iPhone 14 Max is the right direction — here's why

iPhone 14 Pro design vs iPhone 14 design

(Image credit: EverythingApplePro/YouTube)

The launch of the iPhone 14 is likely several months away still, but rumors nonetheless abound. One of the more interesting ones is the idea that Apple will replace the iPhone 13 mini with an iPhone 14 Max.

Even though I'm a fan of small phones, I think this is the right call. Right now, the only way to get a big screen iPhone is to spring for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the most expensive model. Some people don't want to spend a minimum of $1,099 on a smartphone just to get a big screen.

Apple going with a non-Pro Max model is a great idea, especially if the rumored price of $899 turns out to be accurate. Some people don't need the telephoto camera, 120Hz display, or top-tier performance of the Pro Max. Offering a larger version of the iPhone 14 makes a lot of sense.

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Small phone fans will have to look to the iPhone SE (2022), making a lot of concessions doing so. The mini iPhones are nifty, but they suffer from poorer battery life than their 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch brethren. And word has it that the smallest iPhones aren't even selling that well, so it would make sense for Apple to instead offer people a cheaper big screen option.

While I'll miss the diminutive mini iPhone, I'd rather see a cheaper non-Pro Max.

I always thought it was odd that you had to go Pro to get a large iPhone. The last time you paid a slight premium to get the big screen was the iPhone XS Max in 2018, and before that the iPhone 8 Plus in 2017. But when the iPhone 11 came around in 2019, the bigger display became a Pro exclusive.

Three years is a long time to wait in smartphone land, but I will gladly welcome the iPhone 14 Max. While I don't like the 6.7-inch iPhones, I think giving people the option between the smaller iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Max or iPhone 14 Pro Max is a good move. This will also streamline case selections, since you'll only have to look at the small or big ones.

So while I will miss the diminutive mini iPhones, I'd rather see a cheaper big model be available for those who don't want to spend north of a grand on their large smartphone. Super small phones' appeal seems to have died and people appear to want bigger handsets. I hope this iPhone 14 Max rumor comes true.

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Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.