Main Highlights:
- The new pill-shaped cutout will be seen on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
- The new pill-shaped cutting effectively eliminates the notch.
- The camera cutout is no longer merely surviving; it is booming.
Do you have a moment to discuss negative space? It’s essentially the space between items in a work of art. It is defined by an absence, as the name indicates, but when used correctly, the negative space may become an entity in and of itself.
Apple just unveiled the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. They’re significant improvements over last year’s iPhone 13 Pro handsets, with always-on displays, a new pill-shaped notch that moves and animates, a quicker A16 Bionic CPU, and even a better 48-megapixel camera.
Until you look closely at the display, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max seem quite identical to last year’s 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. The new pill-shaped cutting effectively eliminates the notch.
It genuinely moves and animates in what Apple refers to as the Dynamic Island. Apple is employing this concept for live activity widgets and even when you swipe up to shift background operations like music listening to the island.
While other firms have tried to make the cutout for the front-facing camera as tiny as possible, Apple has stuck with the notch since the iPhone X. It was reduced in size in a recent version, but it has stayed consistent, thanks in part to the module used by the firm for things like Face ID. This year, Apple finally ditched the notch — at least for two of the four iPhone 14s introduced today.
It’s been replaced on the two Pro versions by an oblong item that many have dubbed a “pill” even before it was formally unveiled. Unlike the notch, the pill is not continuous with the bezel. It simply sort of floats out there, like an island. If you will, call it a Dynamic Island. Reader, I’m here to inform you that when the firm unveiled the name, Steve Jobs Theater erupted with laughter.
Apple has a habit of being a little silly in its presentations (though Craig Federighi wasn’t on screen hamming it up), but the corporation was dead serious about a name that sounds like a three-man comedy act. What I will say is that folks only laughed the first time they heard it.
When it was said for the fourth or fifth time, a guy behind me exclaimed “wow.”
So, what exactly makes this island “wow worthy?” Apple isn’t simply releasing a new cutout. It’s taking a step forward. The slot grows with more negative space on its sides, forming a type of picture-in-picture that displays relevant information for the programme you’re viewing. Consider it a small Apple Watch, with a secondary display embedded into the first. Or even a substantially smaller Touch Bar.
In the demo, opening Apple Music and then exiting the app shows a pair of visuals flanking the front-facing camera: the cover art for the record you’re listening to and a symbol signifying playback.
The photos cannot be interacted with, however pressing on them will bring up the app again. It’s essentially a means to keep relevant information visible even while you’re not actively using the app.
Revolutionary? Not at all. Useful? Kinda. Clever? Definitely. No one is going to rush out and purchase a 14 Pro specifically for the feature, but it’s a pretty creative approach of adapting a function that Apple isn’t quite ready to forsake. Speaking of which, the Lightning port is still present. Given all of the laws (both enacted and planned) aimed at universalizing the USB-C standard, I believe we’ve seen the last iPhones to feature that old chestnut.
But the camera cutout is no longer merely surviving; it is booming. Apple jumped into the void with both feet. “If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you,” Nietzsche said. Not only that, but if you gaze into it long enough, it will take a selfie.
What Can We Expect from the iPhone 14 Series?
For those who are unaware, the new pill-shaped cutout will be seen on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the non-Pro versions will retain the same notch seen since 2017. The cutout is also likely to hold the camera and microphone indications, and clicking on them would display a list of apps that utilise them.
The new A16 Bionic chipset is also unavailable to non-Pro variants. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max (some are calling it the iPhone 14 Plus) will include a modified A15 Bionic chipset. Furthermore, they are unlikely to receive the 48MP cameras that are widely rumoured to be included in the iPhone 14 Pro handsets. This will be an Apple first.
All iPhone 14 versions will receive camera, battery, RAM, and other enhancements. Satellite communication support, different colour choices, and more are all included. The iPhone 14 series is also predicted to start at a cheaper price than the iPhone 13.
However, we still need formal specifics on this, so it’s best to wait for Apple‘s announcement to have a better understanding.
Until then, you may try out the new technique to achieve the iPhone 14 feel, and let us know whether you like the cutout in the comments below. Stay tuned for iPhone 14 September 7 event coverage for all the details!