With June creeping up around the corner, we’re only a few short months away from Apple introducing its 2022 iPhone 14 lineup at a special event in September. While iPhone designs since the iPhone X haven’t changed that drastically, the iPhone 14 is poised to shake things up. According to several credible reports, Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models will ditch the famed notch entirely.
In its place, the iPhone 14 Pro will boast a hole-punch and pill design cutout. This will allow for slightly more screen real estate. The design shift, however, will inevitably engender some strong opinions amongst iPhone users.
Any time Apple tweaks the iPhone design, controversy is sure to follow. Most notably, we saw an endless amount of debate when Apple introduced the notch on the iPhone X a few years ago. Many people at the time, including myself, were quick to call the notch an eyesore and unbefitting of an Apple product. But as often is the case, the uproar surrounding the notch faded away as people quickly got used to it.
As for me, someone who really hated the design at first, I rarely even notice the notch at all anymore.
What Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models will look like
We’ll get to the concept video in a second. But first, it’s helpful to look at a few images which purport to show what Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models will look like.
Below, we have leaked displays that provide us with a comparative look at the iPhone 14 cutouts. As you can tell, the overall space occupied by the iPhone 14 Pro sensors is noticeably smaller than the notch designs that will still accompany the entry-level iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max.
A more comprehensive illustration of what this design will translate to in person can be seen below:
Eventually, we might see an iPhone with Face ID and other sensors embedded beneath the display. If that ever becomes a reality, it’s still a few years off at least. In the interim, the design above will likely form the basis for all iPhone designs going forward.
While the new design will initially be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro models, it stands to reason it will become standard across the entirety of Apple’s iPhone line either in 2023 or 2024.
A breathtaking concept video
The video below was put together by the YouTube channel Tech Blood earlier this week. The video highlights several iPhone 14 features we’ve seen make their way through the Apple rumor mill. This includes a 48-megapixel sensor with 8K recording capabilities.
In fact, reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is on record stating that the iPhone 14 Pro camera may represent the biggest leap forward in camera technology we’ve seen in years.
As a point of interest, it’s worth noting that Apple’s A16 may not ship with all iPhone 14 models. Instead, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will reportedly ship with last year’s A15 Bionic. If true, this marks an interesting departure from Apple’s typical iPhone strategy.
Presumably, Apple is doing this to maintain margins. Additionally, the A15 Bionic is incredibly powerful in its own right, which is to say that many consumers — especially those upgrading from older devices — won’t even notice what they’re missing.
Other iPhone 14 rumors of note
If you take a look at the photo of the leaked iPhone displays above, you might notice there are only four iPhone models. Conspicuously missing from the lineup is an iPhone 14 mini. This is unfortunate, but Apple is likely axing the iPhone Mini line due to disappointing sales.
While the iPhone mini certainly filled a need amongst users who prefer a more compact device, it’s possible that the iPhone SE simply proved to be a more attractive alternative.
Some other iPhone 14 rumors include slightly improved battery life, faster charging, more RAM on the iPhone 14 Pro models, and support for Wi-Fi 6E.
