Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 line at its annual product event on September 13, 2021. The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Mini, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max are Apple’s latest smartphones, starting at $699 for the iPhone 14 and $999 for the iPhone 14 Pro. These devices feature the new A15 Bionic chip, Apple’s most advanced chip ever, as well as improved displays, faster 5G cellular connectivity, enhanced cameras, longer battery life, and new color options.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Mini include a 6.1-inch or 5.4-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with 2,600 x 1,200 resolution and up to 500 nits brightness. They do not have an OLED screen like the Pro series. Performance is fast and fluid with the A15 Bionic chip, but not groundbreaking for typical tasks. Battery life is rated up to 19 hours of video playback and charging/wireless charging are supported. The $549 iPhone 13 and $649 iPhone 13 Mini remain a solid, more affordable option if screen size is a priority.
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max offer 7.1-inch or 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays with 3.1 million pixels, 1000 nits max brightness, Dolby Vision, and wider color support. The Pro series delivers a stunning visual experience, especially for watching content. They are also powered by the A15 Bionic with incredible performance for gaming, augmented reality, photo/video editing and more. Longer battery life and the latest MagSafe Duo charger provide more power when needed.
The iPhone 14 line features an improved dual-lens system with wider ƒ/1.5 aperture on the wide lens and ƒ/2.4 ultra-wide aperture. This allows for 87% more low-light capture and enhanced Night mode timelapse shots. A new Cinematic mode provides adjustable focus effects and beautiful bokeh in videos. Up to 63 megapixel still photos are now possible in the ProRaw format. 4K video up to 120 frames per second is supported across the devices as well. Photographers and videographers will appreciate the enhanced content creation capabilities.
Apple also unveiled new accessories including an updated iPad, A15 Bionic chip in the Watch Series 7, AirPods 3, and more. The A15 Bionic chip provides extremely fast speeds, while iOS 15 offers Focus modes, greater notification controls, enhanced privacy features, and ESIM support. Cellular coverage and performance will be top-notch around the world. iCloud+ adds more iCloud storage and improves privacy tools.
While the iPhone 14 is not a major redesign, it is still an impressive series with premium hardware, displays, cameras and the latest software. The devices highlight what’s possible on iPhones and remain among the best smartphones on the market. Whether the improvements over the iPhone 13 line warrant an upgrade will depend on your needs, priorities and current device. But for new iPhone buyers or those looking to switch from Android, the iPhone 14 line absolutely delivers. Overall, the iPhone has remained one of the innovative leaders in smartphones and the iPhone 14 continues that trend.
