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iPhone 14 vs iPhone 12: Finally time to upgrade?

In This Article

In This Article

The Far Out Apple event revealed several new iPhones to the public, making us all wonder if it’s time to upgrade.

Apple went all out at its Far Out event, revealing four new iPhones – theiPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus,iPhone 14 Proand iPhone 14 Pro Max – as well as three new Apple Watches and the latestAirPods Pro 2.

And with the release of a new iPhone, it’s important to ask if it’s worth the upgrade. If you’re curious about how the iPhone 14 stacks up against the other phones on the market, make sure to check out our articles on theiPhone 14 vs iPhone 13,iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro,iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Plusand theiPhone 14 vs Galaxy S22.

If you’re interested in seeing how the iPhone 14 compares to theiPhone 12, which was released in 2020, check out some of the key differences.

No physical SIM in the iPhone 14

No physical SIM in the iPhone 14

Surprisingly, Apple announced that the iPhone 14 series will not include a physical SIM card tray when purchased in America. This is due to the company teaming up with different mobile carrier services, such as TMobile and AT&T, in a push for customers to use the neweSIMtechnology.

Anyone who wants or cannot access an eSIM may want to stick with the iPhone 12, as in all regions that model is sold with a physical SIM tray. However, if users want to get around this issue, they can always buy an iPhone 14 outside of America.

Updated camera setup

The iPhone 14 has been treated to a brand new camera system, with a huge focus on low-light performance on both the front and rear cameras. The new main camera has improved image processing, with up to 2.5x better low-light photos, which can be achieved due to a bigger sensor and larger aperture, according to the company.

It also features a newPhotonic Engine, which can merge the best pixels from multiple exposures at an earlier stage than ever before, preserving more image data to create a brighter and more vibrant image.

The iPhone 12 does not feature this new software, however, in our review of the handset we mention how it can produce reliable images that has balanced colours and dynamic range. If you’re interested in getting the best photos from your phone, however, it may be worth upgrading to the iPhone 14.

A15 Bionic chip vs A14 Bionic chip

Unlike the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, which were treated to the newA16 Bionic chip, the iPhone 14 comes equipped with theA15 Bionic chip, which can be found in theiPhone 13series.

The A15 Bionic has a 5-core GPU and a 6-core CPU, which is made up of 4 energy-efficient cores and 2 high-performance cores. The A14 has a similar build, with a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU, meaning that the graphics of the iPhone 14 is more powerful.

Apple also claims that the A15 Bionic features 15 billion transistors which is an increase compared to the 11.8 billion count on the A14. This will provide improved performance, with the company suggesting that it is 50% faster than its competition.

Support for Emergency SOS

The latest iPhone 14 range has a focus on safety, with the addition of the new Emergency SOS feature. This allows users to use their iPhones to connect to satellite frequencies when they cannot connect to Wi-Fi or cellular, meaning they can contact emergency authorities if needed.

Apple claims that it can take less than 15 seconds to send a message in clear view of the sky, with the service being free for the first two years. It’s important to note that this feature is only available in America and Canada, though hopefully, Apple will bring in more regions over time.

This feature is not included on the iPhone 12, so it may be worth upgrading if you frequently go on long hikes and want some extra protection.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 12 specs comparison

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Gemma joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer after graduating from Leeds Beckett University with a Journalism degree. She’s worked with national outlets, covering breaking news stories to reviews fo…

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Why trust our journalism?

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.