Apple formalizes its iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. Between record screen brightness, a 48 Mpx main photo sensor, Dynamic Island and an A16 Bionic chip, these smartphones are full of new features, hidden behind an almost unchanged design.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Max are not the only ones making their debut during Apple’s back-to-school keynote. The manufacturer announces their two companions, the most high-end smartphones stamped Pro. The duo benefits from an even more upscale technical sheet, which not only benefits from all the new features in the photo department, but also from the new A16 Bionic chip. This is certainly one of the points that we will retain from this conference: if Apple has always equipped its iPhone series with an identical chip, this year it is separating its “classic” and “pro” ranges. which inherit the new SoC alone. This, as always, is announced to be both more powerful and less energy-consuming.
Ultra-bright screens
Both smartphones, running iOS 16 of course, retain the design of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, at least when viewed from behind. From the front, we remember the abandonment of the notch, which until then seemed unbreakable. Apple replaces it with an oblong punch to better accommodate its Face ID module. This notch is accompanied by Dynamic Island: the interface takes advantage of the dark space pierced in the screen to display, on a black background, short information. Music in progress, call duration or even connected devices are thus displayed around the punch, this information can be developed with a simple click.
For the rest, there are 6.1 and 6.7 inch Oled screens displaying a resolution of 460 dpi and offering a dynamic refresh rate, LTPO screen requires. The novelty here is the maximum brightness of the screen, set at 1600 nits in standard conditions and 2000 nits when viewing HDR content. A powerful record that we will not fail to evaluate in our laboratories. We should also add that the two smartphones benefit from the Always-on Display function, which allows information and notifications to be displayed on the screen when they are locked.
As always, Apple remains silent on the issue of the RAM that accompanies its A16 Bionic chip, but remember that the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max each included 6 GB. On the storage side, each model offers 128 GB to 1 TB of space . Apple also promises a greatly improved autonomy. It is worth noting in passing that USB-C is not yet available on devices. To recharge them, you still have to use a Lightning cable this year, the manufacturer still preferring its proprietary connectors.
New photo sensors
More than these classic technical elements, it is obviously the shooting that Apple puts in the spotlight on its new smartphones. And for the first time, the Cupertino company is abandoning the 12-megapixel sensors that fitted the two or three modules of its devices. Its latest born indeed sport a dorsal photo block whose main module points to 48 Mpx. A first for the apple, which also evokes a focal length equivalent to 24 mm and an aperture of f / 1.78. The fruity firm promises much better quality night photos, supported by the ISP integrated into the A16 Bionic. Note that the ProRAW function allows the need to exploit the 48 Mpx of the sensor, the other shots coming out in 12 Mpx thanks to the pixel binding.
The smartphones are also equipped with two other sensors of 12 Mpx each, one with an ultra wide-angle and the other with a 3x telephoto lens, with an intermediate level at 2x.
Price and availability
The iPhone 14 Pro will go on sale September 16, after a pre-order period starting September 9. Apple announces a launch from €1329 for the iPhone 14 Pro, and €1479 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, available from 128 GB to 1 TB.