Apple iPhone 14 rumour round-up: What to expect from Apple's 7 Sep event

Note: This feature was first published on 2 September 2022 and it's republished now because Apple's big event is later this week.

September the 7th (8th in SG), that's the day Apple will unveil the newest iPhones. There's been tons of rumours surrounding this year's new iPhones. Some expect it to have an all-new design, and others believe the notch will be replaced with a smaller pill-shaped cutout. And as for performance, the word on the street is that the non-Pro models will continue to use last year's A15 Bionic chip, while only the Pro models will be powered by a newer chip. And we can't talk about new iPhones without talking about colour and it seems that purple will be the hot new colour this year.

As you can see, much has been said about these year's iPhones. To get you up to speed on the latest rumours, we have written this handy article. Read them all here ahead of its big unveil next week.

1) Design

While Apple is likely to retain the flat-edged design, it is expected to replace the notch with a pill-shaped camera cutout. 

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in March 2021 where he described it as a "punch-hole display design". Kuo says the new design is likely to start with the Pro models before bringing it across the rest of the lineup in the coming years.

Purported CAD renders and dummy units appear to backup Kuo's claims. @91Mobiles released CAD renders of the iPhone 14 Pro which show a pill-shaped hole-punch cutout and a small circular cutout on the display. Tipster @VNchocoTaco obtained a dummy unit of the iPhone 14 Pro Max which shows the pill-shaped camera cutout and how it compares with the current iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Mark Gurman from Bloomberg claimed in September 2021 that the lack of major changes for the iPhone 13 is a hint that Apple has bigger plans for the iPhone 14. Gurman claims "a complete redesign" is coming to the iPhone 14.

For the chassis, a sketchy report by JP Morgan suggests Apple will use titanium alloy chassis for the iPhone 14 Pro models. This is corroborated by tipster Dan Prosser who expects the iPhone 14 models to have titanium frames. The current iPhone 13 Pro models have stainless steel bodies while the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini have aluminium bodies. 

2) Display

For the past two years, the iPhone lineup is made up of the 5.4-inch mini, the 6.1-inch non-Pro, 6.1-inch Pro model, and the 6.7-inch Pro Max. This year could see a change.

Kuo wrote in April 2021 that he does not expect an iPhone 14 mini to be released due to the poor sales of the iPhone 12 mini. Purported iPhone 14 molds obtained by @VNchocoTaco reveal the different display sizes of the models: two 6.1-inch models and two 6.7-inch models.

While all four iPhone 14 models will continue to use OLED panels, the Pro models are said to be using higher grade materials for the display panel. In addition, the Pro models will have thinner screen bezels and support an always-on lock screen. 120Hz ProMotion technology is likely to remain exclusive to the Pro models.

3) Camera upgrades

Apple is expected to bring significant camera upgrades to the iPhone 14 lineup. 

Analyst Kuo claimed in April 2021 that the iPhone 14 Pro models will be equipped with a 48MP main camera on the back and support 8K video recording. Due to four-pixel-binning technology, the iPhone 14 Pro models may output 12MP photos. Analyst Jeff Pu had a similar report in December 2021; Pu says the iPhone 14 Pro models will have an upgraded 48MP main camera with 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto lenses. The ultra-wide lens will be receiving an update as well; Kuo says it will have a bigger sensor with 1.4µm pixels.

Due to the new 48MP camera sensor, Kuo wrote in March this year that the camera bump on the iPhone 14 Pro will be bigger and more prominent. Kuo states the diagonal length of the new sensor will increase by 25 to 35% while the height will be increased by 5 to 10%. This is corroborated by a Weibo user 摸鱼8 (Fishing 8) in a post that suggests the iPhone 14 Pro's sensor will measure 1/1.3-inches, which is a 21.2% increase from the iPhone 13 Pro.

However, the size of the pixels will be smaller at 1.22µm, which represents a 0.68µm reduction over the iPhone 13 Pro. Purported molds, CAD renders and 3D mockups appear to back up rumours of the bigger camera bump.

As for the front camera, the iPhone 14 lineup is rumoured to feature a new module with autofocus and f/1.9 aperture. The addition of autofocus and wider aperture will enhance the depth-of-field effects and focusing effect during FaceTime calls. The front-facing camera is said to be manufactured and supplied by LG Innotek.

4) Processor and RAM

Aside from the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, every generation of the iPhone has received a new processor. This year could be different.

Kuo revealed in a tweet that Apple's rumoured new A16 chip may be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro models while the standard iPhone 14 models will continue to use A15 chip from last year's iPhones. Kuo also says the Pro models will use the faster LPDDR5 memory while the standard models will use LPDDR4X memory. The iPhone 14 models are expected to sport 6GB RAM. This is also corroborated by TrendForce.

5) 5G

The iPhone 14 may be using a new 5G chip that has a smaller footprint. 

Economic Daily News reported in February that the new 5G RF chips are built on TSMC's 6nm process and will have a smaller footprint with higher power efficiency.

Internal space within the chassis could be freed up to fit a bigger battery. Coupled with the higher power efficiency, the iPhone 14 could deliver better battery life than the iPhone 13.

6) Satellite connectivity 

Apple is rumoured to be working with Globalstar Inc to incorporate satellite connectivity in the iPhone 14. This feature will allow the user to make emergency calls and send short texts to emergency contacts when they are in areas with no cellular service range.

7) Launch event and availability

Apple confirms it will be holding an event on 7 September (8 Sept, 1am SGT) and it is very likely to be unveiling the iPhone 14 lineup. 

Taking reference from previous launches, pre-order is likely to happen in the same week on 9 September with retail availability on 16 September.

Despite the uncertain economic conditions, Apple is reportedly optimistic about the sales of the iPhone 14 lineup. It has instructed suppliers to build 90 million units of the iPhone 14 for this year alone! 

8) Pricing and colours

While the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic is behind us, it is still wreaking havoc on global supply chains. The global chip shortage is estimated to last into 2023, and chipmakers have started to mark up their production costs which will lead to a "noticeable" effect on the prices of consumer electronics. 

Bloomberg says Samsung is discussing with its customers about raising chipmaking prices by up to 20% this year.

Sony recently announced that it will be increasing the prices of the PlayStation 5 in several markets due to high global inflation rates, adverse currency trends and challenging economic conditions.

Analyst Chris Caso from financial services firm Raymond James expects Apple to increase the prices of its new products in the fall. Caso says the hike in prices will be due to exchange rates, inflation and the loss of revenue from Russia as a result of the conflict with Ukraine.

While the non-iPhone 14 Pro models are not expected to have any price hike, the Pro models are likely to cost more. Analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities believes there would be a $100 price hike across the board for the iPhone 14 Pro models.

As for colour options, a rumour from Korean blog Naver claims Apple will replace blue with purple for the iPhone 14 Pro lineup. The iPhone 14 Pro models are believed to come in graphite, silver, gold, green and purple. For the non-Pro models, pink will be replaced by purple and will join the existing colour options (midnight, starlight, blue, red and green).

9) Apple Watch Series 8 and Pro 

The Apple Watch lineup could receive its biggest refresh since 2014. 

Bloomberg reported in March 2021 that Apple is working on a rugged version of the Apple Watch. It was initially believed to have a rubberised case to survive knocks and scratches. Analyst Kuo made a similar prediction in December 2021.

Bloomberg reiterated in a March report this year that consumers should expect three new models  - Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE 2, and a rugged Apple Watch. It added that no major health sensors will be included this year as there were rumours of a blood pressure sensor, a blood glucose sensor and a crash detection sensor coming to the Apple Watch.

In a follow-up report, Bloomberg says the blood pressure feature is delayed till 2024 "at the earliest" due to accuracy issues. The blood glucose monitoring feature is also stated to be "several years away". The blood glucose feature will only be ready until nearer the end of the decade.

A body temperature sensor could be introduced according to The Wall Street Journal. This may help with fertility planning and detecting fevers. The feature was initially planned for the Apple Watch Series 7, but algorithm issues forced Apple to delay its launch.

Bloomberg confirmed in July that the body-temperature detection feature will be launching on the Apple Watch Series 8 as it has passed internal testing. While it will not measure the current body temperature, the feature will alert the user of a possible fever. A recently granted patent could have revealed the body temperature sensor.

The rugged Apple Watch model is reportedly adopting the "Pro" moniker. Tipster Jon Prosser says it may sport the flat-edged design which did not make it to the Apple Watch Series 7. 

The Apple Watch Pro is rumoured to have a more shatter-resistant screen that is almost two inches, and a chassis made of a strong metal material. Other rumoured specs include bigger battery capacity, a higher price point of US$900 or US$999, and incompatibility with existing watch bands.

10) AirPods Pro 2

The AirPods Pro has not been updated since October 2019 and it is long overdue for a refresh.

Analyst Kuo claims the AirPods Pro 2 is likely to launch in Q4 this year with an "innovative" health tracking feature, which Bloomberg believes to be new motion sensors for fitness tracking. A tipster added that it may have a heart rate sensor and temperature detection feature.

The AirPods Pro 2 could support lossless audio and have a sound-emitting case to help users find it. Other likely upgrades include a shorter stem, a more rounded design, an enhanced H1 chipset, improved active noise cancellation and a more compact design.

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.