Everything We Can Learn About the iPhone 14 From iOS 16

This story is a part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s full protection from and about Apple’s annual builders convention.

In lower than every week, the iPhone 14 must be introduced at Apple’s annual fall occasion. We will seemingly study the official launch date for iOS 16 as effectively. Apple’s subsequent main iPhone working system, iOS 16, was previewed at WWDC and is now accessible to obtain for builders. The brand new iPhone replace will work on the iPhone 8 and newer and certain launch alongside the rumored iPhone 14 this fall. iOS 16 presents a bunch of closely requested options, akin to the skill to customise your lock display screen or edit despatched iMessages. However when you look intently, iOS 16 may additionally reveal some clues about the iPhone 14.

Whereas Apple instructed us lots about new options coming to present iPhones, it lacked any particular point out of what to anticipate from the iPhone 14. That is not shocking; Apple by no means discusses new merchandise earlier than asserting them. Typically the firm reserves sure software program bulletins for its annual iPhone occasion so it could debut these options as exclusives for the newest iPhone. 

For instance, Cinematic mode was absent from Apple’s iOS 15 announcement and as an alternative launched as an iPhone 13 characteristic in the fall. Although when you look intently, there have been some refined hints sprinkled in iOS 15. Since Apple launched Portrait mode for FaceTime calls in iOS 15, it is easy to think about Apple making a Portrait mode for video recording — which is actually what Cinematic mode is.

iOS 16 appears to be no totally different. A number of options seem like they’ve the potential to supply hints as to what we’d count on for the iPhone 14 sequence. One in all these clues is definitely buried in the code for iOS 16.

(*14*)(*16*)

The iPhone 14 might need an always-on show

I used to be disenchanted to see that Apple did not add an always-on show to iOS 16. It is a helpful characteristic discovered on quite a few Android telephones, and even the Apple Watch. An always-on show exhibits primary info like the time or climate whereas your cellphone is asleep. As an alternative of lighting up your whole show like your lock display screen does, an always-on show solely prompts a portion of the display screen to save lots of energy. It is a terrific comfort and would make the iPhone extra glance-friendly.

The Apple-focused website 9to5Mac stories it found a number of references in iOS 16 that counsel help for an always-on show could possibly be in the iPhone’s future. The weblog discovered references to backlight administration instruments in addition to hidden flags for engineers that would permit them to check the characteristic on an iPhone 13 Professional.

always-on-dispay

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Professional has an always-on show that exhibits the date, time, battery life and an avatar of an astronaut.


Sareena Dayaram/CNET

However always-on show help may be restricted as a result of the display screen’s refresh charge must dip all the way down to 10Hz and even decrease to make use of much less energy; method under the common iPhone’s typical 60Hz refresh charge. The always-on show for the Apple Watch works at 1Hz which is not supported on any present iPhone (the 13 Professional can go as little as 10Hz) and that would imply that it debuts on the iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max since it could seemingly require new {hardware}.

Even with out these clues in the code, the revamped and customizable lock display screen additionally hints at an always-on show. Particularly, the method iOS 16 notifications are corralled at the backside of the display screen makes me surprise if Apple is experimenting with methods to protect display screen actual property. That is necessary for an always-on show since that characteristic solely makes use of particular parts of the display screen to protect energy.

iOS 16’s new lock display screen widgets are one other potential clue, since they really feel extra akin to Apple Watch problems and are due to this fact extra glanceable. Some Android telephones have related widgets on their very own always-on shows. 

Throughout the WWDC, Apple confirmed somebody tapping and holding on the canine in a photograph and lifting it from the background to share in a message. It is a part of a revamped Visible Lookup.


Apple

Visible Lookup might imply a extra highly effective Cinematic mode

One in all iOS 16’s extra refined options is revamped Visible Lookup which might establish objects, individuals, pets and landmarks in images and supply extra info or context. A nifty addition this yr is the skill to faucet on any photograph to take away the background. You’ll be able to actually tap-and-lift a foreground topic like an individual or a canine away from the background and add the “cutout” to different apps to share or create a collage.

I might see Cinematic mode getting a lift from the machine studying that powers the new Visible Lookup tap-and-lift device. That machine studying acceleration mixed with a possible new A16 Bionic chip might make Cinematic mode movies look higher. Topics could possibly be extra reliably “cutout” and backgrounds have extra of a constant out-of-focus look. Apple might additionally use the separation know-how to make Cinematic mode do extra issues akin to Portrait mode like change the background for a black coloration or place your topic in opposition to a white backdrop.

Cinematic mode made its debut on the iPhone 13 sequence and is principally Apple’s tackle a Portrait mode for video. Whereas Cinematic mode is enjoyable to make use of, the outcomes may be hit and miss. It is harking back to when Apple launched Portrait mode with the iPhone 7 Plus: Initially it labored however wasn’t nice. Over a number of years, Apple improved Portrait mode to the level the place it is truly fairly great.

A Professional mode for the Digital camera app

With out even studying a single rumor, you possibly can guess that the cameras on the iPhone 14 sequence might be higher than these on the iPhone 13 lineup. Plenty of these enhancements will seemingly come from computational photography-powered options akin to SmartHDR and Deep Fusion, which immediately correlate to the chip powering the cellphone. So an iPhone 14 working on an A16 chip would theoretically have new digicam options or improved photograph processing strategies that the iPhone 13 lacks.

Apple’s addition of a customizable lock display screen in iOS 16 has me eager for an overhaul to the Digital camera app on the iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max. New skilled options like ProRaw and ProRes video recording could make the Digital camera app interface really feel a bit cramped. Maybe there could possibly be a Professional mode that may be toggled on and off and supply shortcuts to tweak digicam settings on the fly. Or possibly Apple will clear up the Digital camera app’s interface to make it extra visually interesting. 

Apple ProRes toggle shown on the display of an iPhone 13 Pro

Apple ProRes debuted on the iPhone 13 Professional and 13 Professional Max in 2021.


Patrick Holland/CNET

Do not get me incorrect, the iPhone nonetheless has one in all the greatest Digital camera apps on any cellphone offered as we speak. However very similar to a household can outgrow a home, the variety of options and modes is beginning to develop previous the app’s unique intent.

That is all hypothesis, nonetheless, and we can’t know something about the subsequent iPhone till Apple broadcasts it. But when there’s one certainty, it is that it’s going to run iOS 16.