Apple unveiled its new iPhone 14 lineup at a press event on Wednesday, along with three new Apple Watch models, an update to its popular AirPods line, and a feature that could save lives when cell service is down.
At an event from its headquarters in Cupertino, California, Apple unveiled four new smartphones, including a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus model and an updated iPhone 14 Pro that revisits the much-maligned notch. In typical Apple fashion, the devices also offer better battery life and camera features than last year.
The biggest surprise, however, may be the price: The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will start at $799 and $899, respectively, the same starting prices as last year’s models. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1099, respectively, also unchanged from last year. Analysts widely predicted that Apple would raise the price of premium models by $100.
“It’s impressive that Apple maintained year-over-year parity for new iPhone 14 devices in the US,” said Leo Gebbie, principal connected device analyst at CCS Insight. “We had predicted that inflation, increased manufacturing and component costs, and other costs, such as more expensive shipping, would have led Apple to raise its retail prices.”
For Apple, the stakes are always high to convince customers to upgrade devices, and especially the iPhone, which remains its flagship product. That task will potentially be made more difficult this year by broader economic turmoil, including fears of an impending recession.
Throughout the event, Apple seemed to rotate its product line as tools to live our best lives and also to avoid any ailments that may befall customers in an uncertain world, from car accidents to being trapped in the wild nature.
Apple has announced several new Apple Watch models, including a higher-end version that costs $799 and is designed to support the needs of a rarefied group of outdoor enthusiasts. It also added an option for its watches to detect when a user has been in a car accident, as well as a satellite connectivity feature for phones, which is meant to help people communicate when their cell service isn’t working.
Here are the highlights from the event:
Apple introduced four new smartphones, including the new iPhone 14 with a 6.1-inch screen and the iPhone 14 Plus with a larger 6.7-inch screen.
The new iPhone 14 has a 12 MP main camera with larger pixels, faster aperture and improved sensors. It also uses the same chip as last year’s iPhone 13 Pro model (the A15), the first time it’s repeated a chip in years.
For the first time, however, the new front-facing camera features autofocus, allowing it to focus over long distances in low light for better individual and group selfies. It also features a new action mode that allows users to keep videos steady while moving.
Apple’s new Pro series features an always-on display and the ability to receive notifications and activities through what the company calls the “dynamic island,” the highly polarizing notch on the top of the phone that’s now considered a signature. The Pro series also comes with the first 48MP camera on an iPhone.
In a notable change, the iPhone 14 series also eliminates the need for a physical SIM card and uses a digital “e-SIM” card instead. Now, users can store multiple e-SIMs on the same device and have multiple mobile plans and phone numbers on the same phone. It also prevents others from removing the physical SIM card if your iPhone is lost or stolen. Apple said all US iPhone models will no longer have the SIM tray.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will be available in five colors: Midnight, Star, Blue, Purple and Red.
Apple introduced three new smartwatches at the event: the Series 8, the SE, and the Ultra.
At the highest level, the Ultra model is designed to help users track endurance training, diving adventures and triathlons. The device lasts about 36 hours on a single charge, is more water resistant and has an improved compass that can work at night, in the ocean and in other conditions.
On the low end, Apple updated the SE to be up to 20% faster than the previous version. It starts at $249 for GPS models and $299 for cellular models.
And in the middle is the Series 8 model, which starts at $399. Like previous versions of Apple’s smartwatch, the Series 8 is meant to motivate users to stay active and fit. Apple also highlighted the watch’s potential for women’s health, with updated cycle tracking tools that can predict ovulation. Tracking data is kept on each device and is only accessible via a password or face ID, according to the company. Apple does not have a key for encrypted data and therefore cannot access it without your express permission.
The announcement comes as data security for women has become a major flashpoint in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Apple introduced the latest generation of AirPods Pro, one of its biggest products in recent years. The new AirPods Pro will have six hours of listening time on a single charge, better than the original version. Each earbud and the case itself are now equipped to make a noise to help you find them. And a slight swipe up and down on the headphones will increase or decrease the volume.
AirPods Pro now comes with improved dynamic noise cancellation technology and can cancel twice the amount of noise compared to the original version. Meanwhile, a new adaptive transparency mode aims to reduce harsh ambient noise.
AirPods Pro 2 costs $249 and hit stores on Friday.
While Apple hasn’t introduced any groundbreaking new hardware products, at least one new feature could prove to be a game-changer for customers — albeit on rare occasions.
The new Satellite Emergency SOS feature, which Apple said has been in the works for years, was designed and built specifically for iPhone 14 devices to connect to satellites when they’re not near a ground tower. By allowing users to point their device at a satellite, which the phone will help locate, users will be able to send and receive information to get emergency help.
The company said it created a short text compression engine to condense messages that take about 15 seconds to send if a user has a clear view of the sky. (It may take a few minutes longer if something like foliage is in the way.)
Apple said local carriers will be notified to help call for help.
