iPhone 14 enters trial production right on time

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Apple plans iPhone features 3 years ahead
Mass-production is likely to begin this summer.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

iPhone 14 reportedly entered trial production this week ahead of its official debut this fall. The move indicates that Apple has finalized the lineup’s design and is now ready to identify problems that might arise during manufacturing.

Foxconn, Apple’s largest manufacturing partner, reportedly will build the flagship iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. And Apple will task Luxshare, which makes some iPhone 13 Pro units, with manufacturing two more-affordable models.

Trial production begins for iPhone 14

Although we still must wait many months for Apple’s next-generation iPhone, trial production typically kicks off well in advance. This gives Cupertino plenty of time to iron out potential kinks before mass-production begins in the summer.

“After starting the trial production, the foundry has to collect data, correct abnormalities, evaluate the production process and the items that need to be improved, and assess whether the trial production is acceptable,” explains the Taiwan Economic Times.

If previous rumors prove true, iPhone manufacturers face a more difficult task this year. Unlike iPhone 13, which was very similar to iPhone 12, iPhone 14 is expected to be a rather significant overhaul with a new design.

Early leaks suggest the device takes design inspiration from iPhone 4. It might feature flat glass panels sandwiching a metal frame that protrudes slightly on all edges. On Pro models, Apple might utilize titanium rather than steel for the first time.

What to expect from iPhone 14

Rumors also indicate Apple will make iPhone 14 slightly thicker, so its rear-facing cameras sit flush with the back panel. (That would end those huge more camera bumps.) And we could see the notch replaced with a more subtle pill-shaped camera cutout.

On the inside, iPhone 14 likely will feature Apple’s next-generation A16 processor. Some models could pack as much as 8GB of RAM, which prove necessary to accommodate the 48-megapixel camera reportedly coming to iPhone 14 Pro.

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