The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will come packed with several new features and upgrades. Here’s everything we know about Apple’s 2022 Pro iPhones.
The next-gen iPhones are still a few months away from launch, but the never-ending leaks and rumors have already revealed most features of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 series will have four models, just like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineup. However, Apple is scrapping the iPhone mini model merely two years since its introduction, and is replacing it with the iPhone 14 Max this year. The new iPhone Max model will be the same size as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but will miss out on several premium features.
Apple is making what appears to be a permanent shift with its iPhones this year, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max carrying forward most features of the iPhone 13. This means they will feature the same A15 Bionic chipset and retain the wide-notch design. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will get all the upgrades instead, making them the true successors of the iPhone 13 series.
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Apple always holds its iPhone launch event in the fall, and this year is expected to be no different. The new iPhones will be announced in September, specifically September 13th, given that most iPhone events happen on a Tuesday in the second week of September. Apart from the four new iPhones, Apple fans can also expect the Apple Watch Series 8, a refreshed Apple Watch SE, and the long-overdue AirPods Pro 2. Apple is also expected to launch a new HomePod and upgraded Apple TV, but it’s unclear if they will be announced in September or be pushed to October or November when the next wave of Macs are launched.
IPhone 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max Design: Goodbye, Notch
Apple has used the same wide notch since the iPhone X was introduced in 2017, and the outdated design is long overdue for an upgrade. If the rumors are to be believed, the iPhone 14 Pro models will be the first to make the shift to a punch-hole design. In classic Apple fashion though, there will be a differentiation from Android phones with not one, but two punch-holes – a single hole-punch and a pill-shaped cutout. The circular hole is expected to house the front camera, while the pill-shaped cutout is likely to accommodate the Face ID sensors.
As for the body design, the iPhone 14 Pro models are expected to retain the flat edges of the iPhone 13 series. The camera bump is expected to be slightly bigger, likely to house larger camera sensors. A taller aspect ratio has also been tipped, although the screen sizes will remain the same as their iPhone 13 Pro counterparts. The steel frame is expected to be retained from the iPhone 13 Pro line-up.
As for the color options, Apple will reportedly introduce a new purple color variant, according to tipster Jon Prosser. The color is more of a light purple, and will join the existing black, grey, and gold models. It’s unclear if the blue and green colors introduced for the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will be carried forward.
IPhone 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max Cameras: 48MP Resolution Bump
The iPhone 14 Pro models will see the biggest upgrade to the camera resolution in several years, thanks to a new 48-megapixel primary wide-angle camera. This will replace the 12-megapixel camera that has been a staple on iPhones for years. The 48-megapixel camera is expected to use pixel-binning to take 12-megapixel images, allowing photos to take up less space while providing more detail. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the main 48-megapixel camera will be able to record videos in 8K and come with a dedicated 48-megapixel mode for those who want to take high-resolution shots. The ultra-wide and telephoto cameras are also expected to get improvements, although the resolution will remain unchanged at 12-megapixels.
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As for the front camera, all the iPhone 14 models are expected to get a major upgrade in the form of autofocus. iPhones already take some of the best smartphone selfies, and the addition of autofocus will result in sharper and clearer images. In addition, the front camera could feature a wider f/1.9 aperture, gaining the ability to let in more light and take better low-light selfies.
IPhone 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max Specs: New Chip, Minor Changes
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will use Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset, unlike the iPhone 14 and 14 Max which will stick to last year’s A15 Bionic chip. However, the performance bump isn’t expected to be significant, since the A16 will reportedly be based on the same 5nm fabrication process as the A15. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, TSMC’s 4nm fabrication doesn’t offer significant benefits over 5nm, meaning any performance and power improvements will be minor, at best. Plus, the 4nm process won’t be available for mass production until 2023, so it makes sense for Apple to stick to the same 5nm fabrication for the 2022 iPhone models.
The RAM on the iPhone 14 Pro models will also remain the same at 6GB, but there is a slight upgrade here, with Apple moving to the faster LPDDR5 standard, according to a report by Trend Force. As for the storage, users can expect three options – 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The only difference this time around is that the 128GB variant of the Pro iPhones is being scrapped.
The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will feature the same screen sizes as their predecessors, at 6.1-inches and 6.7-inches, respectively. The refresh rate is also expected to remain the same at 120Hz, but there will be one notable new addition. According to display supply chain expert Ross Young, the iPhone 14 Pro models could support a variable refresh rate that drops down to 1Hz. This could allow the iPhones to feature an always-on display. This report has been further corroborated by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, who says that the always-on display could show users glanceable information, similar to the Apple Watch. This feature will be made possible by iOS 16, which incidentally has several new lock screen customization options.
In addition, Gurman also says that the next-gen iPhones will get a new satellite connectivity feature that will enable users to report emergencies or send SOS messages when they’re in an area without cellular service. Apple has reportedly partnered with Globalstar to bring 17 new satellites that will be used to deploy the feature.
IPhone 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max Battery: No Fast Charging Improvements
There haven’t been many leaks about the battery capacities of the iPhone 14 models, but a recent report by tipster ShrimpApplePro who sources leaks from Weibo claims that the iPhone 14 Pro will get a 3,200mAh battery, while the Pro Max model will have a 4,323mAh power cell. The iPhone 13 Pro had a 3,095mAh battery, so this means the iPhone 14 Pro is getting a slight bump in battery capacity. The battery of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, however, is smaller than its predecessor’s 4,352mAh cell. The difference is tiny though and is unlikely to make a difference to battery life.
The new iPhone 14 models are tipped to use a 6nm radio frequency chip, which could translate into big power savings, especially when using 5G which is known to drain the battery. For reference, the iPhone 13 series uses a 14nm chip and offers significantly better battery life than the iPhone 12 models, so the gains on 6nm could be much more.
While the battery life of the iPhone 14 Pro models is likely to see a boost, the same can’t be said for their fast-charging capabilities. The iPhone 13 models all max out at 20W wired fast charging. Charging via a MagSafe connector results in a maximum speed of 15W, while a regular Qi wireless charger can get you up to 7.5W charging speeds. This is far behind Android brands like OnePlus which have made 150W fast charging mainstream. Additionally, despite earlier reports, it appears Apple will be sticking to Lightning connectors for all the iPhone 14 models. USB-C will only be available on the iPhone 15 in 2023, so current iPhone users don’t need to upgrade their chargers.
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IPhone 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max: Early Verdict
From everything we know so far, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are the iPhones to look out for this year. Apple has made sure of that by reserving most of the new features and changes for these models. These will be the first iPhones to adopt a modern punch-hole design and always-on display. The 48-megapixel rear camera and improved autofocus front camera should also bring significant improvements to an already stellar photography experience.
The less-exciting areas are the performance and battery life, which don’t appear to have any meaningful upgrades this year. That said, the iPhone 13 models are some of the most powerful smartphones out there, so there’s not much Apple needs to improve on with the A16 chip. The iPhone 14 launch is still a few months away, and Apple always tends to surprise us with unexpected features that escaped the leak cycle. As it stands, however, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are the ones most users will be looking forward to.
