[imagesource: Apple]

Each September, Apple rolls out a new iPhone and users the world over are left to ponder one of life’s great questions.

Is it worth going all-in for the upgrade?

This year, you can choose from the iPhone 14, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max. According to one tech guru, “the unanimous advice for the latest iPhone 14 is that this time around, the Pro version lives up to the higher price point”.

Cool, but I don’t like the bigger display screen and would only be interested in the iPhone 14, not the Pro. What’s my best port of call?

According to The Guardian’s latest five-star review, it’s green lights all the way:

On the surface, the iPhone 14 looks like a very minor upgrade. But a redesigned inside makes it easier and cheaper to repair, marking a major shift in the right direction for Apple…

Image: Pocket-lint

The biggest changes are hidden from view. Previously, the back glass panel was essentially glued to the frame, making its replacement when smashed a painstaking process requiring full disassembly of the device from the front.

Should you happen to suffer a little phone damage, you’ll likely find that authorised Apple repair outlets charge lower prices for certain parts.

That design is also good news in terms of heat dissipation and sustainability:

The 14 contains recycled gold, plastic, rare earth elements, tin and tungsten. The company breaks down the phone’s environmental impact in its report. Apple offers trade-in and free recycling schemes, including for non-Apple products.

The battery should last in excess of 500 full charge cycles and still maintain 80% of its original capacity at that point.

You might have heard of the car-crash detection feature. The iPhone 14 can now sense the high-impact force of a traffic collision and should you not respond within 20 seconds, will automatically call emergency services.

We’ll highlight the camera upgrade once more, given that it’s such a major selling point:

…the main 12MP camera sensor is physically bigger than its predecessor, boosting low-light performance by up to 49%. Shots taken in middling- to low-light conditions, such as indoors, are significantly sharper than before…

Image: Samuel Gibbs / The Guardian

The ultra-wide camera has better low light performance thanks to improved software processing but remains otherwise unchanged.

The selfie camera has been given a major overhaul and video capture remains “class-leading”.

In closing, the review’s verdict calls the iPhone 14 “a definite upgrade for longevity… with all the elements that make iPhones some of the best on the market”.

Although the price increase could sting (an iPhone 14 128GB model sells at Digicape for R20 599), “trade-in deals could help soften that blow”.

A reminder that Digicape allows you to trade in your old smartphones, tablets, watches, Apple TVs, laptops, and desktop computers for discounts and vouchers.

[source:guardian]