We haven’t even seen the iPhone 13 lineup yet — which is expected to launch this September — but now we have a hint at what to expect from the iPhone 14 in 2022. Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a note to investors predicts next year’s iPhones will bring back Touch ID in the form of an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
In the note, reported by MacRumors, Kuo says the 2022 iPhone lineup will feature two different screen sizes — 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches — with two different models available for each size, likely a pro and more affordable non-pro version. The non-pro 6.7-inch iPhone is expected to cost less than $US900 ($1,154), but unfortunately due to cost saving measures needed to hit that price target, Apple’s new in-screen fingerprint sensors may only be available on the more expensive pro models.
That could be a bummer for anyone who prefers the value you get from the less expensive standard iPhone models, especially since it doesn’t look like Apple’s physical Touch ID home buttons are going to make a comeback anytime soon. And as millions of people discovered during the pandemic, sometimes it’s really nice to have a form of biometric security aside from Face ID to easily unlock your phone.
You can expect some other improvements in next year’s lineup, too. Kuo says the iPhone 14 will see a camera upgrade with a new 48-MP wide-angle lens.
Aside from Touch ID and a better camera, the iPhone 14’s sizing details could be huge — they suggest that Apple won’t release a smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini-sized device as part of the main iPhone lineup in 2022. Apple dropping future plans for miniature versions of its standard iPhone range is something that has been widely rumoured following weak sales of the iPhone 12 Mini in 2020, with Taiwanese research group Trendforce also reporting recently that Apple is “expected to focus on driving sales of the three non-mini models in the iPhone 12s series” later this year.
That said, there still may be a little hope for small iPhone fans out there. Kuo claims Apple is planning to release an updated iPhone SE sometime in the first half of 2022 that will be the “cheapest 5G iPhone ever.” So while small iPhones aren’t going away entirely, going forward it seems like they will be updated on a separate cadence from the main iPhone lineup.
We won’t know for sure whether Apple will embrace Touch ID again until sometime next year. If you were planning to upgrade soon but have been waiting for Apple to add in-screen fingerprint sensors, you may want to wait.