Thursday 25 August 2022 11:37 AM iPhone release date and price: Apple confirms 'Far Out' event trends now

Apple has announced it will hold an event at its headquarters in California on September 7, where it is widely expected to unveil its new iPhone 14 lineup.

The 'Far Out' event, which will take place at 10am PT (6pm BST / 1pm ET) could also offer a first look at the Apple Watch Series 8.

Rumours suggest the new iPhone 14 will feature a bigger camera, a notch-free screen, and an always-on display that will show a small amount of 'quickly glanceable' information before it is unlocked.

It is also expected to come in a purple colour as a 'fun' option, replacing pink for the standard iPhone 13 and Sierra Blue for the iPhone 13 Pro.

However, the new devices are rumoured to cost more than 15 per cent more than the current iPhone 13 models, due to high inflation.

This means the cheapest iPhone 14 model would cost £895, and the iPhone 14 Pro would start at £1,091 - with the iPhone 14 Pro Max Pro Max costing a minimum of £1,206.

Meanwhile, the Watch Series 8 is expected to have a flat display and new health features - potentially including a blood-pressure monitor, a thermometer for fertility and sleep tracking, sleep apnoea detection, and diabetes detection.

Invitations sent out on Wednesday feature a starry Apple logo, which some have suggested might indicate that the upcoming handset’s camera will have an astrophotography mode.

Others claim it is a hint that the iPhone 14 will offer direct satellite communication - a feature that was rumoured back in 2021. This could allow users to call for emergency help in places with no cellular service.

Although Apple is famously tight-lipped about new releases, here's what we know so far about the iPhone 14. 

As usual, it is likely that the new iPhone models will feature improvements to the camera.

MacRumours saw a note from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year, which said the iPhone 14 Pro models will come with a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera and 8K video recording capability.

This is a vast improvement over the iPhone 13 Pro models, which have a 12-megapixel camera. However, the upgrades will not be available on the standard iPhone 14 models.

Leaked specs posted to Twitter by renowned tipster Max Weinbach shows that all of the new phones could see increases in the size of the camera 'bump'.  

iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will have a square camera bump on the rear measuring 1.44-inches by 1.5 inches (36.73mm by 38.21mm), according to the leaked specs – slightly larger than on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. 

The camera lenses themselves will also protrude outwards by 0.16 inches (4.17mm) on both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, compared to 0.14 inches (3.6mm) on the iPhone 13 models, according to the leak. 

Protruding camera components are unpopular with some smartphone fans, as they require protection from an extra chunky smartphone cases to stop them from being damaged.

The increased size of the camera bump will also prevent an iPhone 13 Pro Max case from fitting an iPhone 14 Pro Max. 

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the front-facing camera will have a wider aperture to allow more light to enter the lens and create sharper images.

It will allegedly have improved autofocus capabilities for video calls. 

Ever since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017, Apple's smartphones have featured a broad black 'notch' at the top of the display.

Widely unpopular, the black bar houses the front-facing cameras and Face ID technology, but has been lambasted for reminding men of a receding hairline.

It also eats away into the display, and is particularly obstructive while watching films or playing games.

The removal of the notch was first revealed by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in March 2021, but since then details of what will replace it have evolved.

Chinese social media site Weibo leaked a schematic in February, which appears to show two cut-outs that will replace the notch.

The left cut-out is pill-shaped, including the front camera, Face ID infrared camera, and possibly other components, while the right is circular for the Face ID dot projector. 

Display analyst Ross Young revealed that some of the Face ID hardware may be moved to under the display, reducing the size necessary for the cutouts.

It is thought that these technologies will only be included in the iPhone 14 Pro models, while the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will still have the notch.