The iPhone design has been remarkably uniform in recent years, especially starting with the iPhone 12 series, which brought OLED screens to all four models. The iPhone 13 followed suit last year. Therefore, we expected the iPhone 14 to respect the same pattern, but more and more leaks indicate the iPhone 14 Pro design will be different than the iPhone 14 versions.
It’s not just the notch that’s changing on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The phones will have even thinner bezels than before. And if a new leak is accurate, the iPhone 14 Pro will have more rounded corners.
Since 2018, the only real design difference between the regular new iPhone and the Pro models was the camera module on the back. The more expensive handsets feature a triple camera lens compared to just two lenses on the back of the more affordable units.
Then, the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 had LCD screens, which meant the bezel was slightly thicker than on the iPhone XS and iPhone 11 Pros. Then came the extensive iPhone 12 redesign, which brought OLED panels to the affordable handsets. Just like that, all of Apple’s September iPhones featured the same design. However, the camera differences on the back remained unchanged, with the Pros still getting an extra lens.
Apple iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR
Design differences and similarities
The iPhone 14 will mark a significant departure from that design policy. If the leaks are accurate, Apple wants the iPhone 14 Pro design to be different than the iPhone 14. Add the rumors that claim the Pro models will get the better specs and the expected triple-lens camera system, and you end up with an iPhone 14 Pro device that might be worth the higher price.
Buyers will be able to tell the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro apart immediately, something you can’t say about the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. Sure, iPhone enthusiasts will recognize a Pro by the color. But otherwise, you’d need to check the back and count the cameras.
Design render based on leaks: iPhone 14 Pro (left) vs. iPhone 13 Pro (right). Image source: AppleTrack
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will introduce a new dual hole-punch display. The pill-shaped and circular hole cutouts will replace the notch. But the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will have the same design as the iPhone 13 series.
Moreover, the bezel will be slightly thinner on the iPhone 14 Pro phones if design leaks are accurate. The change is tied to the dual hole-punch design. The cutouts have to be placed closer to the top. Therefore, the bezels should be smaller.
Rounded corners on iPhone 14 Pro (left) vs. iPhone 13 Po (right). Image source: AppleTrack
The latest iPhone 14 Pro leak
This brings us to a new design leak detailing the iPhone 14 Pro. Designer Ian Zelbo is best known for his beautiful renders of Apple products based on Jon Prosser’s rumors. Zelbo has a report out that explains another change that Apple is making to the iPhone 14 Pros.
“There is a quirk with the iPhone 13 Pro design,” the designer explains. “The radius of the phone’s corners do not match the radius of the camera bump (obviously, an odd decision for a company like Apple, who is known for their cohesiveness).”
Corner curvature: iPhone 14 Pro (front) vs. iPhone 13 Pro (back). Image source: AppleTrack
Apple will apparently fix that by making the phone’s corner rounder than before. That way, the curvature of the camera bump will match the phone’s corners. Since Apple is all about symmetry, all four corners should get the same corner curvature. In turn, the OLED panel will have curvier corners.
Put differently; it won’t be just the notch that will let you tell the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro apart. Side-by-side images, like the ones above, highlight the larger curvature on the iPhone 14 Pro, a detail that many people will notice.
Then again, these are just rumors. Apple will only confirm the iPhone 14 Pro design details in mid-September when it unveils the four new phones.
More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.
