Apple’s new iPhone 14 series is 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 on Friday, September 16, after the devices were launched at the Far Out event at Apple Park earlier in the month.
The smartphones arrived 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 series — and how 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 are 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 includes 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 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.
When were the new devices 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 in September while the iPhone 14 Plus was out on October 7.
The iPhone 14 was made 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 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 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.
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The iPhone through the ages: Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone to the world in San Francisco, California, on January 9, 2007. It had a 3.5-inch screen and 2MP camera. Reuters -
The iPhone 3G was launched in 2008 with a faster 3G connection. It also added location services. Reuters -
The iPhone 3GS was released on June 19, 2009. It was twice as fast as its previous version. AFP -
The iPhone 4 was released on June 24, 2010. It featured FaceTime for the first occasion as well as a retina screen. Reuters -
A later release, this time on October 14, 2011, the iPhone 4S had a new dual-core processor. Reuters -
Apple CEO Tim Cook takes to the stage following the reveal of the iPhone 5 in San Francisco, California, on September 12, 2012. This was the first 4-inch screen and the phone was faster and slimmer. Reuters -
The iPhone 5C arrived on September 20, 2013 and was less expensive and very similar to the iPhone 5 except it came with colourful casing. Getty Images -
The iPhone 5s came at the same time as the 5C and introduced touch ID and a motion data processor as health and fitness apps started to come to the fore. Getty Images -
The iPhone 6 marked another double launch when unveiled on September 9, 2014. The 6 had a 4.7-inch screen, faster processor and improved camera. AFP -
The iPhone 6 Plus had a 5.5-inch screen and was $100 more expensive. Reuters -
The iPhone 6s came on September 25, 2015 with 3D touch and a camera that could shoot 4K video. EPA -
The iPhone 6s Plus is displayed at Tokyo's flagship store on September 25, 2015. Both new phones came in a new colour - rose gold. AFP -
Unveiled on March 21, 2016, the iPhone SE had the same design as the iPhone 5 and saw a return to the 4-inch screen which was preferred by some users. It was more affordable and hence lacked features such as Touch ID. AFP -
The iPhone 7 announced on September 7, 2016, said somewhat controversially goodbye to the audio jack. Reuters -
The iPhone 7 Plus had a dual camera added. AFP -
The iPhone 8 was released on September 22, 2017 and had a new glass and aluminium design, retina HD screen. Reuters -
A customer gets his hands on an iPhone 8 Plus on launch day in Tokyo on September 22, 2017. The launches also saw speakers that were 25% louder and the most powerful and smartest chip in a smartphone (according to Apple). AFP -
The iPhone X marked a decade of iPhones on September 12, 2017. It's main changes were an edge-to-edge super retina screen. Touch ID was removed with Face ID introduced. Reuters -
The iPhone XS was released on September 21, 2018 and had a Super Retina OLED screen with improved scratch and water resistance. Face ID was faster. Reuters -
The iPhone XS Max had the largest iPhone screen to date at 6.5 inches. It could handle 3 million pixels. Reuters -
The iPhone XR was slightly cheaper than the XS and came with a 6.1-inch screen. AFP -
A customer looks at the iPhone 11 at an Apple store in Dubai Mall on September 20, 2019. EPA -
A man tries out the iPhone 11 Pro in Cupertino, California, on September 10, 2019. AFP -
Midnight Green was introduced for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, while there was also a new three-camera system. Reuters -
Arriving on April 15, 2020, the iPhone SE was for budget-minded customers and was pretty much a replica of the iPhone 8. Its 4.7-inch screen felt rather on the small side compared to the big screens of its big brothers. Apple Inc. / AFP -
The iPhone 12 on October 13, 2020 introduced a new processor and a screen that offered four times better protection if dropped. Apple / AFP -
The iPhone 12 mini offered a 5.4-inch screen. Getty Images -
Mr Cook showcases the iPhone 12 Pro during an event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on October 13, 2020. This upgrade saw a faster chip, 5G speed, a "camera system that’s killer in low light. A LiDAR Scanner for more realistic AR. And two great sizes to choose from — including our largest display ever". Apple / EPA -
The iPhone 12 Pro Max was categorised as a 'legacy phone'. Reuters -
The new iPhone 13 was unveiled on September 14, 2021. It has a smart data mode which helps battery life, more 5G bands and antenna lines that use material made from recycled plastic water bottles. AFP -
Apple CEO Tim Cook showcasing the third generation iPhone SE featuring 5G and the A15 Bionic chip on March 8, 2022. EPA -
The Apple iPhone 14, 14 Plus, Pro Max and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro were unveiled during an event on September 7, 2022. It didn’t raise its US prices during one of the worst years for inflation in decades. The biggest addition was emergency calling after a car crash. Bloomberg
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.
You can see what else is new here.
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.
— This article was originally published on March 17, 2022
