I just got the iPhone 13 Pro through an early 12 Pro trade-in with T-Mobile (JUMP! is totally worth the $18 a month I pay). I’ve been using it all weekend, and I’ve gotta say, it’s a terrific device. I can already tell the battery life and cameras are better than my 12 Pro, and the 120Hz screen is beautiful.
One of the first things I read on my new iPhone was an article. A newsletter, sent by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, who is giving us new details on the next iPhone.
It’s still September, the iPhone 13 just came out four days ago, and we’re starting to hear from reliable leakers like Gurman that the iPhone 14 is coming and it’s gonna be big. Gurman literally headlined his newsletter, “It’s time to talk about the iPhone 14.” Hype is definitely starting to build for this device, and early.
Granted, Gurman doesn’t detail everything there is to know about the iPhone 14. However, he does say that the phone will sport a “complete redesign” with “new entry-level and Pro models” in the lineup. This corroborates what we’ve heard from other leakers like Ming-Chi Kuo and Jon Prosser who also say Apple is gearing up for a major revamp of the iPhone next year.
Here’s what’s likely in store: Apple is expected to have four new iPhones, just like the last couple of years, but it’ll drop the Mini from the lineup. In its place, Apple will develop a new “iPhone 14 Max” as a sort of more affordable 14 Pro Max for those who want a bigger screen. The regular iPhone 14 will succeed the regular iPhone 13, while the two Pro models are expected to retain the same screen sizes and overall dimensions.
Prosser’s recent render leaks include an iPhone that greatly resembles the iPhone 4 from 2011. That phone had a stainless steel band (that wasn’t glossy) and a seamless piece of glass that covers the entire back of the phone (including the cameras with no camera bump). Swap the stainless steel with titanium, and you’d have yourself what everyone thinks the iPhone 14 will look like. In addition, Kuo has reported that Apple will drop the notch on the next iPhones, with a simple hole-punch cutout in its cutout.
It isn’t clear what would happen to Face ID. If anything, Apple may figure out how to shove all the sensors into the top bezel or hide them behind the screen. Another solution could mean getting rid of Face ID completely and replacing it with Touch ID. That’s the pipe dream of a lot of reviewers and consumers alike, and there are a few rumors that suggest a fingerprint scanner will be included either under the screen or on the power button of the next iPhone.
Personally, I don’t see Apple getting rid of Face ID entirely on the iPhone, so if Touch ID ever does come back, it’ll be in addition to Face ID. Kuo notes that it’ll more likely ship in 2023 instead of 2022, so Apple might take another generation to figure out what it wants to do.
Oh, and until we hear differently, the iPhone 14 will undoubtedly have a Lightning port. *insert sad emoji face here*
Now, do any of these rumors confirm anything? God no. We’re a full year away from the potential release of the iPhone 14, and anything could change in that timeframe.
But something weird is definitely going on. Lately, the iPhone 14 has been getting a ton of attention in the media, and I’ve heard some people even talking about it on their own. The reason for its popularity likely has to do with the incremental improvements Apple made to this year’s iPhones. Many have called these changes “boring” and “minor,” when in reality some of them are pretty meaningful year-over-year.
However, the iPhone 13 looks just like the iPhone 12, and that’s not necessarily a good thing for those looking to get excited for this generation. So when you hear that Apple actually has a “complete redesign” in the works for the iPhone in 2022…well, your ears would perk up too, right?
I imagine we’ll be hearing a lot about the iPhone 14 in the not-too-far-off future. I’ll keep you posted if there are any more rumors worth talking about. Until then, go out and enjoy your iPhone 13s, people. They’re great phones.
This column was first published in the Wiretapped newsletter. Consider subscribing for as little as $5/month for more content like this.
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