iPhone 14 Review: A Good Upgrade for Most People
The iPhone 14 is both an improvement on last year's iPhone 13 and one of the most minimal year-over-year upgrades in Apple's history. On the outside, the 14 inherits the iPhone 13's tried and true flat-sided aluminum design. On the inside, Apple essentially repackaged the iPhone 13 Pro, sans the telephoto camera and high-refresh-rate screen. The result is lovely and the iPhone 14 is a good upgrade for most people.
The iPhone 14 starts at $799 (including a $30 connectivity discount if you activate it with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon), the same price as the iPhone 12 and 13 when they first went on sale. If you're hoping for more significant improvements, there's the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, both of which are brimming with updates.
iPhone 14 off-contract price breakdown
As Americans grapple with inflation, some companies have kept costs the same by offering a little less. The iPhone 14 seems like a way for Apple to release a new phone while maintaining last year's price. Is this a case of "shrinkflation"? Maybe, but not necessarily. The iPhone 14 reminds me of the iPhone 5C, which came out in 2013 alongside the iPhone 5S. The 5C was basically an iPhone 5 inside a new plastic body that was meant to appeal to a more budget-minded audience. While there are some similarities, the 14 seems to be aimed at balancing price and adding new features. Apple added a number of safety tools to the 14 including Crash Detection and satellite connectivity for sending emergency messages when you're out of range of a cell tower. The iPhone 14 also got an internal redesign that helps dissipate heat better and allows its glass back to be repaired more easily and for less money. But these are features most people will hopefully never use and they're largely invisible. Even the iPhone's move away from physical SIM cards to eSIM on US models is something most people will only deal with once when transferring their number. The most obvious upgrade is the new larger version of the iPhone 14, called the iPhone 14 Plus. With the same sized 6.7-inch screen as the 14 Pro Max, the iPhone 14 Plus should appeal to people who want a large phone but don't want to spend $1,099. However, the 14 Plus won't be out until Oct. 7
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The iPhone 14 starts at $799 (including a $30 connectivity discount if you activate it with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon), the same price as the iPhone 12 and 13 when they first went on sale. If you're hoping for more significant improvements, there's the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, both of which are brimming with updates.
iPhone 14 off-contract price breakdown
As Americans grapple with inflation, some companies have kept costs the same by offering a little less. The iPhone 14 seems like a way for Apple to release a new phone while maintaining last year's price. Is this a case of "shrinkflation"? Maybe, but not necessarily. The iPhone 14 reminds me of the iPhone 5C, which came out in 2013 alongside the iPhone 5S. The 5C was basically an iPhone 5 inside a new plastic body that was meant to appeal to a more budget-minded audience. While there are some similarities, the 14 seems to be aimed at balancing price and adding new features. Apple added a number of safety tools to the 14 including Crash Detection and satellite connectivity for sending emergency messages when you're out of range of a cell tower. The iPhone 14 also got an internal redesign that helps dissipate heat better and allows its glass back to be repaired more easily and for less money. But these are features most people will hopefully never use and they're largely invisible. Even the iPhone's move away from physical SIM cards to eSIM on US models is something most people will only deal with once when transferring their number. The most obvious upgrade is the new larger version of the iPhone 14, called the iPhone 14 Plus. With the same sized 6.7-inch screen as the 14 Pro Max, the iPhone 14 Plus should appeal to people who want a large phone but don't want to spend $1,099. However, the 14 Plus won't be out until Oct. 7
iPhone 14 featuresFamiliarity is an underrated quality, and the iPhone 14 is filled with it. The 6.1-inch OLED screen has the same Ceramic Shield, screen notch and matte-finished aluminum as the iPhone 13. And it weighs 17% less than the iPhone 14 Pro, despite being nearly identical in size. That lighter weight makes the 14 a joy to hold and use with or without a case. The iPhone 14 is rated IP68 for water- and dust-resistance, meaning it can survive being submerged under 6 meters of water (about 20 feet). So it should have no trouble having a can of Yerba Mate spilled on it. One thing that's missing from the 14 is a SIM card tray. In the US, the iPhone 14 will only work with an eSIM. Apple has partnered with US carriers to ensure the process of moving the number from your old phone to an iPhone 14 is as simple as putting your old iPhone next to your new one and following a few prompts. Smaller carriers like Mint Mobile and US Mobile also offer eSIMs. iPhone14,
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