The screen is what matters, and the battery isn’t too bad either.

Image Credits: Brian Heater

What will a large phone look like in 2022? For a lot of years, it has been a moving target, but one that has been slowly advancing in one way. Although the actual average display size is difficult to pin down, most flagship smartphone screens typically measure between six and seven inches.

Steve Jobs publicly advocated for a screen size of four inches in 2010. He noticed that the size of Android phones was slowly increasing and said, “You can’t get your hand around it.” “No one will believe that,” The first Galaxy Note was introduced by Samsung the following year. Some others expressed outright contempt at the 5.3-inch display. The first notable phablet was simply too large for hands and pockets.

Those remarks now seem dated in light of the intervening ten years. Technology is able to accomplish that. In 2022, four new iPhone 14 models will be available in two sizes: 6.1 and 6.7 inches. Many events have taken place to bring us to this point, not the least of which is a notable increase in the screen-to-body ratio. The overall footprint necessary to accommodate larger monitors has decreased.

For the past two weeks, my primary smartphone has been an iPhone 14 ordinary. I can get close enough to it with my hand, but not quite. The fact that it is simple to use with one hand is more significant.

Since the time when a 5.3-inch phone seemed almost absurdly enormous, a lot has changed.
I’ve grown to truly value 6.1 inches as a sweet spot for my personal everyday use. It has a decently sized screen and a manageable hardware footprint. As always, your results may vary. When the Mini was basically killed off by the iPhone 14 series, several people were understandably sad. It makes perfect sense to want a smaller phone, and the SE will have to serve that purpose for the time being.

After reading this, you’ve probably guessed that I’ve subsequently converted to the 14 Plus for daily use. I’ll start by stating that I actually can’t get my hand around it. It’s a little more difficult to use it with one hand. Checking emails and scrolling through social media are two behaviors that are absolutely feasible to carry out in this way when face unlock is allowed. These activities represent the majority of what we do on our phones.

On the other side, things become more challenging if you wish to, instance, reply to an email. I can usually twist to find the specific message, but I’ll need both hands to type and click Replay in Gmail. If you’re well-versed in voice computing, you could already have a workaround that suits you.
There is a cost associated with this, as there always is in life. For things like video, I actually quite appreciate the 6.7-inch size. Additionally, it’s convenient to use the entire screen as a viewfinder when taking images. It’s a fantastic size to act as a sort of impromptu teleprompter, which is how I ended myself moderating a panel at a Brooklyn bookstore earlier this week.Even though that is a pretty specialized demand, the advantages of going from 6.1 to 6.7 inches become apparent fairly soon.

Beyond screen size, battery is the main benefit of choosing the Plus over the basic 14. The Plus’s video playback time is rated at 26 hours as opposed to the 14’s 20 hours. For me personally, that meant that I went to bed with about 50% charge and woke up with about 37%. You ought to be able to survive for the entire 24 hours without any problems. Not having to worry about finding a charger during the day brings about a pleasant sense of calm.

There are several advantages to not having to worry about having a phone die on you when you’re out and about, even though we’re not talking about an Apple Watch Series 8 to Ultra-sized jump here.

In the iPhone lineup, the 14 Plus occupies an intriguing type of liminal position. It’s the base model and not the most expensive. In almost every way, with the exception of size, it is more comparable to the first and closer to it. Surprisingly, it weighs less than the 14 Pro, which is smaller. After using the Pro for a while, I also observed that nearly right away. That is definitely noteworthy for such a massive phone. Additionally, it costs $100 less than the Pro and $200 less than the Pro max at $899.

The 14 is the phone you get if you want a new iPhone but don’t want all the newest features. On the cutting edge of iPhone innovation is the 14 Pro. The 14 Pro Max is a gadget for the kitchen. The Plus is for those who want the bigger screen but don’t need all the other features stated above. Try them on for size at a nearby brick and mortar to see which is the best fit for you.

The normal 14 makes the most sense, in my opinion, for the majority of users. If you desire faster processing and/or better photographs, or if you’re just simply impressed with everything the Dynamic Island has to offer, consider upgrading to the Pro.However, if screen size is your main priority, those 0.6 inches really matter.