The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in action

 

Apple has just announced the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. They're significant upgrades over last year's iPhone 13 Pro handsets, with always-on screens, a new pill-shaped cutout that moves and animates, a faster A16 Bionic chip, and even a better 48-megapixel camera.

Until you look closely at the display, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max look very similar to last year's 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. The new pill-shaped cutout effectively eliminates the notch. It actually moves and animates in what Apple refers to as the Dynamic Island. Apple is using this system for live activity widgets and even when you swipe up to move background tasks like music playback to the island.

The Dynamic Island is a significant change for the iPhone 14 Pro, and its shape-shifting appears to be a playful way to maximise notch real estate. If you can't lose it, why not use it?

An always-on feature is also new to the displays on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. It works by displaying information widgets on the display without requiring it to be turned on. You can look at the weather, the calendar, and other information. It looks fantastic, and the wallpapers darken to match the always-on mode. This works with any wallpaper and, according to an Apple representative, is optimised to highlight faces when they are detected.

But it wouldn't be a new iPhone without new cameras. For the first time, the iPhone will use a 48-megapixel sensor instead of a 12-megapixel sensor. Advances in low-light photography have been made, all while using a quad-pixel sensor with an f/1.78 aperture and a 24mm focal length.

To maximise light capture, the sensor will take 12-megapixel binned photos for most photos. This also enables Apple to crop the sensor in various ways to provide true 2x zoom at a focal length of 48mm.

Apple's upgraded A16 Bionic chip is also included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. It's difficult to test performance in the limited hands-on time we have with these devices, but Apple says its new chip focuses on power efficiency, display, and camera. This new chip also contributes to the new Dynamic Island system.

Overall, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max feel every bit as solid as the previous generation, with some intriguing under-the-hood improvements — particularly to the camera — that we're eager to investigate.