iPhone 14 Pro leak suggests camera has 'some issues' - but it could be amazing
But there's still work to be done
The rumors and leaks around the iPhone 14 continue to roll in – we're just a month away from the phone's expected launch now – and the latest unofficial tidbits to appear online give us an idea of what we can expect from the rear camera on the new Pro models.
According to a source speaking to well-known tipster LeaksApplePro, the 48MP rear camera sensor being introduced on the Pro models this year is "the best one in a smartphone if there’s enough light", which sounds promising.
Less promising is the news that night mode has "some issues" to solve before it's ready, and is currently actually worse than the iPhone 13 Pro. Bear in mind though that iOS 16 is still being tested, so optimizations are likely to be in the pipeline.
A source has had hands-on time with iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.(Thread)-The new pill+hole doesn’t add anything new. It looks different, but it pretty much works like the notch. Once you get used to it it’s “gone”.-It’s thick. The Pro Max feels like a brick (as usual).August 14, 2022
Speakers, display and battery life
The same source confirms that the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max make use of a pill and hole design on the front display rather than the notch, as has been widely rumored. However it "doesn't add anything new" according to the source.
Battery life is said to be getting better again this year, with the iPhone 14 Pro apparently adding another couple of hours to the total (the iPhone 13 Pro is rated for 22 hours of video playback, by comparison).
The speakers have also been improved, according to this source, with better bass and improved clarity. As for display quality, this is said to be broadly comparable with the screens on the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Analysis: this year Pro really does mean Pro
While we can't verify any leaks or rumors until a device actually launches, we do know which tipsters are more reliable than others – and as more and more information makes it into the public domain, we do get a general idea of what's most likely to happen.
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From what we've heard about the iPhone 14 models so far, it's the two Pro handsets – the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max – that are going to be the most appealing. First and foremost, they're the phones that are actually going to have CPU upgrades.
Now we have the news that the camera system on the Pro models is the best yet from Apple (low light problems notwithstanding). The 48MP sensor – up from 12MP in the current iPhone 13 range – is thought to only be coming to the higher-end handsets.
So you've got faster internal components, a significantly better camera system, and what sounds like improved battery life too if you go for the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If the pricing is right, they could well be the iPhones to get this year.
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.