UPDATE 5/10/22: Overwatch 2’s launch remains impacted by DDOS attacks, with a second now impacting the game.
That’s according to the game’s director Aaron Keller, who posted on Twitter early this morning (UK time) to say his team would “work throughout the night” to get the game back online.
“We’re steadily making progress on server issues and stability, as well as working through a second DDoS attack,” Keller wrote. “We’re all hands on deck and will continue to work throughout the night. Thank you for your patience – we’ll share more info as it becomes available.”
We’ll keep you updated on the status of Overwatch 2 today.
ORIGINAL STORY 4/10/22:
Blizzard says Overwatch 2’s servers are experiencing a “mass DDoS attack”, preventing players from accessing the newly launched game.
Players have reported unexpected server errors and difficulties joining Overwatch 2 games throughout the evening following today’s free-to-play launch, with some claiming to be experiencing queues of as many as 40,000 other players.
An earlier tweet by Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra acknowledged today’s server woes but gave no indication they might be the result of anything other that launch day teething troubles, only thanking players for their patience and pledging to “get [them] into the fun”.
However, Ybarra has now posted a follow-up tweet suggesting today’s Overwatch 2 launch is being affected by the malicious actions of a third-party. “Unfortunately we are experiencing a mass DDoS attack on our servers,” he wrote. “Teams are working hard to mitigate/manage. This is causing a lot of drop/connection issues.”
Overwatch 2 – Launch Trailer.
Blizzard’s dedicated Overwatch 2 social channels remain somewhat less informative. Tonight’s ongoing server issues were briefly alluded to in a Known Issues post shortly after launch but no further updates have yet been shared.
Overwatch 2’s early access launch has been marred by a few bugs and a massive DDoS attack preventing players from getting into the game. Fans have been reporting getting stuck on the loading screen and getting one error after another. They’re also put in queue behind hundreds — and in some cases, even tens of thousands — of other players also trying to get in. Blizzard president Mike Ybarra initially tweeted that the game is experiencing server issues and that the company’s teams are working hard to fix it. In a follow-up tweet, though, the executive admitted that the game is “experiencing a mass DDoS attack” on its servers causing drop and connection issues.
Blizzard developed the new free-to-play shooter for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The new game reduces team sizes from six to five, so a team gets only one tank. It also comes with new maps, new heroes and new features, such as the ability to place a Ping on the enemy’s location to point them out to the rest of the team. Servers for the original Overwatch went offline shortly after its sequel launched, so fans have no choice but to wait for Blizzard to fix the issue before they can play the game again.
Aside from mitigating the DDoS attack, Blizzard also has to fix quite a few bugs that made themselves known upon launch. They include items and currency going missing from players’ collections, sections not populating, some areas becoming inaccessible, actions resulting in a blackscreen and Blizzard’s SMS Protect leaving the client unusable.
In a tweet, Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller said Blizzard will work throughout the night to deal with server issues and a second DDoS attack.
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CD Projekt RED [187 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/cd-projekt-red”>CD Projekt RED has announced five new projects: a new Witcher game codenamed “Sirius” by The Molasses Flood [11 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/cd-projekt-red/the-molasses-flood”>The Molasses Flood, new Witcher trilogy by CD Projekt RED, new Witcher game codenamed “Canis Majoris” by a third-party, new Cyberpunk 2077 [63 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/cyberpunk-2077″>Cyberpunk 2077 game codenamed “Orion” by CD Projekt RED’s new Boston studio, and an entirely new intellectual property codenamed “Hadar” by CD Projekt RED.
Get the details below.
Long-Term Product Outlook
■ The Witcher
“Now, allow me to introduce our production plans for further years. The first three releases in our pipeline will belong to The Witcher franchise, and we’ve already started pre-production of two of them,” said CD Projekt RED president and Joint CEO Adam Kicinski.
Sirius (by The Molasses Flood)
“The Molasses Flood game, codenamed ‘Sirius,’ is set in the Witcher universe and is being created with support from CD Projekt RED developers. It will differ from our past productions—in the sense that it is targeted at a broader audience. Along with the single player experience gamers will be able to play with others, as ‘Sirius’ will contain Multiplayer [86 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/multiplayer”>multiplayer.
New Witcher Trilogy (by CD Projekt RED)
“Another project, codenamed ‘Polaris,’ is the game which opens the new Witcher saga, further expands upon the open world storytelling known from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. There will be three games in the saga and we aim to deliver them over a six-year period starting from the release of Polaris. It’s a bold statement as we are talking about three large-scale productions, but we really mean it and we have a plan on how to achieve it. Both the second and the third installments will, in technological terms, benefit from the groundwork laid during development of Polaris. In this way we aim to smoothen the development process while at the same time staying creatively ambitious.
Canis Majoris (by Third Party [18 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/party”>Party)
“The next project—codenamed ‘Canis Majoris’—will be another full-fledged Witcher production. It will be created by an external studio that Michal just spoke about, headed by experienced developers who have worked on earlier Witcher games. Techwise, we plan to use Unreal Engine 5 and the toolset we are creating for Polaris.
■ Cyberpunk 2077
“As you have seen there is a lot happening in the world of The Witcher, so let’s jump into the dystopian future.
Phantom Liberty (Cyberpunk 2077 Expansion by CD Projekt RED)
“This year we plan to release […] a major expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, titled ‘Phantom Liberty.’
Orion (by CD Projekt RED)
“Another project that we want to focus on is Orion, again it’s a codename, the next Cyberpunk game that will fully unleash the potential that this universe offers. Our ambitious plans will require a lot of work, dedication and further growth of the team.
“Speaking of which I have important news to share. We are creating a new studio based in North America. Next to The Molasses Flood—which will remain solely focused on Sirius—we are setting up a team in Boston, that together with our existing Vancouver-based team will establish CD Projekt RED North America. This studio will be in charge of leading development of Orion. This move will enable us to fully draw upon the North American talent pool.”
■ New IP
Hadar (by CD Projekt RED)
“I am excited to announce that CD Projekt RED has begun creative exploration on a third, entirely distinct IP—codenamed ‘Hadar,’” said CD Projekt RED senior vice president of business development Michal Nowakowski. “We had started thinking about it a few years ago. Early-stage conceptual works commenced in 2021, and—for the first time in our history—the IP is being incubated entirely within CD Projekt RED. It is important to understand that we are not making a game just yet. We are working on the foundation of this new setting.
■ Multiplayer
“That would be all about the new games, but we have more to share with you today. While we believe that our games and worlds we create within them are telling great stories that impact many, we also believe that letting gamers interact with each other will create new experiences for them. By doing so, we do not want to make the single player experience smaller in any way because of that direction. What is important, Unreal Engine 5—our new engine—offers a solid tech framework, allowing us to develop multiplayer for most of our future titles. Our approach to developing online competences, and a broad overview of the technological changes occurring at the Group, are presented by Board Members responsible for these respective fields.”
Message from Marcin Iwinski
“Hi everyone,
“Today I have some news that’s both important to me and to the company.
“I am beginning a brand new personal chapter at CD Projekt, as I will submit my candidacy for the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board, leaving behind my Joint CEO role.
“By the end of 2022, I’ll hand over my duties to my colleagues from the board. For me, this is a huge moment. I’ve been at CD Projekt for almost 30 years and I have seen it go from a handful of passion-driven rebels to an internationally recognized developer of story-driven role playing games loved by millions globally. Back when Michal Kicinski and I founded the company, I don’t think either of us would have been able to imagine this incredible journey, not even in our wildest dreams.
“When I think about the future of CD Projekt, it is so exciting for me. Today, the company consists of over 1,200 people across offices all over the world. But CD Projekt has never been about physical place or scale—it’s all about the huge amount of talent we have, and the hard work and dedication of everyone who chooses to work here.
“It is thanks to that commitment and amazing talent that right now I have that same feeling I had all those years ago—hunger and optimism for what’s ahead. It really feels like this is only the beginning. Our hugely ambitious strategy has such an inspiring and strong team at the helm, and I deeply believe in our plan to take CD Projekt to new heights. As such, I intend to remain a major shareholder, and in my new non-executive role I will remain active and engaged dedicating my focus on supporting the entire Management Board. I will also remain connected to the core of what makes us special, which is making the best storytelling games in the world and doing right by gamers.
“I want to thank everyone who has ever been a part of what I think is one of the most vibrant video game companies in the world. I say this to every RED team member, every business partner, and-most importantly-every gamer… From the bottom of my heart thank you!”
—Marcin Iwinski Co-Founder, Joint CEO, CD Projekt RED
Watch the full CD Projekt Group strategy update announcing the new projects below.
PlatinumGames has confirmed Hellena Taylor – the voice of Bayonetta in the first two games, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the animated movie Bayonetta: Bloody Fate – will not be reprising her role in Bayonetta 3.
Speaking to Game Informer, director Yusuke Miyata explained how “various overlapping circumstances” meant Taylor was unable to return for the third outing. The company held casting auditions, and that’s how Jennifer Hale scored the role. Here’s the full explanation (via Nintendo Everything):
“Various overlapping circumstances made it difficult for Hellena Taylor to reprise her role. We held auditions to cast the new voice of Bayonetta and offered the role to Jennifer Hale, whom we felt was a good match for the character. I understand the concerns some fans have about the voice change at this point in the series, but Jennifer’s performance was way beyond what we could have imagined. I’m confident that her portrayal of Bayonetta will exceed our fans’ expectations.”
Jennifer Hale has had an incredibly successful career so far doing voice-overs for all sorts of games. She’s perhaps best known for her role as the female Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect series, which recently returned as the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition in May last year. For Nintendo fans, she also voiced Samus Aran in the three main Metroid Prime games.
You can hear her in action in the trailer below and listen to more in a restricted trailer on YouTube.
Hellena Taylor first hinted she might not be reprising the role of Bayonetta in September last year. One other fun fact – Bayonetta’s VA in the Japanese version of Bayonetta 3 is still voiced by Atsuko Tanaka.
How do you feel about this change in the English version of Bayonetta 3? Comment below.
The Pixel Watch has thoroughly leaked ahead of Thursday but here’s a look at the Coral Active band directly from Google, as well as a bezel case – of sorts – for the wearable.
The first rumor of a “Coral” Active band for the Pixel Watch emerged two weeks ago. We spotted what could be it this evening in a Google Store email announcing the new wired Nest Doorbell. That said, it’s a bit darker and redder than expected, with raspberry coming to mind. We see the watch face’s hour and seconds hands matching the band.
It appears at the end of the promo message as part of a “Meet the latest from Google” that’s somewhat phrased as if the Pixel 7/Pro and Watch were already announced.
Explore the latest devices like Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, the Google Pixel Watch, and Chromecast with Google TV (HD).
This might imply that Google was planning to announce the new Doorbell and Nest Wifi Pro, as well as the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) from last month, at the same event. Some found it curious this morning that Google decided to make major Nest hardware and software announcements just two days before “Made by Google.”
When the company teased the event at the start of last month, it implied there would be Nest products too. At this rate, unless there’s a surprise, October 6 should be all about the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, and Watch.
Tangent aside, third-party accessories for the Pixel Watch are starting to appear on Amazon. Case maker Ringke is releasing a “Bezel Styling” that adds a stainless steel perimeter to Google’s wearable.
It’s meant to “keep your device protected from scratches and dust gathered from frequent use,” as well as cracks due to impacts. This accessory attaches via “cushioned double-side type” with a cutout for the crown.
More on Pixel Watch:
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It’s a new era for Blizzard’s Overwatch series – with the company rolling out Overwatch 2 across multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch today. It’s free-to-play, features cross-platform play and progression and can be downloaded now from the Switch eShop.
Unfortunately, the launch hasn’t gone entirely to plan. In a post on social media, company president Mike Ybarra revealed the game’s servers have apparently been on the receiving end of a “mass DDoS attack”, which has been creating a lot of drop and connection issues.
Blizzard’s customer support page has shared a list of known issues and bugs, and what problems have been resolved so far.
Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller has also shared a brief update (via social media), mentioning how there’s been a second attack, and the team would be “all hands on deck” throughout the night.
“We’re steadily making progress on server issues and stability, as well as working through a second DDoS attack. We’re all hands on deck and will continue to work throughout the night. Thank you for your patience – we’ll share more info as it becomes available.”
When these issues are sorted – Overwatch 2 will offer players new heroes (Junker Queen, Sojourn and Kiriko), six new maps, a new 5v5 versus format, new modes (including Push and a redesigned comp mode), cosmetics, and a new ping system. A PvE mode will be released next year.
Loot Box have also been replaced by an all-new item shop, and there’s now also a free and premium battle pass (1000 Overwatch coins – $10 USD) – giving players immediate access to new heroes when they’re added, and other unlockables such as skins. Season One is now live and Season 2 will add a new tank hero and map. New seasons will follow every nine weeks.
How has your own experience been with Overwatch 2 so far? Tell us below.
A Reddit user managed to grab their hands on the Google Pixel Watch ahead of the launch.
The images showcase the real-world photos of the next smartwatch from Google.
A new promotional material confirms Fitbit integration, including a six-month subscription.
The Pixel Watch is one of the most highly-anticipated product launches from Google, which will launch this week alongside the Pixel 7 series. We’ve seen numerous leaks regarding the product, from pricing to promotional material and so on. Yet, mere days before the launch, a fresh leak from a Reddit user showcases how the Google Pixel Watch will appear in real life, as they managed to get his hands on it before the launch.
The Reddit user has posted several hands-on images of the upcoming Pixel Watch that showcased the smartwatch in all its glory. It includes unboxing the retail unit and unveiling the box contents next to displaying the different strap bands. We’ve already seen the Pixel Watch in renders and most recently in a leaked promotional video, but this is one of the few times we’ve seen it live on a person.
The series of unboxing images show the retail packaging of the Pixel Watch with the Fitbit logo incorporated on the top, which makes it the first product developed by Google with Fitbit integration following the acquisition.
Further, the box contents reveal the Pixel Watch in Silver Stainless Steel colorway accompanied with Charcoal Active Band. We can further see the USB Type-C magnetic charging cable included in the packaging.
The packaging includes two band fits: small and large. It further tells us that the smartwatch supports Wi-Fi (unlike the recent Fitbit smartwatches), Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS. One of the later images reveals that the watch will ship with Wear OS 3.5 out of the box, although unfortunately, we don’t get to see the watch turned on.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Reddit user u/Suckmyn00dle)
(Image credit: Reddit user u/Suckmyn00dle)
(Image credit: Reddit user u/Suckmyn00dle)
On the whole, the live images of the smartwatch out of the box match the set of images we exclusively leaked earlier this year. It comes with a minimalistic design featuring a crown with which we will likely interact within the interface. The Reddit user also compared the Google Pixel Watch next to Apple Watch, wearing them side-by-side. They both appear rather large, although the Redditor does note that the Pixel Watch is slimmer than they thought it would be.
The images from the Reddit user also tell us that Google Pixel Watch also features a significant amount of bezels on the round display. Clearly, they are not so minimal, as showcased in some of the promotional videos or the ones shown during the brief introduction of the product at Google I/O this year.
Moreover, images from the Pixel Watch unboxing point to a speaker grille next to a microphone, which could be meant for the Google Assistant interaction that the Pixel Watch comes with.
And while we know the Watch will have Fitbit integration, it seems there will also be some perks for buyers, according to a leak from SnoopyTech.
Mais n’oublions pas la belle Pixel Watch ! pic.twitter.com/lGv7ijXFhVOctober 4, 2022
See more
All these leaked specs point out a fairly impressive smartwatch that could give many of the best Android smartwatches a run for their money, although there is some tough competition from the Galaxy Watch 5. Let’s see what more Google brings to the table with the Pixel Watch on October 6.
For a while now, the PlayStation brand has been evolving. No longer simply meaning the console that sits under your television, the word “PlayStation” now applies to movies, television shows, or even the brand’s console exclusive games appearing on PC.
Now, speaking to a handful of media outlets, Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst has outlined a bit more of what’s in store for PlayStation’s expanding future.
One clear pillar of PlayStation’s business strategy moving forward is live service games, as previously proven by Sony’s $3.7 billion acquisition of Bungie. According to Hulst, Bungie’s role in the PlayStation family will partially be to serve as an example of how to handle the live service model.
“I’ve been a long-time admirer of Bungie,” the executive told GQ. “They speak our language and so they’ve been doing this for a decade since the original release of Destiny. So the battle scars that they have earned, coupled with their absolute transparency means I can’t think of a better partner to have in that space.”
Meanwhile, Hulst told Axios that PlayStation has greenlit 12 total projects in the live ops space. This lines up with the number Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki said back in February when we learned PlayStation plans to launch more than ten live service games by March 2026. At the time, Totoki also credited the Bungie acquisition as a key reason why developing, releasing, and sustaining so many live service games should be possible in that window.
You can likely expect PlayStation’s live service offerings to be a mix of new IP and recognizable franchises. Hulst told GQ that PlayStation has “about 25 titles in development”, and that roughly half of the projects in development are new IP. He also said that PlayStation is “not excluding bringing some of our beloved existing franchises into live games.”
Sony’s recent AAA offerings have largely forgone multiplayer altogether, with games like The Last of Us Part II, Horizon Forbidden West, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and the upcoming God of War Ragnarok serving as solo experiences. There are exceptions to that, though, with Ghost of Tsushima Legends and Returnal’s multiplayer support both arriving after launch.
As we know, some Sony studios are instead developing standalone multiplayer projects, rather than grouping them in with single player experiences. We know The Last of Us is getting a standalone multiplayer title, and recent rumors suggest a multiplayer Horizon game could be in the works.
The Last of Us on HBO – Trailer Screenshots
Even though Sony will begin to spend more resources on multiplayer live service offerings, Hulst appears to remain committed to Sony’s flagship single-player titles, telling Axios that the narrative-driven single-player games aren’t going anywhere. They are seemingly taking longer to get here, however, with a history of delays for Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok, while Spider-Man 2 is currently the only major Sony-published exclusive on the books for 2023, outside of the company’s PSVR 2 plans.
While the wait continues for new exclusives on PS5, PC players are finally starting to experience some of the best games the PlayStation 4 has to offer. Recently, franchises like God of War, Spider-Man, and Uncharted have started appearing on PC, which will seemingly continue in the future.
Hulst told Reuters that “further investments in areas that will strengthen the expansion on to PC” are a definite possibility.
It’s not just a PS5 and PC party from now on, though. In the interview with Axios, Hulst also mentioned bringing more games to PS4 on a “case-by-case basis,” and discussed building up Sony’s “internal capability” to make mobile games. Earlier this year, Sony formed its PlayStation Studios Mobile Division to start working on mobile games based on new and existing IPs.
Finally, when Hulst was speaking to Reuters about Sony’s recent investment in Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, Hulst said it’s “not unthinkable” that PlayStation Productions could work on an entertainment adaptation of a FromSoftware property. FromSoftware is the developer of Elden Ring, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and the Dark Souls series.
For even more on PlayStation, check out how Sony is apparently planning to make 2 million PSVR 2 units for launch. Or read about how the PS5 has seemingly been jailbroken, with people already installing Hideo Kojima’s PT.
PlayStation VR2 – Photos
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular product.
The iPhone 14 Pro has several camera system improvements that have led to stellar reviews, including a 48-megapixel sensor and Apple’s new image-processing technique called the Photonic Engine. This immediately puts the iPhone 14 Pro at an advantage over last year’s iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, at least on paper.
But how big of a difference do these new hardware and software features actually make in the real world?
I compared the cameras on both phones in a range of challenging situations around San Francisco to find out. All these photos were taken in the default camera app on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro, both running the latest version of iOS 16.
You can find out more about the specific improvements to the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera system in this deep dive by my colleague Stephen Shankland. CNET’s Patrick Holland also has a great analysis into the iPhone 14 Pro’s photos and how the Photonic Engine helps boost photo quality in challenging lighting conditions.
The iPhone 14 Pro 48-megapixel sensor captures more detail
On the hardware front, the biggest change between the two phones is the 14 Pro’s new 48-megapixel sensor on the main wide camera that’s also physically larger than the older iPhone, which makes just as much of a difference to photo quality as the increase in megapixels. The 13 Pro uses a 12-megapixel sensor.
Using a technique called pixel binning, the iPhone 14 Pro joins four pixels together into groups to capture 12-megapixel photos with more detail. You can also take a full 48-megapixel image if you shoot in Apple’s ProRaw format, and that gives photographers more flexibility when it comes to editing and recovering shadow and highlight detail among many other advantages.
In good lighting, the 12-megapixel shots from both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro look similar at reduced magnification, and it might not be that easy to spot the difference. It’s when you push in a bit that the advantages of the 14 Pro’s new sensor and image processing become clear.
In the images below that I captured in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the tree trunks are more defined and sharper on the iPhone 14 Pro’s photo than those on the 13 Pro. Areas of fine detail, like grass, also retain much more resolution. You can click through to the full resolution image from the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro to compare more easily.
The iPhone 14 Pro’s lens on the main rear camera also has a wider field of view than the 13 Pro’s: 24mm versus 26mm. This means you can get a little more in your shot, which might be especially helpful for landscape photography.
The iPhone 14 Pro can take photos at 2x zoom
The iPhone 14 Pro also has another trick up its sleeve: The 48-megapixel sensor can also take 12-megapixel shots at an effective 2x optical zoom. You’ll see a new 2x option in the camera interface. That crops the center of the higher-resolution image to immediately give you more flexibility with focal length, without needing a fourth lens. The iPhone 13 Pro can also take photos at 2x zoom, but it uses digital zoom and doesn’t have the same quality or level of detail as this new technique.
I find the new 2x option on the iPhone 14 Pro helps with portrait mode. Instead of just offering 1x and 3x options like on the older phone, it can also snap portrait mode photos at 2x. This results in more natural-looking shots to my eye. I find it’s more flattering on facial features than the wide look from 1x, or the zoomed-in perspective at 3x.
Now playing: Watch this:
iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max Review: Tons of Upgrades,…
14:11
iPhone 14 Pro vs. 13 Pro: Low-light and night mode
The iPhone 14 Pro has a new image processing pipeline to help improve medium to low-light shots. Combined with the larger sensor, I can see the difference compared to the iPhone 13 Pro in all the photos I shot at dusk. In the photos below, take a look at the detail captured on the tree branches by the skyline.
The newer phone also has better noise reduction in low light, without night mode engaged. Dynamic range is improved in low light too, capturing more shadow and highlight detail than the older phone.
For night mode shots specifically, both the phones use similar exposure times ranging from 1 to 3 seconds depending on the lighting conditions. The iPhone 14 Pro’s picture below has more accurate white balance overall and slightly better detail when you zoom in.
Action mode is the star of the iPhone 14 Pro’s video recording
Both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro shoot in 4K at up to 60fps. The video image looks similar when filming on the main rear camera. But the iPhone 14 Pro unlocks additional video tools like Action mode. This is like having a gimbal attached to your phone to give smooth results when moving, except you don’t need any additional hardware — it’s all done in-phone.
Action mode crops in slightly to your image and drops the resolution from 4K to 2.8K. But I think the results are incredibly impressive, especially when compared to the same video shot on the iPhone 13 Pro.
I chased after my puppy, jogged along the beach and took a fast-moving tracking shot in front of a waterfall in the park with Action mode, and the results were remarkable. The iPhone 14 Pro’s video image looks like I was filming with a stabilizer, smoothing out even sudden jerky movements. The iPhone 13 Pro’s video looks much more shaky.
You can see some samples in the video below, but my comparison video showing those exact clips will be available soon. I’ll update this article in the coming week so you can see for yourself.
iPhone 14 Pro has big camera improvements, but the iPhone 13 Pro is still impressive
Apple’s latest iPhone has some significant advantages over last year’s iPhone 13 Pro when it comes to both photo and video capture. Importantly, you don’t need to consider yourself a serious or professional photographer to take advantage of that 48-megapixel sensor. But the iPhone 13 Pro is still at the top of its game in most other areas, and still offers one of the best all-around phone cameras you can get.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce sweeping changes like the Dynamic Island, a new 48-megapixel camera system and Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor. All of these upgrades come together to make for an experience that feels fresh and fast compared to older generations.
Read our Apple iPhone 14 Pro review.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
The iPhone 13 Pro is the best phone Apple produces and it received a stellar score in our review. The new smartphone adds a third rear camera with 3x optical zoom (up from 2x on the iPhone 12), a stainless-steel body and a ProMotion screen with refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling.
Read our iPhone 13 Pro review.
You’re receiving price alerts for Apple iPhone 13 Pro (Sierra Blue, 256GB)
This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular product.
The iPhone 14 Pro has several camera system improvements that have led to stellar reviews, including a 48-megapixel sensor and Apple’s new image-processing technique called the Photonic Engine. This immediately puts the iPhone 14 Pro at an advantage over last year’s iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, at least on paper.
But how big of a difference do these new hardware and software features actually make in the real world?
I compared the cameras on both phones in a range of challenging situations around San Francisco to find out. All these photos were taken in the default camera app on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro, both running the latest version of iOS 16.
You can find out more about the specific improvements to the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera system in this deep dive by my colleague Stephen Shankland. CNET’s Patrick Holland also has a great analysis into the iPhone 14 Pro’s photos and how the Photonic Engine helps boost photo quality in challenging lighting conditions.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
The iPhone 14 Pro 48-megapixel sensor captures more detail
On the hardware front, the biggest change between the two phones is the 14 Pro’s new 48-megapixel sensor on the main wide camera that’s also physically larger than the older iPhone, which makes just as much of a difference to photo quality as the increase in megapixels. The 13 Pro uses a 12-megapixel sensor.
Using a technique called pixel binning, the iPhone 14 Pro joins four pixels together into groups to capture 12-megapixel photos with more detail. You can also take a full 48-megapixel image if you shoot in Apple’s ProRaw format, and that gives photographers more flexibility when it comes to editing and recovering shadow and highlight detail among many other advantages.
In good lighting, the 12-megapixel shots from both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro look similar at reduced magnification, and it might not be that easy to spot the difference. It’s when you push in a bit that the advantages of the 14 Pro’s new sensor and image processing become clear.
In the images below that I captured in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the tree trunks are more defined and sharper on the iPhone 14 Pro’s photo than those on the 13 Pro. Areas of fine detail, like grass, also retain much more resolution. You can click through to the full resolution image from the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro to compare more easily.
The iPhone 14 Pro’s lens on the main rear camera also has a wider field of view than the 13 Pro’s: 24mm versus 26mm. This means you can get a little more in your shot, which might be especially helpful for landscape photography.
The iPhone 14 Pro can take photos at 2x zoom
The iPhone 14 Pro also has another trick up its sleeve: The 48-megapixel sensor can also take 12-megapixel shots at an effective 2x optical zoom. You’ll see a new 2x option in the camera interface. That crops the center of the higher-resolution image to immediately give you more flexibility with focal length, without needing a fourth lens. The iPhone 13 Pro can also take photos at 2x zoom, but it uses digital zoom and doesn’t have the same quality or level of detail as this new technique.
I find the new 2x option on the iPhone 14 Pro helps with portrait mode. Instead of just offering 1x and 3x options like on the older phone, it can also snap portrait mode photos at 2x. This results in more natural-looking shots to my eye. I find it’s more flattering on facial features than the wide look from 1x, or the zoomed-in perspective at 3x.
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iPhone 14 Pro vs. 13 Pro: Low-light and night mode
The iPhone 14 Pro has a new image processing pipeline to help improve medium to low-light shots. Combined with the larger sensor, I can see the difference compared to the iPhone 13 Pro in all the photos I shot at dusk. In the photos below, take a look at the detail captured on the tree branches by the skyline.
The newer phone also has better noise reduction in low light, without night mode engaged. Dynamic range is improved in low light too, capturing more shadow and highlight detail than the older phone.
For night mode shots specifically, both the phones use similar exposure times ranging from 1 to 3 seconds depending on the lighting conditions. The iPhone 14 Pro’s picture below has more accurate white balance overall and slightly better detail when you zoom in.
Action mode is the star of the iPhone 14 Pro’s video recording
Both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro shoot in 4K at up to 60fps. The video image looks similar when filming on the main rear camera. But the iPhone 14 Pro unlocks additional video tools like Action mode. This is like having a gimbal attached to your phone to give smooth results when moving, except you don’t need any additional hardware — it’s all done in-phone.
Action mode crops in slightly to your image and drops the resolution from 4K to 2.8K. But I think the results are incredibly impressive, especially when compared to the same video shot on the iPhone 13 Pro.
I chased after my puppy, jogged along the beach and took a fast-moving tracking shot in front of a waterfall in the park with Action mode, and the results were remarkable. The iPhone 14 Pro’s video image looks like I was filming with a stabilizer, smoothing out even sudden jerky movements. The iPhone 13 Pro’s video looks much more shaky. You can see those action mode examples in the video at the top of this page, or in my colleague Patrick Holland’s video below.
iPhone 14 Pro has big camera improvements, but the iPhone 13 Pro is still impressive
Apple’s latest iPhone has some significant advantages over last year’s iPhone 13 Pro when it comes to both photo and video capture. Importantly, you don’t need to consider yourself a serious or professional photographer to take advantage of that 48-megapixel sensor. But the iPhone 13 Pro is still at the top of its game in most other areas, and still offers one of the best all-around phone cameras you can get.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce sweeping changes like the Dynamic Island, a new 48-megapixel camera system and Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor. All of these upgrades come together to make for an experience that feels fresh and fast compared to older generations.
Read our Apple iPhone 14 Pro review.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
The iPhone 13 Pro is the best phone Apple produces and it received a stellar score in our review. The new smartphone adds a third rear camera with 3x optical zoom (up from 2x on the iPhone 12), a stainless-steel body and a ProMotion screen with refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling.
Read our iPhone 13 Pro review.
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