digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro are essentially refined iPhone 13 designs, with the iPhone 14 Pro the stronger buy for its new 48 megapixel camera, always-on display, A16 chip, and the Dynamic Island interface. The base iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are close to last year's models, with eSIM-only connectivity in the U.S., satellite SOS, and a larger Plus option. The reviewer predicts the Plus will be a hit because a bigger screen for an extra $100 is an easy decision for most regular buyers, in his personal opinion.
Key Points
- The 14 and 14 Plus keep the A15 chip, design, and notch, with prices of $799 and $899; the Plus arrives a month later, in October, as he notes.
- In the U.S., the 14 lineup drops the physical SIM tray for eSIM, which may make switching away from iPhone harder.
- Satellite SOS lets users send emergency messages without cellular coverage, free for two years, coming to the U.S. and Canada later this year.
- The 14 Pro models add the A16 Bionic chip, a 48 megapixel main sensor, and an always-on display that shows the time and widgets while locked.
- Dynamic Island turns the front camera cutout into an interactive area that shows ongoing activities such as music, timers, navigation, and ride-share notifications.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: To shoot 48 megapixel photos on the iPhone 14 Pro, you must use ProRAW; by default the camera shoots 12 megapixel images. The new 2X button gives a crop from the middle 12 megapixels for near-optical-quality zoom, and the 3X telephoto lens remains. To use satellite SOS, point the phone at a satellite with an unobstructed view of the sky, guided by the on-screen UI; the message is compressed and can send in about 30 seconds to two minutes. On Dynamic Island, tap an activity icon to open the app or press and hold to see more information.
- The 14 Pro Max and 14 Pro start at $999 and $1,099 and go up to one terabyte; the 14 Pro also comes in a new lavender purple.
- The 13 mini ($599) and 13 ($699) remain available as cheaper options.
- Apple Watch Ultra and new AirPods were announced at the same event and are covered in a separate video.
- The reviewer notes the new boxes likely won't include chargers, a long-running Apple practice.
Bottom Line
The iPhone 14 Pro is the model that adds meaningful new hardware, while the standard 14 mainly offers the Plus size and new features for buyers upgrading from older models.