4 Things We Didn’t Get With the iPhone 14

No notch. A 48MP camera. An autofocus selfie cam. These are all Apple iPhone 14 rumors that turned out to be true, with Apple’s latest phones adopting some new features that were first reported as far back as 2021.

PCMag had a wish list for the iPhone 14 based on potential additions, but as it does every year, Apple didn’t include every rumored feature in its new hardware. Here’s what we’d still like to see in the future.

USB-C

This potential change was a toss up. The consumer electronics industry at large has long chided Apple for sticking with its proprietary Lightning port for a full decade while (practically) everything else moved on to USB-C. There was some talk that the iPhone 14 might be the first to adopt the universal port for charging and data transfer, but it wasn’t to be. The iPhone 14 family soldiers on with Lightning.

Apple might be forced to make the switch no later than the 2023 iPhone 15, however, thanks to an EU edict that mandates all devices use the same port starting in 2024.

Hands On With the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Lineup

Faster Charging

The iPhone 13 family is limited to 20W wired and 15W wireless charging—provided you have the right charging equipment on hand. Reports suggested(Opens in a new window) that the iPhone 14 might upgrade to faster 30W charging. Nope. The fresh smartphones from Apple stick to the same 20W/15W speeds as the outgoing models.

Apple is playing it safe here. While some competitors have been pushing charging speeds to 125W and beyond, the 20W rate ensures that iPhones will charge safely and consistently over their lifespan.

8K Video Recording

Samsung’s top-of-the-line Galaxy S phones have been recording 8K video for years (despite the overall lack of affordable 8K TVs). Trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted(Opens in a new window) that the 48MP sensor for the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max would grant it 8K video recording powers. Another miss.

(Credit: Tim Gideon)

Apple did update the iPhone 14 Pro’s video features, however, with a new Action Cam mode that improves stability. The maximum resolution video the iPhone 14 can record is still limited to 4K60.

True Satellite Calling

Yes, the iPhone 14 can connect to (some) satellites, but only in two countries and with a very limited feature set. Reports had indicated the iPhone 14 family would be able to make phone calls and send text messages via satellite when out of normal cellular network coverage. Instead, Apple debuted Emergency SOS via Satellite(Opens in a new window).

This new feature is strictly for—as the name implies—serious emergencies when the iPhone owner needs third-party help. Using a dedicated app, iPhone 14 owners will be able to search for and reach emergency services in the US and Canada starting in November. Some think it might clash with Starlink.

Hands On With the Apple iPhone 14 Lineup

Beyond the iPhone: Lossless Audio in AirPods Pro and an AR/VR Headset

One of the big upgrades expected to grace the second-gen AirPods Pro was support for lossless audio. Apple, after all, added lossless audio to its own Apple Music service last year. You’d expect it to support the highest-quality codec from its top-tier ANC earphones, but that’s not the case.

(Credit: Tim Gideon)

There was also nothing virtual about Apple’s event this week. Meaning, Apple didn’t announce—or even hint at—its long-rumored mixed reality headset.

Until Apple gets around to announcing its own reality-bending hardware, here’s our list of the best VR headsets.