

[bronksy]

Wondering if the jump from a 12pro to 14pro would be worth it.
I'm a photographer. I think the jump in IQ would be worth it but I'd love to be proven wrong and keep my 12pro another year.

 

[MowgliWolf]

looks good, I’m sure those keen on larger phones will be up for the upgrade, got my part the 13 mini is exactly what I’ve wanted for years. Here’s hoping the SE gradually evolves into the mini

 

[ninecows]

Unfortunately not that many, at least according to the sales figures. Real shame for the dozens of us with tiny hands.

The mini is for those of us who don’t need a tablet sized phone to compensate for other shortcomings 🤭

 

[B_mark_R]

With apple raising iphone prices, and the current and future economic conditions, I forsee some excellent carrier deals for iPhones 14.

 

[SurferPup]

Lavender! iPhone 14 Pro please .

 

[M0110A]

Has anyone tried to fit these in a backbone one? Will these work with the existing adapter clip, will they need a different one, or will they not fit at all?

The Backbone One says it supports all the current iPhones, including the Pro and Max ones. They recommend using an adapter for the 13P & PM (because of the larger camera bump) which you can get from them for free. The same will probably be true for the 14P/PM.

 

[M0110A]

I switched from Android to iOS because of the iPhone 12 mini form factor. I miss being able to easily use a phone with one hand. Phones have gotten comically huge; it's worse over on the Android side. But there's been a trend even there towards smaller phones lately, even there (Samsung has started shrinking their flagships). To me it seems shortsighted for Apple to ditch the mini for factor. But then the "mini" was seen as the budget iPhone by a lot of reviewers who were pushing people to the most expensive models. (Everyone knows that you buy an iPhone to show off how much money you spent /s).

I was debating between the 11P and the 12mini; battery life, size, and the telephoto lens were the factors in consideration. The weight of the Pro models was a turnoff for me; I don't like having my pinky hurting from holding up a heavy phone. The mini is still bigger than a lot of phones were 10 years ago and it's screen larger than the infamous Samsung Note "phablet".

I don't have 5G where I live and am down to 25% battery after 5h of screen on time; which is good enough for me. I'm hoping the the 13 mini is kept around for a little longer, either as the new "SE" model or as a lower priced one like the 11 is now. If so I'll probably buy that as my next phone. But I really wish there was a 13 Pro Mini! I'd buy that in a heartbeat!

 

[ksujoel]

If purple iPhone 14 Pro Max gets released. It will be a very compelling color for many.

Purple is one of my favorite colors. I'll be curious to see how it looks.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Purple is one of my favorite colors. I'll be curious to see how it looks.

Same! Fingers are crossed it’ll be more of a dark shade of purple. How current Alphine green is. It’s dark green.

Question is: Are you upgrading this year?

 

[Lioness~]

I read different rumors about the iPhone Mini 'all over the site' - so how will it be?
Is the 13 Mini the last version?
Will it be a 14 Mini or not?
How strong are these rumors, really...?
Someone know? or just speculating wildly like everybody on MR 😂

I don't want to miss buying a Mini, but it's not that urgent...

 

[svish]

Hoping to see great quality improvements in Camera this year. Also the non Pro iPhone 14 Max should be a great device.

 

[troubleonline]

I am already mentally preparing myself for the Pro Max to start at 1,499 Euro now, which means I will hold onto my 12 Pro Max another year. iOS doesn’t offer anything new anyway and it just makes less and less sense to update so frequently. You just end up using the same apps, the exact same way as before anyway.

I am so much wiser with age now 😇

Wondering if the jump from a 12pro to 14pro would be worth it.
I'm a photographer. I think the jump in IQ would be worth it but I'd love to be proven wrong and keep my 12pro another year.

Am still loving my 12 Pro Max and usually tempted by camera improvements / new camera functionality but with rising costs of living in the UK this could be the first time I keep my iPhone more than 2 years. Or move back to a carrier contract/plan having bought sim free for last few years if there are decent deals to be had.......

 

[di1in]

iPhone 14 Pro Max in my future, almost regardless of what's launched. Currently, I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max and this is the longest I've owned one iPhone. I've already told my wife how amazing I am to keep the same phone this long.

Same here. I'm definitely considering an upgrade from my boring iPhone 11 to the boring 14 Pro Max. Better coverage because of the antenna improving from 2x2 to 4x4 MIMO, better cameras, much better display, battery life and charging speeds.

 

[oneMadRssn]

The photos won't be that big. They'll use pixel-binning to keep the actual image at 12MP. The images will just look better.

Do we know this for sure?

 

[ThirteenXIII]

garbage post, enough of this nonsense

 

[wtzouris]

Now that I know USB-C charging is inevitable? I might waiting one more year. Still rocking 2017 iPhone X (replaced by Apple in 2020 with a remanufactured iPhone X because of battery swelling (took two weeks to replace, I had a loaner iPhone 11 Pro which was - meh, a little better camera, especially with true 16 x 9 still photos.) The iPhone 15? with USB-C (or Thunderbolt 4 whatever they want to call it) should be significant. If Apple instead decides to make a "portless" iPhone? Hmmmm-- or maybe the standard iPhone model(s) go portless, while only the the Pro (or Pro Max) models retain a wired port. Lots of discussion about this on 9 to 5 Mac.

 

[Oscar_440]

I am already mentally preparing myself for the Pro Max to start at 1,499 Euro now, which means I will hold onto my 12 Pro Max another year. iOS doesn’t offer anything new anyway and it just makes less and less sense to update so frequently. You just end up using the same apps, the exact same way as before anyway.

I am so much wiser with age now 😇

Unless apple kills previous models in update terms, it’s absolutely true. Unfortunately they don’t offer any disruptive innovation. That’s why I’m hoping for a next tech gen jump (glasses or Sth like that). Meanwhile, I’m with an iPhone 7 wondering if iPhone 14pro will offer me a different day to day experience. Hoping for an underscreen Touch ID too

 

[dampfnudel]

Is there going to be a compelling reason for anyone to buy the base Phone 14 over say a cheaper iPhone 13?

I guess the only compelling reason Apple could give customers to buy the base iPhone 14 over the iPhone 13 is if they discontinued the iPhone 13.