The iPhone 14 Plus is Apple's first attempt at bringing their larger 6.7-inch display to its vanilla line of phones. The iPhone 14 Plus began shipping on Friday, and is available in five different finishes.
It's received a lot of praise since it was announced last month. Apple claim this will have "the best battery life ever seen on an iPhone", while the combination of larger battery and screen should make it one of the best gaming phones on the market.
But it's not enough to convince me – I'm waiting for the iPhone 15 Plus, which I think could be the best iPhone ever made. Here's five reasons why.
1. Dynamic Island
Dynamic Island is the new buzzword for phones in 2022. A software camera notch that can morph and move to take on different use cases, such as showing live Premier League scores, Dynamic Island has been a hit with iPhone users.
It's been rumoured to feature on all iPhone models next year, as oppose to only being on the Pro models this time around.
For me, its a great addition for the lower-priced iPhone's. Full-range integration will push third-party developers to adopt it too, making it an even more useful proposition than it currently is.
2. USB-C
After a ruling from the EU which will force all mobile phones to use USB-C for charging by 2024, the next generation of iPhones look set to undergo a significant change. Yes, it looks like Apple are finally going to do away with the lightning cable.
Personally, I think forcing Apple to use USB-C is dangerous for technological development. But that doesn't stop me from being excited by the prospect of quicker charging and data transfer, not to mention the ease of using the same cable for my iPhone, iPad and MacBook.
3. Updated Camera
All of the renders we've seen for the iPhone 15 Ultra – rumoured to be the new face of the Pro Max from next year – show a four-camera array on the back. That's unprecedented for Apple and suggests they've been working on camera technology behind the scenes.
At least some of that has to trickle down to the more budget options in the range. I'd expect to see a camera upgrade on the lower end models, and the extra case space on the Plus puts it in prime position to take on some additional shot-snapping hardware.
4. Competitive Pricing
The recently announced Google Pixel 7 Pro is arguably the closest like-for-like competitor to the iPhone 14 Plus. It launched with a stack of software changes that make it one of the most attractive handsets on the market, and arguably one of the best phones you can get.
One of the other key things that makes the Pixel 7 Pro so attractive is the price. Google has managed to release this handset at the same price as the Google Pixel 6 Pro, from the year before.
It's already undercutting the iPhone 14 Plus, and while I wouldn't expect any drastic pricing changes in next years line-up, I'd hope to see Apple keep the Plus model sub-£1,000, to remain competitive.
5. Under display Touch ID
This feature was touted for the iPhone 14 range, but never seemed to surface. Touch ID has been missing since the iPhone 8, aside from the iPhone SE range, as Apple threw all of their eggs into the Face ID basket.
But times are changing. Particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, where everyone was struggling to use Face ID while wearing masks, Touch ID is having something of a resurgence.
Personally, I have an issue with Face ID, but having more options is never a bad thing. It could make processes like paying with Apple Pay simpler, too.
Can't wait for the iPhone 15 Plus?
