One location for all iPhone 14 Pro rumors and leaks
With a probable design that differs noticeably from the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro is expected to be the device that shakes up the iPhone lineup. With only a few weeks until the iPhone’s customary September launch, current iPhone 14 speculations have made many suggestions, ranging from the notch’s demise to an always-on display.
It appears that Apple will need to be at the top of its game with the iPhone 14 Pro in the face of fierce competition from devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Google Pixel 7.
And Apple appears to be doing just that, with a rumored new 48MP main camera and a powerful new A16 Bionic chip that the regular iPhone 14 may not get.
Overall, the iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro differences could be the biggest we’ve seen in year between the two lineups. Here’s what we know so far about the iPhone 14 Pro and what we hope to see.
iPhone 14 Pro latest rumors (Updated August 15)
- The iPhone 14 Pro’s new 48MP camera could be disappointing in low-light conditions, according to a source speaking to leaker LeaksApplePro.
- A graphic designer has drawn up renders of what the iPhone 14 Pro with always-on display could look like, using iOS 16 beta designs. Spoiler — it looks great.
- The storage upgrade tipped for the iPhone 14 Pro may have been shot down by a new analyst report.
- A new report reveals Apple plans to order 90 million iPhone 14 units for launch, which would be quite high in this economy.
- The iPhone 14 Pro is tipped to get a $100 price hike, but could offer more entry-level storage as a result.
iPhone 14 Pro rumored release date
Going by all the rumors so far, we reckon September 13 will be the launch date for the iPhone 14 range. That’s backed up by the fact that filming is allegedly underway for the iPhone 14 launch as of early August.
But a fly in the ointment comes in the form of one leaker claiming a launch date of September 6, meaning the iPhone 14 Pro and the rest of the phone range could be revealed a week earlier than expected. How legitimate this tip is, is tricky to tell. Apple tends to launch products in the second week of September, so we’d still lean more on a September 13 launch.
iPhone 14 Pro rumored price
When it comes to price, the iPhone 14 Pro models have been tipped to get a price increase of some $100, but in return could offer 256GB starting storage rather than 128GB. As such, the iPhone 14 Pro might hit $1,099 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max may hit $1,199.
However, this iPhone 14 Pro storage boost has bene shot down in a report from Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu, who claims that Apple will be keeping storage the same as it was with the iPhone 13 Pro, which means sticking with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage options.
If that puts you off already then the standard iPhone 14 is expected to stick at $799 (also backed up by a claim coming via Twitter leaker Dohyun Kim) and the new iPhone 14 Max is tipped to cost $899.
Despite the predicted price increase, Apple reportedly plans to order 90 million iPhone 14 units for launch. The Bloomberg(opens in new tab) report cites Apple’s “affluent clientele” and “dwindling competition.”
When a new iPhone arrives it often means the end of the line for older iPhones, with the iPhone 13 mini looking to be the likely phone to get cut from Apple’s smartphone lineup. As such we’ve dug into which iPhones could be discontinued when the iPhone 14 launches.
iPhone 14 Pro design
Tipster Jon Prosser has showcased a suite of renders supposedly based on leaked information, which reveal possible big changes for the iPhone 14 Pro.
Prosser’s renders show a trio of cameras flush with the iPhone 14 Pro’s back. But if that sounds nice, you might be disappointed by some rival schematics that show the iPhone 14 Pro models looking a lot like their iPhone 13 counterparts. The raised camera array is back, and even bigger on the iPhone 14 Pro; the new phones are also rumored to be 0.2mm thicker than the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
Other reports also have the rear camera module tipped to get bigger. The reason for this according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is that a larger module is needed to house a 48MP camera. As a result, another leak claims the corners of the iPhone 14 Pro (but not the Pro Max) will be getting rounder to better match the curved corners of the new module.
Perhaps the most notable rumored design change for the iPhone 14 Pro is the removal of the now infamous display notch. Display analyst Ross Young expects Apple to offer a pill-shaped cutout for Face ID along with a punch hole, so there would be two cutouts. This design is now seemingly locked in according to rumors from EverythingApplePro.
These rumors were given more credence with what appears to be a leaked supply chain photo showing off the display panels for all four iPhone 14 models.
Our best look at what all the design changes add up to can be seen in some iPhone 14 mock-ups posted by Alibaba and shared by Macotakara. In the case of the iPhone 14 models, you not only see the two cutouts on the front display, but the larger camera module — Macotakara reports that iPhone 13 Pro cases won’t fit the iPhone 14 Pro because of that bigger module.
Speaking of cases, a claimed case leak shows four iPhone 14 models; the standard iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus/Max, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Not only is an iPhone 14 mini conspicuously absent, but it also shows how the iPhone 14 Pro will be basically the same size as the standard iPhone 14, which we’d expect given it’s the same story for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. But the iPhone 14 Pro Max will be joined by a larger Apple smartphone in the form of the iPhone 14 Plus/Max. Aside from that, the rears of all four phones look set to be similar to their predecessors, with the Pro modes sporting a trio of rear cameras and the standard phones sticking with two snappers.
And a fresh set of iPhone 14 Pro renders, based on schematics, really do a good job at showing off what the evolved design could look like in metal and glass. They don’t reveal any surprise design quirks, but rather give us a good impression of how the pill and punch-hole camera/Face ID cutouts will look like; surprisingly decent as it happens.
There were some early rumors that Touch ID could make a return in the form of an under-display fingerprint scanner. However, the jury is still out on how likely this is. Analyst Ming Chi-Kuo reckons that there won’t be an iPhone with Touch ID, or under-display Face ID, for another few years.
But with iOS 15.4, Apple has made it so that Face ID can recognize a legitimate user even when they are wearing a mask. it works remarkably well, meaning Apple may have bypassed the need for fingerprint-centric biometrics.
More leaks are starting to spring up about the color options for the iPhone 14 Pro. A Chinese leaker claimed that alongside the familiar Graphite, Silver and Gold Pro iPhone colors, the new option for this year would be a dark purple. You can see that below in another set of renders, these ones coming from artist Souta(opens in new tab).
As for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the new purple hue would join silver, gold and graphite as the reported color options. Both the Sierra Blue color available since the iPhone 13 Pro’s launch and the Alpine Green version introduced in the spring would be dropped from the lineup.
The latest word on iPhone 14 Pro colors comes from leaker @Jioriku on Twitter, via posts revealing a number of potential iPhone 14 specs. The leaker claims the iPhone 14 Pro colors will be purple, green, silver and graphite. So it sounds like it’s a question of green vs. gold as one of the potential iPhone 14 Pro colors.
iPhone 14 Pro USB-C
There are rumors that suggest Apple would finally go the USB-C port route with the iPhone 14 Pro, and that would make sense as many of its devices already have USB-C connectivity. However more recent rumors claim there Apple will stick with Lightning over USB-C but switch to updated Lightning ports with faster USB 3.0 data transfer. That comes as the EU moves closer to making USB-C the standard charger for portable devices like the phones.
For some people, USB-C on the iPhone 14 Pro would be a must-have feature. In fact, the Lightning connector is arguably the worst thing about the iPhone , as it can wear out over time. This can make it very difficult to charge your phone. Unfortunately, Apple is unlikely to abandon Lightning unless it has to, given how established the standard, and its ecosystem of accessories already is.
Meanwhile Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple will switch the iPhone to USB-C, but not until late 2023. If he’s correct — and a new report in Bloomberg suggests that he is — it means we won’t be seeing an official USB-C iPhone until the iPhone 15 arrives.
iPhone 14 Pro display and always-on display feature
One of the biggest upgrades of the iPhone 13 Pro delivered was a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate display. Thanks to the use of an LTPO panel, the screen could go from 120Hz to as little as 10Hz when a fast refresh rate was needed, and thus that helped save on battery life.
According to some rumors, the iPhone 14 Pro could build upon this and scale down to as little as 1Hz, reducing the power drain of a display. And this could enable the reported use of an always-on display. Long rumored to be an upcoming feature for next-gen iPhones, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has claimed the iPhone 14 Pro will finally get an always-on display and it’ll be used to show “weather, calendars, stocks, activities and other data” on the lock screen, with the a low refresh rate helping preserve battery life. Leaker @Jioriku compares the AOD feature on the iPhone 14 Pro Max to the Apple Watch’s Nightstand mode.
The revamped iOS 16 lock screen previewed by Apple in June seems to set the stage for this feature, with new findings within iOS 16 and in Apple’s Xcode developer software indicating the whole lock screen will appear on the AOD, not just regular widgets, but in a silhouetted form to conserve power.
Pulling all of this together, graphic designer AR7(opens in new tab) has created a set of concept images showing how the iPhone 14 Pro could look with an always-on display. AR7’s designs aren’t just based on rumors around the phone’s hardware, but also on features we know about (or think we know about) from iOS 16 beta, so could well be a good guide to what to expect when the phones launch.
In contrast, the standard iPhone 14 models are now tipped to get a 90Hz display, which would be an upgrade over the 60Hz of the iPhone 13 but not quite up there with the Pro phones.
As for screen sizes, according to Ross Young, the iPhone 14 Pro could increase in size from 6.06 inches to 6.12 inches, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max from 6.68 to 6.69 inches. This will apparently be because of rumored slimmer bezels and new notch design.
Finally, a report from The Elec suggests that iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will see an upgrade for their OLED display quality. The report says that Samsung Display will use its older M11 series of OLED displays for the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max/Plus. The newer generation M12 series displays will be reserved solely for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. This may not be a huge difference, but it’s still a disappointment.
iPhone 14 Pro cameras
Don’t expect a big change in the number of cameras the iPhone 14 Pro will bring, as the Pro phones are tipped to stick with the standard combo of a main, ultrawide and telephoto array. Given how Apple phones regularly feature in our best camera phones lineup, that’s no bad thing.
But one leak has the iPhone 14 Pro tipped to get a 48MP main camera, which could finally make a change from the 12MP cameras Apple has used for years. While Cupertino’s computational photography is some of the best around, having more megapixels to play with would likely give the iPhone 14 Pro more scope when it comes to processing light and details; we could be at a time where megapixels matter once more to Apple.
The latest leak on the new model’s camera does indeed reiterate that it will have a 48MP main sensor, but surprisingly claims that the it might not be as good as the iPhone 13 Pro in some conditions.
We’ll admit to being rather sceptical about this one, but tipster @LeaksApplePro claims to have spoken to a source who has used the iPhone 14 Pro, and they report that that in low light there is “a substantial amount of noise.” If true, that would suggest that the iPhone 14 Pro would have a camera downgrade — something that just doesn’t seem likely to us.
Either way, at least one regular Apple tipster has the standard iPhone 14 models tipped to stick with 12MP cameras, with only the Pro models expected to get a 48MP main camera.
No changes have been touted for the ultrawide camera, but we’d be surprised if some effort wasn’t made to improve the field of view and help remove some edge distortion.
And there’s scope for the telephoto camera to get a zoom boost, as an Apple patent points toward the company working on a periscope-style zoom camera. If such a feature was going to debut in an iPhone, it would be for the iPhone 14 Pro. But to muddy the waters, Apple oracle Ming-Chi Kuo claims the periscope camera won’t appear until the iPhone 15 in 2023. The lack of a telephoto upgrade for this year could make the iPhone 14 Pro a real letdown(opens in new tab).
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims all models of the iPhone 14 will get an upgraded front-facing camera. It’s looking like this will involve a new wider aperture, a more complex 6-part lens and the addition of autofocus for the first time. Together, this should allow the iPhone’s selfie snapper to take brighter photos that are easier to shoot thanks to the autofocus, and that will be less prone to distortion.
Kuo also recently reported that Apple has changed lens suppliers due to the current one suffering from quality issues with “coating-crack.” Apple has allegedly moved its order of 10 million units to a new supplier, Largan.
For more, see our our iPhone 14 camera(opens in new tab) roundup for all the biggest rumored upgrades.
iPhone 14 Pro specs and battery life
Following on from the A15 Bionic, we’d expect to see an A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro series, with improved performance across the board according to alleged benchmarks.
However, a suite of rumors thus far have the iPhone 14 tipped to stick with the A15 Bionic chip, which would create a disparity between the models core specs. This would be a first for Apple as it has always equipped new iPhones with upgraded silicon.
That may be no bad thing the A15 Bionic is still a very powerful chip and more than enough for pretty much any smartphone task. So we’ve chewed over what the A16 could bring to the table to warrant buying an iPhone 14 Pro over the standard iPhone 14.
DigiTimes claims that the iPhone 14 Pro will get 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM while the regular iPhone 14 could remain at the older and slower LPDDR4X. LPDDR5 is the latest tech when it comes to mobile phone RAM, so it should make the iPhone 14 Pro fly when paired with the A16 Bionic.
Storage is likely to go up to 1TB, but there have been no solid storage rumors for the iPhone 14 Pro yet.
A source from Weibo claiming to know the battery capacities of the iPhone 14 family shows that all models except the iPhone 14 Pro Max will be getting a slight increase in size. The 14 Pro Max is in fact shrinking a little, but hopefully not enough to impact the phone’s overall battery life.
We’d be confident that the iPhone 14 Pro will match or exceed the 11 hours and 42 minutes the iPhone 13 Pro did in our battery test, which forces the phone to endlessly reload web pages on a cellular connection until it dies. The iPhone 13 Pro Max managed a lengthy 12 hours and 16 minutes, so we’d expect the iPhone 14 Pro Max to do the same or better as Apple boost chip and phone efficiency.
As for 5G, we’re expecting the iPhone 14 Pro to use a new smaller 5G modem chip. The smaller size should mean it takes less power to run, and that there could be extra room for the battery to expand into. That would mean the already impressive battery life of the iPhone 13 can be improved upon even more.
Sadly, it’s looking like the iPhone 14 Pro might miss out on the advancements made by Qualcomm’s new 5G chip, the Snapdragon X70. The chip will include a 5G AI processor, the first of its kind, which should allow the modem system to use artificial intelligence to optimize a phone’s antenna and better manage 5G beams going to and from a 5G phone. Qualcomm figures that will be particularly useful for mmWave-based 5G networks in places like stadiums and arenas, though AI can also help manage sub-6GHz 5G signals as well.
In addition to its cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity, the iPhone 14 Pro could also gain the ability to connect to satellite networks. That’s a feature that first emerged in the build-up to last year’s iPhone 13 launch; while the capability didn’t arrive in time for those phones, reliable tipsters say emergency satellite communications are a possibility for the iPhone 14 models. The idea is that when you’re in an area without good cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity, you can send text messages to emergency services over satellite networks, alerting them to your location.
iPhone 14 Pro outlook
The iPhone 14 Pro could be the phone many of us have been waiting for, with the Pro models tipped to offer a real evolution of the iPhones we’ve seen over the past few years. Sure, it’s not going to be unrecognizable from the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12, but we suspect this upcoming generation of iPhone will introduce a design language and capabilities that will set the stage for other iPhones to follow.
No notch, an always-on display, a bigger megapixel count for the main camera, and potentially a USB-C port, could really shake up the iPhone as we know it. And that would in turn have the effect of setting the standard for other smartphones to follow if they wish to win a spot on our best phones list.