Which iPhone model should you buy?

The much-awaited new iPhones from Apple are finally here. The Cupertino tech giant recently launched the iPhone 14 series, which includes iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, expanding the portfolio of iPhones available to consumers. Of course, the latest models are the best iPhones yet and bring the latest and greatest hardware. This time, the new Pro iPhones bring an entirely new pill-shape cutout for the selfie cameras and Face ID hardware, the new A16 Bionic processor, higher resolution 48MP primary cameras, and many other improvements compared to its predecessors.

With the iPhone 14 series, however, it’s getting harder to choose the right iPhone. Some users may want to buy the previous-gen iPhone 13 since the iPhone 14 doesn’t offer significant upgrades. Some might still desire a mini iPhone, which Apple killed with the iPhone 14 series. If you’re still not sure which iPhone you should buy in India, we are here to help. Below is a quick guide that helps you pick the right iPhone for yourself. Let’s get started.

List of Apple iPhones 2022

iPhone buying guide India: Which iPhone should you buy in 2022?

1. iPhone SE (2022)

Apple iPhone SE 2022 (review) is the most affordable iPhone on the market, but that doesn’t mean it is any less capable than the rest of the iPhones. The third-gen iPhone SE comes with a 4.7-inch Retina HD display with thick bezels at the top and bottom. The panel gets an impressive 326 PPI resolution for sharp text rendering with a typical 625nits brightness, so you won’t have any trouble seeing display contents in bright sunlight. Apple is putting the same powerful A15 Bionic chip as the latest standard iPhones, although it gets one less GPU core. Nonetheless, expect great performance out of this compact device.

The iPhone SE, however, uses a single 12MP camera system for photography and videography. But you still get Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, Portrait mode, and 4K video up to 60 fps. The front camera uses a 7MP FaceTime HD camera with support for up to 1080p video shooting. It also gets up to 15 hours of video playback time on a single charge. There is also Touch ID, integrated into the home button for secure and easy authentication. 

Price

iPhone SE (2022) sells at the starting price of Rs Rs 49,999.

Buy iPhone SE (2022): Amazon, Flipkart, Apple

Pros

• Stupendously fast 
• IP67 rated
• Compact and lightweight 
• Competitively priced

Cons

• HD display feels dated
• No dedicated night mode
• No ultrawide angle/telephoto camera

iPhone 12

iPhone 12 (review) is a little old but it still comes with a fast A14 Bionic processor and incredible 12MP advanced dual rear cameras with the ability to shoot and edit excellent 4K Dolby Vision HDR videos. The rest of the camera features are here as well including Night mode, Deep Fusion, and Smart HDR 3 modes. The rest of the specifications are great as well — including the 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display, ceramic shield build, and IP68 water resistance rating. And it supports MagSafe accessories for easy attachment and faster wireless charging. It is worth noting that iPhone 12 gets 5G connectivity support as well, so you’re not missing out on much by choosing this variant.

Price 

iPhone 12 currently sells at the starting price of Rs 59,999

Buy iPhone 12: Amazon, Flipkart, 

Pros

• Excellent OLED display
• Capable cameras
• 5G connectivity support

Cons

• Lacks a high refresh rate screen
• A14 Bionic chip is a little old by today’s standards

iPhone 13 mini

For the true small-phone lovers out there, Apple still sells the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini that easily fits in your hands. it retains the same flagship hardware as its sibling iPhone 13 and almost the feature set while still costing a lot less. It is powered by the same A15 Bionic processor and features a 12MP advanced dual-camera system and comes with a 12MP TrueDepth camera. You also get a wide range of camera features such as Cinematic mode 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording, Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4, and more. It also gets up to 17 hours of continuous video playback time on a single charge. In simple terms, the iPhone 13 mini gets you the performance in an extremely compact and tiny form factor. 

Price 

iPhone 13 mini sells starting from Rs Rs 64,900.

Buy iPhone 13 mini: Amazon, Flipkart, Apple

Pros

• Value-for-money
• Speedy A15 Bionic processor
• 12MP advanced main dual-camera system
• Decent battery life

Cons

• 5.4-inch display size is not for everyone

iPhone 13

The previous year’s flagship is still one of the best iPhones you can buy in India, especially considering Apple has dropped its price following the launch of the iPhone 14 series. And with the pre-Diwali sales coming up, the iPhone 13’s price could get even more attractive for buyers. If you want the most bang for your buck, the iPhone 13 (review) is the way to go. iPhone 13 is powered by the same A15 Bionic processor as the new iPhone 14. The iPhone 13 ships with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display along with a 12MP dual main camera system for stunning shots.

The iPhone 13 camera system features excellent low-light performance and gets Cinematic mode, Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4, Night mode, and 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording. The 12MP TrueDepth camera supports Night mode and 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording as well. Thanks to the A15 Bionic, the iPhone 13 brings up to 19 hours of video playback on a single charge. iPhone 13 also features a Ceramic Shield for protection against accidental drops and increased scratch resistance and features an IP68 rating for water resistance. 

Price 

iPhone 13 selling price currently starts at Rs 69,900.

Buy iPhone 13: Amazon, Flipkart, Apple

Pros 

• Excellent price-to-performance ratio
• A15 Bionic SoC
• Long-lasting battery
• Capable cameras

Cons

• Might get a little expensive for higher storage variants
• No high-refresh-rate screen

iPhone 14

The iPhone 14 is the latest offering from Apple. This is the phone to choose if you love the absolute latest from Apple. The handset features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with slim bezels all around and support for a wide colour gamut, HDR, True Tone, and up to 1200nits peak brightness. iPhone 14 still ships with an impressive advanced 12MP dual main camera system, which now offers 38 percent improved low-light performance and supports Dolby vision for video recording. The 12MP TrueDepth front camera is also improved with autofocus for excellent selfies and a stable video calling experience.

There is also the Cinematic mode, which helps you shoot cinema-grade videos with just a click of a button. Additionally, the iPhone 14 gets the same Action mode that lets you shoot stable action shots as the Pro series. Software-wise, the phone runs on iOS 16 out of the box. Apple has also improved battery life and claims to offer up to 20 hours of continuous video playback on a single charge. At its core lies the A15 Bionic, which has a 5-core GPU and 16-core NPU. Overall, if you’re looking for a well-rounded flagship experience, the standard iPhone 14 won’t let you down.

Price 

iPhone 14 price starts at Rs Rs 79,900.

Buy iPhone 14: Apple 

Pros

• 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
• Smooth performance
• Improved rear and front cameras

Cons 

• Uses a standard 60Hz refresh rate display
• Misses out on a pill-shaped notch

iPhone 14 Plus

iPhone 14 Plus is the new entrant in the iPhone 14 series this year. The iPhone 14 sports a larger 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. It shares a bunch of its traits with the regular iPhone 14 smartphone. The handset is powered by the powerful A15 Bionic chipset that handles all the processing needs. You also get improved camera performance with the 12MP dual camera system as well as excellent selfie performance with the autofocus-enabled 12MP front camera. The handset also has excellent battery life, which per Apple can last for 26 hours on a single charge. The iPhone 14 Plus is for those looking for a large-screen iPhone but doesn’t want to spend a premium.

Price 

iPhone 14 Plus pricing starts at Rs 89,990.

Buy iPhone 14 Plus: Apple

Pros

• 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
• Smooth performance
• Improved cameras
• Excellent battery life

Cons 

• Lacks a ProMotion display

iPhone 14 Pro

The iPhone 14 Pro comes with an all-new and most powerful A16 Bionic chipset, which is based on the 4nm fabrication process and has a 6-core CPU, which consumes 30 percent less battery compared to A15 Bionic. The efficiency cores, on the other hand, use one-third of the power of competing chipsets. All this means the iPhone 14 Pro provides power as well as excellent battery life when needed. The iPhone 14 Pro model brings many improvements including an entirely new pill-shape notch that houses the selfie camera and Face ID hardware; giving the iPhone a much-needed design overhaul that matches the modern design of consumers. 

iPhone 14 Pro retains the 6.1-inch screen size and 120Hz refresh rate as its predecessor, but the panel can now peak up to impressive 2,000nits brightness and offers excellent HDR performance. Further, the phone now comes with an Always-on display feature to let you can quickly glance through important information without unlocking the phone. Additionally, the display can also tone itself down to as low as 1Hz refresh rate saving battery juice. It also gets HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG for enhanced cinematic visuals. Thanks to the pill-shape cutout on the new iPhone 14 Pro series, Apple is introducing a new feature called Dynamic Island feature to interact with the pill-shaped cutout. The company says the features will animate and work based on notifications.

For photography, the iPhone 14 Pro features a larger 48MP quad-pixel primary sensor in the triple camera system that is said to be two times better at taking low-light shots. The primary sensor is paired with a new 12MP ultra-wide sensor for wide-angle shots and a 12MP telephoto lens to capture far-away shots. Add to that, the Cinematic mode on iPhone 14 Pro Max can now shoot 4K videos at 30fps and 24fps. Moreover, Apple is adding a new Action Mode to let you shoot ultra-stable moving videos. Lastly, the new iPhone series adds satellite connectivity to send emergency SOS messages and comes with a Crash Detection feature. 

Put it simply, if your want a compact form factor, but still want everything the latest iPhones have to offer, the iPhone 14 Pro is a perfect choice.

Price 

iPhone 14 Pro price starts at Rs Rs 1,29,900.

Buy iPhone 14 Pro: Apple

Pros

• All-new and powerful A16 Bionic chipset
• New pill-shape design with dynamic island
• A larger 48MP quad-pixel primary camera
• Always-on display

Cons

• Expensive
• Slow wired and wireless charging

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Sitting at the very top of the line, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the most premium and all-powerful smartphone to date that Apple has produced. It packs the same powerful A16 Bionic at the core for remarkably fluid performance in apps and games as the regular 14 Pro. Apart from featuring a bigger  6.7-inch display, most other features remain the same here including the pill-shaped notch and 120Hz ProMotion display with HDR10, HDR with Dolby Vision, HLG support as well as an Always-on display feature. It also gets excellent HDR performance and a 48MP camera system along with Action Mode and Cinematic mode support. If you want the latest and greatest hardware that Apple has to offer when it comes to smartphones, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the phone you want.

Price

iPhone 14 Pro Max is available from the starting price of Rs 1,39,900.

Buy iPhone 14 Pro Max: Apple 

Pros

• All-new and powerful A16 Bionic chipset
• New pill-shaped cutout
• Improved triple camera system
• Always-on display

Cons

• Expensive
• Slow wired and wireless charging