The iPhone 14 won’t arrive until the fall, but we already have an idea of Apple’s plans for its next flagships. Most of this is the product of an army of leakers, scouring the internet for hints of new features or design decisions. But some of what we know about the iPhone 14 comes from Apple itself.
“Wait a minute,” you might say. “Apple never says nothing on new products. “And that’s very true – getting Apple to comment on an unannounced product is a dumb errand. But while Apple doesn’t talk much about its upcoming products, it does release new devices. And those can tell us a lot about what’s coming further down the pipeline.
This is the case of the new iPhone SE (2022), announced by Apple last week and which will arrive in stores this Friday (March 18). Although the iPhone SE apparently has little in common with Apple’s flagships other than sharing the same processor, the features Apple has chosen to add and leave out give us some general pointers. on what might be in store for the iPhone 14.
We must clarify that this is pure speculation based solely on our interpretation of some of the features of the iPhone SE (2022), coupled with what we have heard about the iPhone 14 via the rumor mill. ‘Apple. But unless Apple reverses decades of a rumor-silence policy, we can use the iPhone SE to make some pretty educated guesses about Apple’s iPhone 14 plans.
Apple wants to keep its phones separate
The iPhone SE (2022) has a lot to offer, with that new A15 Bionic chip and 5G compatibility. But it also has a glaring omission – Apple’s cheapest phone still doesn’t include a Night mode.
Considering it’s something you’ll find on many budget phones, including the iPhone SE’s main rival, the Pixel 5a, it seems odd that Apple is dropping Night Mode from the iPhone SE. The A15 Bionic certainly has the processing muscle to support such a feature.
But maybe that’s not so strange. In Apple’s mind, it may see the lack of Night Mode as a way to distinguish its flagship devices from the iPhone SE, which is aimed at a more budget-conscious crowd. “Want a phone that takes pictures in the dark? the thought goes. “Then buy one of our flagship phones.”
If that’s the philosophy guiding Apple about which features to support, it suggests that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will remain very distinct from each other. That would mean a few obvious decisions, such as telephoto continuing to be an exclusive feature for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. But it could also lend weight to the rumor that 120Hz adaptive refresh rates will remain an iPhone Pro-only feature.
Color options are for high end phones
Speaking of things Apple has in store for its more expensive phones, let’s talk about color options. Or in the case of the iPhone SE, the lack of color options.
If you order the new phone from Apple, you can get it in Starlight, Midnight or [Product] Red. Don’t be fooled by the fancy names – these are the same black, white and red options that the iPhone SE (2020) featured.
It’s not a wide range of colors compared to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro options. And as if to emphasize this point, before introducing the iPhone SE (2022), Apple rolled out an additional color for its flagship phones – green for the iPhone 13 and Alpine Green for the Pro models.
We don’t yet know what the iPhone 14 color options will be. But it’s safe to assume that the rainbow of options will continue to be available in the fall after seeing the color palette. more limited of the iPhone SE.
The notch is ruined on the iPhone 14
Besides the lack of Night mode on the iPhone SE (2022), perhaps the most controversial move is Apple’s decision to keep the current SE’s iPhone 8-inspired look. That means a 4.7-inch screen surrounded by chunky bezels top and bottom. It’s a dated look in this era of displays that stretch from end to end.
Since the real focus of the iPhone SE (2022) was the addition of 5G compatibility, you could argue that Apple didn’t want to mess with a new form factor. But you could also argue that not adding a notched screen like that of all other iPhone models means that Apple realizes the notch’s days are numbered. After all, why give the iPhone SE (2022) a screen with a notch, when that look might drop from the rest of the iPhone lineup this fall.
Certainly, rumors suggest that Apple would be ready to leave the guts behind, at least on the iPhone 14 Pro models. The fact that Apple was unwilling to introduce another phone with a notched screen would seem to suggest that the transition is well on its way for the fall.
The mini is a damn too
While showing off the iPhone SE (2022) at Apple’s Peak Performance event, CEO Tim Cook did more than tout the affordability of this particular model; he also noted that iPhone SE fans like the compact size of the device. It’s true that the number of options for the best small phones is dwindling, and the iPhone SE remains a top pick. But the SE isn’t the only compact model in Apple’s lineup.
Apple is selling two other miniature phones – the iPhone 13 mini as well as the iPhone 12 mini, which remains on sale at a discounted price. Reports indicate that neither phone has sold in large numbers compared to the other iPhone 13 and 12 models, and a well-known rumor suggests that they will be dropped from the iPhone 14 lineup in favor of a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max.
We won’t know the actual makeup of the iPhone 14 lineup until the fall. But with Apple now openly touting the iPhone SE as a small-screen option, I wouldn’t be too attached to this mini model.
Apple still focuses on battery life
The iPhone SE (2020) battery life wasn’t great, finishing just below the smartphone average in our battery test. Despite the fact that the size of the iPhone SE does not change with the 2022 model, Apple still says to expect improved battery life, thanks to the efficiency of the A15 chipset and improvements in the internal design.
This echoes what Apple did with the iPhone 13, where the company increased the battery size on all four models to improve battery life across the board since the iPhone 12. We not sure if there’s a lot of extra room to increase the battery size for the iPhone 14, but Apple’s focus on internal design improvements in the iPhone SE (2022) suggests that ‘Apple is always looking for ways to make sure its phones end up on the best phone battery life list. It would be a welcome trend for the iPhone 14.
