Yes, it iPhone 13 recently reviewed one mint green refreshment, but now is not the time to buy Apple’s current smartphone if you’re hoping to get the best hardware. Apple’s developer conference is just around the corner, and several rumors about what’s on the horizon have sprouted up. If you can last another six months and can afford new equipment, you’ll want to wait for the iPhone 14.
Besides M3 iMac, the rumor mill about the iPhone 14’s larger screen size options, better cameras and increased processing power on its Pro models is bubbling. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, known for repeatedly being on the trail of Apple leaks and rumors, highlighted the iPhone 14 in the latest edition of his Switch on newsletter which is ripe with juicy information on what is coming soon all over Apple’s camp. Here’s what to expect when Apple reveals the details of its next flagship.
The notch goes nowhere
While Google and Samsung’s models have adopted a redesign cadence every two years, Apple has switched to a rhythm every three years. Since the iPhone 14 is technically the third release since iPhone 12, this is probably the last bump before a significant model makeover. The iPhone 14 will look like its predecessors, Gurman expects, down to the flat metal edges and rounded corners that have become an integral part of the iPhone design.
The hack is likely to make a comeback as well, Bloomberg says. This is where you can expect to see Face ID and the front-facing camera. This is reportedly Apple’s solution until it “can fully integrate Face ID and the front-facing camera into the screen itself.” Bloomberg claims that it is still “three or four years away” from being able to do so, although I’m sure there are some Android manufacturers out there with ideas on how to get around it.
Larger screens are on the way
Apple began offering the iPhone Mini variant to people who want smaller phones during the life of the iPhone 12, but the iPhone 14 may have a different path. Instead of starting with a 5.4-inch iPhone Mini variant and going up the list in specs and price, Gurman speculates that Apple will offer a 6.1- and 6.7-inch iPhone in both Pro and standard configurations . This means that you do not have to use the higher price of the Pro variant to get the larger screen.
Bloomberg notes that this bodes well as a strategic move from Apple as it moves its business to better cater to its overseas customer base. In China, for example, Max is the best-selling version of the iPhone, and keeping that screen size limited to a certain price point hinders Apple’s growth potential in that key market. Abroad, it’s still a battle for market share between Apple and Android.
Pro is so pro
From what sources told Gurman, Apple will try to differentiate its Pro model phones from its base phones more clearly in the future, in the same way as Google’s Pixel lineup offers a much more powerful Pro version, and that Samsung packs it all into its Ultra variants. Choosing between the Pro and non-Pro models will not only affect cameras or screen size, but will now likely come down to the other specifications as well.
The iPhone 14 Pro is likely to have all the premium camera smarts that Apple offers, including a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera sensor, which would mean higher-resolution shots from the iPhone’s primary lens. The regular iPhone 14 will reportedly only have a 12-megapixel shooter. This sounds like the strategy of the latest Android phone releases, including Samsung’s Galaxy S22. Especially S22 Ultra offers a primary camera in high resolution, though it takes pictures by combining pixels to extract data.
The non-Pro version of the iPhone may also remain on the iPhone 13s A15 chip, while the Pro version will get the boost for the new A16 processor. This sounds like a strategy to help with the supply chain problems that have flooded the industry. But it’s a wonder what the non-Pro versions of the iPhone 14 will offer that the iPhone 13 Pro does not already do, as that phone already has the A15 and the best specifications of this generation. Why would anyone not save money on last year’s iPhone 13 Pro and get the enhanced camcorder system instead of something called up?
Who asked for satellite connection?
Finally, Gurman writes that Apple is working on bringing satellite connectivity to the iPhone. This will not affect whether iPhones can make calls over satellite networks, but it will help to report emergencies or send a short text to an emergency contact when it is out of range. Apple has been working on bringing this to its lineup for a while.
Apple can also work with Globalstar to act as its satellite provider. The company agreed to purchase 17 new satellites to offer “continuous satellite services” to an unnamed customer. Many point to that customer as being Apple. The feature sounds like what Apple does with AirTags, where it creates a proprietary mesh network of sorts. At least with satellite offerings, Apple can spin it as a security offering.
Most of these leaks and rumors are slowly running out in anticipation of Apple’s WWDC. The company’s developer conference will take place roughly in the week 6-10. June. We will probably hear more about what’s new from iPhone, Mac, iOS 16, watchOS 9 and macOS 13 then.