News hardware Why I won’t buy the iPhone 14
To say that the iPhone 14 is a bad smartphone would be a mistake. However, I’m not going to buy it. Worse, I have a hard time recommending it to those around me. But maybe Apple doesn’t really want us to buy its iPhone 14…
The iPhone 14 looks like an anomaly in the 2022 iPhone lineup
Want to buy an iPhone? On the Apple site, there is plenty to choose from.
- For the small budgetsthere is the iPhone SE
- For lovers of small formatthere is the iPhone 13 mini
- For those who prefer large formats but who can’t afford the Pro Max range, there’s the iPhone 14 Plus
- For people who want a excellent smartphone but who do not have the need and the means to turn to the Pro range, there is the iPhone 13
- For people who can afford to pay what apple does bestthere is the Pro range.
- And in the middle of it all… the iPhone 14, which does not meet any particular request.
This new model hardly changes compared to the previous year. Same design, same chip (boosted version, but it does not feel in use), same screen, same functionalities (apart from car accident detection and a satellite connection, both of which are not very useful on a daily basis). The battery and the photo modules are very slightly improved… that’s all.
The iPhone 13 costs €909 on the Apple site and can be found at certain retailers for around €100 less. The iPhone 14 is launched from 1029€. This difference of 110€ minimum is only very little justified, and it is for this reason that neither I nor most people who know a little about it are going to put their hands in the wallet to buy an iPhone 14.
Here is the conclusion of our test of the iPhone 14:
The opinion of
RommB
To say that the iPhone 14 is bad would be gross nonsense. Apple likes stability, and even though this latest one seems to be partially sacrificed to make the iPhone 14 Pro shine, it’s still a very good smartphone. Although boring, it ticks almost all the boxes but… The screen always at 60 Hz borders on insolence, and we can remain unsatisfied with the absence of a telephoto lens, reserved for Pros. The price will surely put off more than one, but with the theoretical lifespan of an iPhone being supported by iOS updates for at least 5 years, paying 1000€ for a device that you use intensely every day may be worth it if you plan to keep it for many years.
And here is the one from our test of the iPhone 14 Pro, see the difference:
The opinion of
Warial
This year, Apple marked the gap between Pro and Classic models. The iPhone 14 Pro may not look like it, but it represents a real leap forward in almost every way. The entanglement between hardware and software with the Dynamic Island instead of the notch is a brilliant idea, the switch to a 48 Mpx sensor is not a gadget for a penny and the A16 chip is proving to be devilishly effective. The iPhone 14 Pro is a versatile smartphone, the most successful in Apple’s history, and by far… waiting for the iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 14: why does it exist? Apple’s strategy
Many people are well aware of all these problems. A legitimate question then arises: why release a product that stinks of the flop?
Apple has been trying for years to better mark the gap between the Pro range and the “classic” range. Since the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, the two ranges were too similar both in terms of price and embedded technologies.
Consequence: sales of the iPhone Pro were not satisfactory. On the one hand, many people think that it is not worth paying more for such similar technologies. On the other hand, those who pay more in part for the social distinction it brings have less incentive to do so since their product looks a lot like “the mass”.
Having a range that works less well is not a problem in itself. It becomes annoying for a big company when the product that works less is the one on which you make the most money.
In general, manufacturers always make more margin on the most expensive products. Apple therefore has every interest in doing the opposite: boosting sales of Pro models even if it means sacrificing classic models.
If the iPhone 14 exists, it’s simply to sell more iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
Suddenly, the iPhone 14 stagnates and the iPhone 14 Pro passes a course. If Apple is consistent, we can expect a similar recipe next year. The classic iPhone 15 will surely have a chip a year behind and a design dated a year ago, while the Pro models will keep their lead.
Buy iPhone 14 Pro on Amazon
Buy iPhone 14 Pro Max on Amazon
Buy iPhone 14 on Amazon
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