The iPhone 14, in all different models, is a reality. And in all honesty: there are some intriguing things in there. Some, in fact, are not as obvious as you might think.
At lightning speed, Apple has presented the new iPhone 14. The phone comes in the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14 Pro and the Pro Max. So there is plenty of choice.
All in one with the iPhone 14
While there are certainly differences between all iPhone 14 models, there are certainly similarities as well. Choosing a new iPhone therefore becomes intriguing (assuming your budget allows it). We list a few facts.
In all its glory (Image: Mark Hofman/WANT)
#1 Selfie Cam
Apple has been paying attention when it comes to the front-facing camera. The lion’s share of photos and videos are taken for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter and yes, we like to be in the picture.
The iPhone 14’s ‘front facing camera’ has therefore been greatly improved. The notch, the ‘hole’ for the cameras, has become considerably smaller. However, this does not mean that the cameras suffer, as the Dynamic Island function has now been added. By pressing the notch you can multitask and, for example, choose your music or check a message without leaving the app you were already in.
The new notch (Image: Mark Hofman/WANT)
The TrueDepth camera now has a 12 megapixel sensor and an aperture of f/1.9. And that allows for 38 percent more light to come in. In addition, you also have instant autofocus, so you don’t look like a blurry ghost.
#2 GPS/Satellite and SOS
Intriguingly, the iPhone 14 has also suddenly become a satellite phone. This means that anywhere in the world you can always have range to send a message, even if there is no transmission tower nearby.
The data you can send is hugely limited, and the time in which it can be sent depends entirely on the connection to a satellite. But the feature is particularly useful for people who live in the middle of nowhere (or the occasional one who tumbles off a glacier). Apple even has a feature built in so you can see where a satellite is swirling in the universe for the best connection. E.T. does phone home.
Horror writers are going to be horrified by this, because “OMG, I have no connection” is so non-existent when you have an iPhone 14.
Searching for a satellite (Image: 9to5Mac)
By the way, the feature will initially only come out in the US and Canada. So if you’re lost on Terschelling you’re out of luck for now. Follow the smell of the sea.
#3 Slightly larger screen
The Pro and Pro Max in particular stand out because of the huge screen. Apple has again made a huge fierljep from 1200 to 2000 nits. And that’s bright and very bright. It makes shooting photos and videos easier in sunlight and so your phone can really act as a full photographic tool for your creative escapades. The iPhone Pro and Pro Max have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens. Making videos and movies is then a breeze.
The 14 with its big brother. (Image: Mark Hofman/WANT)
#4 No iPhone 14 mini
A bit of a painful fact for those who love a small phone: the mini version of the iPhone is out. While there was certainly a market for the mini, it turned out to make up only 5 percent of the market share. So if you still want a small one, you’ll have to stick with the iPhone 13 or 12 mini for a while.
The iPhone mini (Image: Apple)
#5 Battery of the iPhone 14
The Pro gives you three or four more hours of battery without jumping to the Pro Max. One of the reasons users chose the Pro Max was because of the longer battery life which was about two hours longer than the Pro. However, Apple has tweaked the battery and now a Pro has a battery life that lasts three to four hours longer. That’s a full day with some ease, if you’re not constantly gaming, or binging Netflix.
#6 ProMotion from 1Hz to 120Hz for always-on display
It seems negligible to an average user at first, but the iPhone 14’s screen can slow down to 1Hz refresh rate thanks to ProMotion. That’s a very welcome addition since that “refresh rate” was previously 10Hz to 120hz.
The reason Apple did this is because of the ‘always on’ screen. So at all times you see the weather, the time, your battery, your reception, and all kinds of notifications from other widgets that you set. But thanks to a refresh rate of 1Hz and low exposure, that hardly takes anything away from your battery. If you open the phone and start gaming or checking videos, the iPhone automatically switches to higher Hertz.
#7 Camera on the back is now 48 megapixels
The main camera was already impressive, but now it is twice as fast in Night Mode and Action Mode. The latter was a feature that Android phones have had for some time, but didn’t work quite right and caused the quality of the videos to drop significantly. Apple has addressed that problem and the results are seemingly therefore much improved.
The camera is stunning (Image: Apple)
Apple also decided (so far) not to release a super-megapixel camera, because it would not be useful. Apple is now doing just that and promising a high-end sensor. The iPhone 14 shoots videos in 4K with some ease, and taking photos in macro mode for close-ups has also been improved. Also, the phone now knows where a person is, and adjusts the brightness of the flash accordingly. It seems like a minor detail, but we’ve photographed people in fits and starts in which they seemed either corpse-white, or just a dark silhouette.
#8 A16 Bionic chip
The last point is debatable. So the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will get an A16 chip, but during the presentation it was compared to the A13. A rather curious choice. How fast the chip really is, you can read soon on WANT.nl when we have the devices in our hands.
So there is a side note to the choice of an iPhone 14 (Plus), Pro or Pro Max: Apple has deliberately chosen to separate the iPhone 14, Plus and iPhone 14 Pro and Max users this year. There is simply a generation between the ‘regular’ devices’ and the Pro versions. Not only in terms of camera, but also in terms of specs and chip. Which would you go for?
More importantly, what will it cost you if you go for one or the other at Apple?
Price iPhone 14
128 GB | €1,019
256 GB | €1.149
512 GB | €1.409
Price iPhone 14 Plus
128 GB | €1,169
256 GB | €1,299
512 GB | €1,559
Price iPhone 14 Pro
128 GB | €1,329
256 GB | €1,459
512 GB | €1,719
1 TB | €1,979
Price iPhone 14 Pro Max
128 GB | €1,479
256 GB | €1,609
512 GB | €1,869
1 TB | €2,129
Read all about the new iPhone 14 and other gadgets released by Apple here.
