iPhone 14 case leaks show off the sizes of this year's flagship Apple phones

Blue iPhone 13 mini lying face down on a table
The iPhone 13 mini could be the last of the mini line (Image credit: Future)

We've now got a pretty good idea of what Apple is planning with the iPhone 14 series, expected to launch in September, and a newly leaked image of cases for the smartphones gives us more clues to the sizes of the upcoming handsets.

This picture comes courtesy of Duan Rui on Twitter (via 9to5Google), and we get a look at how the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 14 Plus, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max line up alongside each other. The Plus model is new for 2022, while the mini edition of the phone has apparently been ditched.

There does seem to be some debate about whether the larger non-Pro iPhone 14 will be called the Plus or the Max. Here it's labeled as the iPhone 14 Plus, which matches up with a recent leak that we came across just a few days ago.

Screens and cameras

Apple has of course used the Plus moniker before on its iPhones, most recently with the iPhone 8 Plus in 2017. That naming scheme was then abandoned and Apple started adding "Max" to the titles of its bigger phones. This year it looks as though it could go either way.

As per previous rumors, it looks like the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro will sport 6.1-inch screens, while the iPhone 14 Plus (or the iPhone 14 Max) and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will go all the way up to 6.7 inches in terms of their display size – closely matching the iPhone 13 template.

When it comes to the camera bumps, they look very similar to the configurations of the current iPhone 13 line-up, although there is perhaps some slight variation in spacing – you might not necessarily be able to use your iPhone 13 case with your iPhone 14.


Analysis: the ever-changing iPhone range

It was a lot easier in the old days – Apple launched one iPhone every year, and that was it. Then 2013 rolled around, and we got both the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C unveiled at the same time at the same event, giving buyers a choice for the first time.

Now, we get four flagship iPhones every September, plus the iPhone SE. For the last two years, it's been the same pattern: a standard iPhone, a mini iPhone, a Pro iPhone, and a Pro Max iPhone, so there are more models to pick from than ever before.

With the iPhone 14, it seems the selection is changing again. It's long been speculated that there won't be an iPhone 14 mini (in fact it was a bit of a surprise that the iPhone 13 mini appeared) – apparently, there just aren't that many people interested in a smaller phone.

While it would make more sense for there to be an iPhone 14 and an iPhone 14 Max, then an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro Max (perhaps with a faster processor), these rumors about the Plus branding just won't go away. We'll have to wait and see.

TOPICS
David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Read more
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Air leak may have revealed some key specs – and how it compares to the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Review
Three iPhone 17 model dummy units appear in a hands-on video leak
Four iPhone SE 2022 phones on a pink and blue background
The latest iPhone SE 4 leak shows off its rumored redesign next to the iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
iPhone 17 Pro Max: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 17: latest news and rumors for every expected model
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Pro rumor predicts bizarre new camera bar design, but we're far from convinced
Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Air leak may have revealed some key specs – and how it compares to the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Review
Three iPhone 17 model dummy units appear in a hands-on video leak
Apple iPhone 16 Plus Review
iPhone 17 Air leaks suggest it'll get next-gen battery – and offset the 17 Pro Max's weight gains
Two hands holding the Tecno Spark Slim phone
The world’s thinnest phone was just revealed, but a new iPhone 17 Air leak suggests it could be even slimmer
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background
This week's best Apple iPhone 16e deals: where to get the latest iPhone for cheap
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
Leaked iPhone 17 schematics show the Apple phones could be getting a speaker redesign
Latest in News
Google Gemini Robotics
Gemini just got physical and you should prepare for a robot revolution
Lilo & Stitch Official Trailer
Stitch crashes into earth and steals our hearts with the first trailer for the live-action Lilo & Stitch
GTA 5
GTA Online publisher Take-Two is gunning for a black market that’s basically heaven for cheaters
Y2K cast looking shocked
Y2K has a streaming release date on Max, so you can witness the technology uprising at home
The Discovery+ homepage
Discovery+ just got a big update to its streaming app that makes it more like Max – here are 5 great new features to try
Two Android phones on a green and blue background showing Google Messages
Struggling with slow Google Messages photo transfers? Google says new update will make 'noticeable difference'