iPhone 14 Pro could have a distractingly big camera cut-out

iPhone 13 Pro Max
An iPhone 13 Pro Max (Image credit: TechRadar)

We’ve been hearing for a while that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max might have a punch-hole selfie camera rather than a notch, but the latest leak suggests that rather than just a small circular cut-out in the screen, this will be pill-shaped.

That’s according to leaker @dylandkt on Twitter, who’s been right about Apple information in the past, and while they don’t talk about the size, being pill-shaped suggests it will be rather bigger than a typical punch-hole camera.

We’ve seen pill-shaped cut-outs before, such as on the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, and they’re typically around twice the size of circular ones (because they usually house two lenses). In the case of the iPhone 14 Pro, there’s no suggestion that it will be getting a dual-lens selfie camera, so presumably the extra space will be to house some of the Face ID components.

Hopefully not too many of them, or that could make the camera cut-out distractingly large, but there’s hope there, as the same source claims that the Face ID hardware will be placed under the display, and that the functionality of the sensors hasn’t been negatively affected by this change.

So if this is all accurate then at the very least the camera cut-out should be significantly smaller than the current notch, but perhaps not quite as small as we’d hoped – or as most of the competition.

It’s worth noting also that this change is only expected for the Pro models, with the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max reportedly still having a notch.


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 has an under-display camera (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Analysis: a step in the right direction

This news is a little less promising than some of the iPhone 14 Pro leaks we’ve heard, but it would still make for a big step in the right direction.

It would mean the removal of the notch – even if its replacement is still quite large – and we wouldn’t be surprised if Apple worked to decrease the size of the camera cut-out in future generations, by placing ever more components under the screen.

So perhaps the iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 ranges would have a more conventional punch-hole, and eventually maybe we’d see a move to under-display cameras, like you get on a handful of Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

That tech hasn’t been perfected yet, which is probably at least part of why no iPhone has this, but we’d imagine this is the goal for most manufacturers – Apple included.

Via PocketLint

TOPICS

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Read more
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Pro rumor predicts bizarre new camera bar design, but we're far from convinced
The iPhone 16 Pro Max next to the Google Pixel 9 Pro
The iPhone 17 could inherit the Pixel 9’s most distinctive design feature
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
I want the iPhone 17 to get rid of the Dynamic Island – but not for the reason you think
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
Leaked iPhone 17 renders hint at major design changes – including 3 controversial changes for the Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 16 in ultra marine
The latest iPhone 17 leak hints at one iPhone 16 feature that might not change
MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) in use in a studio
Sick of the MacBook Pro's notch? It could vanish when the rumored OLED version drops in 2026
Latest in iPhone
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
Apple iPhone 16e REVIEW
The iPhone 16e doesn’t have MagSafe, but apparently Apple thinks you didn’t want it anyway
Apple iPhone 16 Pro on purple background with price cut text overlay
Verizon's best iPhone 16 Pro deal is back - get a free phone, iPad, and Apple Watch without a trade
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
The iPhone 17 Pro could come with 12GB of RAM to help it power though AI tasks
Latest in News
Stock photographs of people smiling and looking at laptops in a small business environment.
This web hosting platform elevates your online presence
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display at Galaxy Unpacked
Exclusive: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will have durability to match its ‘sexy’ form
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Sega was Metacritic's highest-rated publisher of 2024 thanks to the critically acclaimed Metaphor: ReFantazio and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
AirPods Pro Review
Apple has quietly updated its guidance on how to clean your AirPods, and suggests you buy a kit… from Belkin
China
Chinese hackers who targeted key US infrastructure charged by Justice Department
A screen shot of Lady Gaga in her interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music
Lady Gaga’s Spotify press conference is being live streamed today – here’s where you can watch Spotify’s big step forward in fan inclusion