New Apple Leak Reveals iPhone 14 Release Surprise
Recent iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro leaks have revealed two very different iPhones, with Apple determined to widen the gap between Pro and non-Pro models. The news has split opinions and now differing information surrounding their release has done the same thing.
In recent weeks, contradictory reports have claimed that there will/won't be a delay to the release of some iPhone 14 models. And now one of the most respected industry insiders has twisted the picture one more.
(WWDC), Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has used his Power On newsletter to confirm that next-generation releases of all the company's major platforms will be announced:
"What certainly will be at the conference are significant updates to the company’s core operating systems: iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS. This year’s event is likely to usher in a wider-than-usual breadth of new features," he explains.
Gurman states that new hardware will follow and "the new [MacBook] Air will be the biggest revamp to the device in over a decade". The potential launch of 'realityOS', a platform for Apple's upcoming VR headset, is also mooted but far less certain.
Central to Apple's iPhone plans, however, is iOS 16 and Gurman claims that a core element of the release will be an Always-on display. The interesting aspect around this, however, is Gurman claims it will be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models "if the feature ends up making the cut."
Always-on displays have been a staple of even mid-range Android phones for years, so seeing Apple limit this to its latest flagship models would be another example of how the company is determined to widen the gap between Pro and non-Pro models. Whether this strategy will prove successful or incite fan backlash remains to be seen.
06/07 Update: As expected, Apple officially unveiled iOS 16 yesterday at WWDC and it has set tongues wagging about the iPhone 14. While Apple announced a long list of new features coming to the next-generation release — including a revamped lockscreen with widgets and multiple pages, an upgraded notification system and overhauls of iMessage (edit/recall messages), Apple Pay, voice dictation and a new Safety Check security feature designed to protect people in abusive relationships — the much leaked Always-on display was missing.
This has two clear implications. First, as Gurman warned, the feature may not have made the cut into the final release of iOS 16. Second, the feature is being hidden until the iPhone 14 lineup launches in September. The problem with the latter is it would mean the feature is exclusive, with the company's current iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max models excluded.
And this makes little sense. For starters, leaks report the A16 chip is a relatively minor upgrade from the A15, while the primary requirement for always-on displays are panels which can handle variable refresh rates to conserve battery life.