Even though the iPhone 13 arrived in stores just a few days ago, we’re already starting to see iPhone 14 design rumors trickle in. Suffice it to say, the Apple rumor mill never rests.
Over the weekend, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman substantiated previous reports pointing to an iPhone redesign next year. The report first surfaced as part of Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter. Gurman doesn’t reveal specifics, but notes that Apple’s 2022 iPhone will feature a “complete redesign.” Incidentally, Gurman also relays that “new entry-level and Pro” iPhone models are on the way. This is particularly interesting in light of reports that Apple is planning to eliminate the iPhone mini line after this year.
iPhone 14 design is brand new
While Gurman doesn’t go into specific about the next-gen iPhone design, that doesn’t mean we don’t have an idea about what Apple has planned. Earlier this month, reputed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued an investor note with some intriguing iPhone 14 tidbits. Specifically, Kuo believes the iPhone 14 design will do away with the notch as we know it. Instead, Kuo anticipates Apple will implement a punch-hole design for the selfie camera. In turn, Apple may embed the iPhone’s Face ID sensors underneath the display.
Additionally, noted leaker Jon Prosser released a juggernaut of an iPhone 14 leak three weeks ago. According to Prosser, who has a hit-and-miss record with respect to Apple rumors, the iPhone 14 design will reintroduce circular volume buttons. What’s more, the camera bump will reportedly be eliminated. Whether or not this will result in a decidedly thicker device remains to be seen.
Furthermore, the iPhone 14 will still include a Lightning cable. Normally this wouldn’t be noteworthy, but it’s worth mentioning in light of the EU’s ongoing efforts to eliminate proprietary charging ports on smartphones. Apple, predictably, is lobbying against the change and believes a law to that effect would stifle innovation.
Next-gen camera technology is on the way
A huge leap in camera performance is reportedly in the works for the iPhone 14. Kuo back in April said that the iPhone 14 design will “elevate mobile phone camera photography to a new level” with a 48-megapixel sensor on the back and 8K video recording capabilities. Take this all with a grain of salt, but it’s intriguing and exciting all the same.
Kuo’s investor note from earlier in the year reads in part:
We believe that the new 2H22 iPhone may support direct 48MP output and 12MP (four cells merge output mode) output simultaneously. With 12MP output, the CIS pixel size of the new 2H22 iPhone increases to about 2.5um, which is significantly larger than the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, and larger than existing Android phones, and close to the DSC level. We believe that the camera quality of the new 2H22 iPhone will elevate mobile phone camera photography to a new level.
Is Touch ID coming back with the iPhone 14 design changes?
To be honest, I’m not sure why there’s such a clamoring for Touch ID to return. I was a huge fan of Touch ID, but Face ID is just as reliable and secure. Regardless, rumors of Apple bringing Touch ID back to the iPhone abound. Apple has actually filed several patents detailing various implementations. While Apple could incorporate a fingerprint sensor underneath the display, another implementation might see Touch ID embedded into the iPhone power button.
For what it’s worth, Kuo believes Apple wants to incorporate Touch ID into the display itself. Kuo adds that this isn’t likely to be a feature on the iPhone 14. It could, however, be introduced on the iPhone 15 in 2023.
iPhone 13 sales
On a related note, iPhone 13 sales are reportedly quite strong. Some models are already sold out and now have long wait times. The 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro with 1TB of storage, for instance, won’t ship until October 26. Note that this shipping date is the same for all US-based mobile carriers.
