iPhone 14 has a Plus variant with a 6.7-inch screen and last year’s A15 processor
Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 14 at its "Far Out" event on Wednesday, and it seems mostly like an iterative upgrade over last year's models. We do have a new Plus model this year (that would be the iPhone 14 Plus), which features a 6.7-inch display. The standard iPhone 14 has a 6.1-inch display. And, contrary to what the rumor mill was speculating, the front camera notch is still there.
Both the iPhone 14 models have the same Super Retina display that goes up to 1,200 nits, and feature a ceramic shield covering for scratch protection. The devices are available in five colors, including new blue and purple shades.
In addition to bigger screens, the iPhone 14 line has longer battery life, with Apple claiming the Plus delivers the best battery life ever in an iPhone. They're also powered by the same A15 Bionic processor as last year's iPhones. The most significant updates appear to be related to the cameras, with a new 12-megapixel main camera that boasts a larger sensor and bigger pixels, sized at 1.9 microns. Video recording is also getting a new feature called Action Mode, which stabilizes shaky footage as you're recording.
Another notable change this year is the removal of the physical SIM card tray. With US carriers more widely supporting eSIMs, Apple is getting rid of the slot on the edge of the iPhone so that users no longer have to fiddle with the tiny bits of plastic and can instead get their phones provisioned remotely.
The company also introduced a new service called Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple "designed and built custom components and specific software so that iPhone 14 antennas can connect to satellites' unique frequencies," it claims. A new app will show you where to point your phone to establish a connection when you're out in the wilderness, so you can get a satellite link and send your emergency message. The app also reduces the number of keystrokes you'll need to enter, by offering templates and asking questions about your situation (like the terrain you're in), so you can get help in the quickest way.
You can also use some of the new Emergency SOS features while you're hiking using Find My, so you don't need to be in a crisis situation to use it. The service launches in November and will be free for two years with the iPhone 14 in the US and Canada. No word yet on how much Apple intends to charge after that time.
The iPhone 14 starts at $799 while the Plus starts at $899 and they'll be available to pre-order on September 9th. The base model will be available on September 16th, while the Plus comes out on October 7th.
Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.