We're just hours away from the iPhone 14 line's expected launch, which will take place during the Apple Event on 7 September. Thanks to the rumor mill and lots of leakers, we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect: four new models, two of which have really major upgrades and two of which don't. But while many reports are based on whistle-blowers, industry insiders and careful analysis, some are a lot less credible.
Here are nine iPhone 14 rumors we wouldn't want to bet money on.
1. It won't fold
Don't get us wrong. We like the idea of a folding iPhone as much as the next person. But it's not happening in 2022, and it's probably not happening in 2023 either; one report by a respected industry analyst says that the folding iPhone is pegged for a 2025 release at the earliest, and even that could be subject to change.
2. It won't have Touch ID
While Apple has patented a version of Touch ID that sits under the display, it's highly unlikely to make it into the iPhone 14 without news of that leaking out before now. Whichever version of the iPhone 14 you're interested in, expect to be unlocking it with your face.
3. It probably won't have USB-C
We know USB-C is coming, and it's already in the fourth-generation iPad Air, as well as the current iPad Pro, the latest iPad mini, and the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
But while a switch from Lightning to USB-C was predicted by many outlets for the iPhone 14 earlier this year, well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the iPhone 14 will be the last of the Lightning iPhones, as the move to USB-C won't happen until next year.
4. It won't be portless
This one seems like a reach: the gist of this rumor is that Apple hates USB-C so much, twinned with fact that regulators in the EU are mandating it, that the company is throwing the mother of all huffs and removing all the ports from the iPhone, in much the same way it removed the headphone jack. It's certainly possible to have an iPhone that only charges wirelessly, but we've been hearing this one since the iPhone 12 and we don't think it's any more likely now.
5. There won't be an iPhone 14 mini
We've had endless leaks showing the four iPhone 14 models: the standard iPhone 14, the slightly larger iPhone 14 Plus (or possibly 14 Max), and the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. But a few lone rumors still claim that Apple is going to make an iPhone 14 mini.
We don't see it: even the iPhone SE is rumored to be getting bigger with its next iteration, as Apple dumps its very old design for something much closer to the iPhone XR. If you want a small iPhone, get the SE or the iPhone 13 mini now.
6. The iPhone 14 Pro won't struggle in low light
A few weeks ago we heard that there were some issues with the cameras in the iPhone 14 Pro, leading to poor performance in low light. And that's probably true, but it was also happening during the final testing and optimization period for the device – and given the importance of photography as a selling point for the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, we can't imagine Apple would dare ship a Pro phone with unsolved issues.
Display issues, on the other hand, may be there at launch: reports suggest the Always On display for the Pros is still buggy and Apple is racing to fix it in time for launch. A post-launch iOS 16 update may be on the cards.
7. It won't have 2TB of storage
The iPhone 13 Pro introduced a new 1TB storage option, and there has been lots of speculation that Apple would double that for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. However more credible rumors have quashed that; given that the Pros are already expected to be more expensive, due to their new camera components. A 2TB iPhone Pro Max could be too pricey, even by Apple standards.
8. It probably won't have a periscope zoom lens
The Achilles heel of the iPhone's photography is its lacking optical zoom capabilities: slim phones aren't ideal for zoom, but you can address this with a periscope arrangement that runs inside the phone perpendicular to its back that delivers higher zoom levels without the dreaded artefacts you get from digital zoom. Apple is reportedly planning a periscope lens for the Pro models, but according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that's pegged for 2023.
9. It won't be cheap
Although there's been speculation of price cuts to make the iPhone even more competitive, there are multiple credible reports saying exactly the opposite: Apple has worked hard to keep the entry-level iPhone at the same price as before, but the Pro models and the new Max/Plus model will be more expensive.
The most commonly quoted figure is an additional $100/£100 on top of the current iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max prices, with the new Max/Plus iPhone price somewhere between that of the standard iPhone and the iPhone 14 Pro.
