What to Expect from the New iPhone 14?

Just as the eyes are the windows to the human mind, the display of a smartphone tells you a lot of information from the moment you turn it on. So what story will the iPhone 14's display tell this fall when Apple unveils its new model to the world that awaits it?

The iPhone 13 series’ screen proved to be one of the many advantages of Apple's current smartphone lineup. All four iPhones have bright and colorful screens, with the iPhone 13 Pro being particularly notable for its 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. This means that Apple's Pro phones can adjust the speed of screen refresh up to 120Hz when playing games, and scroll down to 10Hz for more static activities.

So far, rumors about the iPhone 14 have painted a picture of a future phone more like it. But dig deeper into those rumors and you'll find that some of the expected enhancements on the iPhone 14 display could translate into significant improvements for Apple's phones. The phone maker's main competitors - especially Samsung - have put pressure on Apple by focusing on display upgrades for their own phones, with an eye on beating Apple's products to win the title of best phone.

Here's what we've heard so far about the iPhone 14 display, including Apple's possible plans for a fast refreshing display on its new phone.

iPhone 14 display sizes
For the most part, the screen is expected to remain the same across the different iPhone 14 models - with one big exception.

The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max should have the same screen size as the iPhone 13. This means the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro have a 6.1-inch screen size, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch screen size of the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

However, this may no longer be the only 6.7-inch phone in Apple's lineup. There are rumors that Apple will add the iPhone 14 Max to this year's lineup, which will be a cheaper 6.7-inch phone without some of the premium features found in Apple's Pro lineup. The purpose of this is to give iPhone fans a lower-cost option to get one of the best big-screen phones available.

This would mean the end of Apple's mini iPhone line, which was introduced in 2020 with the release of the iPhone 12 but never caught on, even with the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini. This means fans of more compact screens will either need to turn to the iPhone SE (in 2022) or hope that Apple keeps the older mini at lower cost models.

Another change is expected to be made to the iPhone 14 Pro's screen - they will lose the notch that has been associated with the iPhone since the iPhone X debuted in 2017. Instead, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max look to have two openings for the front-facing camera and facial recognition sensor. This will free up more screen space for both phones compared to the recent Pro models.

iPhone 14 refresh rates
As mentioned above, the iPhone 13 Pro adds a dynamic refresh rate that allows them to scale between 10Hz and 120Hz. The standard iPhone 13 remains stuck at the more traditional 60Hz rate.

Will iPhone 14 change anything? At least one leaker thinks the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max could offer a 90Hz refresh rate, similar to the way Google handles the Pixel flagship products. (The more expensive Pixel 6 Pro has a 120Hz screen, while the Pixel 6 has a 90Hz screen.) It's certainly an upgrade from the iPhone 13's fixed 60Hz refresh rate.

The problem is that other leakers have refuted this rumor. Instead, they suggest that the iPhone 14 continues to use the 60Hz panel found on the current base iPhone. An old report from Apple's supply chain suggests that at least one iPhone 14 uses an LTPS display with a 60Hz refresh rate, which we take to mean the iPhone 14.

A 90Hz refresh rate would make features like scrolling on the iPhone 14 smoother than previous models, so it's definitely a feature we'd like to see. But until more reports support this update frequency, we have to assume that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will offer the same 60Hz frequency as Apple's cheaper flagship phones.

For the iPhone 14 Pro, we have better news that the upcoming phone will likely continue to use the same 120Hz display that debuted with the iPhone 13 Pro. These phones introduce the LTPO display - short for Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide - allowing the iphone to adjust the refresh rate based on screen activity.

There are rumors that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max come with a new LTPO system that improves energy efficiency. The OnePlus 10 Pro made such an improvement earlier this year, and it can now go down to 1Hz just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra. If the iPhone 14 Pro models get the new and improved LTPO technology, they too could have the 1-120Hz refresh rate that other top flagship phones now enjoy.

If this feature is implemented, it will clear the way for another change to the iPhone 14 Pro's display. Apple's Pro models are rumored to add support for always-on screens, a feature that has been a part of the best Android phones for years. The iOS 16 update coming this fall adds support for customizing the lock screen, as well as widgets that can be placed on the lock screen. Apparently, such a feature will also open the door for phones to always be on display, thus reducing refresh rates and avoiding draining the battery.

Other iPhone 14 Display Features
Display refresh rates have captured everyone's attention, but the battle for the best smartphone display is being waged in other areas as well. Screen brightness is becoming increasingly important, and it's a key feature of the iPhone 14 display.

When Apple announced the iPhone 13 model last year, it touted the brightness of the phone's Super Retina XDR OLED panel. iPhone 13's outdoor maximum brightness is 800 nits, while the Pro's tops out at 1,000 nits. (We measured 795 nits and 1024 nits on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, respectively.)



Since the debut of the iPhone 13, Samsung has introduced its own flagship update. The Galaxy S22 also has a bright display - the S22 tops out at 1,300 nits, and the Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 Ultra top out at 1,750 nits. Our light meter didn't register the maximum of those numbers, but for the most part, the S22 series' screens are brighter than what you get on the iPhone 13.

Will Apple respond in the same way when it releases the iPhone 14? We haven't heard too many rumors about that. But considering that brightness has become an area that phone makers are competing for, we wouldn't be surprised if the iPhone 14 debuts with some improvements in this area.


------Article By Philip Michaels