Apple’s new iPhone 14 series is now available for purchase in several countries around the world, including the UAE.
The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max went on sale in the Emirates today, Friday, September 16, after the devices were launched at the Far Out event at Apple Park earlier in the month.
The smartphones arrive with the company’s much-awaited satellite technology, and in the case of the iPhone 14 Pro, a new A16 bionic chip that Apple claims is the fastest one to be used in a smartphone.
“Our customers rely on their iPhone every day, and iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
Here is what users can expect from the new releases — and when they can get their hands on them.
How much do the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max cost?
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models start from $799 (Dh3,399) and $899 (Dh3,799), respectively, while the iPhone 14 Pro costs $999 (Dh4,299) and the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1,099 (Dh4,699).
Trade-ins will be available at Apple stores.
The prices came as a surprise to many analysts as they are the same as last year’s prices, despite global supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures.
How many versions of the new iPhone are there?
The series will include the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, as well as the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone Pro will come with a 6.1-inch (15.49-centimetre) screen, while the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max will have 6.7-inch (17cm) displays.
Have the new devices now been released?
Apple began to take orders on Friday, September 9, from customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, the US and more than 30 other countries and regions.
The iPhone 14 became available in these countries on Friday while the iPhone 14 Plus will be available from October 7.
The iPhone 14 will be available in Malaysia, Turkey and 20 other countries and regions from September 23.
Is satellite technology included?
The iPhone 14 line-up comes with crash-detection feature that allows a device to automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their device.
It also features a new dual-core accelerometer capable of detecting G-force measurements of up to 256Gs and a new high dynamic range gyroscope.
Apple said these capabilities build on existing components such as the barometer, which can now detect cabin pressure changes, the GPS for additional input for speed changes, and the microphone, which can recognise loud noises typified by severe car crashes.
Meanwhile, emergency SOS via satellite is included, whereby custom components deeply integrated with the software allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite. This enables messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.
The iPhone front-loads some questions to assess the user’s situation, and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite.
The initial questionnaire and follow-up messages are then relayed to centres staffed by Apple‑trained specialists, who can call for help on the user’s behalf.
The technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with the “find my phone” feature when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection, which is handy for hikers and people who camp in remote areas.
Emergency SOS services via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada in November, and will be free for two years.
What are the camera upgrades?
A new main camera with a larger ƒ/1.5 aperture and 1.9-micrometre pixels, enabling photo and video improvements in all lighting scenarios for better detail and motion freezing, less noise, faster exposure times and sensor-shift optical image stabilisation.
A new front true-depth camera with an ƒ/1.9 aperture that enables better low-light performance for photos and video. Using the new autofocus, it can focus faster in low-light conditions and capture group shots from farther away.
A new action mode for smoother-looking video that adjusts to significant shakes, motion and vibrations.
The ultra-wide camera, offering a unique perspective for wider shots and improvements to low-light photos with photonic engine.
An improved true tone flash that is 10 per cent brighter and has better uniformity for more consistent lighting.
Cinematic mode, now available in 4K at 30 fps and 4K at 24 fps.
End-to-end dolby vision HDR.
Any other new features?
This year’s high-end models will have always-on displays that stay lit even when the device is locked, a feature that has long been available on many smartphones powered by Google’s Android software.
“It is easy to see the time and other core information without raising your iPhone or tapping the display,” Mr Joswiak said.
“This keeps the central information available for the moments where all you need is just a glance … this is the most advanced display we have ever shipped.”
Is Apple going green?
Yes, the new Apple products are designed to minimise the company’s impact on the environment, the company says.
The iPhones use 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 100 per cent recycled tin in the solder (metal alloy) of several printed circuit boards, Apple said.
Fibre-based packaging does not use outer plastic wrap, bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from all packaging by 2025.
Will iOS 16 be available on the new iPhones?
Apple's new operating system, iOS 16, was launched on September 12.
It is one of the biggest operating system updates in the history of iPhones, and “will change the way you experience iPhone”, said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering.
The new iOS 16 allows for widgets to be introduced on the lock screen, showing things such as the weather, calendar events and Air Pod battery levels. Several lock screens can also be saved if you fancy changing to a different style.
Users can also edit or recall recently sent messages, recover recently deleted messages, and mark conversations as unread so they can come back to them later.
Where does Apple stand in the smartphone market?
With a yearly increase of 19.7 per cent in smartphone shipments, Apple maintained second position with a 16.7 per cent market share last year. The company sold more than 239.2 million iPhones in the January-December period.
In the first quarter of this year, its market share grew by a fifth to 18 per cent, up from 15 per cent in the same period a year ago, on the back of its iPhone 13 series, a report from research company Canalys showed.
Overall, global smartphone shipments to end users stood at more than 1.43 billion in 2021, an annual increase of 6 per cent. This was despite supply constraints caused by production disruptions and component shortages.
When will Apple go foldable as Samsung did?
The world’s biggest smartphone maker Samsung — which held a 19 per cent market share last year — is pushing foldable phones to increase its market share and gain customers. It launched two bendable devices, the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3, in August.
Apple is also working on a foldable device, although it is still some years away, Bloomberg reported.
Foldable smartphone shipments are projected to increase about three times on an annual basis to about nine million units this year, with Samsung accounting for an 88 per cent market share of the high-end devices, said Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research.
Why are iPhones important for Apple?
Sales of Apple's iPhone accounted for about 49 per cent of the company's revenue in the company's third quarter of the 2022 fiscal year. The quarter ended on June 25.
Smartphone sales rose by about 2.8 per cent to more than $40.6 billion in the quarter from the same period in the previous year, exceeding analyst estimates of $38.3bn.
After selling 44.6 million smartphones in the April-June period, Apple accounted for 15.6 per cent of the global market share during the period, the International Data Corporation reported.
Source: BBC
Image source: Apple
