I liked Apple’s iPhone mini line, but even when it was first revealed, I didn’t expect it to be a top seller for the tech giant.
In the back of my mind, I hypothesized that despite the vocal clamouring for a smaller iPhone from many on social media, this very specific audience remained relatively small. Fast-forward to 2022, and the 5.4-inch mini line is mostly dead (Apple still sells the iPhone 13 mini, for now), so perhaps I was correct on some level.
This is where the new 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus comes in.
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14
Display
6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR, OLED True Tone display, 2278 x 1284 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision
6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR, OLED True Tone display, 2532 x 1170 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision
Everything that I wrote in my recent Phone 14 review also relates to the new Plus, including the same overall aesthetic as the iPhone 13, its great display that lacks a 120Hz refresh rate and a camera that offers very marginal upgrades over its predecessor. You still don’t get the new ‘Dynamic Island,’ an additional zoom lens or even the A16 chip. Beyond its larger size, the iPhone 14 Plus is entirely identical to the iPhone 14.
With respect to both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus, neither smartphone is a bad device and, in fact, they’re some of the most solid smartphones out there, but they aren’t particularly exciting either — especially if you plan to move from an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14.
Whether Apple’s iPhone 14 Plus — which releases on October 7th, just a few weeks after the rest of the iPhone 14 line — finds an audience remains to be seen, but anecdotally, I know of at least five people that have been waiting for the tech giant to drop an entry-level 6.7-inch iPhone and that plan to buy the Plus.
While I recently made the switch to the Pro from the Pro Max, Apple’s big smartphones offer several advantages. The larger display makes watching TV shows or movies and playing games a more enjoyable experience. Even reading and browsing the web is better on the Plus’ 6.7-inch screen. For nearly all tasks, the more screen real estate you have, the better.
Image credit: Dean Daley
Where the big boi phone experience falls apart for me is when I have to slide the device into my pocket or hold it in my hand for an extended period of time. I’d say my hands are pretty average-sized, and holding the iPhone 14 Plus for longer than a few minutes is a far less comfortable experience than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro. It also barely makes it into my pants pockets. That said, the Plus is lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, weighing 203g compared to 240g. When holding both smartphones in your hands at the same time, the weight difference is instantly noticeable.
I can’t help but think Apple has market research to back up the death of the mini and the introduction of the Plus, but on the other hand, I assumed that was the case when it first released its tiny smartphone, and here we are. Only time will tell if the somewhat strangely named iPhone 14 Plus finds an audience wide enough for Apple to keep it around.
Note: In the coming days, my iPhone 14 review will be updated with my thoughts about the iPhone 14 Plus.
MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.
After offering older iPhone 11 series models, Macbooks and iPads in its refurbished store, Apple has finally added the 2020-released iPhone 12 Pro to the mix, as first spotted by iPhone in Canada.
As is usual with Apple’s refurbished products, the price cut only amounts to a few hundred dollars or so, but the products are guaranteed to work, feel and look like new.
If you’ve been waiting to purchase an older iPhone that is highly capable, discounted iPhone 12 Pro from Apple refurbished store is a neat choice. Check out some of the available options below:
MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.
A few months ago, I was digging through a drawer in my office to find a few older Samsung devices for a photo I wanted to snap.
When I finally hunted down the device I was looking for, to my surprise, the back of my Galaxy S4 seemed to have popped off. When I looked closer, it seemed like the battery swelled up. Then, I checked out a few other older Samsung devices, including the S8 and Note 5, and noticed the same problem.
As I often do, I turned to Twitter to post an image to see if anyone else had run into this issue. To my surprise, the problem seems not only widespread, but anecdotally, it happens more often with older Samsung smartphones.
I was digging through my old phones to find a BlackBerry and discovered that my Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 6 all seem to have suffered from some sort of battery expanding issue. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this happen before with a smartphone. pic.twitter.com/Ink2UzYeDf
To be clear, battery swelling isn’t an issue that only affects Samsung smartphones. When the lithium batteries featured in a smartphone age, it can produce gas and inflate the cells. This can more frequently happen if you haven’t charged or discharged a battery in a long time.
Interestingly, the problem seems to affect Samsung smartphones more than other brands. For example, I have dozens of similar aged older devices in my office, including an iPhone 4, iPhone 6 Plus, LG G5 and more, and they haven’t suffered the same spicy pillow fate. On the other hand, my more recent Samsung devices, including the S10 and Galaxy Fold 2, are entirely fine.
It’s unclear how widespread this issue is or why it seems to happen more frequently with certain Samsung smartphones. Still, it’s a noteworthy problem, especially given the fiasco surrounding Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.
Do you own an older Samsung device or smartphone from another brand that has suffered from an expanded battery? Let us know in the comments below. conundrum
Apple could have big plans for its 2023 iPhone lineup.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech giant could call its high-end 2023 smartphone the iPhone 15 “Ultra” instead of “Pro Max” as it has for the last few years.
Gurman says that along with the notable name change, the iPhone 15 will feature the most significant redesign in the last few years, including the addition of USB-C and other “bigger changes,” though it’s unclear what will actually be different.
Apple has shifted the iPhone’s naming convention quite a bit over the years, first using the ‘S’ name (i.e. iPhone 4s) for iterative update years, and at one point, calling the larger version of the smartphone the ‘Plus.’ The company brought the ‘Plus’ name back alongside the release of its iPhone 14 series, which also marked the end of the mini line.
Along with the high-end iPhone name change, the iPhone 15 will reportedly switch to USB-C. The change is spurred by the European Union (EU) legally forcing all smartphones released after 2024 to feature the port. Further, according to display analyst Ross Young, the entire iPhone 15 line is expected to feature the smartphone’s ‘Dynamic Island.’
Finally, Gurman says that there’s a possibility Apple may not hold another event this fall because its updates to the Mac mini, MacBook Pro and iPad Pro are expected to be iterative. It’s worth noting that Apple’s more recent strategy of streaming three fall events was a product of the ongoing pandemic, and previously, the tech giant held one in-person keynote in September.
If you’re like me and you’ve turned off the iPhone 14 Pro/iPhone 14 Pro Max’s always-on display because it’s killing the smartphones’ battery too quickly, this hidden option might interest you.
As reported by 9to5mac, a somewhat hidden option removes all colour from the iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on screen, making it more like the always-on displays offered by Android manufacturers like Google and Samsung.
To get the black-and-white always-on display up and running, you need to enable a ‘Focus Mode’ called ‘Dim Lock Screen,’ which darkens the iPhone 14 Pro’s display with always-on enabled.
To find this feature, head to ‘Settings’ and select ‘Focus.’ Next, tap ‘Options’ and ‘Enable Dim Lock Screen.’ And that’s it. The next time the smartphone’s always-on display is active, it will display the date, time and your selection of widgets in black-and-white and not colour.
The downside is that you’ll need to keep the ‘Dim Lock Screen’ Focus Mode enabled all day for the feature to continue working. It’s also important to note that Widgets for apps like Spotify will still appear on the lockscreen in colour.
Apple could eventually bring a more official version of this feature to iOS 16, but given the tech giant’s insistent on forcing features on users even when they don’t work as advertised, this is highly unlikely.
Still, this could be worth a try if you want to save battery life and still have the always-on display enabled.
TikTok creator @ramalmedia uncovered a secret iPhone trick that makes scribbling over screenshots much cleaner.
Normally, when you have to show a screenshot to a friend with an emphasis on something on the screen, you’d circle the area of interest or scribble an arrow towards it, as seen in the images below:
TikTok creator Ramal Media shared a short video (via The Verge) showing that you can scribble any shape over screenshots, and it magically transforms into a perfect shape as long as you hold the scribble down.
In my testing, the feature works when drawing circles, arrows, triangles, squares and rectangles, and makes it easier to highlight a portion of the screenshot. The screenshots above look a lot cleaner when the scribbles are held down, as seen below:
We are not entirely sure when Apple added the utility to screenshots, but it surely isn’t a part of the newly-released iOS 16. And while it isn’t a tool you’ll use daily, it’s still a handy trick to know. Other features the screenshot editing app includes are the ability to add a description to the screenshot, add a signature, decrease/increase the opacity of a scribble or magnify a specific area of the screenshot.
In other iPhone screenshot-related news, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max’s Dynamic Island will be visible in screenshots, but only when it’s in use. Read more about it via the link below:
Apple’s new iPhone 14 is a lot like the iPhone 13.
It features the same overall design with squared-off corners, a dual rear-facing camera with a sizable bump and the now very familiar display notch, with most of the changes to the device occurring under the hood. The main wide shooter has been upgraded with a larger sensor, improving the base-level iPhone 14’s low-light performance by a slim margin.
The iPhone 14 also marks the first time Apple has released its entry-level smartphone with a lesser chip when compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. This year’s base-level iPhone includes last year’s A15 chip (with an extra GPU core) vs. the new A16 in the higher-end iPhone 14 Pro.
The main question surrounding the iPhone 14 is if it’s the iPhone the average Apple user should buy like has been in the past. To some extent, this is still true.
“Apple likely could have got the Dynamic Island working with the notch, but it also seems intent on separating both devices..”
It features an excellent camera, solid battery life and a great-looking OLED display. Still, even more so than the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s a marginal upgrade over the iPhone 13 that will likely only be worthwhile if you’re using an iPhone 11 or older that doesn’t feature an OLED display.
For an in-depth look at the iPhone 14 Pro, check out my review.
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
Display
6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR, OLED True Tone display, 2532 x 1170 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision
6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR, OLED True Tone display, 2278 x 1284 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision
The short answer to the above question is not a lot. The iPhone 14 Pro’s overall design and its 6.1-inch 1170 x 2532 pixel resolution display match its predecessor, including the now familiar notch. Only the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max offer the potential-filled ‘Dynamic Island’ front-facing display cutout this year.
Apple likely could have found a way to make the Dynamic Island work with the notch, but it also seems intent on separating both smartphones to an extent, offering those considering buying the Pro a reason to opt for the more expensive device.
Nearly all of the iPhone 14’s upgrades are tied to the smartphone’s cameras, which Apple says features 49 percent better low-light performance thanks to its new main sensor and its ‘Photonic Engine,’ the new version of its ‘Deep Fusion’ tech (also known as Sweater Mode) that now occurs earlier in the photo process. For those unaware, the Photonic Engine is Apple’s branding for the tech giant’s computational photography, which combines machine learning and hardware to boost photo quality.
Other iPhone 14 upgrades include Face ID working in landscape orientation, and ‘Cinematic Mode’ supporting up to a 4K resolution at 30fps alongside Dolby Vision HDR. The new ‘Action mode,’ available on the iPhone 14 Pro (check out a test clip here), is also featured in the iPhone 14 and seems to perform similarly to the iPhone 14 Pro. It smooths out movement in video, but features a significant amount of contrast and doesn’t work well under low-light
Even the iPhone 14's chip is the same as last year's, with the iPhone 14 still featuring the A15 bionic, though it does include an additional GPU core. Does this mean much in daily use? Not really. Still, the A15 is powerful enough to run iOS apps, and I didn't experience any slowdown during my time with the smartphone.
Camera upgrades
The iPhone 14's 12-megapixel main shooter features larger 1.9μm pixels and a wider f/1.5 aperture, which is a minor step from its previous 12-megapixel f/1.6 1.7μm shooter last year. Further, the ultra-wide remains identical at 12-megapixels f/2.2, though the camera's quality is marginally improved thanks to the Photonic Engine.
I've often argued that offering iPhone 14 users some level of optical zoom would be far more helpful than an ultra-wide lens. Unfortunately, Apple seems to have no interest in ditching the wide-angle shooter from the base-level iPhone camera array.
Flipping the iPhone 14 around to the front, the new TrueDepth camera system still housed in the notch now offers a wider f/1.9 aperture, which is a step above last year's f/2.2 aperture, allowing more light into the sensor. More importantly, the camera now supports autofocus, making it easier to snap crisp selfies quickly.
So what do all these new specs mean when actually taking photos with Apple's new iPhone 14?
First, the ultra-wide lens in the iPhone 14 snaps images nearly identical to the iPhone 13's. As you can see in the photo above, both photographs look almost identical. You could argue that the iPhone 14's ultra-wide shooter is slightly sharper, but the difference is barely noticeable.
On the other hand, the iPhone 14's upgraded selfie shooter offers noticeable white balance and detail improvements. You can see more detail in my face and the focus is slightly sharper. Still, as you may have already noticed, there's a theme here, and the difference isn't substantial.
It's really under low-light where the power of Apple's Photonic Engine and upgraded iPhone 14 shooter come into play, but even then, the images look very similar.
In this low-light shot of a very dirty BMW, the colours pop slightly more and the focus is crisper in the iPhone 14 image, but again, both photographs are strikingly similar.
All three of the above smartphone's main cameras, including the iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, perform remarkably similarly under ideal lighting conditions, as you can see above, with the iPhone 14 Pro offering slightly more colour vibrancy and definition in the mural's bricks. That said, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 main camera shots look pretty much identical to my eye.
While Apple's claims regarding the iPhone 14's cameras are likely mostly accurate, just like the iPhone 14 Pro vs the iPhone 13 Pro, the law of diminishing returns comes into play here. The images indeed do generally look better, but there's not that much of an improvement.
Everything else
Other new features worth noting include Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection, which you can read more about in my iPhone 14 Pro review. Of course, the iPhone 14 Pro also supports iOS 16, which adds features like the new customizable Lock Screen, the ability to pull back messages, an expanded Maps app and more. Lock Screen customization is already a hit and one of my favourite iPhone features to release in the last few years.
The iPhone 14's battery life is impressive, measuring in at well beyond a day and even into the following day with moderate use, backing up Apple's claim that the iPhone 14 offers great battery life (the tech giant says the iPhone 14 Plus features the best battery life ever offered in an iPhone).
Finally, there are also new colours this year, including a variant of ‘Product Red,’ ‘Purple,’ and ‘Blue.’ While the new hues look fine, I prefer the more pastel colours Apple has featured in past versions of the base-level iPhone.
Note: This review will be updated with impressions of the iPhone 14 Plus when I'm able to get my hands on the smartphone. Beyond its larger 6.7-inch size, the device is identical to the iPhone 14. The smaller 5.42-inch iPhone mini is now dead, though Apple is still selling the iPhone 13 mini.
Every year a new iPhone drops like clockwork, and here we are in early September with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Similar to last year’s move from the iPhone 12 Pro to the iPhone 13 Pro, the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are yet another marginal step forward, albeit they offer a killer new feature that could eventually change the way you interact with your iPhone: the ‘Dynamic Island’ front camera display cutout.
While I’ll delve into the Dynamic Island in detail later, I will say that the feature’s subtle animations and quick access to widgets combine to create one of the most exciting smartphone user interface features I’ve encountered in years.
Other additions this year include Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip, an always-on display, a revamped TrueDepth camera system housed in the Dynamic Island cutout, and, finally, a revamped 48-megapixel main shooter offering improved low-light performance. But are the improvements to the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera system substantial? No, not really, but they’re still noticeable, and the type of upgrade long-time iPhone users will appreciate.
However, the overall design of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max remains the same as last year’s devices, including the bezels that are starting to look rather large compared to the high-end Android smartphone competition. With that in mind, if you were hoping this would be a redesign year for Apple, you’ll be disappointed with the tech giant’s latest iPhones.
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
Display
6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR, OLED True Tone display, 2556 x 1179 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision, 120Hz refresh rate
6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR, OLED True Tone display, 2779 x 1290 pixels, HDR 10, Dolby Vision, 120Hz refresh rate
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
iPhone 14 Pro Max
Face ID, Three axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
SIM Type
iPhone 14 Pro
Nano SIM, eSIM
iPhone 14 Pro Max
Nano SIM, eSIM
Launch Date
iPhone 14 Pro
September 16, 2022
iPhone 14 Pro Max
September 16, 2022
Misc
iPhone 14 Pro
Colours: Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
iPhone 14 Pro Max
Colours: Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
For an in-depth look at the iPhone 14, check out my review.
Welcome to the Dynamic Island
The most exciting thing about the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is the new ‘Dynamic Island’ — and for the record, I think Dynamic Island is a great name. The new camera cutout that houses alerts and specific notifications in one interactive location is a fascinating UI shift on Apple’s part.
“The Dynamic Island’s subtle animations feature a fluidity that makes the cutout feel alive…”
If you’re listening to music, a small waveform appears in the Dynamic Island, and when you briefly tap on it, you’re able to jump directly into the track. Connecting AirPods creates a quick-access tab, FaceTime is easily accessible, and multiple apps can even appear at once. For example, if you’re listening to music and set a timer, the cutout splits into two bubbles, and a little green circle appears when you’re snapping photos or shooting video.
The Dynamic Island’s subtle animations feature a fluidity that makes the cutout feel alive, and I found myself repeatedly tapping it just to watch it in action. It’s yet another example of Apple taking well-established tech and improving it. Huawei launched the first device with a hole-punch display cut out several years ago, and Apple has now built on it in a meaningful way. Of course, on the other hand, this is also the company playing catch-up with its competitors several years later, most notably Samsung’s flagship S series line, which has offered its ‘Infinity-O’ display since the release of the Galaxy S10 in 2019.
But Dynamic Island isn’t perfect. Third-party app support is currently lacklustre, with only apps (like Spotify) that include Apple’s ‘Now Playing’ and ‘CallKit’ development APIs working as a quick-access widget. This will likely change shortly after the iPhone 14 Pro’s release, given the control Apple maintains over its mobile app development ecosystem and the upcoming release of its ‘Live Activities’ development API. It’s also strange that a long press opens a widget while a short press launches the full version of an app. To me, it would be more intuitive if this action were reversed.
You could also make the argument that Dynamic Island is more obtrusive than even the notch. But just like the notch, for me, it quickly faded into the background of my experience with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
I clearly see the DNA of the MacBook Pro’s beleaguered Touch Bar in Dynamic Island, and we know how that worked out. Still, the potential is there, and it’s undeniably original and cool. I’m confident if any company can pull something like an interactive display cutout off, it’s Apple.
What else is new?
The other marquee new feature this year is the always-on display, another example of functionality several Android devices have offered for years. So, does Apple build on the established concept in a meaningful way? In this case, the answer to this question is a little mixed.
Both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max support Apple’s new always-on display with their respective Super Retina XDR 6.1-inch 2556 x 1779 (460ppi) pixel resolution and 6.7-inch 2796 x 1290 (460ppi) displays. The tech giant’s take on always-on display runs at a low 1Hz refresh rate to save battery. When using the phone, the display can ratchet up to 120Hz ProMotion for animations and then down to 10Hz to conserve battery life. The always-on display will also shut off when in your pocket or if you flip the smartphone over.
The iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on display stands out from other smartphone manufacturers because it features a dash of faded colour behind its customizable widgets for features like Battery Life, Calendar, Weather and more. However, like the Dynamic Island, third-party app support for lockscreen widgets remains limited at launch. This will likely change quickly, with Google already jumping onboard, but at the outset, it’s still disappointing.
I continue to question how helpful always-on displays are and whether anyone needs to be that connected to their smartphone’s notifications. Still, Apple’s always-on implementation is the best I’ve seen so far, and surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to impact the smartphone’s all-day battery life significantly (I plan to test the iPhone 14 Pro’s battery life more in the coming weeks).
Speaking of the iPhone 14 Pro’s display, the new screen can hit 2,000 nits of brightness in direct sunlight, with HDR achieving 1,600 nits. The additional brightness is barely noticeable in everyday use, but while watching See on Apple TV+, I noted that certain portions of the TV show did indeed look noticeably brighter.
Then there's the new A16 chip, which benchmarks impressively above the A15 thanks to its 6-core CPU built on a 4-nanometer process and 50 percent increased memory bandwidth.
Though it's already been the case for the past several years, I didn't experience any slowdown or lag during my time with the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, regardless if I was editing photos, playing games, watching YouTube videos or just browsing the internet.
Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection
While 'Emergency SOS via Satellite' doesn't officially release in Canada until November, I briefly watched a demo of the feature in action at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Emergency SOS launches if you don't have cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to orient the iPhone 14 Pro to connect to a nearby satellite.
You can then select from several pre-created messages that are sent to an Apple relay centre and forwarded to emergency services. Emergency SOS takes a few seconds to connect, but the process seems relatively smooth. It's worth noting that while the feature is free for the next two years, it will cost a subscription fee in the future.
Emergency SOS via Satellite is something no other smartphone manufacturer currently does and offers additional peace of mind. However, it's still the type of functionality the average iPhone user will likely never use.
On the other hand, 'Crash Detection' utilizes the iPhone 14's dual accelerometer to detect the high g-force commonly associated with crashes and automatically calls emergency services to provide a voice memo and your location. The feature can also notify your emergency contacts via a text message that includes your location.
It's impossible to verify the accuracy of Apple's claims regarding Crash Detection because you'd actually need to be in a car accident, so I have to take the tech giant's word on how well it works. Similar to Emergency SOS, this is the type of feature that very few iPhone users will ever take advantage of, but it's a welcome addition to the iPhone 14 Pro's arsenal.
Subtle camera improvements
For the first time in years, Apple has ditched its main 12-megapixel sensor in favour of a new 48-megapixel f/1.8 24mm sensor that uses "quad pixel" pixel binning to scale down to 12-megapixels. This allows for improved low-light performance and the ability to capture greater detail thanks to the iPhone 14 Pro's new version of computational photography 'Deep Fusion' called the 'Photonic Engine' that takes place earlier in the photo process.
The iPhone 14 Pro also now offers 2x telephoto zoom (48mm focal length) alongside 0.5x ultra-wide (13mm), wide 1x (24mm) and telephoto 3x (77mm). With that said, despite Apple's claims, most wouldn't consider the new 2x focal length truly optical zoom.
To achieve the 2x zoom, Apple is using the 12-megapixel centre of the 48-megapixel sensor, which isn't technically optical zoom since it's not a physical zoom lens on the rear of the smartphone. Still, it results in higher-quality telephoto images than purely digital zoom. It's worth noting that sensor cropping is something we've seen Samsung and Huawei offer in their devices for the past several years, and this isn't an entirely original feature from Apple.
Regarding the iPhone 14 Pro's other shooters, the telephoto lens remains the same as last year, while the ultra-wide features a new sensor that's larger than the iPhone 13 Pro's.
It performs better under low light but unfortunately still features the strange warping that often appears with ultra-wide lenses. It would be great to see Apple move towards removing this effect via software, similar to OnePlus.
Flipping the iPhone 14 Pro to the front, the selfie shooter now resides inside Dynamic Island. It features a wider f/1.9 aperture, which improves its low-light performance by a very slim margin, offering more detail and better white balance when snapping selfies.
So what do all these technical camera upgrades mean in practice? The iPhone 14 Pro's camera is slightly better than the iPhone 13 Pro's, and the law of diminishing returns is definitely at play here.
In this relatively uninspired picture of my neighbours' backyards, you can see the improvements in low-light performance with night mode entirely off. The entire image looks sharper, but more importantly, the lights on the right side are far clear with the iPhone 14 Pro than they are with the iPhone 13 Pro.
This image taken on an overcast day is the best example of the sometimes imperceptible differences between the iPhone 14 Pro's and iPhone 13 Pro's shooters under good lighting conditions. You could make the argument that the foliage in my overgrown tomato plants is sharper in the iPhone 14 Pro photo, but you really need to pixel peep, and even then, the difference is negligible. That said, the wide camera's 24mm focal length allows for more of the subject to be photographed compared to the iPhone 13 Pro's 26mm lens.
On the selfie-shooter side, the situation is very similar. My face is slightly sharper, the white balance is more true-to-life, and there's additional detail present in the iPhone 14 photo. The background is notably more in focus in the iPhone 14 shot. Overall, the difference is minute.
The Phone 14 Pro's main shooter also manages to surpass Google's Pixel 6 Pro in terms of colour vibrancy and saturation. On the white balance side, the iPhone 14 Pro also surpasses the iPhone 13 Pro in the above test. Still, as I've mentioned before, the improvements are barely noticeable, even when adding Google's flagship smartphone to the mix.
It's worth noting the iPhone 14 Pro's flash has been redesigned with an array of nine LEDs, though in my experience, I didn't notice a substantial difference in quality beyond the flash illuminating the subject more. You can also shoot full 48-megapixel images with ProRes RAW mode enabled, though it's unlikely anyone will ever need an image of this size shot with their smartphone.
Then there's 'Action Mode,' Apple's new video stabilization feature. Under good lighting conditions, it produces pretty great-looking footage that features a touch too much contrast for my liking. I can see it being useful in certain situations -- for example, if you're trying to capture video while riding a bike or running. Action Mode supports up to a 2.8k resolution and 60fps.
Enjoy as I ride Xiaomi's Mi Electric Pro 2 scooter around my neighbourhood while testing out Action Mode.
Apple has also updated 'Cinematic Mode,' last year's video addition with the iPhone 13 Pro, to work in 4K resolution at 24fps.
Everything else
As always, there are new colours this year, including my personal favourite, 'Deep Purple,' along with 'Space Black.' Next to the iPhone 13's 'Alpine Green,' Deep Purple is my favourite iPhone colour yet. It's a subtle yet vibrant hue that fits well with my understated preference for smartphone colours. The new Space Black is... well, black, and is relatively bland. Other colours, including 'Gold' and 'Silver' (which is really just white) return this year.
Though not directly tied to the iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16 brings an array of new features to Apple's iPhone line, including sharing iCloud Photo Libraries, the ability to unsend messages via iMessage and my personal favourite, the customizable lock screen.
I'm well aware that Android has offered similar functionality for several years. Still, the subtle intuitiveness of shifting the clock's colours or creating the nightmare eggplant emoji wallpaper of your dreams can't be understated. The feature will undoubtedly be a hit with most iPhone users, and I'm excited to see the inventive lockscreens and wallpapers people create.
Some predicted that the iPhone SE (2022) would look more like Apple’s iPhone XR, but that didn’t end up happening. However, it appears Apple could have plans to finally update the aging smartphone’s design with the next-gen iPhone SE.
Sometimes-reliable YouTuber Jon Prosser appeared on the Geared Up podcast with Andru Edwards and Jon Rettinger, Apple’s next-gen iPhone SE will be “just like an iPhone XR.” This means Apple’s budget smartphone will ditch the iPhone 8-like look with a physical Touch ID button for reduced bezels, a display notch and Face ID.
If accurate, the new iPhone SE will also likely feature a larger 6.1-inch display, an increase from the current iPhone SE’s 4.7-inch screen. Other details about the rumoured iPhone SE refresh remain sparse, but the smartphone likely will feature a processor upgrade (the current SE features Apple’s A15 chip) and a similar camera sensor.
The current iPhone SE already features a very iPhone XR-like camera setup, sporting a 12-megapixel rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture and a 7-megapixel front camera with an f/2.2 aperture.
While I like Apple’s iPhone SE (2022), it’s difficult to deny that it looks ancient by modern smartphone standards. If this rumour is accurate, bringing the XR’s larger display, Face ID, and more colourful design would go a long way towards modernizing the design of the entry-level iPhone.
Given the last iPhone SE refresh only happened a few months ago, likely, a new version of the smartphone won’t launch until 2023.
If you’re bored of the current design of Apple’s iPhone, there’s a new website that may change that. Developer Neal Agarwal has launched a new website dedicated to designing your own custom iPhone.
While the website is made purely in jest, it allows users to create the iPhone they want or make an absolute catastrophe. Either way, you’re given a barebones iPhone 13 Pro. With nothing but a screen and a metallic chassis, you’re able to add all the bells and whistles you desire.
Agarwal includes a laundry list of customization options. You can select from a Pro camera, volume buttons, Notch, Lightning port, and Apple logo. The options continue and go off the rails with the Android or Pear Logo, iPod click wheel, HDMI port, and even Pro wheels.
I’ve especially enjoyed the colour options Agarwal includes. Many accessories include colour variations that Apple doesn’t offer. It makes for some interesting design choices.
What makes the website especially fun is how it doesn’t take itself seriously. All options can be dragged and dropped onto the iPhone 13 body. It doesn’t even need to make sense. Want googly eyes on the display? Go for it. A Pro handle on top for easy lifting? Ok. Agarwal’s site is purely made to design and share.
Although the possibilities are endless, it is a fun exercise to see what’s possible. It’s doubtful the iPhone 14 will end up looking like most creations. However, it is interesting to see what an iPhone looks like without a notch. That said, we won’t know for sure until Apple shares more details on the iPhone 14 with a reported event happening on September 7th.
Interestingly, the problem seems to affect Samsung smartphones more than other brands. For example, I have dozens of similar aged older devices in my office, including an iPhone 4, iPhone 6 Plus, LG G5 and more, and they haven’t suffered the same spicy pillow fate. On the other hand, my more recent Samsung devices, including the S10 and Galaxy Fold 2, are entirely fine.
The main question surrounding the iPhone 14 is if it’s the iPhone the average Apple user should buy like has been in the past. To some extent, this is still true.
While I’ll delve into the Dynamic Island in detail later, I will say that the feature’s subtle animations and quick access to widgets combine to create one of the most exciting smartphone user interface features I’ve encountered in years.
The Phone 14 Pro's main shooter also manages to surpass Google's Pixel 6 Pro in terms of colour vibrancy and saturation. On the white balance side, the iPhone 14 Pro also surpasses the iPhone 13 Pro in the above test. Still, as I've mentioned before, the improvements are barely noticeable, even when adding Google's flagship smartphone to the mix.
Though not directly tied to the iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16 brings an array of new features to Apple's iPhone line, including sharing iCloud Photo Libraries, the ability to unsend messages via iMessage and my personal favourite, the customizable lock screen.
