Apple on Friday released the new iPhone 14 models, and MacRumors videographer Dan picked one up on launch day. He's been using the iPhone 14 Pro Max non-stop since it came out, and over on the MacRumors YouTube channel, has shared his initial thoughts on the day-to-day experience with the latest iPhone.
Dan's mini review highlights his issues with setting up the eSIM, the usefulness of the always-on display, the functionality of the Dynamic Island, how the new 48-megapixel camera fares, and more. Make sure to watch the video, and stay tuned to the MacRumors website and the MacRumors YouTube channel because we have more in-depth iPhone 14 video content coming, plus Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods 2 coverage.
Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence
There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by Juli Clover
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category.
You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay.
As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...
Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.
There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.
M4...
Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld.
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
Friday February 21, 2025 2:14 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Another week, another alleged leak regarding Apple's fabled foldable iPhone. We've been hearing rumors about an iPhone that folds in half for over eight years now. While they have lacked consistency, they do suggest that Apple has tested various prototypes, with the hinge seemingly the biggest challenge Apple has been trying to overcome. Apple wants to eliminate any crease in the screen before...
Friday February 21, 2025 7:17 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple has withdrawn its Advanced Data Protection iCloud feature from the United Kingdom following government demands for backdoor access to encrypted user data, according to Bloomberg. The move comes after UK officials secretly ordered Apple to provide unrestricted access to encrypted iCloud content worldwide.
Customers who are already using Advanced Data Protection, or ADP, will need to...
Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
Thursday February 20, 2025 8:55 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder.
The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...
This is anything but a relaxing fireside chat. I typically enjoy Dan's reviews, but his anti-eSIM rant in this video is embarrassing. I went from a physical SIM to an eSIM on ATT in all of about 5 minutes. The process worked seamlessly, as it did for everyone I know who received their new phone last Friday. If you're going to use a small discount carrier with your top-of-the-line iPhone, I'm not sure why you would expect that to be easy.
Counter point - is Dan an Apple employee? Does he have to keep a lid shut on his experience or gaslight us and himself?
Is your iPhone 14 any less of a good device, can it withstand his slight criticism? Of course it can, it’s an inanimate object
We are dealing with bleeding edge technology, and of course there’s some pain, especially on the first day. No system is ever perfect. In retrospect (from this thread) I can see it would have been helpful if Apple was to message that to ease this transition, 1) Make sure you’re running the latest iOS and 2) If your iPhone is eSIM compatible to make the change beforehand. Then set up your iPhone 14. Hopefully people can use this info to make their transition easier. ??
I view the esim comments as the carrier's responsibility. They knew it was coming and some did a better job than others preparing for it. I had a good experience fortunately but am sorry that your carrier didn't do a better job for its customers.
Roll out of the software has been a little rough this time. Concerns rolling in over the camera vibrating in some circumstances with doing videos, calls through CarPlay not being able to be heard at full volume on the other end, etc. I'm sure Apple will address in future software updates but it does make me wonder...don't they test/see this stuff before launch?
I had the iPhone 13 Pro Max...I'm not really seeing the full benefit yet of upgrading and hoping the dynamic island will play more of a role. I did decide to turn off my "always on." I just didn't find it much help or necessary and my battery does drain slightly faster with this phone and the new software. I like the home screen customization and hope they will allow for more widgets to be added than what it currently provides.
