On the floor, the iPhone 14 seems to be like a really minor improve. However a redesigned inside makes it simpler and cheaper to restore, marking a serious shift in the proper path for Apple.
Weak foreign money charges in opposition to the greenback imply the brand new iPhone is £70 (A$50) costlier than its predecessor, priced at £849 (A$1,399) regardless of costing the identical $799 within the US. It’s an sadly acquainted story for all of Apple’s present merchandise, and certain others to be launched this yr.
On the surface the iPhone 14 is mainly the identical as its predecessor with a 6.1-inch commonplace 60Hz OLED display screen, aluminium sides and a glass again. It even has the identical A15 chip as used within the 13 Professional fashions final yr, and the identical lengthy battery lifetime of about 44 to 48 hours between fees. Use it sparingly and also you’ll get about two days between fees.
The largest modifications are hidden from view. Beforehand, the again glass panel was primarily glued to the body, making its substitute when smashed a painstaking course of requiring full disassembly of the gadget from the entrance. Now the iPhone 14 has a brand new mid-frame design that permits it to be opened from both front and back. It’s not fairly the modular, user-repairable dream demonstrated by the Fairphone, however it’s a massive step in the proper path for Apple.
For the consumer, which means higher warmth dissipation so you’ll be able to recreation for longer. However for repairs it means you’ll be able to substitute the again glass as simply as you’ll be able to the display screen, which is a big enchancment for the longevity of the gadget. The result’s that again glass repairs price £169, down from £300-plus from Apple. Third events are more likely to cost much less once more.
Just like the iPhone 14 Professional, the brand new cellphone ships and not using a sim card tray within the US, relying entirely on digital eSims, however continues to have the sim tray exterior the US, together with the UK. Emergency satellite SOS is rolling out in November, however solely to telephones bought within the US or Canada.
Specs
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Display: 6.1in Tremendous Retina XDR (OLED) (460ppi)
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Processor: Apple A15 Bionic
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RAM: 6GB
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Storage: 128, 256 or 512GB
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Working system: iOS 16
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Digicam: twin 12MP rear with OIS, 12MP front-facing digital camera
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Connectivity: 5G, wifi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Lightning, UWB and GNSS
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Water resistance: IP68 (6 metres for 30 minutes)
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Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm
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Weight: 172g
Sustainability
Apple doesn’t present an anticipated lifespan for the battery nevertheless it ought to final in extra of 500 full cost cycles with no less than 80% of its authentic capability and could be replaced for £105. Out-of-warranty screen repairs cost £289, whereas again glass repairs price £169. Restore specialists iFixit awarded the cellphone seven out of 10 for repairability, praising the new internal design.
The 14 accommodates recycled gold, plastic, uncommon earth parts, tin and tungsten. The corporate breaks down the phone’s environmental impact in its report. Apple affords trade-in and free recycling schemes, together with for non-Apple merchandise.
iOS 16
The 14 ships with iOS 16, which is a extra playful model of Apple’s software program and has a revamped lock display screen amongst many different new options. You possibly can anticipate no less than 5 years of software program and safety updates and doubtlessly as many as seven.
New for the iPhone 14 line is car-crash detection, which senses the excessive affect power of a visitors collision and mechanically calls the emergency companies if you don’t reply inside 20 seconds.
Digicam
The 14 has the identical acquainted dual-camera setup on the again with out an optical zoom, as with earlier non-Professional iPhones. However the principle 12MP digital camera sensor is bodily greater than its predecessor, boosting low-light efficiency by as much as 49%. Photographs taken in middling- to low-light circumstances, similar to indoors, are considerably sharper than earlier than and the devoted evening mode is required much less often.
The ultra-wide digital camera has higher low mild efficiency because of improved software program processing however stays in any other case unchanged. The 2 mixed are reliably good cameras, however the lack of an optical zoom is disappointing in comparison with rivals.
The selfie digital camera has been improved for the primary time in a few years on the iPhone, now with twice nearly as good low-light efficiency, autofocus and a sharper lens. Footage are crisper with higher element, notably in low mild or unsteady circumstances, as is the case for many selfies.
Video seize stays class main. A brand new motion mode stabilisation system works wonders in shiny mild, however struggles with the rest.
General the 14’s cameras are good, however lack vary for the value.
Value
The iPhone 14 prices from £849 ($799/A$1,399) with 128GB of storage.
For comparability, the iPhone 14 Plus prices £949, the iPhone 14 Professional prices £1,099, the Samsung Galaxy S22+ prices £949, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 prices £999 and the Google Pixel 6 prices £599.
Verdict
At first look the iPhone 14 is mainly an iPhone 13 with barely improved cameras. It has the identical display screen, chips, lengthy battery life and design. But it surely hides a shift change for Apple with reconfigured guts that enable it to be repaired extra simply and for much less. It’s a particular improve for longevity, even when it’s not a whizz-bang function, and hopefully one thing that’s rolled out to the remainder of Apple’s smartphone line quickly.
Whereas it’s definitely not value upgrading from latest fashions, when you’re seeking to substitute an older gadget coming to the top of its life, the iPhone 14 is a good, secure cellphone with all the weather that make iPhones among the greatest in the marketplace. The currency-driven value improve stings, however trade-in offers might assist soften that blow.
Execs: simpler and cheaper to restore, higher cameras, waterproof, Face ID, lengthy battery life, good efficiency, good display screen, sturdy and straightforward to carry, lengthy software program help.
Cons: no USB-C, want your personal charger, no telephoto digital camera, display screen slower than competitors and 14 Professional, value improve exterior the US.
