The latest iPhone 15 is now available, which makes it a tricky time for the iPhone 14. Now that we can buy the newest model, is it still worth getting the iPhone 14 on a plan?
It’s a tough argument to make, because the iPhone 15 comes with a number of key upgrades including a 48MP main sensor for the rear camera array – a significant improvement over the 12MP lens on the iPhone 14. However, if you’re not too fussed on the updates and you’d prefer to save a little money instead, you’ll pay a lower price for an iPhone 14 plan, with your most affordable option coming from Vodafone.
Apple has officially dropped the RRP of the iPhone 14 by AU$100, meaning prices now start at AU$1,299 for the 128GB model. Both Vodafone and Telstra are already reflecting this price drop on their websites, but unfortunately Optus is selling the handset for AU$1,399 at the time of writing. Keep an eye out for good outright discounts on the iPhone 14, as buying the handset this way will let you pair it with one of the best SIM-only plans.
Best iPhone 14 plans: our picks
Best overall iPhone 14 plan
Best premium iPhone 14 plan
Cheap iPhone 14 plans
If you want to snag the iPhone 14 for the cheapest monthly price, you’ll be looking to get the 128GB model on a 36-month contract. This will shrink your monthly phone repayments, but you’ll end up being tied to your telco for longer, meaning you could be missing out on cheaper SIM-only plans. Alternatively, you could consider leasing the phone from Numobile.
Compare iPhone 14 plans
Apple’s iPhone 14 is the standard model in the series, with a 6.1-inch display and the same A15 Bionic chip that was available in 2021’s iPhone 13. It had a starting price of AU$1,399 when it first launched, but it’s now dropped to AU$1,299 thanks to the release of the iPhone 15. Below we have three comparison tables of how much it costs from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone:
iPhone 14 @ Telstra (24m term)
| Storage | Basic (40GB) | Essential (180GB) | Premium (300GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | AU$116.12 | AU$126.12 | AU$129.12 |
| 256GB | AU$124.45 | AU$134.45 | AU$137.45 |
| 512GB | AU$139.04 | AU$149.04 | AU$152.04 |
iPhone 14 @ Optus (24m term)
| Storage | S (30GB) | M (100GB) | L (220GB) | XL (360GB) | Plus (500GB)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | AU$107.29 | AU$117.29 | AU$127.29 | AU$147.29 | AU$127.29 |
| 256GB | AU$114.79 | AU$124.79 | AU$134.79 | AU$154.79 | AU$134.79 |
| 512GB | AU$128.11 | AU$138.11 | AU$148.11 | AU$168.11 | AU$148.11 |
* AU$69p/m price for first 12 months, then reverts to AU$89p/m.
iPhone 14 @ Vodafone (24m term)
| Storage | Small (40GB) | Medium (150GB) | Large (300GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | AU$99.12 | AU$109.12 | AU$119.12 |
| 256GB | AU$107.45 | AU$117.45 | AU$127.45 |
| 512GB | AU$122.04 | AU$132.04 | AU$142.04 |
Outright iPhone 14 deals
The iPhone 14 range is available to buy outright from these major retailers:
| Storage | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | AU$1,399 | AU$1,579 | AU$1,899 |
| Colours | Black, white, red, blue, purple, yellow | Black, white, red, blue, purple, yellow | Black, white, red, blue, purple, yellow |
iPhone 14 at a glance: what you need to know
OS: iOS 16 | Screen size: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (up to 60Hz) | Resolution: 2532 x 1170 | CPU: Apple A15 | Memory: 6GB RAM | Weight: 172g | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | Battery: 3,279mAh | Rear camera: 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide| Front camera: 12MP
Apple hasn’t introduced any radical changes to the iPhone 14. Instead, it’s a mostly minor upgrade that still features last year’s design, last year’s screen and last year’s processor. It’s hard to feel excited about a device that’s really a refinement of the iPhone 13, which itself was a small refresh of the iPhone 12.
The iPhone 14 sports the now familiar squared-off design, and the notch remains at the top of the screen. Its 6.1-inch display is also the same as the iPhone 13, though the A15 Bionic processor inside the iPhone 14 has been marginally boosted, matching that of the iPhone 13 Pro. It’s not what we were hoping for, but the A15 Bionic is still more powerful than several of its Android rivals.
There have been upgrades to the camera system. The 12MP main and 12MP ultrawide lenses come with new sensors, which Apple says improves low-light performance, and the 12MP front camera now has autofocus.
The iPhone 14 range is also equipped with Apple’s Photonic Engine that improves on its existing computational photography prowess. As with all other smartphone camera brands, it uses AI (what Apple calls Deep Fusion neural processing) to better handle automatic/behind-the-scenes editing, even those shot in the uncompressed RAW format. Cinematic Mode has been upgraded to support 4K video at 30fps, and a brand-new Action Mode works to remove shaky blurs from your videos.
Battery life has also slightly improved, and a new satellite SOS system enables emergency alerts and crash detection should you ever need it. Overall, we’d say the real iPhone upgrades in 2022 have been reserved for the more premium 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, which comes with the new A16 Bionic chip, more camera upgrades, and a completely new take on the notch.
