Playing True or False With iPhone 14 Rumors: Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

John Velasco

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We’re still a long way away from Apple officially announcing its next iPhone, but there are plenty of rumors swirling on the prized flagship. As you would imagine, the next iPhone is always a hot topic the moment the previous one goes on sale because, let’s face it, everyone is captivated about all-things iPhone.

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As the world waits for the next iteration of the iPhone, Apple usually remains very tightlipped until after they’ve scheduled a formal launch event, most often around October. Until then, rumors fill the void, and it can be very difficult to tell the difference between genuine leaks, educated guesses and wild rumors. Lately, we’ve seen iPhone 14 rumors about foldable screens, updated camera specs, the return of Touch ID and more “news” we won’t dignify by repeating here.

SPY reached out to Apple for comment on the latest iPhone 14 rumors, but they haven’t provided a statement so far. If we hear back, we’ll be sure to update this story with more information.

The Latest iPhone 14 Rumors, News & Leaks

The latest rumors indicate that Apple will have a laundry list of product unveilings for its fall event. Still, we can also anticipate the possibility of seeing other announcements earlier in the year. For example, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who has a reputable track record with leaks, recently said that the company would likely launch a new version of its budget-friendly iPhone SE and a new iPad Air — both obviously upgraded with new internals, like the 5G support for the new iPhone SE and an A15 Bionic chip for the new iPad Air.

Later in the year, however, is when he says Apple is expected to make an impression with a slew of products.

“I’m told that Apple is readying the widest array of new hardware products in its history this fall,” Gurman wrote in his latest newsletter entry. While this isn’t technically out of the norm, it will cover the gamut — beyond just its iPhones and iPads. “My back-of-the-envelope list includes four new iPhones, a low-end MacBook Pro, an updated iMac, the new Mac Pro, a revamped MacBook Air, an AirPods Pro upgrade, three Apple Watches, a low-end iPad, and iPad Pros.”

Needless to say, the iPhone 14 series is, without a doubt going to be the show-stealer amongst the group. At the very least, we can expect new iterations of the existing line — so that consists of the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max. Here’s what you should know about the upcoming smartphones and what we think about them.

A More Flush Design

Apple’s designs are legendary, but you could say that the company hasn’t been as perfectionist with its designs since the Steve Jobs days. The camera humps on the back, and the prominent notch on the front are two aesthetic details of the most recent iPhone series that stand out. Based on the latest leaks, though, it looks like they’re the two elements of design that Apple may address the most.

The days of an iPhone design with completely flush surfaces ended with the iPhone 6 series, which had slightly protruding camera lenses on the back. That trend continued with each successive iPhone, with eventually the square-shaped hump we see in the last couple of iPhone releases. Jobs’ probably rolling in his grave with this design decision since it took away from the iPhone’s more seamless aesthetics.

Luckily, the leaks are promising — evident in Jon Prosser’s posting back in September 2021. The reputable leaker shared unofficial renders of the iPhone 14 Pro Max with flush cameras on the back of the phone while featuring a punch hole for the front-facing camera. Gone apparently will be the god-awful camera hump we’ve been subjected to with the last few iPhone generations, so we’re crossing our fingers that it’s a return to form.

However, Apple will achieve the flush design by making the iPhone 14 Pro Max thicker. This adjustment shouldn’t be too bad of a compromise if it gets improved battery life in the process. Complementing the updated design is also the punch hole for the front-facing camera, which would also replace the ginormous notch we’ve seen ever since the iPhone X. The notch has been a necessary design because it hides all of the Face ID sensors.

Even though Prosser’s unofficial renders make us excited for an iPhone 4-esque design, it’s anyone’s guess what may actually turn up come the fall. Another design could very well make a lasting impression.

Going After the Foldable Market: Is a Folding iPhone 14 on the Horizon?

Yes, foldables have been all the rage the last couple of years. Samsung, Huawei, and even Motorola have all brought to market their respective foldables, but Apple has been sitting silently on the sidelines. It begs the question if Apple sees promise in the unique form factor.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be actually getting a foldable iPhone this year. Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo has indicated that 2023 would be a more likely time frame, aligning with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman’s prediction. Whether Apple goes with a design that folds vertically or horizontally, it’ll be interesting to see Apple’s spin on the unique design. But then again, it’s difficult for us to believe that Apple would simply follow industry design standards.

That’s because the company is known for starting to establish new trends, not just jumping on the bandwagon just for the sake of being in there. Take, for example, Apple’s past efforts, like popularizing video chat with FaceTime, bringing rich details to our eyes with its Retina Display, or how Apple Pay has dominated mobile payments.

Knowing all of this makes it hard to believe that Apple is simply betting on a foldable design to evolve its iPhones. We have more ambitious expectations, but analyst Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy agrees we’ll need to wait longer for a foldable iPhone.

“Foldables are becoming the de facto premium device, and I do believe that if Android foldables improve the experience even further, Apple could start to lose customers to Android OEMs like Samsung, who already have pretty mature foldables,” explained Sag. “I think Apple will probably wait a bit longer before it decides to launch a foldable. Not saying that they won’t, but I think the technology and, more importantly, the software needs more time to evolve.”

The Return of Touch ID

While unlocking phones with a fingerprint has been around for a long time, it was Apple who seemingly gave it broader adoption with the introduction of Touch ID. The convenience of unlocking the iPhone with a mere touch of a finger certainly made it easy for everyone, but Apple phased it out in favor of Face ID — first introduced with the iPhone X.

Given how more people frequently wear face masks, which initially gave Face ID trouble recognizing iPhone owners, we’re happy for Touch ID’s possible return. There have been reports of Apple bringing back this sought-out feature, going as far back as 2019, but it looks like we’ll have to wait longer.

That said, another report from Kuo makes it look more promising for Apple to bring it back with its iPhones in 2023. Meaning it won’t come in this year’s iPhone 14 batch — waiting instead for the following iPhone 15 lineup. Now that’s hard to believe, given how relatively ubiquitous in-screen fingerprint sensors have become in the space. Initially, it was reserved for high-end devices, but it has since moved into mid-range devices.

Want Official News on the iPhone 14? Be Prepared to Wait

We’re still less than a month into 2022, so we have plenty of time before Apple officially introduces the iPhone 14. Whatever’s decided, you can bet it’s going to be the gadget that will garner the most attention this year — hardly a surprise because that’s how it’s been.

The leaks will get juicier as we near September when Apple holds its launch event for the iPhone. Apple has always been regarded with high esteem, which is probably why the company has frequently been thought of as a trendsetter. That’s true to an extent because people sometimes forget that it’s much more than just bringing revolutionary devices to market.

Anshel Sag explained it in the best way possible during our conservation. “Apple deserves [credit] for making markets,” remarked Sag. “But it also gets credited far too much as an innovator when it’s really the best at refining a technology and making it accessible.”

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