However, with the iPhone 14, Apple is giving us more choice, and despite the lower price, the company has delivered the most feature-packed iPhone yet. And a few of those features can even save your life.
So, here are the top six reasons why we think the iPhone 14 could be the right choice for you.
1. You Don’t Need to Go Pro to Go Big Anymore
A few years ago, Apple decided to split the iPhone lineup into base and Pro models. While that worked out great, if you wanted to go with a base model iPhone, you always had to sacrifice screen size. The big 6.7-inch screen has always been exclusive to the Pro Max. Well, until now.
With the iPhone 14 Plus, Apple is finally bringing a big-screen experience to the base model iPhone. The iPhone Pro Max models are still excellent, but the reality is that they’re just way too expensive. The iPhone 14 Pro starts at $999, but if you want to step up to a Pro Max, that price gets bumped up to $1099.
On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Plus starts at a still pricey but much more reasonable $899. That means you can finally get that big iPhone at a slightly more affordable price.
2. Solid Upgrade if You Don’t Have a 5G iPhone
There’s no question that 4G LTE works great, but it’s starting to show its age. So, if you’re still stuck with a 4G phone, the 5G-capable iPhone 14 could be a perfect opportunity to upgrade.
As time goes on, apps and files are only getting bigger, not smaller. Stepping up to 5G means those downloads and updates can go from minutes to seconds. Even when it comes to browsing the web, 5G can make your experience better. 4G LTE is great for watching 1080p videos, but if you want to watch 4K content, you need 5G for a smooth experience. Also, 5G makes incredible things possible, like remote broadcasting and cloud gaming.
3. It’s Great if You Don’t Mind the Notch
The notch has evolved into a Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro, but for the regular iPhone 14, it’s still alive and well. Although Apple is marketing its pill-shaped cutout for Face ID as the next big thing, the base iPhone 14 still has a notch. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
While Apple’s Dynamic Island feature is pretty cool, it eats more into your screen than even the iPhone 14’s notch. The Cupertino-based company did its best to spin it into a feature, but when it comes to watching videos and playing games, the Dynamic Island takes up more of your screen real estate, not less.
On the other hand, the notch on the iPhone 14 does its best to stay as unnoticed as possible. The notch isn’t the most elegant design, but it’s smaller than the one on the iPhone 12 Pro and older models.
4. You Probably Won’t Miss ProMotion
When ProMotion debuted on the iPhone 13 Pro, many people were thrilled to see a high refresh rate display finally make its way to the iPhone. Unfortunately, even with the iPhone 14 series, that feature hasn’t trickled down to base model iPhones. So, if you want a 120Hz display, you’ll need to step up to the iPhone 14 Pro.
Although most people struggle to tell the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz, the former is perfectly fine if you’ve never used a high refresh rate display before. It’s hard to go back to 60Hz after experiencing 120Hz, though.
And while ProMotion may make things smoother when you’re moving around the iPhone’s home screen or scrolling through social media, having a 120Hz screen won’t make a difference for consuming content like videos and most games.
Remember that almost all movies are still filmed in just 24 frames per second, which is way below what even a 60Hz screen can display. And even the fastest YouTube videos still top out at only 60FPS.
A 120Hz display is cool, don’t get us wrong, but it’s definitely not a make-or-break feature for regular users.
5. Emergency SOS Lets You Get Help Almost Anywhere
Like every year, there were tons of leaks and rumors surrounding the iPhone 14. While some were spot on, there are a few things almost nobody expected to see. Emergency SOS via satellite was one of those great surprises.
Even if you’re not an outdoor adventurer or living off the grid somewhere, you should keep in mind that there are still many places globally that have limited or no cell service. So, something as simple as having your car break down in a remote area can leave you stranded with no way to contact help.
The iPhone 14 has built-in satellite communication technology for emergencies, meaning as long as you have a clear view of the sky, you’ll always have a backup way to contact help.
Emergency SOS by satellite is rolling out to the US and Canada first, but eventually could be a tool that could help you anywhere in the world. And Apple is committed to offering two years of free satellite service with every iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro.
6. Crash Detection Could Actually Save Your Life
You may already be aware of the accelerometer inside your iPhone to detect whether you’re holding it vertically or horizontally. While it’s great to flip your iPhone sideways to watch videos, it could save your life.
The accelerometer in the iPhone 14 got a significant upgrade. It now has up to 256g of force detection, meaning if you’re in a car accident, your iPhone knows it too. This allows the iPhone 14 to alert emergency services automatically, so you can get the help you need, even if you’re injured or unconscious.
Apple added this new crash detection tech to all the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch models, so you’ll get access to the feature regardless of device. Apple added some great new features to the iPhone 14, but crash detection is one of the best.
The iPhone 14 Is Apple’s Most Feature-Packed iPhone Yet
The iPhone 14 isn’t reinventing the iPhone as we know it, but it’s not trying to. It keeps the notch, but most people will probably be OK with that.
If you’ve been waiting for a big iPhone but aren’t willing to shell out Pro Max money, the iPhone 14 Plus might be the answer to your prayers. And advanced new safety features mean that the iPhone 14 could very well save your life in an emergency.
So, just because the iPhone 14 Pro generated a buzz with its Dynamic Island and always-on display, don’t write off the iPhone 14 yet.
