Apple just revealed the iPhone 14 and it's got smartphone fans talking with its new camera and safety features. Now, we're taking a look at how the latest iteration of Apple's iconic phone compares to its predecessor, the iPhone 13.

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As ever, with a new iPhone comes the logical question — has enough changed to justify the cost of upgrading from the previous phone? The jury still seems to be out on this one, but we're crunching the numbers to see whether the iPhone 14 could suit you.

We expected upgrades to the camera, a different style and plenty of other upgrades and generally, we got them. There were one or two surprises as well though, as the company discussed a range of new products at its Apple 'Far Our' iPhone event.

The addition of a new Emergency SOS feature, which can contact emergency services even if you don't have phone signal, was a stand-out addition. However, we don't have confirmation on when this will be available to UK iPhone users.

With the iPhone 14 UK release date now a reality, let's see how it compares to the iPhone 13. Or, if you're already keen to get your hands on one then check out the latest on the iPhone 14 release.

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iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: key differences at a glance

  • Both iPhone 13 and 14 carry the A15 Bionic chip
  • iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max get the A16
  • iPhone 14 is available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch versions while the 13 was only available in 6.1-inch
  • New 'action mode' video shooting on iPhone 14
  • Better low-light photography and video
  • 1200 nits peak brightness up from 800

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: specs and features

In terms of power and performance, the iPhone 13 was class-leading. It carried the same A15 Bionic chip that we saw appear right across the iPhone 13 series, from the mini right up to the Pro Max.

Rumours before the unveiling of the iPhone 14 suggested that the base model would carry that same A15 Bionic Chip and only the more advanced Pro versions would carry a new A16 chip. Industry commentators blamed this on the semiconductor shortage that's affected the industry over the last year or so.

This has turned out to be true and does bring into question just how much of an improvement the new iPhone 14 is.

So, if you pick up the standard phone, or the Plus, you'll get the A15 Bionic. The Pro and the Pro Max both carry the new A16 Bionic chip, which is Apple's most efficient yet.

Elsewhere the iPhone 14 has added crash detection, new lock screens and an interesting new emergency SOS feature. This uses satellites to tell responders you're in difficulties, even if you can't get a cellular signal. This is initially being trialled in the US and Canada and is free for the first two years of owning the phone. After that, it will be a paid service.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: UK price

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

The iPhone 13 launched a year ago, with prices starting at £679 for the basic iPhone 13 mini and going up to a whopping £1549 for the best iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Now, the iPhone 14 price has been unveiled and it's £849 for the standard and £949 for the new iPhone 14 Plus model.

The 14 Pro starts at £1099 and the Pro Max at £1199.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: battery

Apple claims the new phone has "the best battery life ever in an iPhone" and can deliver "all-day battery life". These are similar claims to those made with the launch of the iPhone 13, which definitely saw a boost in battery performance. However, we'll wait until we've tested the phone for ourselves to deliver a verdict on this.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: camera

The new main 12MP camera is smarter than ever, with a faster aperture that cuts down on motion blur and similar issues. It's part of a dual-camera set-up on the reverse.

There's also a 12MP front camera that offers a new improved depth sensor and autofocus.

The iPhone 14 also delivers up to 2.5x better low light shooting on its main camera.

The new camera that most impressed us was "action mode" which automatically stabilises potentially jerky shots, just as a gimbal would. In theory, this means you can capture high-action shots on the move without extra equipment. This is a notable improvement on the 13 but we're not sure how much better the main camera will be, given that its image processing will be powered by the same chip. Watch this space for more info as we get it.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: display

As you'd expect, the iPhone 14 packs a high-quality display. Only the 13 Pro came with an adaptive 120Hz display, but the OLED panel on the standard phone was good too, with a peak brightness of 800 nits and a clear, smooth look.

Now, it's even brighter and clearer, offering 1200 nits peak brightness. Plus, you can get the iPhone in either 6.1-inch standard size, or the iPhone 14 Plus wth a bigger 6.7-inch display.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max take it to the next level with up to 2000 nits peak brightness.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: design

The iPhone 14 comes in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch, the latter called the iPhone 14 Plus. This is a new category and delivers a screen size that we've seen across a huge range of smartphone brands.

As ever, iPhone fans are talking about 'the notch' in which the selfie camera sits. It got 20% smaller between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. Now, it's all changed again, but only to an extent.

On the standard iPhone 14, the notch is actually pretty similar. Appearing as a static black area at the top of the screen. However, on the Pro and Pro Max phones, Apple has introduced what it is calling a "dynamic island".

It's an odd addition, but the dynamic island looks quite intuitive and well thought out. It presents notifications and alerts in the notch itself, which expands and splits into multiple small, blacked-out areas, with lit notifications. This means you can — for example — keep track of a match score, or your music, or an inbound taxi, all without exiting the app you're using.

It's a shame this innovation didn't feature on the standard phone, but nonetheless, it's an interesting design change.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: where to buy in the UK

The standard iPhone 14 is available to pre-order this Friday, 9th September and goes on general sale on the 16th.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will also be available from Friday 16th September 2022.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 14 Plus doesn't go on general sale until the later date of 7th October.

We'll provide all pre-order and sale links right here when we have them. In the meantime, you can shop all things iPhone below, or pick up an iPhone 13, which could be set for some big discounts following the new release.

Buy Apple iPhone 13 or £779 £729 at Amazon

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For more on smartphones check out our recent Oppo Reno 8 Pro review, or our thoughts on the Honor 70. For more top tech, head over to our Technology homepage.

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