iPhone 14 Pro might still have a notch – but it could be a whole lot smaller

The most intriguing rumor we’ve heard about the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is that the phones might not have a notch, with a punch-hole used for the front-facing camera instead. However, the latest leak suggests that may not be the case.

Mark Gurman, a journalist with a good track record for Apple leaks, has claimed in his latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg that the iPhone 14 range will have “a hole-punch-sized notch.”

So from the sounds of things that would mean a notch that’s the same sort of size as the aperture for a punch-hole camera. That said, there’s some uncertainty here, since usually the term ‘hole-punch’ is used to describe a cut-out in the screen, rather than a notch, and some sites have suggested that this is what Gurman means.

We’re not entirely sure either way, and there’s evidence in both directions, with a number of leakers suggesting the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max won’t have a notch at all, while at least one suggests they will have a small notch.

Further confusing matters, Gurman’s wording suggests this change could potentially come to every iPhone 14 model, which isn’t something we’ve heard before, but we could believe Apple would at least shrink the notch on every phone.

So this creates more questions than it answers, but some of Gurman’s other recent claims are clearer, as he also used this newsletter to reiterate things we’ve heard before, including that an iPhone SE 3 with 5G could land in the first half of the year.

Gurman also reiterated that a new iPad Pro with wireless charging is apparently in the works, and that the Apple Watch 8, Apple Watch SE 2, and a rugged Apple Watch will all be unveiled this year too.

An iPhone 13 Pro Max (Image credit: TechRadar)

Analysis: whether there’s a notch or not, in-screen Face ID looks likely

Whether you interpret Gurman’s words as meaning that the iPhone 14 range will have a punch-hole cut-out instead of a notch, or will have a tiny notch, something would need to be done about the Face ID components, as they wouldn’t fit in either of those options.

So if Gurman (and the many other leakers who’ve made similar claims) are right, then it looks very likely that the Face ID tech will be hidden under the display of at least some iPhone 14 models.

With that in mind, we’d also think a punch-hole camera is more likely than a small notch, since the former tends to be seen as more premium, and presumably wouldn’t be any harder to achieve.

But don’t count on all four iPhone 14 models getting this; Apple is likely to keep it as a premium feature, in which case, as the rumors suggest, you’ll probably have to go Pro to get this design upgrade.

Read our full iPhone 13 Pro review