If you believe the rumours, the Pro iPhones will stand out even more clearly in the future. That’s bold, but it could work.
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The next generation of Pro iPhones could usher in a new era.
As it stands, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro aren’t all that different. Here is their comparison:
iPhone 13 |
iPhone 13 Pro |
|
---|---|---|
camera |
12MP wide |
12MP Wide |
12MP ultra wide |
12MP ultrawide |
|
12MP 3x telephoto |
||
screen |
60Hz OLED |
120Hz ProMotion OLED |
processor |
A15 (4-core GPU) |
A15 (5-core GPU) |
material |
glass, aluminum |
glass, stainless steel |
These are all relatively small differences, so the choice should be fairly straightforward. The iPhone 13 Pro is one of Apple’s best-selling phones, largely due to these small differences. The iPhone 13 is already a pro device for most people, and most buyers will know right away if the upgrades are worth the extra $250.
But the iPhone 14 will reportedly change the way Apple differentiates between its Standard and Pro models. The differences are rumored to be much bigger than any previous phone and could make the non-Pro iPhones look a lot inferior. Here’s what we’re expecting based on the rumors.
iPhone 14 |
iPhone 14 Pro |
|
---|---|---|
design |
notches |
Pill/Punch Hole |
camera |
12MP Wide |
48MP Wide |
12MP ultra wide |
12MP ultra wide |
|
12MP 3x telephoto |
||
screen |
60Hz OLED |
120Hz ProMotion OLED |
processor |
A15 (5-core GPU) |
A16 |
materials |
glass, aluminium |
Glass, stainless steel, titanium |
That’s a much bigger difference in features than in previous years – and the latest leaks suggest the bezels could also be noticeably thinner. Put it all together and the iPhone 14 Pro becomes one of the biggest generational leaps since the iPhone X, which really separates the two models. Indeed, with the same design, processor, and camera hardware, it’s going to be harder to tell the iPhone 14 apart from the iPhone 13, assuming Apple continues to sell it at a discounted price.
Next to the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 14 will look like last year’s smartphone, and with the same processor, it’ll be hard for Apple to justify a switch. Not so with the iPhone 14 Pro.
Apple’s move is certainly tactical. And it might work. When Apple raised the price of the iPhone X to €1149, it was the first thousand-dollar phone and a huge leap from the iPhone 8 Plus, which was priced at €909. But before long, smartphones in the four-figure range became commonplace, and Apple showed that its premium claim wasn’t crazy.
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The iPhone 14 will reportedly feature two Max models – but one of them will be far better.
The same could happen with the iPhone 14 Pro. By adding features and value to the Pro line, the iPhone could make its four-figure price tag significantly more palatable. The rumored updates are some of the biggest in years, and buyers could suddenly flock to the Pro lineup. And if they’re coming from an iPhone 12 or earlier, the iPhone 14 Pro will seem like an entirely new device.
However, by crippling the iPhone 14, Apple also risks upsetting its loyal customers. Pro or not, customers have become accustomed to one standard across the entire iPhone range, and the iPhone 14 threatens to change that. Without meaningful changes and with the same processor, the iPhone 14 could come across as a disappointment for people who don’t want to spend that much on a new iPhone. But that’s where the iPhone 14 Max comes in. Even though it shares the same processor and design, the iPhone 14 Max is a new addition to Apple’s entry-level models and will make the lack of other features far easier to cope with. And it also serves as an entry point into the Pro range, if not with the iPhone 14 then with the 15 or 16.
Apple has a knack for not only knowing what people want, but also striking at just the right time. And the iPhone 14 could be another success in a long line of victories.
This post first appeared on our American sister publication, Macworld.com.
Tag: iphone design, iphone 14, apple iphone, iphone release