Render of the iPhone 14 Pro variant with flush camera module
The news can be taken as a sign that Apple expects to ship more iPhone 13 series units than originally thought. You might recall that Gene Munster of Loup Ventures said that there are 400 million active iPhone units that are three years of age or older. With some carriers offering a decent discount on the iPhone 13 line with a trade, this could be the year that a large percentage of those 400 million units are finally upgraded.
Not too many companies can get away with increasing the size of their chip orders in the middle of a major chip shortage. But Apple is TSMC’s largest customer and is believed to account for 20% of the foundry’s revenue (but less than 20% of its profits). As a result, despite the current shortage, Apple gets what it asks for and with a smaller price increase to boot.
We also expect four models next year including the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that next year’s iPhone 14 line will feature a complete redesign which could mean the end of the notch. TF International’s crystal ball-carrying analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the notch will be replaced by a hole-punch camera on the iPhone 14.
Another interesting rumor suggests that the rear camera bump will go down like a wart covered with Compound W. The iPhone 14 render posted by Jon Prosser shows that the camera module will be flush with the back panel which means that next year’s iPhone variants might be able to lie flat on a table, screen-side up.
