3 things Apple needs to do at its Far Out iPhone 14 launch to stay ahead

OPINION: We’re less than 12 hours away from Apple kicking off its Far Out event, where it’s expected to launch its new iPhone 14 line of phones, Apple Watch 8 wearables and updates to its AirPods line of earbuds.

And while there have been plenty of juicy rumours about the specific details around the devices, including rumblings it’ll release a sport focussed Pro variant of the Watch 8, for me there are three key things the company needs to bring to the table if it wants to keep its place as leader of the pack in the world of shiny things.

Here’s what they are:

Modular design

I’m going to be clear here this point isn’t necessarily pointed at Apple, it’s relevant to 99% of the tech companies we cover here at Trusted towers.

That aside, it’s still an important point. At Trusted we hold the truth that “Global Warming is not a myth” as a core company value and in line with that endeavour to include sustainability as a factor in our reviews.

In line with that, I’d like Apple to take its already impressive sustainability pledges to the next level and start pivoting to a modular design philosophy. This is a practice where companies intentionally design products with repairability and upgradability in mind, making it so every part can easily be swapped out when needed.

Fairphone spearheaded the idea for phones, to mixed results, many moons ago and it has since been adopted by other tech companies, like Bang and Olufsen with its latest uber-expensive soundbar, the Beosound Theatre, which debuted at IFA last week.

The benefits of a modular design are that parts can easily be swapped out when they need to. So if you break the screen you can just pop the old one out and put a new one in. Or, when the battery starts degrading you can just replace it. Later down the line, if it’s no longer able to multi-task properly you could in theory add more RAM.

This would be an extension of Apple’s latest move to sell repair kits and tools on for its iPhones that could radically extend the shelf life of devices. Coupled with a circular design, where the old parts are sent back for repair or recycling as appropriate, it could also seriously reduce their impact on the environment.

A new look

The other big change I’d like to see is an overhaul to the iPhone’s design. It’s been ages since Apple did anything other than refine its handsets’ design. A few years ago this wasn’t a massive deal as they still looked pretty modern. But in 2022 where we’ve got everything from under-screen selfie cameras to folding screens, the notch-heavy iPhone aesthetic looks distinctly retro.

Rumours suggest we’re still some way off seeing a foldable from Apple, with the last credible-ish report in January suggesting it’s not happy with the tech in its current state. But, I’d still like it to give its base iPhone line a refresh. Even a hole punch front camera housing would be a step forward at this point…

Lower prices

Over the past five years, phone prices have been gradually rising. This is why we now defined £500-£700/$500-$700 phones as “mid-range”, with most flagships costing in excess of £1000/$1000.

Apple never shies away from describing itself as a premium brand, but in the current cost of living crisis if the pre-event rumours suggesting its planning to raise, not lower its prices with a new iPhone 14 Pro flagship turn out to be true, then this is a completely tone deaf move. This is especially true when the latest reports from Bloomberg suggest it’ll also be retiring its mini line of handsets, which are traditionally the cheapest option, outside of older models, year-on-year.