Here’s everything we know about the iPhone 14

The iPhone 14 is not far away, and promises to be a big upgrade on Apple's iPhone 13 in a number of key areas. With a rumored September release window on the cards, Apple's next best iPhone could be just a few weeks away, so here's a run down of everything we think we know so far. But first, some headlines.

According to reports, the iPhone 14 will see the end of the iPhone 'mini' in favor of a new 'Max'-sized regular iPhone. This promises to be one of the biggest changes, as otherwise the design of the device isn't expected to change. Apple reportedly has far less planned for the regular iPhone compared to the 'Pro', which could get a new processor and won't have a notch. A new always-on display could also make an apperance. Big camera upgrades across the board are also rumored. Here are the details on Apple's next best iPhone!

iPhone 14 possible release date and availability

The iPhone 14 is expected to debut in the usual September launch window just like iPhone 13. There have been reports of some supply struggles, with both the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Max models "a month behind schedule, but this is not expected to delay the device at all, although it could make the larger 'Max' versions of the iPhone harder to get hold off at launch.

An educated guess would peg the iPhone 14 launch event for Tuesday, September 13, with pre-orders at the end of the week and a release date the following week. If that's too long to wait, then these Prime Day iPhone deals are a fantastic shout for getting a new phone at the best possible price.

iPhone 14 Models and sizes

The iPhone 13 mini is expected to be the last mini iPhone. Instead, this year Apple will reportedly ditch the diminutive iPhone in favor of a second regular max-sized iPhone. From July

A source told Nikkei Asia that "it is pretty much decided that there won't be a Mini next year". As per previous reports, it is also claimed that Apple is planning to instead adopt a second 'Max' iPhone. The 6.7-inch phone would be a more cost-effective large iPhone with the same form factor as the iPhone 12 Pro Max but with fewer premium features.

Ming-Chi Kuo also reported the iPhone 'mini' was on the way out even last year stating, "we predict that the new 2H22 iPhone will have 4 models, namely the high-end 6.7-inch and 6.1-inch models, and the lower-end 6.7-inch and 6.1-inch models."

Leaked iPhone 14 schematics shared in April appear to reveal two larger iPhone 'Max' models that will be 6.7-inches in size, along with two 6.1-inch models.

iPhone 14 Design

Back in September, we were told by multiple outlets to expect that the iPhone 14 would be a "complete redesign" over the current model. Not only did Mark Gurman leak this, but the information provided by Jon Prosser stated Apple would drop the camera bump from the device in favor of a flat design. However, more recent leaks of CAD renders of both the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro seem to indicate that Apple is not actually planning to change anything about the design of either phone. In March a leak about the iPhone 14's design revealed the company will retain many of the design features of the current best iPhone, the iPhone 13, namely it's rear camera bump, squared edges, and more.

None of the previously rumored changes to the flat back, volume buttons, or anything else seem to be present. The only small confirmed change is a new hole-punch camera to replace the current notch, the array features a pill-shaped hole and a small circular hole, like an exclamation mark on its side.

A second set of leaked CAD files for the iPhone 14 revealed that the regular iPhone models will keep a design that is almost identical to the current model, including the bathtub notch.

Very detailed iPhone 14 Pro schematics have also been shared by Max Weinbach, again reiterating all of the aforementioned design changes.

14 Pro and 14 Pro Max pic.twitter.com/39TMqVTFVc

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) March 22, 2022

One other key change depicted here is a very large camera bump expected to help make way for some big camera upgrades.

In terms of materials, we can probably expect the same combination of glass and aluminum, although one report has stated Apple may switch to Titanium for use in the chassis of its more premium models.

Leaked panels from April again point not only to the end of the mini iPhone but also the notch on the Pro iPhone.

In May Ross Young reported that thinner bezels on the iPhone 14 Pro would make for displays that are a tiny bit bigger than the current iPhone 13 lineup.

• iPhone 13 Pro - 6.06"
• iPhone 14 Pro - 6.12"
• iPhone 13 Pro Max - 6.68"
• iPhone 14 Pro Max - 6.69"

iPhone 14 colors

According to reports, Apple is hoping to add a new purple color to both the iPhone 14 Pro and regular iPhone 14 lineup.

Other rumored colors from the report include black, white, blue, and red for the regular iPhone, and graphite, gold, and silver as the other colors for the iPhone 14 Pro. This lines up with previous releases, Apple tends to keep its 'Pro' colors quite muted, using the holy trinity of roughly gold, silver, and space grey along with one flash of color like blue or green.

iPhone 14 Processor

Initial reports indicated that Apple may adopt a 4nm process for use in its new iPhone 14 chip, however, it now seems more likely Apple will stick with the 5nm.

Apple currently uses the A15 chip in the iPhone 13, and Apple's two base model devices will reportedly retain this chip. Ming-Chi Kuo also reported that the A15 is sticking around, but also says that a new A16 chip is coming to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Kuo has stated that this is unlikely to be a major increase in performance and will be more for marketing effect.

iPhone 14 RAM

While RAM isn't a huge limiting factor in the iPhone's design, reports and rumors state that all four models of the iPhone 14 will feature 6GB of RAM, but that it will differentiate between the Pro versions and regular by using LPDDR5 in the former and LPDDR4X in the latter. This means the Pro versions could feature improved performance and power efficiency on the RAM front. Less reputable leakers have suggested the iPhone 14 could get 8GB of RAM, but this seems less likely.

iPhone 14 Display, ProMotion, and always-on

The iPhone 13 Pro features a 120Hz ProMotion display, and hypothetically it would make sense that Apple might add this feature to the entire iPhone lineup next year. At least one analyst suggested that ProMotion and the 120Hz display could come to all of the iPhone models. However, multiple more reliable analysts have stated that 120Hz is expected to remain a 'Pro' iPhone feature this year, keeping the cost of the regular versions down and helping to differentiate between the two.

However, DSCC's Ross Young says this is not the case, with a 60Hz LTPS display remaining in the regular iPhone. However, Apple might upgrade the screen in other ways, as it did this year with the Super Retina Display XDR.

One major display upgrade leaked in the iOS 16 beta is the possibility of a new always-on display that would use a variable refresh rate to display your lock screen all the time, much like the Apple Watch Series 7. At least one insider has predicted the iPhone 14 Pro will have a 1Hz display refresh rate mode. This lines up with the intense focus Apple put on its Lock Screen in its latest software version. This feature, like many upgrades this year, is expected to be limited to the 'Pro' models. Analyst Ross Young has also backed up reports of an always-on display, as has Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a leak in June, Gurman stated that the iPhone will feature the same tools to hide sensitive Lock Screen data as the Apple Watch:

Like the Apple Watch, the iPhone 14 Pro will be able to show widgets displaying weather, calendars, stocks, activities and other data while the screen remains at a low brightness and frame rate. And there will be a setting—also like the Apple Watch—that keeps sensitive data from appearing on the lock screen for all to see.

iPhone 14 Storage

According to reports, Apple will add a new 2TB storage configuration to the iPhone next year. Likely for the Pro model, this could increase the base storage for those phones and even see 1TB debut in the regular iPhone. It has also been reported that Apple may adopt QLC NAND flash solutions for use as memory in the iPhone 14 this year.

iPhone 14 Camera

A massive camera upgrade could be on the cards for the iPhone this year by way of a 48MP camera:

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will switch to a new 48-megapixel camera next year, while the following year's device will see Apple jump to a new periscope camera design for the first time.

In a research note seen by iMore, Kuo says that the 2022 iPhone — likely to be called iPhone 14 — will use a new 48-megapixel camera. We've heard similar rumors before — not least from Kuo himself. The move to such a camera system could allow Apple to take advantage of pixel binning — a process that would allow for more light to be made available during low-light shots while still enabling high-resolution stills to be taken in well-lit scenes.

Similarly analyst Jeff Pu says the new iPhone will get a triple-lens rear camera system featuring a 48MP wide lens. That increase could also allow for 8K video recording.

Mark Gurman has also stated that the iPhone 14 Pro will get a 48MP wide-angle lens.

Kuo also says that Apple may be planning to significantly upgrade its front-facing camera that could see improved focus and better aperture for improved portrait mode in both photos and FaceTime.

iPhone 14 Battery

According to DSCC's Ross Young, the iPhone 14 will have larger batteries across the board, boosting capacity and powering more features.

Regarding iPhone 14 leaks, great to see. We showed under panel Face ID in the 2022 Pro models in June...Also showed the 2023 lineup as well. pic.twitter.com/dGcm5n0bEO

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) September 8, 2021

iPhone 14 5G and connectivity

iPhone 14 will feature 5G like its predecessors and could debut support for more countries as the iPhone 13 did. There have also been reports that Apple will use 6nm TSMC 5G chips that will improve power consumption and battery life when surfing over 5G. The chips are also smaller, making way for other components. These chips could also pave the way for Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. Ming-Chi Kuo also reports Apple's next iPhone may feature Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, which is around three times faster than Wi-Fi 5 and gives users the option of operating on the 6GHz spectrum as well as the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands.

Reports of satellite-enabled communication for emergencies haven't materialized with iPhone 13, so that could also be another feature to look out for. Mark Gurman has previously stated the iPhone 14 could include satellite emergency texting and an SOS feature. According to that report the feature would be used for transmitting short emergency text messages to emergency services in disaster situations like a plane crash or a sinking ship. The satellite function would not be used for day-to-day communication like texting or iMessage.

Another possible connectivity change could come with a use of eSIMs, with one analyst expecting that Apple could launch an eSIM-only variant of the new iPhone, while retaining the physical SIM slot model for those that want and need it.

iPhone 14 Face ID and Touch ID

There are no indications that Apple is planning to reintroduce Touch ID in any capacity. We had previously heard from a reliable analyst that Apple could introduce an under-display Face ID camera, however multiple persistant rumors that the iPhone will still feature either a notch or a hole-punch camera configuration seem to render this possibility redundnant.

iPhone 14 Price

With a rumor of 2TB storage and the possibility of a larger base storage model, it's possible next year's iPhone may be more expensive than the current version. However, Apple surprised us by keeping the price the same this year, even lowering it in some places compared to iPhone 12.

Analyst Jeff Pu reported in March that the iPhone 14's pricing would be "critical" to its success and so expected a starting price "close to the iPhone 13."