Update: The iPhone 14 could be Apple’s first flagship without a notch in 5 years. And that's one good reason to skip the iPhone 13 for iPhone 14.
The new iPhone 13 got a few notable upgrades, though it looks like the iPhone 14 could put this year’s lineup to shame. In his latest Power-On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman hinted that next year’s entry-level and Pro models are expected to get “a complete redesign."
According to Gurman, the arguably minor changes to the iPhone 13 also mean that "Apple’s engineers were working behind the scenes on bigger things that will take more time." And although at this stage we'd normally take such claims with a pinch of salt, more often than not, Gurman proves to be a reliable source on all things Apple.
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One such major change that's been tipped several times in the removal of the somewhat iconic but also archaic, display notch see in iPhones since the iPhone X. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously backed up Gurman's claims with a report stating that the iPhone 14 will likely ditch the notch altogether.
This could also mean that Cupertino may be planning to implement the hole-punch display design; a look that is already seen in a number of Samsung devices, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy S21. Leaker Jon Prosser has also made this claim and has renders made up based on claimed leaked information.
In other early iPhone 14 tidbits, Kuo also added that a major camera system upgrade could be on the horizon too. According to the analyst, next year's Pro models could sport a 48-megapixel Wide camera lens. This would be a significant upgrade compared to the camera system of the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, with both models packing a 12M main camera lens.
Unfortunately, the much-anticipated return of the Touch ID could be off the table. Kuo had previously noted that the under-display Touch ID sensor won't arrive until 2023, a year which could see the reveal of the iPhone 15. The analyst claimed that the long wait could be related to "lower than expected development progress," and noted that "this will hurt iPhone shipments in 2022 and 2023" too.
But even if the Touch ID sensor is not going to be added, the iPhone 14 could have the potential to rival some of the best phones on the market. If we trust the speculation, next year's lineup could mean good news to those who have decided to skip upgrading this year. And with Europe reportedly forcing Apple to make a switch to USB-C charging, there's a chance that Cupertino finally ditches its Lightning connectivity for good.
This year's lineup didn't see a lot of upgrades, but a few of the additions such as the Cinematic mode, the upgraded camera system and the bigger battery made the iPhone 13 worth considering. The Pro models also got a ProMotion display with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which makes for a smoother experience when scrolling, swiping and gaming.
However, such features are already included in competitor phones, and rival companies have beat Apple on implementing features that Cupertino is yet to introduce, such as a foldable display, hole-punch display, USB-C charging and more. So if Apple wants to keep up with the competition, a significant upgrade should be on the cards.
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