The recent iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro leaks have revealed two very different iPhones, in which Apple is determined to widen the gap between Pro and non-Pro models. Opinions are rife with this news and now the various information surrounding their release has done just that.
In recent weeks, conflicting reports have claimed that the release of some iPhone 14 models will not be delayed. And now the most prestigious figures in the industry have given the picture another twist.
Ahead of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has used his Power On Newsletter to confirm that the next generation of releases for all of the company’s major platforms will be announced:
“What the conference will definitely have are significant updates for the company’s main operating systems: iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS. This year’s event is expected to include more comprehensive new features than ever before,” he explains. .
Gurman says the new hardware will follow, and “the new [MacBook] Air will be the biggest device of the decade.” The potential launch of ‘realityOS’, the platform for Apple’s upcoming VR headset, is also certain but far less certain.
Central to Apple’s iPhone plans, however, is iOS 16, and Gurman claims that the main component of the release will be the always-on display. The interesting aspect around this, however, is that Gurman claims that it will be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models “if the feature is cut.”
The ever-present display has been a major component of even mid-range Android phones for many years, so seeing that Apple has limited it to its latest flagship models will be another example of how the company decides to widen the gap between pro and non-pro models. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will succeed or provoke a reaction from the fans.
In a series of tweets, Ming-chi Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities, disputed a recent report by ET News that supply issues had forced Apple to install a front-facing camera module for the iPhone 15 earlier this year at a high cost.
“This report is not entirely consistent with my understanding,” Kuo explains. “1. If LG Innotek 2Q22 becomes the iPhone 14 front camera supplier, it would be almost impossible to meet the development schedule for the 2H22 iPhone 14. 2. I believe that Apple has already chosen LG Innotek and Cowell as the iPhone 14 front camera. Supplier in the latest 4Q21. “
This is in line with Kuo’s earlier claims that the iPhone 14 product is “currently under control.” That said, Jeff Pu, an analyst at Nikkei Asia and Haitong International Securities, believes the supply of the iPhone 14 Max has been delayed by nearly a month.
Similarly, Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) and one of the most accurate industry insiders, has countered that “iPhone 14 Max panel shipments have always lagged behind”. As a result, Apple is heading for a second iPhone split release in the last five years (iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 Mini), the second in iPhone history (iPhone 8 / iPhone X).
Dividing insiders in this way is surprising, since historically the leaks surrounding the iPhone release have been consistently consistent. This is due to the global method of mass production of the iPhone, even Apple’s secret skills can’t stop the flow of leaks due to product cranking.
Whether split release or not, the most divisive aspect of the iPhone 14 launch is likely to be the phone itself. The standard iPhone 14 models will have the same design, chipset and rear camera as the iPhone 13 lineup, while the iPhone 14 Pro models will come with upgrades and matching prices in all three segments.
It remains to be seen how iPhone fans will respond to Apple’s aggressive efforts to sell these more expensive models to buyers.