All iPhone 14 Models Feature New Rear-Facing Ambient Light Sensor - MacRumors
Skip to Content

All iPhone 14 Models Feature New Rear-Facing Ambient Light Sensor

All four iPhone 14 models feature dual ambient light sensors for the first time, according to Apple's tech specs for the devices.

iPhone 14 Pro Rear Camera
According to TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino, all iPhone 14 models are equipped with a new ambient light sensor on the back of the devices, whereas previous iPhone models only have a single ambient light sensor above the display. Panzarino said the sensor helps to both adjust display brightness and determine exposure for the rear camera system.

In his iPhone 14 Pro review for Mashable, Stan Schroeder said he held an iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro side by side against bright light, and then immediately went into a dark room, and found the 14 Pro was more responsive at adapting the display's brightness.

This is just one of several smaller hardware changes on the iPhone 14 models, with another one being improved GPS accuracy on Pro models.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple Says CarPlay Ultra is Coming to These Vehicle Brands

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:53 am PDT by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. CarPlay Ultra...
Apple Event Logo

Apple to Release These 15 New Products Later This Year

Friday May 22, 2026 6:36 am PDT by
April and May have been relatively slow months for Apple this year, but there is a lot to look forward to heading into WWDC 2026 and beyond. Apple is expected to release at least 15 more products later this year, with some of them held up until the more personalized version of Siri launches. Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches in September, Apple's all-new smart...
MacBook Pro Low Angle Wide Lens 2

MacBook Pro OLED Display Production Clears Key Hurdle

Thursday May 21, 2026 1:41 am PDT by
Apple's first OLED MacBook Pro models have cleared a major manufacturing hurdle, with panel supplier Samsung Display having reportedly achieved yields above 90 percent on its Gen 8.6 OLED production line. According to Korean publication The Elec, some individual process stages are now reaching yields as high as 95 percent, a level that the display industry considers "golden yield" territory ...

Top Rated Comments

Squillace Avatar
48 months ago

No one is going to care when buying this on the 14. It’s very cool, but a quality of life improvement that no one will know about. Why would Apple even bother putting it on the 14?

Oh well, Apple wants to sell the pro anyways. 🤷‍♂️
Because using Apple devices is about the experience.

It's thanks to little details like these, barely known by wide public, that people can find satisfaction in using an iPhone, even the cheapest one. Things they aren't aware of that contributes to a nice usage experience.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QuarterSwede Avatar
48 months ago

Because using Apple devices is about the experience.

It's thanks to little details like these, barely known by wide public, that people can find satisfaction in using an iPhone, even the cheapest one. Things they aren't aware of that contributes to a nice usage experience.
It really is the little things that make the overall experience good.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
48 months ago
Interesting, you would think the rear camera be able to determine light levels with built-in sensors. Or use the other cameras (not selected) for the same thing.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
48 months ago
just spitballing here, but what if the rear ambient light sensor on the pros is used to better determine when the always on display should turn off (in a pocket, etc)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
48 months ago
I hope this works as great as it sounds. It sucks being in those environments when your brightness keeps changing even though you override it cuz the front sensor keeps detecting changes.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
48 months ago

Interesting, you would think the rear camera be able to determine light levels with built-in sensors. Or use the other cameras (not selected) for the same thing.
Imagine if the user is taking a selfie or using FaceTime indoors in front of a bright window. The front ambient sensor probably wouldn't crank up the display brightness very high. Activating the rear camera for this situation would use too much power.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)