A new range of iPhones is on its way soon, and the leaks and rumours so far have been pretty compelling – well, at least when it comes to the two premium models. In contrast, the two lower-end phones (iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max) look like having only minor upgrades. However, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max seem like they'll be a huge step up from their current equivalents. And the latest leak has us more excited than ever. (Don't fancy waiting? Check out the best iPhone 13 Pro deals available now).
According to supply-chain sources quoted in Digitimes, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will both feature 6GB of RAM using a faster memory type called LPDDR5. Put this together with the earlier rumour that they'll sport the A16 Bionic processor – a vast improvement on the A15 in the iPhone 13 series – and we can expect significantly improved performance in these two phones, widely expected to launch in mid-September.
In practical terms, that means apps should load quicker, games should be smoother and more responsive... pretty much everything should be faster and easier, basically. However, we're not expecting the same bump from the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max, which will also have 6GB RAM but with the less speedy LPDDR4X memory type, and the same A15 processor as the iPhone 13.
Upgrading from the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini (above) to their iPhone 14 equivalents might not be that exciting (Image credit: Apple)
This divergence between the basic iPhone 14 models and the premium ones reflects other leaks and rumours we've been hearing to date, from the likes of Jon Prosser, Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young. For example, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are expected to have larger camera bumps thanks to a new 48MP sensor, which will capture much more detail than the 12MP sensor in the 13 Pro. These models (but not the two cheaper ones) are also predicted to get an Always-On Display.
Plus, as you'd expect, the premium phones are tipped to have larger screens. Leaks suggest they'll be 6.7 inches in diameter, with 1284 x 2778 resolution, compared with a 6.1-inch, 1170 x 2532 screen in the two cheaper models. We're also predicting a 120Hz refresh rate on the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max models, but 60Hz refresh rate on 14 and 14 Max.
As ever, we should stress that this is all unofficial, and yet to be confirmed by Apple. Yet the picture that seems to be emerging is that upgrading to the new iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Max won't make the biggest change in your life... but spending a little more to get an iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max may well rock your world. In the meantime, if you need an iPhone right now, check our guides to the best iPhone 13 deals and the best iPhone 13 mini prices.
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Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects.
