iPhone 14 could have a massive camera upgrade

iPhone 12 Pro Max
The iPhone 12 Pro Max (Image credit: Future)

While most rumors point to the iPhone 13 range being a small upgrade on the iPhone 12 series, there could be big changes planned for the iPhone 14 range, including a new 48MP camera.

That’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a great track record on Apple information) in a research note seen by iMore. The note says that this camera (which is up from just 12MP on the iPhone 12 range) will also be capable of recording 8K video, up from just 4K currently.

According to Kuo, this camera upgrade is destined for the “high-end” models, suggesting that only the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will get it.

No more minis

That’s not the only big change that might be coming though, as Kuo also says that there won’t be an iPhone 14 mini. Instead, there will apparently be an extra 6.7-inch model.

So if this is correct you’ll be able to buy a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max (or whatever Apple decides to call this new model), and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.

It’s expected that there will be an iPhone 13 mini, but it sounds like that might be the final mini model. This isn’t totally surprising though, as reports have long suggested the iPhone 12 mini hasn’t met Apple’s sales expectations, and there’s always potentially new iPhone SE models for those who want a compact handset.

Looking further ahead, Kuo reiterates claims that the iPhone 15 range in 2023 might have a periscope camera, offering a more long-distance optical zoom. He also states that these phones might have under-display Face ID, presumably a bit like the under-display selfie camera we’ve seen on the ZTE Axon 20 5G. That in turn suggests the iPhone 15 might not have a notch.

If this all pans out then the iPhone models launching in 2022 and 2023 could be very exciting, it’s just a shame the ones landing this year might only be small upgrades.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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