Apple, one of the most popular consumer tech companies in the world, launched the latest iPhone 14 series and a series of other products at an online event on Wednesday.
Here are 10 takeaways from the Far Out event.
Crash detection feature
The entire iPhone 14 line-up comes with a new safety feature that can provide emergency assistance in the event of an accident.
With a new dual-core accelerometer, crash detection on iPhone can now detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when users are unconscious or unable to reach their iPhones.
When combined with Apple Watch, crash detection leverages the strength of both devices to get immediate assistance.
For example, when a severe crash is detected, the emergency services call interface will appear on Apple Watch, as it is most likely to be in closer proximity to the user, while the call is placed through the iPhone if it is in range for the best possible connection.
Emergency SOS via satellite
Apple has launched emergency SOS service via satellite connectivity with the new iPhone 14 series.
This technology allows antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when a user is outside of the cellular or Wi-Fi network coverage.
It lets users to manually share their location over satellite when there is no connectivity, “providing a sense of security [to users] when hiking or camping off the grid”, Apple said.
Initially, the emergency SOS via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada from November. The service will be free for two years.
Green Apple
The new Apple products are designed to minimise the company’s impact on the environment.
The iPhones use 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 100 per cent recycled tin in the solder of several printed circuit boards, the company 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.
Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, and by 2030, it plans to be 100 per cent carbon neutral across its entire manufacturing supply chain and all product life cycles.
Apple Fitness+ available to all iPhone users
Apple Fitness+, the technology company’s fitness and wellness service, will be available for all iPhone users even if they don’t have an Apple Watch, the company announced on Wednesday.
The update will be available later this year in all 21 countries where the service is offered. iPhone users will have access to the entire service featuring over 3,000 studio-style workouts and meditations.
Apple Fitness+ is available as a subscription service for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, and can be shared with up to five other family members.
Wrist temperature sensing for women’s health
Apple Watch Series 8 features new temperature-sensing capabilities that give women further insights into their health.
They are designed with the “same privacy protections as with all other health data”, Apple said.
The new smartwatch comes with a dual-sensor design — one sensor on the rear back of the watch, near to the skin, and another under the display. It will minimise any interference from the external environment.
Sleep tracking
Sleep tracking in the latest watchOS 9 operating system provides more insights with the introduction of sleep stages. The smartwatch will use signals from the accelerometer and heart rate sensor to estimate when users are in REM (rapid eye movements), core or deep sleep.
Sleep stage data can be viewed directly on the watch in the Sleep app and users can view more detailed information in the Health app on iPhone.
Apple said the sensors will check wrist temperature during sleep every five seconds and measure changes as small as 0.1°C. In the Health app, users can see nightly shifts in temperature, which can be caused by exercise, jet lag or illness.
Immersive sound experience with new AirPods
With personalised spatial audio, the new AirPods will ensure an immersive experience.
Users perceive sound individually, based on the size and shape of their head and ears. Using the TrueDepth camera on the iPhone, users can create a personal profile for spatial audio that delivers a tailored listening experience, Apple said.
Users can enjoy personalised spatial audio with music, movies and TV shows across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.
Impact on Apple stock
Apple stock, which has dropped nearly 14.8 per cent since the start of the year, jumped almost 1 per cent to trade at $155.96 a share on Wednesday at the market close. It gives the company a total market valuation of nearly $2.51 trillion.
In intraday trading on January 3, the company briefly hit a market value of $3tn when its shares reached $182.86.
The company was the first to achieve this milestone, although it failed to hold above the level until the end of the trading day.
New A16 bionic
Apple unveiled its A16 bionic chip that will be used in iPhone 14 Pro.
It features an accelerated five-core graphics processing unit with 50 per cent more memory bandwidth and a new 16-core neural engine capable of performing nearly 17 trillion operations per second, Apple said.
This will ensure a seamless run of graphics-intensive games and heavy apps on the iPhone.
Prices and availability
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).
Customers will be able to pre-order all four new phones from Friday. The iPhone 14, iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max will be available from September 16, while the iPhone 14 Plus will be available from October 7.
Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $399 (Dh1,599) and Apple Watch SE at $249 (Dh999), with both available to order from Wednesday, with availability beginning September 16.
Apple Watch Ultra, which starts at $799 (Dh3,199), is available to order today, with availability beginning September 23.
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
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Match info
UAE v Bolivia, Friday, 6.25pm, Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Review: Tomb Raider
Dir: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
two stars
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
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MATCH INFO
Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Racecard
6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m
7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m
8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m
8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km