What you need to know
- A new report claims that Apple is discontinuing its mini iPhone.
- It also claims that the new iPhone chip will be reserved for the iPhone 14 Pro models.
The jury is still out on the iPhone 14 mini, but it's not looking good.
According to a new report from 9to5Mac, Apple is planning on discontinuing the iPhone mini with the iPhone 14 lineup. Instead of an iPhone 14 mini, the company will release a standard 6.7-inch iPhone 14 which will be a more affordable version of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Pro models might even be a little taller to accommodate the anticipated redesign to the notch.
These phones will have the same display resolution as the current iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. However, the display on the new iPhones 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max (codenamed D73 and D74) may be slightly taller to accommodate the new "notch + pull" design that will replace the notch.
The new report also reiterates other rumors that said Apple may reserve its new chip for the iPhone 14 Pro models while leaving the A15 chip (which currently ships in the iPhone 13 models) in the standard iPhone 14 models.
As for the chip situation, 9to5Mac's sources confirm that there will be two new iPhone 14 models based on the A15 chip, while two others will have a brand new chip. It's worth noting that Apple already has two different versions of the A15 chip, one of which has an extra GPU core and 6GB of RAM (used in 13 Pro models).
Apple is also still reportedly working on satellite features for the iPhone. The company was rumored to be working on satellite features for its phone a while back and that work appears to be ongoing.
It's unclear whether the technology will be ready for this year's iPhone, but the company has been testing prototypes that are capable of sending text messages over satellite. That system is internally known by the codename "Stewie."
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 lineup at an event in September where it will most likely also reveal the next generation of the Apple Watch.
Bottom line: The iPhone 13 is the best iPhone for most people, with impressive new cameras and notable improvements to battery life. Without all the bells and whistles of the Pro line, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are still powerhouses that'll keep owners happy for years to come.
