Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Plus hands-on: Bigger screen, small changes

Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Plus hands-on: Bigger screen, small changes

Video transcript

CHERLYNN LOW: It's now farewells here at Apple's iPhone event. Today, it's time to say goodbye to the iPhone Mini. Because with the new iPhone 14, the company is leaving the smaller handset behind and says it's going bigger. So let's go check out the new iPhone 14 and its bigger variant, the iPhone 14 Plus.

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What we have here are basically very similar looking to last year's models. We've still got the notch, unlike the dynamic island that we found on the Pro models. But there's also a new camera system here. There's a 12 megapixel primary sensor that's also larger and it uses larger 1.9 micron pixels as well. Combined with Apple's new photon engine, they're supposed to deliver better pictures in low light. You also get some video upgrades with the new Action Mode for stabilizing your shots.

So there are some demos that we saw, both at the keynote and here on the phone. Obviously, this is stuff that we'll have to try out for ourselves in person. But you can also take a sneak peek at this preview that Apple is showing off at the event here. The iPhone 14 Plus has a larger 6.7 inch screen. And together, the iPhone 14 Pros also have longer battery life. Apple is saying this is the best battery life on a smartphone. It's basically on par with the Pro models as well, despite using the A15 bionic chip from last year's Pro models.

So we'll have to put a lot of this to the test in the real world with review units to really verify for ourselves. Another update is the front camera on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus now offer autofocus. This is probably better when you're moving around, not stationary in one place like we are as of right now, where face detection kind of kicks in. But it's helpful. There's also some new colors to the iPhone 14 lineup. We've got, in addition to the typical black and white, and the product red, you've got a new purple hue as well as blue, which is pretty similar to the frosty blue we saw on the iPhone on earlier Pro models.

So of course, like the rest of the new iPhone 14s, the 14 and 14 Plus run iOS 16 with the new lock screen that you can customize yourself with widgets and such. Both models also use the A15 bionic chip that was on last year's Pro model phones. So it's not the A16 that you see on the iPhone 14 Pro models. So unlike the Pro models, the base iPhone 14 and 14 plus still don't have promotion, which would be up to 120 Hertz refresh rate, which would make animations like scrolling and some of the other things like gaming feel smoother and faster.

But for the price point starting at $799, this still feels like a very capable phone. If you're already excited to get your hands on a new iPhone, these will be available for pre-order starting September 9. And the iPhone 14 will be available on September 16. If you're hoping to get your hands on the Plus, you might have to wait a little longer until October 7 when it's available. But of course, as always, give us some time to test these things out in the real world so we can tell you how good the camera is, or battery life, or performance are before you really go spending your money. And so for that full review, stay tuned to Engadget.

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