Now, the base iPhone 14 and that new iPhone 14 Plus models are not exactly huge leaps forward from last year – still rocking a very familiar notch, and sharing specs between one another. The Plus is just a bigger version of the base iPhone 14.
But what stole the show is a feature the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have – a pill-shaped cutout for the Face ID array, as opposed to a notch. And yes – it's apparently a feature, not an eyesore and a drawback. Apple presented it as such, and having watched the presentation, it was easy for me to buy into it too, since the Cupertino giant didn't just change the notch into a cutout and call it a day…
There's a reason this is a trillion-dollar company, and it's not just its absolutely genius marketing and ability to generate hype through it.
This new iPhone 14 Pro design element isn't just a static cutout, like you've seen on other smartphones – no, Apple blended hardware and software to make it special… And I have to admit – it's quite impressive, love 'em or hate 'em…
Blending hardware and software: When design limitations become software features
Under-display selfie cameras are not ready yet, still lacking in picture and video quality behind conventional ones. Check out my Galaxy Z Fold 4 review to see how its under-display selfie camera performed.
And besides, Apple has that whole Face ID array of sensors to somehow hide too – not just one selfie camera, so… For now, this horizontal pill-shaped cutout it is.
However, knowing that this new iPhone cutout will probably stick around for a while, Apple has decided to do something fun with it that it did not do with the notch previously.
The pill-shaped cutout on the "Pro" iPhone 14 models has, of course, been given a name – the Dynamic Island. And was, in fact, made dynamic.
But how could a static hardware design element be dynamic? Well, with the help of some slick, clever software.
See, since these iPhones have OLED displays, it's pretty easy to horizontally "expand" that black cutout with a nice animation; just add a virtual, pitch-black, matching "cutout" over this one, and animate it, and it'll look like the hardware cutout is moving! Simple, yet clever!
With this basic premise, the iPhone 14 Pro's cutout is now not just a cutout. It's a unique feature, it gives the iPhone 14 Pro models a distinct character…
The iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island, and what it does
With the upcoming iOS 16 update, phones with the "Dynamic Island" (which are currently only the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max) are getting a new way to display notifications. Those will now pop up from the cutout itself, making it seem as if it's expanding and turning into a notification bubble! Pretty cool!
In addition, similarly to a MacBook's Touch Bar, this new Dynamic Island will expand horizontally and hold shortcuts for your favorite apps, once developers start implementing this potential new feature.
For example, Apple showcased the Dynamic Island fluidly expanding to reveal your music playback buttons. Or expanding to show you who's calling (and giving you options to answer or deny the call). Or display basic GPS navigation directions. Or, in a text editing app – hold shortcuts for changing your font style or font size… So many possibilities.
I've noticed that despite being a cutout, this Dynamic Island area of the display is indeed touch sensitive too, so it can be tapped to reveal shortcuts and other things. We'll see exactly how developers will implement it in their apps, but things are looking pretty fun. I can already imagine using it as a seeking shortcut in video editing apps, or as a navigation bar in social media apps, perhaps?
This is why Apple's got the big bucks
(AT&T) iPhone 14 Pro: get at Walmart and save $200
You can buy the iPhone 14 Pro AT&T-locked from Walmart. Starting at $26.37/month for 36 installments. The sold device comes with 256GB of storage. Get it now and save.
(Straight Talk) iPhone 14 Pro Max: Get at Walmart now
You can get a Straight Talk-locked iPhone 14 Pro Max at Walmart. The model with 128GB of internal storage in Gold is currently available without any discounts.
Where most other smartphone brands would've seen a physical design drawback, and would've likely tried to hide it in software, as opposed to letting it "move around" and expand…
…Apple has found a way to turn what could've been a generic cutout into an actual, attractive and fun feature.
But hey – share with us what you think! Do you agree Apple's way of doing things is quite clever, or not?
Are you excited for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max? Are there any particular fun ways you think developers will use the Dynamic Island in?
Rado, a tech enthusiast with a love for mobile devices, brings his passion for Android and iPadOS to PhoneArena. His tech journey began with MP3 players and has evolved to include tinkering with Android tablets and iPads, even running Linux and Windows 95 on them. Beyond tech, Rado is a published author, music producer, and PC game developer. His professional work on iPads, from producing songs to editing videos, showcases his belief in their capabilities. Rado looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly in augmented reality and multi-screen smartphones.
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