iPhone 14: It's a power flex, but do we need it? I need this instead, and it's still missing…

Here comes the iPhone 14 series, about to steal the tech world's attention away from subjectively more exciting things like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. Say what you will about Apple, but the Cupertino company doesn't just have passionate haters, but very loyal users and fans as well.

And even a seemingly minor change to the new, annual iPhone release, such as its potential notch removal, will gain it a lot of attention, new buyers, and old ones upgrading.

In fact, Apple is reportedly expecting a strong demand for the iPhone 14 Pro Max in particular. A phone that might start at the hefty price of $1,200, yet it's still expected to sell like hotcakes. Impressive in this economy, if true!

In any case, what the iPhone 14 series is shaping up to offer over its predecessor, the iPhone 13, doesn't seem like much…

An i-shaped holepunch for the selfie camera and Face ID sensors, as opposed to a notch. Cool, so it's a holepunch camera – that's some real 2018 Android phone tech! Of course, iPhone 14 will also bring the expected incremental camera and performance upgrades, but its predecessor is already a beast in that regard.

Is any of this really that important? Well, as an ex-iPhone user who recently switched back to Android, I'd say there are more important things Apple should give the iPhone 14 to truly get on par with some of the Android flagship competition. Features that me and many others expect to have, and take for granted nowadays, yet Apple stubbornly refuses to deliver on its flagships.

Split-screen multitasking

This feature has been available on a huge number of Android phones for many, many years, yet no iPhone offers it. The iPad does, even the latest iPad mini models, yet the new, nearly 7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max won't.

I get it, Apple has always been about keeping things simple and easy-to-use, but if you're paying attention, the trillion dollar company has also recently started betraying its stubborn "less is more" views.

The M1 iPads have inexplicably gotten Mac-like multitasking all of the sudden this year. Earlier, iPads were given mouse and trackpad support, something else Apple definitely seemed to be against. So things can change.

The iPhone could, and should get an optional split-screen multitasking feature for the power users. It has a huge screen, and it's a powerful device, so why not?

I know there's two camps to this argument. Camp one – people who never use split-screen and would argue that it's pointless and unnecessary. Just switch between apps, right? Camp two – people who often find themselves using split-screen to do more than one thing at a time; perhaps people with a shorter attention span and less patience, like me, which are many, by the way.

Since Apple changed its tune about the iPad, I'd argue it's possible that it will change it with the iPhone too, giving it split-screen someday in the future. The question is – when? Why be so late to the party?

As it stands, the iPhone doesn't have split-screen, nor is it even rumored to be getting it, yet it's among the biggest features I believe it lacks and needs. All this iPhone power, yet you can even utilize two apps at a time, and do things as efficiently as on even a cheap Android phone…

Always-on display… is it coming?

Even the Apple Watch took five generations until it got an always-on display option, which we could argue is a key feature for a smartwatch. And these days – it's quite valuable on a phone too, for many users.

Once again, it's somewhat clear why Apple doesn't do it – keeping a phone display's pixels on all the time has an impact on battery life. However, I'm certain that many smartphone users, including me, are willing to make that trade.

On the average Android flagship phone, always-on display can be enabled to show any missed app notifications and messages for the user to see at a glance, at any time. No need to pick up your phone all the time like a spastic monkey; in fact, having always-on display may be helpful to those who do compulsively check their phone often throughout the day. It negates the need to do so.

Indeed, always-on display isn't just a convenience, but may be helpful in that aspect. So why are we up to a 14th generation of iPhones, yet it's still not an option?

Most iPhones do have solid battery life, and with that in mind, surely keeping a few pixels on, on an efficient AMOLED display no less, won't tank the battery that hard?

And iOS 16 is bringing customizable lock screens with Apple Watch-like widgets, why not let users keep those visible? They're so meant for always-on display! Check 'em out: