There are still several months to go before the 2022 iPhone 14 models will be ready to launch, but because there are such significant updates in the works for these devices, we've been hearing rumors about them since well before the iPhone 13 models even came out.
iPhone sizes are changing in 2022, and Apple is eliminating the 5.4-inch iPhone mini as it turned out to be unpopular with customers. After seeing lackluster iPhone mini sales, Apple is planning to focus on larger iPhone sizes for its flagship devices, and we're expecting to see a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Since 2017, iPhones with Face ID have had a notch at the front to house all the necessary equipment for facial scanning, but that's set to change with the launch of the iPhone 14. The 2022 iPhone 14 Pro models are expected to eliminate the notch in favor of a new design. Rumors are a bit mixed right now, but it looks like Apple will go with some combination of a circular hole-punch cutout for the camera paired with a pill-shaped cutout to house to key Face ID components. This feature will unfortunately be limited to the Pro models, and the standard iPhone 14 models will continue to feature a standard notch.
The rear camera could also see a new design with Apple introducing a thicker body that allows for the camera bump to be eliminated. If this pans out, the lenses, flash, and LiDAR scanner could sit flush with the rear glass, but we've only heard one rumor suggesting that this might happen.
Some of the new iPhones may feature a titanium frame, and redesigned speaker and microphone grilles are a possibility. Apple could also use a new vapor chamber thermal system that will keep the iPhone cooler to minimize the impact of faster chips and 5G connectivity.
New iPhones always include camera improvements, and the iPhone 14 is no exception. There will be improvements to the Ultra Wide camera, and there's a possibility that Apple will introduce a "periscope" zoom lens that allows for much greater optical zoom, but it's still not yet clear if this will come in 2022 or 2023. The Pro iPhone models could also get 48-megapixel cameras and 8K video recording capabilities.
Rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 models are likely to continue to use the same A15 chip that was introduced in the iPhone 13 series, while the iPhone 14 Pro models receive an updated A16 chip.
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For at least some of the iPhone 14 models, Apple is working to eliminate the notch that houses the hardware needed for Face ID. The notch was a controversial design decision when it was introduced in 2017, and since then it's changed little with the exception of the size tweak with the iPhone 13.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March 2021 that the 2022 iPhone models would not have a notch, and would instead adopt a hole-punch style design that's been popular on many Android phones.
Since Kuo's prediction, there have been other rumors that have made the front design of the iPhone 14 Pro models a bit less clear. Leaker Dylandkt has said that rather than a hole-punch design, the camera cutout on the iPhone 14 Pro models will be pill shaped. Display analyst Ross Young has further clarified and said that he expects to see both a pill-shaped cutout and a circular cutout. The circular cutout will likely house the Face ID dot projector, and the pill-shaped cutout will include the front camera, Face ID infrared camera, and possibly other components.
Apple may also be planning to put some of the Face ID hardware under the iPhone's display, which will cut down on the sizes of the cutouts that are needed and will leave more available screen space on the front of the device. Both analyst Ross Young and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have said that Apple is working on an under-display Face ID solution, but there's a chance that it will not be ready for use in 2022 devices.
Barclays analysts claim that Apple is planning to adopt a laser-based time-of-flight architecture for Face ID that would allow for substantial changes to be introduced to the front-facing TrueDepth camera array, and other rumors point to a unibody lens design for a reduction in the size of the front camera module.
Apple is likely to restrict ProMotion technology to the iPhone 14 Pro models, a move that display analyst Ross Young attributes to a lack of availability of the necessary displays. Young has made it clear that he believes 120Hz refresh rates will remain an iPhone 14 Pro feature.
Korean website The Elec has said that at least one of the iPhone models coming next year will use a standard LTPS OLED display without 120Hz ProMotion technology, which supports Young's statements. Analyst Jeff Pu has claimed that the feature will come to all iPhone 14 models, but he is not known for his reliability.
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