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Apple Insider Confirms New iPhone 14 Pro Design Shock

We already know a lot about Apple’s iPhone 14 range — from the radical to the risky. But now a popular Apple insider has confirmed the new iPhones’ most shocking change. 03/19/22: iPhone 14 schematics have also now leaked.

The sleuths at 91Mobiles, a site which has a history of working with top class leakers like Evan Blass and Steve Hemmerstoffer, has published detailed schematics of Apple’s flagship iPhone 14 Pro. The notch has finally gone, but its replacement will indeed be the so-called ‘i-cutout’ — a deeply divisive pill + punch hole combination — also dubbed the ‘i-sore’.

First, TSMC — Apple’s primary chipset manufacturer — is struggling to produce enough of Apple’s next-gen A16 chips to cover all four new iPhone 14 models. Second, Apple hopes the “more affordable 14 and 14 Max’s adoption of A15 could lower the cost pressure and create more differentiation for two 14 Pro models.” And it is the latter factor which, I believe, makes the former a happy coincidence. Apple is indeed looking to widen the gap between its Pro and non-Pro products.

Across iPad and MacBooks this has already happened, where the Pro devices gain both performance and design upgrades. With the iPhone 14 range this looks to be somewhat extreme, given that the iPhone 14 will have both the same external design and chipset as the iPhone 13, making it the most incremental iPhone upgrade to date. But that will open up the path for the iPhone 14 Pro to breakout with its new notch-less design, A16 chipset and anticipated price bump. This strategy is going to alienate some fans and it’s a risk, but it anyone can pull it off, Apple can.

“iPhone 14 Pro CAD renders confirm that the bathtub notch is going away,” states 91Mobiles. “In its place, there will be a pill-shaped hole-punch cutout and a small circular cutout right beside it. The cutouts will house the Face ID sensors and selfie camera. The front has symmetrical bezels on all corners, with the top bezel accommodating the speaker grille.”

And 91Mobiles isn’t done there. While its renders show the rear design remains identical to the iPhone 13 Pro, we learn that the Lightning port (tipped to finally be replaced by USB-C) and sim card tray (tipped to be scrapped for eSim only) both remain as well. The site also claims that the new iPhone 13/13 Pro green finishes will be retained on the iPhone 14 line-up, while display sizes are unchanged at 6.1-inches and 6.7-inches.

91Mobiles also backs jaw-dropping leaks from earlier this week that Apple will reuse the A15 chipset from the iPhone 13 range for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max models, with only the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max getting the new A16 Bionic. While undoubtedly controversial, for better or worse, Apple seems determined to widen the gap between Pro and non-Pro hardware across its entire product range.

91Mobiles teases that “We should learn more about the iPhone 14 series in the coming week” and the Pros tipped to get even more expensive, prices will be the hot topic on everyone’s lips.

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