From Mini to Plus. Apple is doing the splits in 2022. Leaving the 5.4-inch screen format tried in recent years, the brand is standardizing its smartphones with only two screen sizes (6.1 and 6.7 inches). And this, either for the iPhone 14 or the iPhone 14 Pro.
A 180° turn compared to the bet made in recent years by the desire for smaller and more compact iPhones. The iPhone 12 and 13 mini will have no successor and will leave the field completely open to the iPhone SE 5G launched in the spring. Its ubiquitous fingerprint sensor and its “old-fashioned” design are definitely not insurmountable defects compared to its small size and its much more competitive price than the rest of the range (550 euros now).
Apple has therefore decided to go back to its initial principles for the iPhone: a “normal” model and a version with a larger screen. This was once the raison d’être for numbered iPhones and their version labeled Plus. Tim Cook and his folks are going back to it for the iPhone 14. The very good, but very expensive in France, high-end entry-level iPhone has nothing to be ashamed of on paper except for being a slightly improved copy of his predecessor. it surpasses in repairability, in photographic capacity thanks to the presence of the Photonic Engine image processing technology to enhance shooting, or by offering accident detection, a function fortunately rarely called to be used frequently. Other than that, they look like Siamese twins.
deja vu that looks bigger
So wouldn’t the iPhone 14’s raison d’etre be beyond US borders, in countries where the price has skyrocketed compared to the iPhone 13, think big and beyond? The iPhone 14 Plus, which hits stores this Friday, October 7, looks like deja-vue, but nicer, and offers another alternative to the Pro.
If we did not turn it over to distinguish its only two photosensors on the back, we could confuse it with the iPhone 12 Pro Max or 13 Pro Max. Same design with the notch still present on the front and now the same size with its 6.7-inch panel. Its colors are the other differentiating element, it does not benefit from the matte colors of the Pro range. It comes in black, white, parma, red and light blue. Its funniest asset compared to the serious Pro range.
Otherwise, it works just as well as the iPhone 14 we tested, with the obvious benefit of more comfortable reading comfort for web surfing, watching videos, reading messages, and more. Those who have already tasted the slabs of the iPhone Pro Max know how difficult it is to download. It’s not an insignificant difference, though: The iPhone 14 Plus’s display isn’t ProMotion, and its excellent, super-bright display doesn’t feature a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother, more responsive screen playback.
A gigantic autonomy
In terms of performance, the iPhone 14 Plus is also far from its twin size. Because Apple has decided to implant the A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 13 Pro while his friend flies over the current debates with the A16 Bionic chip. A difference in power that is certainly not expressed on a daily basis in most tasks, but that will perhaps affect the longevity of use in a few years. Although anecdotally.
Very large screen, very good in photos and video without reaching the excellence of the iPhone 14 Pro equipped with a 48 Mpx main sensor, the iPhone 14 Plus is above all a battery charger. Apple simply claims that it has the largest battery ever seen in an iPhone. It is the promise of a very long daily capacity, much better than the now gigantic iPhone Pro Max, which has filled a gap that we thought was insurmountable against the competition.
However, it must be taken with a grain of salt: the Californian company presents its argument estimating that the uses of an iPhone 14 Plus user consume less energy than those of an iPhone 14 Pro owner who will be tempted by ProRaw photos, video at ProRes (not available on iPhone 14), hectic browsing, or demanding gaming. In use, it is unfailingly patient and shows off its large screen without blinking and with intensive use for a good day.
An iPhone 14 Plus for who finally?
A newcomer on paper, it makes you wonder who this iPhone 14 Plus will be aimed at. First of all, for those who wanted a big screen without the big addition of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple hopes to appeal to iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 7 Plus users who can no longer take advantage of the iOS 16 update. The arrival of a more affordable iPhone in a size they know (the dimensions of iPhone 14 Pro Max and now iPhone 14 Plus are almost the same) is attractive.
We find it somewhat cheaper than the iPhone 13 Pro Max with which it therefore shares performance, but compared to which a photosensor and the LiDAR sensor are amputated. The iPhone 14 Plus boasts a new camera with an ultra-wide angle, larger pixels (1.9 µm) and a larger aperture (ƒ/1.5), combined with improvements in video (in particular the arrival of Action mode to film without shake), sensor-shift optical image stabilization and the Photonic Engine allow for more detailed and bright shots. Other than possibly at night and for portrait mode, the iPhone 14 Plus has nothing to be ashamed of. Its TrueDepth front camera also benefits from improvements (current autofocus, larger aperture for better rendering in low light conditions) that make it more efficient. More efficient in photography, it may appeal to iPhone 11 Pro Max and 12 Pro Max owners who want to upgrade.
The iPhone 14 Plus thus revives Apple’s old philosophy of simply needing a standard iPhone model and an expanded version. It also comes to divide the 2022 range a little more into two segments: iPhones and iPhone Pros. Size is no longer a forced decision parameter for the apple brand. With its large size, the iPhone 14 Plus certainly comes to offer the renewed interest of the iPhone 14 (not Pro) in France and makes the bill less painful in France with a new (larger and cheaper) proposal.
iPhone 14 Plus price and availability
The iPhone 14 Plus is marketed from October 7 at a price of 1,169 euros (or 48.70 euros per month for 24 months) on the Apple site and associated resellers. It is available in Midnight, Blue, Starlight, Purple and (PRODUCT)RED.
Source: BFM TV
