The Chicago Journal

iPhone 14 Rumored to Integrate South Korean Tech for Selfie Cameras

The iPhone series is one of the most anticipated techs revealed each year, and the iPhone 14 lineup is no different, with reports coming in that the display notch will finally see a minimalist design; however, that is only one of the reasons to be excited as Apple is finally upgrading its front camera.

Initially, Apple had plans to upgrade its selfie cameras for the iPhone 15 lineup, but the company decided to push the schedule forward after encountering some quality problems with Chinese-made cameras, which came to light during the quality testing. As a result, the manufacturers were booted, and LG Innotek, alongside Sharp, was brought in to produce high-end selfie snappers.

The switch marks the first time in history that a Korean company would produce the iPhone’s front-facing camera. Apple is reportedly designating selfie cams as high-end components moving forward rather than the low-end ones they used to be. The new selfie snapper is expected to use autofocus that’s built into the camera, an upgrade from the software tuning that current iPhones do. 

The front camera will also reportedly have a wider f/1.9 aperture, a significant improvement from the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro’s f/2.2 aperture. The wider aperture will allow more light in, giving photos taken more light and details. Additionally, the aperture will improve nighttime shots. 

The iPhone 14 front-facing camera is expected to remain with the 12MP sensor, while the iPhone 14 Pro’s main camera is tipped to get a 48MP main camera. Apple has long been focused on the megapixels for the rear camera over the selfie camera.

Despite the positive upgrade with the widening aperture and autofocus on the front-facing camera, iPhone prices will most likely increase with camera manufacturing prices. Two of the four upcoming iPhone 14 models are expected to see a price increase of $100, with the new $899 iPhone 14 Max replacing the Mini after low sales completing the quartet.

The iPhone 14 is predicted to get minor upgrades, maintaining the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 but with an improved RAM. The iPhone 14 Max is also expected to have a larger 6.7-inch display.

Opinions expressed by The Chicago Journal contributors are their own.