Looks like my biggest iPhone 14 design fear might come true

There comes a time in every iPhone release cycle when 3D molds of the upcoming models make their way into the wild. It's happened a little earlier than normal this year, with the metal models supposedly leaking this week. And if they're the real deal, they confirm my worst fear about the iPhone 14 line up.

The models, which appeared on Chinese social media site Weibo last night reveal four iPhone 14 models in two sizes – 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches. And if these are the correct sizes, it can only mean one thing – the iPhone mini is indeed facing the chop.  (Check out the best iPhone 13 mini deals before it disappears.) 

Yep, as has been rumoured for a while, it seems fans of bigger phones are in for a treat with the iPhone 14 line up. It won't just be the Pro range that offers a 'Max' model – we're said to be getting a standard iPhone 14 Max this time around, and the leaked molds, spotted by MacRumors, show exactly that. 

The other big(ish) change is that the camera bumps have grown once again. I was a little worried that the bump was getting too big, but it doesn't look too much here – indeed, I'm not seeing much difference from the iPhone 13 Pro. And hey, if it allows for a much better camera, so be it.

But what I'm really going to miss is the mini. The writing's been on the wall for a while, with both the iPhone 12 mini and 13 mini reported to have suffered from, erm, mini sales. But I've always preferred the smaller iPhone sizes, – the mini was the first phone in years that offered up-to-the-minute performance within a tiny body. I'm not desperate to carry an IMAX display in my pocket, and can actually reach the corner of the iPhone 13 mini display to activate Control Centre without doing myself an injury. But it seems I'm part of a dying breed, and the big screen brigade will be pleased to hear that a cheaper 'Max' option might be on the way.

Time will tell if these molds prove to be accurate – if previous years are anything to go by, we'll see the iPhone 14 line up arrive in September. In the meantime, take a look at today's best iPhone 13 mini deals below if you want to grab a small iPhone while you can.

Read more:

• Apple iPhone 13 review
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• MacBook Air 2022: from specs to design, here's what we know