Apple’s iPhone 14: Dependable and boring, and that’s okay

What you need to know before splurging on an iPhone 14 or 14 Pro

How near? In our digital camera checks, we needed to examine one shot for 15 minutes to tell if it was other than a take on a 3-12 months-old iPhone 11 Pro. “Solid however subtle” is how we might describe the iPhone 14 improvement, along with a layout that’s barely changed in three years, an emergency satellite tv for pc connection we hope you’ll by no means need, modest battery gains, and a new shape for the front cutout on the 14 Pro fashions.

Gone are the days whilst iPhone updates bring gotta-improve-now improvements for each person, but thousands and thousands of people will possibly purchase a brand new iPhone besides. It’s like staying with an awesome existence partner long after the spark is gone.

The question in recent times isn’t whether to improve your iPhone, but while. To assist you to make a decision, we’re answering questions we’ve heard from Washington Post readers via our internet site, email, and Instagram

To start, the Help Desk made a quiz to reply to the maximum important query: Do you want a new cellphone?

Then, we focused no longer simply on how the iPhone 14 compares with the ultimate year’s iPhone 13 — however as a substitute, on what you might revel in coming from an iPhone 11, XS, eight, or maybe older.

The basics

Apple has 4 new iPhones with acquainted costs, but the lineup is a bit exceptional this year. The well-known iPhone 14 ($799+) sports an acquainted design and final yr’s processor, and it will likely be joined on Oct. 7 by a 14 Plus version ($899+) with a larger display screen and longer battery life.

Apple saved tons of amusing stuff, like the quicker A16 Bionic processor, a constantly-on show, and an adorable new use for the front-digicam cutout called Dynamic Island, for the iPhone 14 Pro ($999+) and Pro Max ($1,099+).

So, should you go to Pro? Those phones are supposed for those who are more obsessive over some features. We’ve found that the Pro models can do a few tasks, like rendering some movies, slightly faster than the standard 14, but the difference is imperceptible in ordinary use. The Pro displays are smoother and brighter, too, even though that won't suggest tons to people who don’t play graphically rich video games or spend a whole lot of time outside.

What about going Pro for the camera? It’s worth it, but it facilitates if you want to spend time poring over your shots. (See our accessible digital camera comparisons below.)

One of the maximum-hyped new features across all of the iPhone 14 models is Apple’s Emergency SOS through satellite feature. You’ll be able to text key information like location and your circumstance, to emergency responders in case you’re caught someplace without a cell provider, plus share your region with others at the same time as you’re off the grid. (Sorry, you may satellite-text your friends.)

Alas, we haven’t been able to test this — it gained’t be equipped until November.

What’s the cope with eSIMs?

All iPhone 14 models sold within the United States are built to paintings completely with embedded SIMs, or eSIMs, and to this point, the switch has been painless. Activating the cellphone with a demo line of provider took about a minute, and moving a personal smartphone range from a bodily SIM card took a minute and a half — and zero calls to customer support.

But a few vacationers wrote in to mention they're concerned approximately taking this stuff overseas. Prepaid cellphone provider thru eSIM has grown extra, not unusual in the previous few years and many predominant travel destinations have neighborhood providers that provide eSIM provider without an awful lot of fuss. Even so, it could now not be long earlier than we begin listening to approximate issues – weird side cases may be sort of unavoidable whilst you’re journeying.

How a great deal higher is the digital camera?

“Tell me why the digital camera in the new 14 fashions is higher than the digicam inside the eleven Pro Max,” asked Vicki from Florida. To a few, a higher digicam is the No. 1 motive to improve, and people like Vicki are probably amazed.

For our assessments, Chris hit the metropolis with a stack full of iPhones from many years, as well as some Android competitors. Then he took identical pictures of each of them and asked Geoffrey (who didn’t know which image came from which phone) to pick out the high-quality snapshots.

Geoffrey chose the iPhone 14 Pro shots whenever. That approach that the digicam definitely is better, mainly at picking up detail and capturing in darkish conditions — an end result of the manner its 48-megapixel foremost digicam sensor acts like a 12-megapixel sensor to seize milder.

But keep in thoughts, in a few cases, Geoffrey had to spend quite a chunk of time zooming into the pixels just to have the ability to tell the distinction. In a few instances, he nearly chose the shot from the iPhone eleven Pro — and there had been even cases wherein an old-timey iPhone 7 shot appeared simply satisfactory, too.

The variations are especially hard to spot while you’re capturing throughout the day, or in a brightly lit room. Take a gander at these photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge, taken on a Sunday afternoon:

Who it’s not for

If you’re in the use of an iPhone 12 or more modern, look forward to the following batch. Upgrade while it feels right to you. There are a few nifty techs inside the 14, however, we’re all about getting as a good deal use as viable from our gadgets before upgrading.

The iPhone 14 is likewise not for people who opt for smaller telephones. If you’re worried about this, try closing yr’s iPhone 13 mini for $599, or cast your eye over to Samsung’s $999 Galaxy Z Flip 4, a smartphone that folds over like a flip phone.

Who it’s for

For those who haven’t gotten a brand-new phone in four or extra years, the iPhone 14 is a satisfactory location to begin.

The A15 Bionic processor internal is greater than effective enough in your daily ordinary and must remain for decades of software program updates. The battery lasts best an hour longer than at the iPhone thirteen, but Apple has made large improvements over the last 5 years, jumping from 13 hours of video playback in 2017’s iPhone X to twenty hours in the iPhone 14. We’ve controlled to use it for full running days with enough electricity left to capture up on emails tomorrow.

But wait: “Is it similar to the iPhone 12?” reader Pablo Beltrán asked on Instagram. The design of the 14, thirteen, and 12 do appear almost identical. And the 2020s iPhone 12 is now a respectable deal: It helps 5G networks and has a barely inferior camera and battery. Apple is now promoting the iPhone 12 for $599 — $two hundred much less than the new version. (Don’t neglect, for $429, you may also buy an iPhone SE, which resembles a vintage iPhone eight but is as fast as an iPhone 13.)

One greater query on fee: “What makes it so luxurious,” Seungmin Ryu asked on Instagram. Apple didn’t improve its costs this year, but right here’s our recommendation: Don’t pay full price. Between exchange-in offers and promotions out of your wireless provider, you ought to be able to select nearly any new iPhone at a strong cut price.