Apple iPhone 14 Pro review: new ideas in a familiar package

Apple’s latest top smartphone model, the iPhone 14 Pro, features upgraded cameras, a new always-on display and some funky animations around a new smaller, floating notch design. It also features a substantial price rise as a result of currency shifts.

The 14 Pro has the same 6.1in OLED display and premium stainless steel and glass design as previous models, but the large notch at top of the screen containing the cameras for Face ID has been replaced by a 31% smaller pill-shaped design Apple calls the “dynamic island”.

The pill is animated, expanding and contracting to accommodate system alerts and ongoing notifications, such as charging status, album art and a little waveform when playing music or a countdown timer. Tapping and holding the notch reveals more of the notification, such as music playback controls, and just a tap opens the app.

It is surprisingly useful for at-a-glance information, with one minor annoyance. The 3/4/5G indicator is hidden when the notch expands, making it difficult to tell when you’re in a data black hole.

The pill acts as a focal point for other animations such as the Face ID logo appearing when authenticating purchases. The whole experience feels fun and alive, which is the broad theme of the iOS 16 software running on the 14 Pro and all other iPhones as old as the iPhone 8.

The other significant development is the ability to have the screen always on, even when in standby. Android devices have had always-on displays for years, but Apple’s approach is slightly different. It displays a dimmed version of the lock screen, including notifications and widgets in full colour rather than a simple clock or similar.

The 14 Pro has one the biggest under-the-hood changes to an iPhone camera system in years. A new processing system boosts lowlight performance across all cameras front and back two- to three-fold, which helps particularly when shooting indoors in dim, artificial light.

The 14 Pro has Apple’s latest A16 Bionic chip, making it the fastest iPhone available by about 10% over the previous A15 chips. It is easily capable of handling everything you might want to do with a smartphone and will stay fast for years to come.

The battery life is solid but more variable than other iPhones. Leaving the 14 Pro flat on a desk for most of the day, the battery lasts about 39 hours with 5.5 hours of active use. Keep the phone in a pocket, which shuts the display off, and it lasts about 45 hours between charges.

At first glance it would be easy to dismiss the iPhone 14 Pro as just the same as previous models. But look beneath the surface and you find Apple exploring new – for it at least – ideas, or new for it at least.

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