If your brand new iPhone 14 Pro is doing this, put it down immediately.
No, you ain't tripping. Many users are experiencing this issue when using third-party apps that use the camera - Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram etc., whilst the stock camera app works perfectly.
This suggests that it is a software bug, whereby existing coding for iOS 16 is not fully compatible with the coding in third-party apps. This should be fixed in a future iOS update.
Whoever's responsible for testing this function is in fact signing their redundancy agreement as you read this.
iPhone cameras use Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). This is a mechanism which utilises gyroscopes to detect movement, then activates tiny motors to adjust the camera system. This compensates for angular movement in order to maintain a smooth, focused image.
In the video, you can see and hear the OIS trying to stabilise the image at extremely high frequencies.
We think that this constant and violent rattling could permanently damage the camera mechanism.
If the camera is shaking when using the stock camera app, then we know that it's a fault with the hardware, i.e. the camera module itself.
This is actually a fairly common problem in most iPhone models, and it easily resolved with a replacement camera module.
Note: The video shown is of an iPhone 12 Pro with a defective camera module.
What it is, is a return to the good old days, when iPhones would open up from the back.
It's way too early to draw conclusions on the efficacy of this design or its repairability.
However, it certainly looks like it will be easy to disassemble.
FYI: Even if you don't repair phones, you might still find this interesting...
Currently all iPhone back glass' are adhered to the frame with heaps of cold press glue, which is extracted from the mines in Mordor and sealed by Sauron himself. This is why we have to shoot them with lasers to remove them. (The mines were a joke, the lasers are not)
Early teardowns indicate that the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max utilise a very similar structural design to their predecessors, i.e. they open from the front.
So why is the iPhone 14 different?
Manufacturers such as Apple will often trial a new design on a limited selection of their products. They do this because (for whatever reason) they think that this design is superior, but they don't want to put all their eggs in one basket. If this new design has structural flaws or defects, then at least the whole iPhone 14 series won't be a write off. If it works, then we can expect to see a similar design in the 15 Pro and Pro Max.
Thus, the iPhone 14 is the guinea pig.
Upon deeper consideration, we suspect that this might be one step towards a larger goal. It could be that Apple want to make devices more repairable so that they can expand their self-repair program, whereby they sell their own parts to the end consumer.
For Apple, it's always a strategic approach. It's toeing the fine line between appeasing their critics and the increasing legislative pressure brought on by the Right To Repair movement, whilst bolstering a tight business model which subtly forces customers into buying more products. Extremely difficult, but immensely profitable.
Third-party repair and parts supply is a big market. Why wouldn't Apple want a piece of the pie?
Of course, this is just conjecture. But it's worth thinking about.
Looking forward to opening up one of these 14's soon!
Thanks for reading!
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In 1980, Bill Gates declared a vision of "a computer on every desk and in every home".
This at a time when people didn't see the need for computers at home or in the workplace.
Imagine that... No one even wants a computer, let alone uses one every day.
I'd hazard a guess that your average working man couldn't describe what a computer looked like in 1980.
In fact, Microsoft didn't even make computers back then.
Yet still, Gates gave us a glimpse into the future - into a world where BILLIONS of people use a personal computer.
A vision which made Microsoft one of the most successful companies of all time, and made one man's net worth over £100 Billion.
Steve Jobs and Apple wanted to put a mini-computer in everyone's pocket.
Again, you'd have laughed him out of the room.
But they did it. They changed the world dramatically. How many new jobs, industries and relationships have been created as a result of the iPhone?
Enough that they became the worlds first $3 trillion company.
These companies generate insane amounts of value at tremendous scale and magnitude, in perpetuity.
It all stems from a single ridiculous vision.
CEO of Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, has a mission to "increase economic freedom in the world" by utilising digital cryptocurrency to provide every living person with access to sound money, a functioning credit system, and basic property rights.
Elon Musk runs several giant operations, and prefaces every major decision with one question: "Does this get us closer to Mars?"
Mark Zuckerburg envisions a time when virtual worlds will be so absorbing that nobody would want to leave. He said, “A lot of people assume the metaverse is about a location, but one description of it is a period when immersive digital worlds become the primary way we live our lives and spend our time.”
Travelling to Mars or living in virtual reality is absolutely ridiculous.
But as we've seen, it can take just a matter of decades to take a ridiculous vision and make it reality.
Most of us, by definition, are not outliers.
Pursuing your vision may not transform the world, but properly applied, it can certainly move the needle - making it a better place for yourself and for others.
Thanks for reading!
See Our Blog for the latest industry news, tech tips, company updates, and anything else we feel like writing about.
You probably glimpsed a few headlines or clips from Apple's launch event last week.
We're not going to breakdown all the specs or share a fancy promo video. Instead, we will summarise the products and discuss some key points.
What is the new iPhone range?
As expected, Apple announced the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max.
There is no iPhone 14 Mini. This is because the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini sales figures were somewhat pitiful. Apparently, demand for pocket-size smartphones is currently as small as the devices themselves - or at least too low to warrant making a new version. The 4.7 inch SE 3rd Gen, released in March 2022, remains a good option for those seeking a smaller, bang up-to-date iPhone.
There is a new model, which will take the Mini's place - The iPhone 14 Plus. For all intents and purposes, this is a big iPhone 14. It has the same camera and chipset as the iPhone 14, but is the same size as the 14 Pro Max (6.7 inch vs 6.1 inch) - perfect if you like the size of the Pro Max but don't need its more expensive attributes.
Any new features?
- "Dynamic Island" replaces the notch on the 14 Pro and Pro Max. This is a really cool integration of hardware and software, which fits programs, notifications and other snippets into the cutout on the top of the phone.
- Always-on display for the 14 Pro and Pro Max allows you to see the time and notifications without waking your screen up - an option which users have been requesting for years, and which has been available on Android phones since 2013. Still, better late than never.
- An improved accelerometer and gyroscope enables Crash Detection, which will automatically contact the emergency services if you're in a serious accident. Again, a bit late to the party aren't we, Apple.
- The Pro and Pro Max models see the usual upgrades to the camera and processor.
> Any downsides?
- No processor upgrade for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus this year - they have the same A15 chip as the iPhone 13.
- The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus still only has a 60hz display, which is a disgrace.
- Still no USB-C port.
- US models will be e-SIM (no physical SIM slot). We'll discuss why this is an absolute nightmare in a future post.
The iPhone 11, 12 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max have been discontinued.
iPhone SE (1st Gen), 6S, 6S Plus, 7 and 7 Plus will not update to iOS 15.
Our final verdict
The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are very disappointing. As far as we can tell, this is quite literally a more expensive iPhone 13.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro Max have received some decent upgrades, and will certainly be two of the best smartphones on the market. The display, camera, battery life and processor is super impressive. Dynamic Island is a huge improvement to the usability and aesthetic.
Perhaps Apple are intentionally pushing people towards the more expensive (more profitable), premium models.
Have you got your pre-order in? Do you have your eye on a discounted iPhone 13? Or are you gonna sit tight with what you've got?
It is rumoured that Apple will release an iPad with an OLED screen soon. Currently, the higher quality OLED technology is only available in their smartwatches and select iPhones.
The iPad Air 5 was expected to have an OLED screen. Apple employed the help of Samsung, who were going to manufacture the screens for the Air 5.
This was called off for two reasons:
> Apple were not satisfied with the quality of the final product, stating that the single-stack LED structure provided by Samsung was insufficient in terms of brightness and durability.
> Samsung were unable to gauge how long the Air 5 model would be sold for. If Apple decided to discontinue the product relatively soon after release, then Samsung would risk accruing greater manufacturing costs than revenue.
Ultimately, both companies had key factors outside of their control.
OLED screens provide improved brightness, higher contrast, deeper blacks, and wider viewing angles than LCD screens. OLED is superior technology, but it is expensive to produce - especially on larger devices like tablets.
