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28.06. updated below. This post was originally published on June 25th
Apple’s iPhone 14 design changes were leaked months ago, but speculation about their performance has proved far more controversial. And now a new leak has tongues wagging about their battery life.
Shared by credible industry insiders ShrimpApplePro, a new post from Baidu has reportedly released the battery capacities for all iPhone 14 models. This is the first time capacities have been reported for the new range, and while three models have received minor battery increases, a drop in the iPhone 14 Pro may mean your money is better spent elsewhere. [06/25 update – Baidu post now removed, this is often seen as a sign of accuracy because accurate data is more sensitive and posters come under significant pressure but it is impossible to know for sure]
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max renders based on leaked schematics
The leak breaks down battery capacities as follows:
- iPhone 14 – 3279mAh (iPhone 13 – 3,227mAh)
- iPhone 14 Max – 4325mAh (N / A)
- iPhone 14 Pro – 3200mAh (iPhone 13 Pro – 3,095mAh)
- iPhone 14 Pro Max – 4323mAh (iPhone 3 Pro Max – 4,352mAh)
The big news comes from the big phones, and if those numbers are right, there’s every chance the new iPhone 14 Max will outlast the flagship iPhone 14 Pro Max.
6/27 update: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has shared a wealth of information about Apple’s upcoming products, including the iPhone 14 range, in his latest issue Power-On Newsletter.
In addition to leaks surrounding a range of new M2-based devices – Mac Mini, Mac Pro and iPad Pro models coming “later this year” with a variety of M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max, M2 Ultra – and M2 Extreme chips are coming, a moderate Apple Watch 8 upgrade with the same chipset as the Watch 7, a second-gen HomePod and AirPods Pro, and an A14-based Apple TV — Gurman also detailed several iPhone 14 upgrades.
“Like the Apple Watch, the iPhone 14 Pro will be able to display widgets showing weather, calendar, stocks, activity and other data while keeping the screen at a low brightness and frame rate,” Gurman wrote, adding his weight Revealing the iOS 16 beta code which hinted at the feature earlier this month.
Gurman adds more details, saying, “There will be a setting — also like the Apple Watch — that will prevent sensitive data from appearing on the lock screen for everyone to see.” This would address one of the major concerns iPhone users have about have expressed this function.
Gurman also doubles down on previous industry leaks, saying iPhone 14 Pro models will have “a much-improved front camera, a new rear camera system with a 48-megapixel sensor, thinner bezels, a faster A16 chip, and a redesigned notch with a pill-shaped cutout for Face.” ID and a hole punch for the camera.”
On the other hand, standard models will generate “less excitement” because “the lower-end phones remain with the same A15 chip as the iPhone 13, although the 5.4-inch mini size is replaced by a 6.7-inch model.” will be replaced”. Meanwhile, despite the entry-level iPad Switch to USB-C in autumnGurman says iPhone 14 models will stay with Lightning for another year, with the transition occurring in 2023. Whether the inclusion of a soon-to-be legacy port will deter potential upgraders in 2022, only time will tell.
28.06. Update: What will be, will be! A new report from a tech site and supply chain specialist Digitimes claims that the components for the iPhone 14 lineup have now been finalized and shipping has begun.
Citing supply chain sources in Taiwan, Digitimes says the components – which are sourced from numerous different suppliers – were shipped to Apple’s manufacturing partners, the largest and longest-running of which is Foxconn. These components will be stored before mass production begins in the next 1-2 months ahead of the line’s traditional September/October release.
The big news in this development is twofold. Firstly, specs for the new phones are a barrier. Apple has the option to switch suppliers mid-cycle, but only for comparable components (e.g. identical battery capacities, camera resolutions, etc.). The company hasn’t upgraded iPhone specs for any model since sales started. This would erode buyer confidence and risk creating a wait-and-watch upgrade approach.
This can be seen even when it has a detrimental effect, such as when it became clear that the iPhone 12 Mini’s battery life was poor. Instead, Apple waited until the iPhone 13 Mini to make improvements.
Second, leaks around the iPhone 14 series are now likely to worsen. That might seem surprising given the many leaks, but the security that Apple has enforced so far tends to be lost when thousands of production lines and tens of thousands of workers start mass production. Expect photos of components and the phones themselves at various stages of the production process to be leaked in the coming weeks and months.
Where potential controversy lies for the iPhone 14 models lies in the greater difference between the lines this year. The iPhone 14 Pro models will come with a new i-shaped dual-cutout display with polarized opinion, an even larger camera hump and a next-gen chipset significantly faster than its predecessor.
In contrast, it will be difficult to tell the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 apart. Its successor is expected to have an identical exterior design, camera specs, and chipset. The new phones can have 50% more memory but right now, all the indications are that the standard models will be the biggest incremental iPhone upgrade yet.
If you’re disappointed with that and want to go pro, it looks like you will be also pay more. Apple has widened the gap between its iPad, Mac, MacBook, and even AirPods lines in recent years, and iPhones are catching up. It’s a strategy that may not be universally popular, but there’s no denying its success.
The reason for this isn’t the slight difference in their battery capacity, but what they’re being asked to do. iPhone 14 Pro models feature 48-megapixel sensors, meaning they can handle file sizes four times larger than the 12-megapixel sensor retained by standard models. They are also expected to have more RAM, meaning higher performance but increased battery drain.
Whether new efficiencies from the Pro-exclusive A16 chipset and new DDR5 RAM can make up for that remains to be seen, but with the iPhone 14 Max expected to cost $300 less, it could be a tempting downgrade for those fascinated by the reported price increases of the iPhone 14 Pro. The iPhone 14 Max is also a dramatic improvement over its predecessor, the iPhone 13 Mini (2,406mAh), where battery life was its biggest downside.
Apple iPhone 14 range based on multiple leaks
Looking more broadly, the minor battery increases for the rest of the range are also telling. After being overshadowed by major Android phones for several generations, the iPhone 13 range was a huge leap forward and there was hope that Apple would try to extend its lead over the competition after the success of its M1-based MacBooks ahead in battery life were delivered by Intel- and AMD-based competitors.
It’s worth noting that ShrimpApplePro has some doubts about the numbers and writes “Hmmm” afterwards, but the leaker also has a story where it only shared accurate information. So the reaction could be more focused on Apple’s strategy than the leak itself.
This strategy would certainly be a gamble. Since the launch of the iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, Apple’s largest and most expensive model has always had the best battery life. That seems to be under serious threat now, making the iPhone 14 Max much more appealing. Additionally, with Pro models ditching Lightning for USB-C in 2023, skipping iPhone 14 Pro models altogether in 2022 might be the smartest option.
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