Here are some of the key things to know about Apple's iPhone 14 lineup.
1. Go Pro to get the best features
The Pro and Pro Max features are the priciest, but only they sport the three features that have most impressed critics:
The 48 megapixel camera (upfrom the previous 12MP) with new low-light smarts. The new A16 Bionic chip enables a new video stabilisation mode (which can crop footage a bit to keep it stable to the horizon) and a new Night Mode that's much faster. You now only have to hold your phone still for a couple of seconds, thanks to a sensor that lets in 49 per cent more light.
The pill-shaped cut-out, called the Dynamic Island, which replaces the larger "notch" that houses the front camera and face sensor on older models. The Dynamic Island's party trick is that it can become an animation, displaying the name of the song you're listening to or progress on a timer.
Asked Siri to set a timer for the spuds. Displays as an animation in the camera notch (or Dynamic Island in iPhone 14 Pro-speak) pic.twitter.com/a8XNZZab9k
You can tap the Dynamic Island for extra features. Say, player controls for a song. It's very nifty. Early write-ups have warned this setup could lead to smudgie selfies, but I haven't found this a problem over my first couple of days with a Pro Max.
The Pro models introduce a 1Hz refresh rate, which in turn allows for a dimmed, always-on display without impacting battery life. It kicks in at the point your screen would usually go to sleep, and it's particularly useful coupled with the new lockscreen that comes with iOS 16, which can be customised to display all manner of widgets displaying times, calendar events, the weather and so forth. If you don't like the always-on display at night, you can turn your phone over or disable it in settings.
The iPhone 14 Pro. Photo / Apple
Another key new feature, crash detection, is available across the entire iPhone 14 series. I'm still trying to work out a way to test this without putting myself or, worse, my iPhone Pro Max at risk. But acceleration and impact sensors can tell if you're in a bad crash, Apple says - and then your iPhone 14 will automatically contact emergency services, and your emergency contacts, with a message and your exact location.
2. The Pro models are pricey, but you can save hundreds in incentives
All phone makers have been focussing more on premium models recently. Market research IDC says with global supply chain issues keeping the supply of components tight, and punters after more onboard storage, it just makes sense to focus firepower on pricier, higher-margin models.
Thus Apple's new iPhone 14 series begins at $1599 for the regulator model and is topped by the Pro ($2199-$2999) and Pro Max ($2199-$3199) versions.
But phone companies worldwide are offering hundreds of dollars in subsidies - or effective subsidies - and trade-ins to lure iPhone 14 buyers onto 12, 24 or 36-month plans.
Here, 2degrees is offering up to $955 off a Pro Max if you trade-in an iPhone 11 or newer model.
Vodafone says you'll save $400 if you'll pay $2799 for the iPhone Pro Max with 1 terabyte of storage - that is, a $400 saving - if you pay $99 up front then the balance interest-free over 24 or 36 months. And Vodafone says it will pay up to $567 for a late-model trade-in in good condition.
If you haven't checked out trade-in deals for a while - or ever - 2022 is definitely the time to take a look. Just as second-hand car prices have shot up under the "new normal", so have second-hand handsets, so it could be well worth digging out that old iPhone. If you're buying all cash upfront, then you can also consider Apple's own trade-in scheme, which offers from $40 for an iPhone 7 to up to $720 for an iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Spark doesn't offer example pricing, but also runs a trade-in scheme, and it throws in six months' of Sky Sport worth $120 and 50 per cent off the $14.99/month Spotify Premium.
3. Up to eight weeks' wait
I wouldn't necessarily blame the pandemic or war, since it's become almost an annual tradition for there to be a shortage of the new iPhone for a period after the initial launch, but both Apple and phone companies list multi-week wait times for some models.
Apple says the entry-level iPhone 14 is in stock for immediate dispatch, but delivery for a Pro Max with 1TB of storage ordered from its site is six to eight weeks.
2degrees says it's out of stock of that flagship model, but promises "arrival within three weeks".
Spark says four to eight weeks.
Vodafone says six to eight weeks.
4. One in five Kiwis buys an ultra-premium phone
The New Zealand smartphone market dropped 3.6 per cent in 2021 to 1.5 million units, according to IDC, which tracks shipments.
But while Kiwis bought fewer phones, those they did purchase tended to be flashier. One in five sales was what IDC calls an "ultra-premium" phone.
Some 20 per cent of buyers shelled out for a handset worth $1500 or more - a 48 per cent increase on the year before.
"Despite shipments decreasing in 2021, the overall performance of the market was strong, as revenue grew 9.4 per cent year-on-year," IDC analyst Maxim Wilson said.
Part of this trend is driven by people doing more with their phones, so they want more features, and part by people holding onto their phones for longer, then paying more for "future-proofing" when they finally do upgrade.
5. The 'badging' crowd is out of luck
The new models have handsome finishes, including aluminum for the 6.1-inch display iPhone 14 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus, and "surgical-grade" stainless steel for the Pro and Pro Max.
That could easily be the iPhone 13 Pro Max you are unboxing there…nice specs, but I want my iPhone to be visually different from last years model when I’m dropping north of 2K on a phone.
But if you like to flaunt that you're an earlier adopter, those you're trying to impress will have to squint to see any design differences with the iPhone 13 series. For those that need a hint, the Dynamic Island on the 14 Pro and Pro Max looks different to the "notch" on the front of the 13, and the rear lenses are a fraction larger.
Watch a replay of Apple's recent "Far Out" launch event above. Apple Watch Series 8: starts at 9mins 18 sec, the Watch Ultra: starts at 25:45, the 2nd gen AirPods Pro at 42:55 and the new iPhones from 50:30.
Pricing and release dates at a glance
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 will be available on Sept 16th in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models, and starts from $1599. Colours include Midnight, Blue, Starlight, Purple and (PRODUCT)RED. • iPhone 14 Plus will be available on Oct 7th in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models, and starts from $1799. Colours include Midnight, Blue, Starlight, Purple and (PRODUCT)RED.
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 14 Pro will be available on Sept 16th in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB models, and starts from $1999. Colours include Space Black, Silver, Gold and Deep Purple. • iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available on Sept 16th in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB models, and starts from $2199. Colours include Space Black, Silver, Gold and Deep Purple.
