Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus at a special event on Wednesday, an update to its mainstream smartphone model that does away with the mini model and embraces a larger body size across the board. Joining the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 is the iPhone 14 Plus, a smartphone with a 6.7-inch display that reappears after years of the Plus suffix.
iPhone 14 / 14 Plus models will have a larger screen, OLED structure, brightness 1200nits, support for Dolby Vision, the processor follows the A15 Bionic chip, 6-core CPU contains 2 high-performance + 4 energy-saving cores, plus a neural computing engine.
The newly introduced 12MP TrueDepth primary camera features a larger sensor and 1.9 micron pixels with f/1.5 aperture and OIS, autofocus for the first time, 49% improved low-light performance, and a hybrid system of autofocus for the front camera.
Low-light illumination performance is improved by 2x for the front camera and ultra-wide angle camera, and 2.5x for the main camera. For video, the new action mode allows for the use of more super scan and roll correction sensors to dramatically improve the anti-shake performance of the picture.
In terms of connectivity, in addition to 5G networks, the iPhone 14 / 14 Plus also supports eSIM. Of course, even if Apple wants to get rid of physical SIM cards altogether, that process won’t happen anytime soon. Only the U.S. model of the iPhone 14 is currently confirmed to no longer have a SIM card tray, moving to a full eSIM.
All major U.S. carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon) have provided strong support for eSIM.
iPhone also works with Apple Watch to provide emergency contact in the event of a car accident.
iPhone 14 can send emergency distress signals via satellite, and satellite connectivity can be an important addition to cellular mobile networks.
Apple designed and built custom components and software to enable the iPhone’s antenna to connect to the satellite, and users must point the phone directly at the satellite during use, with a custom short message compression system that reduces message size by a factor of three.
Compression algorithms make it possible to send and receive messages in less than 15 seconds, and by working with first aid experts, the phone is pre-programmed with multiple emergency situation types for quick selection.
You can share your location with the Find My service.
Apple set up relay centers to capture text messages from users and then forward them to emergency providers who only accept phone calls. There are hundreds of staff involved.
The satellite SOS feature will go live this November for iPhone 14 users for two years for free, and the service will initially be available only in the U.S. and Canada.
On the environmental front, Apple is once again highlighting the company’s recycling efforts.
iPhone 14 starts at $799 and 14 PLUS starts at $899, with up to $800 credit for eligible iPhone trade-ins, and Apple Fitness+ will be available to all iPhone users later this fall.
The reservation channel opens on September 9, and iPhone 14 will be available on September 16, while 14 PLUS will not be available until October 7.
