Apple on Friday released the new iPhone 14 models, and MacRumors videographer Dan picked one up on launch day. He's been using the iPhone 14 Pro Max non-stop since it came out, and over on the MacRumors YouTube channel, has shared his initial thoughts on the day-to-day experience with the latest iPhone.
Dan's mini review highlights his issues with setting up the eSIM, the usefulness of the always-on display, the functionality of the Dynamic Island, how the new 48-megapixel camera fares, and more. Make sure to watch the video, and stay tuned to the MacRumors website and the MacRumors YouTube channel because we have more in-depth iPhone 14 video content coming, plus Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods 2 coverage.
Thursday August 20, 2026 8:00 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern.
As usual, the iPhone event is expected to take place in the first half of September.
Labor Day falls on September 7 this year. The last time the holiday was on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to...
Thursday August 20, 2026 2:19 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
macOS 27 Golden Gate is not compatible with any Macs with Intel processors, marking the end of an era. The update, which is currently in beta ahead of a release later this year, is limited to Apple silicon Macs with an M1 chip or newer.
Last year, Apple said that macOS 26 Tahoe would be the final macOS release compatible with Intel-based Macs, so this was an expected development.
Intel...
Wednesday August 19, 2026 12:53 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. More than a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change in the foreseeable future.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
...
This is anything but a relaxing fireside chat. I typically enjoy Dan's reviews, but his anti-eSIM rant in this video is embarrassing. I went from a physical SIM to an eSIM on ATT in all of about 5 minutes. The process worked seamlessly, as it did for everyone I know who received their new phone last Friday. If you're going to use a small discount carrier with your top-of-the-line iPhone, I'm not sure why you would expect that to be easy.
Counter point - is Dan an Apple employee? Does he have to keep a lid shut on his experience or gaslight us and himself?
Is your iPhone 14 any less of a good device, can it withstand his slight criticism? Of course it can, it’s an inanimate object
We are dealing with bleeding edge technology, and of course there’s some pain, especially on the first day. No system is ever perfect. In retrospect (from this thread) I can see it would have been helpful if Apple was to message that to ease this transition, 1) Make sure you’re running the latest iOS and 2) If your iPhone is eSIM compatible to make the change beforehand. Then set up your iPhone 14. Hopefully people can use this info to make their transition easier. 👍🏻
I view the esim comments as the carrier's responsibility. They knew it was coming and some did a better job than others preparing for it. I had a good experience fortunately but am sorry that your carrier didn't do a better job for its customers.
Roll out of the software has been a little rough this time. Concerns rolling in over the camera vibrating in some circumstances with doing videos, calls through CarPlay not being able to be heard at full volume on the other end, etc. I'm sure Apple will address in future software updates but it does make me wonder...don't they test/see this stuff before launch?
I had the iPhone 13 Pro Max...I'm not really seeing the full benefit yet of upgrading and hoping the dynamic island will play more of a role. I did decide to turn off my "always on." I just didn't find it much help or necessary and my battery does drain slightly faster with this phone and the new software. I like the home screen customization and hope they will allow for more widgets to be added than what it currently provides.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
