iPhone 14 rumors have already indicated that Apple is looking to make the upcoming Pro models stand out from the cheaper versions of their flagship phones coming out this fall. But how big the differences between the different phones come into sharper focus, thanks to a new report outlining Apple’s presumed iPhone 14 plans.
As with the last two flagship iPhone releases, we expect four different iPhone models – an iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max on one side of the frame, and standard iPhone 14 plus an iPhone 14 Max on the other. (The latter handset replaces the iPhone mini and has a 6.7-inch screen.)
Apple has already distinguished between standard and pro iPhones by providing the two Pro models with quickly refreshing screens and telephoto lenses – features that are lacking from the standard iPhone. But those differences are becoming more significant, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in a report on what the iPhone 14 is going to miss compared to the iPhone 14 Pro.
In addition to the telephoto lens on the back of the Pro models, Gurman, for example, expects the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max to have a 48MP sensor as the main camera. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max would stick to a 12 MP main camera, as has been the case on iPhones for years.
Other rumors have predicted a 48 MP camera for the iPhone 14 Pro, so Gurman’s forecast is not out of line with what we’ve heard about the phone so far. Apple’s main competitors for the best camera phone – mostly Samsung and Google – have also added more powerful sensors to their flagship phones in recent years, so Apple would keep up with this rumored change.
Gurman also backs up another popular rumor about the iPhone 14’s chipset, namely that the standard phone will probably get a modified version of the A15 Bionic chip found in this year’s iPhone 13. (Specifically, some rumors have indicated that the iPhone 14 will get the same A15 chipset with added RAM, which powers the iPhone 13 Pro models.) Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro would run on new A16 Bionic silicon.
The Bloomberg report mentions other iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro differences, such as the likelihood that the Pro models will drop the notch in favor of two cutouts – one circular, one pill-shaped – to house the front camera and Face ID sensors. Another rumor that Apple was going to switch to USB-C over Lightning for the iPhone 14 has been shot down recently by some nerds, but one never knows.
That’s why Apple needs to make the iPhone 14 Pro stand out
Why does Apple care so much about making the iPhone 14 Pro stand out from the more affordable models? The answer could be the iPhone 14 Max, which is likely to join the ranks, according to Gurman.
Adding a standard iPhone with a larger screen means that people no longer have to choose the Pro Max version – the most expensive phone Apple sells – to get the largest possible screen. Instead, they will be able to buy a big screen iPhone for what Gurman figures will be at least a $ 200 discount from the Pro Max price. (That would put the iPhone 14 Max’s price at $ 899 if you use the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s $ 1,099 starting price.)
Features like a better camera and a faster processor will help Apple convince some customers to pay for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max instead of choosing the cheaper iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max models. Or at least that’s how Gurman sees it.
It will be a while before we find out how much the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro differ from each other. The iPhone 14 release date is not expected until September, giving us a few more months to see if further iPhone 14 differences emerge.