On launch day, I was able to purchase an iPhone 14 Pro in Space Black & Deep Purple!
Join me as I unbox and share my initial thoughts on the iPhone 14 Pro.
I’m really excited to see how these both react in daylight and other lighting sources.
Both of these were pre-ordered on my own coin, so no PR review unit or bias here. If you’re keeping an eye on this Apple, please feel free to send over review units.
First Impressions
Pre-orders were a nightmare on the website this year, and I had friends miss out on pre-orders due to website issues, so as a pro tip, use the Apple Store App for future pre-orders.
I’m a serial generation skipper, and I have the iPhone 12 here, so I’m excited to start using the iPhone 14 Pro on a daily basis and see how much of a leap it will be.
I have both colors in 512GB, and an important note: 4K ProRes video recording is only available on models with 256GB or higher.
The iPhone 14 is hardly an update, and I’d argue that if you’re looking for a worthwhile upgrade this year, the Pro is the way to go. It’s also worth noting that there is no iPhone mini in this lineup.
Let’s start with the Space Black, which I’ll most likely use unless the Deep Purple blows me away.
In my opinion, Space Black is a step in the right direction; I really hope the jet black or matte black aesthetic returns in full force. At this point, I’m craving that ultra-minimal black-out look.
One thing that hasn’t changed is Apple’s dedication to its Lightning port, which turns ten this month. They’re likely going to change it for the iPhone 15.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro look nearly identical to their predecessors. There are some new colors and slightly altered dimensions and the notch for the new “Dynamic Island” feature on the Pro and Pro Max has been replaced, but everything else remains the same. And, given that the iPhone 13 already resembles the iPhone 12, the current iPhone design is in desperate need of a complete refresh.
Inside the Box
The iPhone 14 does not come with a charger which has been the case since the iPhone 12, and Apple claims that this decision was made to reduce e-waste and packaging size. It should be a non-issue when we get USB-C iPhones, possibly the next generation, because you probably have USB-C cables around. Personally, I charge mine wirelessly most of the time anyway, so I highly recommend investing in a MagSafe charger.
According to early reports, the battery life is slightly less than expected, especially with the Always-On display, but honestly, anything is an improvement over my iPhone 12 battery.
The iPhone 14 lineup isn’t the phone to get if you really value fast charging speeds – we’re still limited to 20W wired charging, which is a tough pill to swallow given that many Android phones, such as the Samsung S22, are equipped with 45W fast charging, and the OnePLUS 10T even goes up to an insane 150W wired charging.
However, the lower wattage prioritizes battery health and longevity over ridiculously fast charging speeds, and the battery capacity has been increased to 3,200mAh from 3,095mAh in the iPhone 13 Pro. The Pro Max, on the other hand, appears to have a smaller battery capacity.
Deep Purple
This color piqued my interest because it is not my usual color of choice. It’s super sleek and clean, and while there isn’t much of a difference with the Space Black in certain lighting conditions, you will notice a difference in the tint.
In the United States, there is no SIM tray because Apple released an e-sim version. However, for units released in other countries, the traditional sim tray is still available.
Turning On / First Impressions
I’m curious to see how they incorporate Dynamic Island right away during setup – such a strange name, it sounds like an island rave event. I’m really looking forward to getting an in-depth review of these units and getting that experience.
For those bright, sunny days, iPhone [14 Pro and 14 Pro Max] can now push brightness even higher for a peak of 2,000 nits. That’s twice as bright as before and the highest peak brightness of any smartphone.
-Greg “Joz” Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing
Having tried it firsthand, it is indeed very bright.
We also have new satellite connectivity and a new camera with a larger sensor that has been bumped up to 48MP when shooting in ProRAW.
Two years after the first 5G iPhone, mmWave versions of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are still available only in the United States. mmWave 5G is a faster 5G standard that requires an extra antenna. iPhones with mmWave have only been available in the United States.
It’s worth noting that if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 12 like me, the camera bumps on the 14 are very prominent, and you can actually press on the phone’s edge and it will lift up.
Conclusion
As you know, I genuinely use all of the technology that I review, so you’ll always get an honest, real-life opinion. Keep an eye out if you want to be the first to see my full iPhone 14 review as soon as it becomes available.
I also got my hands on the upcoming AirPods Pro 2, so I’ll be sharing my first impressions in the coming week too!
But, as with the Apple Watch 8, it’s essentially the same watch with an added temperature sensor, so I’ll pass this year.
Then there’s the Apple Watch Ultra. A cool watch with interesting capabilities, but 49mm is gigantic, and the giant watch aesthetic isn’t for me, so I’m passing on it as well. If there is ever an Apple Watch Ultra Mini, I believe it would sell like hotcakes and I will definitely buy one.
I’ll finish setting this up, migrate everything, and customize it to my usual settings before sharing more with you in the coming days.