Many are understandably wondering if this is the right time to buy an iPhone 13 in June 2022, with the next iPhone expected to launch in September just a few months away. Rumors of the iPhone 14 have been circling around about its potentially better specs and technical improvements, so it may be worth the wait to upgrade to a newer iPhone model.
Of course, that decision is very much a personal one and primarily depends on the state of your current phone (iPhone or not), and how much you place a premium on more powerful tech. Some people just care that they have a phone that looks cool and works well, while others like to get into the nuts and bolts of the iPhone’s design. At any rate, here’s a breakdown of all the information we know so far about the iPhone 14 so that you can make your decision on whether to upgrade a bit easier.
Should I buy an iPhone 13 now?
As for why this is happening, there are various reports indicating that the market for the mini versions of the iPhone is rather small: somewhere between 3 and 5 percent of all iPhone sales. For many, the larger 6.1-inch display of the standard iPhone 13 (that’s a little more than 10% larger than the mini) is worth the extra hundred bucks. Given that the iPhone 13 mini is $699 and the standard version is $799, it’s already a fairly expensive purchase for the everyday customer, so getting that larger display is a popular source.
In addition to the Pro and Pro Max models (at $999 and $1,099, respectively), all iPhone 13 models come with the speedy A15 Bionic chip and have a much longer battery life compared to the iPhone 12’s. The comparison varies between model to model, but overall the iPhone 13 will get you an average of about 2 extra hours. It also comes with a 12 MP TrueDepth front camera, which is already quite powerful and has an auto-focus feature called Cinematic mode that will help you hone in on a specific object while shooting videos.
As far as what you’ll get for the additional $300 for the Pro and Pro Max models, you’ll mainly be looking at much more powerful graphics. The adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz will make your screen look a lot smoother, so if you’re the type of person who plays a lot of graphics-intensive mobile games, this may be worth your while. The standard iPhone 13, though, is powerful enough for a lot of apps, and with supply-chain issues still hampering the production of many high-tech products, finding an iPhone 13 instead of an iPhone 14 should be easier.
Should I wait for iPhone 14?
Pricing of the iPhone 14 lineup, on the other hand, is a bit more volatile as there are multiple leaks and rumors about it. Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac) expects that the iPhone 14 Max will be priced at under $900 (probably $899 for the starting model). If we carry this line of thought through, it can be projected that the iPhone 14 will start at $799, the iPhone 14 Max at $899, the iPhone 14 Pro at $999, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max at $1,099.
However, Korean tech site ET News on May 23 says that Apple will install a South Korean front camera in the iPhone 14 for the first time in iPhone history. Due to “quality problems from Chinese manufacturers” during testing, Apple will apparently install the LG Innotek camera that was meant for the iPhone 15. As indicated by Forbes, there were already rumors that the prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would increase by $100 to $1099 and $1199 respectively, so this fancy new camera would be an understandable reason for the price hike. It’s unclear, though, from the ET News article if this new camera will be for all iPhone 14 models or only for the iPhone 14 Pro models.
According to a report by iDropNews, Apple is struggling to manufacture A16 and M2 chips (the M2 is for the upcoming Mac lineup in 2022), so they may only use the A16 (branded as the A16 Pro) in the Pro models. Allegedly, Apple will use the A15 chip in the base iPhone 14 models (which also powers the iPhone 13) rebranded as the A16. This would prevent shipping delays and keep manufacturing costs down. However, if this is indeed true, this means that the iPhone 14 lineup isn’t as much of an upgrade as it could be.
As far as what the iPhone 14 Pro model will look like, Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors) has said in March that the the “high-end 2022 iPhones” will have a hole-punch display design instead of a notch. It’s unclear how the Face ID components will work with this new design. The Pro models are also rumored to feature a titanium alloy chassis, according to an investor report from JP Morgan Chase, that is more resistant to scratches than stainless steel.
It’s generally unclear how many of these upgrades will make it to the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max. If the pricing rumors are true, Apple may want to justify the price gap between the regular iPhone 14 and the iPhone Pro models by adding many of these upgrades only for the latter. As such, if you’re looking for a regular iPhone, the iPhone 13 is looking as viable as the iPhone 14, though you may want to wait for the iPhone 14 Max for the larger display. For the premium option, though, the iPhone 14 Pro Max seems to be at the top of the heap.
For more guides on Apple, here is everything we know so far about the AirPods Pro 2 and whether we think Apple is ever going to make a new iPod.
