Apple revealed its highly anticipated 5G-capable phones this week during its annual September product event. While all four models — including the iPhone 14 and larger iPhone 14 Plus — offer improved cameras and new safety features, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are the first to utilize Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip, built on the new 4-nanometer process. Apple calls it “the fastest chip in a smartphone.” All four models have satellite connectivity to send emergency messages in areas without cell coverage. The company also debuted the Apple Watch Ultra, aimed at high-performance athletes, and the AirPods Pro.

Speaking to investors and customers from a grassy lawn at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters, CEO Tim Cook emphasized interoperability, saying “this type of integration is something only Apple can do.”

“The tech giant focused on safety features for the iPhone 14 lineup and newest smartwatches, adding sensors that can detect car crashes and alert authorities,” The Wall Street Journal writes, calling satellite capability for smartphones “one of the biggest technological changes.”

“The new service, called Emergency SOS via satellite, will allow iPhone 14 users to send special low-bandwidth text messages to emergency responders through space-based relays,” WSJ says of the service, which Apple launches in the U.S. and Canada in November, offering it free for two years.

While WSJ says “many analysts had expected to see Apple increase prices for some iPhones” the company held the line, with “starting prices the same compared with a year ago for both base and high-end models.” The iPhone 14, featuring a 6.1-inch display, starts at $799, while the  iPhone 14 Plus, with a 6.7-inch screen, starts at $899. The iPhone 14 Pro, which also has a 6.7-inch screen, carries a $999 list price, while the larger iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,099.

In addition to the faster A16 Bionic chip, the Pro versions boast brighter screens and are capable of “always-on” display. “The high-end phones come with a new design that houses the front camera in a pill-shaped hole in the screen replacing the iPhone 13’s notch,” according to WSJ. The Pro models also feature Dynamic Island, “which offers new interactions for notifications and activities,” Apple SVP of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak said in a news release.

Both the iPhone Pro and Pro Max feature Apple’s first 48MP camera. Powered by the new A16 Bionic chip made for apple by TSMC, the devices boast a 6-core CPU and accelerated 5-core GPU that has 50 percent more memory, according to Apple, which says its “16-core Neural Engine performs 17 trillion operations per second.”

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have a 12MP main camera “featuring a larger sensor and larger pixels, a new front TrueDepth camera, the Ultra Wide camera to capture more of a scene, and Photonic Engine” for improved low-light performance,” Apple explains.

Apple is targeting scuba divers, triathletes, distance runners, and backcountry hikers and climbers with the Apple Watch Ultra, reports The New York Times, which says the new device “is aimed at endurance athletes, a market dominated by Garmin.” The $800 model “has an ‘action’ button to make it easier to use while wearing gloves, bigger speakers for calls in windy conditions and a larger battery with a 36-hour life span on a charge.”

Apple also showcased wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro, that offer superior noise-canceling capabilities and let users change volume by swiping a finger, starting at $249.

Related:
Here’s Everything Apple Announced at Its iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Event, Engadget, 9/7/22
Tim Cook Would Rather Have You Buy an iPhone Than Use RCS, TechCrunch, 9/8/22
Apple’s New iPhones Create Buzz in China, but Local Rivals Loom, The Wall Street Journal, 9/8/22
Apple Kills Off the SIM Tray on the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro in the U.S., Engadget, 9/7/22