New iPhone 14 models on display at an Apple event on the campus of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California Sept 7, 2022. (JEFF CHIU / AP)
SAN FRANCISCO – Apple Inc on Wednesday avoided price hikes of its best-selling iPhones during its biggest product launch of the year, focusing on safety upgrades rather than flashy new technical specs with the exception of a new adventure-focused watch.
The iPhone maker leaned into safety technologies like the ability to detect a car accident and summon a rescue from a remote mountaintop to add allure to its devices. Apple positioned itself as the brand to allow users to pursue excitement and adventure – with a safety net.
New iPhone 14 phones are on display at an Apple event on the campus of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California Sept 7, 2022. (JEFF CHIU / AP)
With features such as Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection, the entire iPhone 14 lineup introduces new safety capabilities that can provide emergency assistance
Such intangible features "are the things that make you not just want the products for yourself, but also for loved ones," said Ben Bajarin, head of consumer technologies at Creative Strategies. "Ultimately, the increased emphasis on safety – safety as a service – is super interesting as a value proposition."
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The iPhone lineup that generates half of Apple's sales got tweaks to cameras and battery life, though only the iPhone Pro lineup got an upgrade to a completely new processor chip.
Prices of the high-end iPhone 14s are the same as last year's iPhone 13 models. But Apple dropped its cheapest option, the iPhone Mini, meaning its lowest-priced model now costs $100 more than last year.
"They decided to essentially maintain pricing despite inflationary pressure," said D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte.
The iPhone 14 will start at $799 and the iPhone 14 Plus at $899 and be available for preorder starting Sept 9. Both models feature 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches respectively, with new 12MP main and front TrueDepth cameras, and an enhanced Photonic Engine for a better low-light performance. They also include the A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU.
Apple CEO Tim Cook holds a new iPhone model at an Apple event on the campus of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California on Sept 7, 2022. (JEFF CHIU / AP)
The iPhone lineup that generates half of Apple's sales got tweaks to cameras and battery life, though only the iPhone Pro lineup got an upgrade to a completely new processor chip
The iPhone Pro will cost $999 and the iPhone Pro Max $1,099 and be available Sept 16. Both models are powered by A16 Bionic, which feature the 48MP camera, Always-On display, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and new way to receive notifications. The 48MP Main camera features a quad-pixel sensor, and Photonic Engine, an enhanced image pipeline that improves low-light photos.
Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes, both models include a new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion that features the Always-On display for the first time on iPhone, enabled by a new 1Hz refresh rate.
The new Pro lineup features Dynamic Island, a new design to experience iPhone. "The Dynamic Island enables new ways to interact with iPhone, featuring a design that blends the line between hardware and software, adapting in real time to show important alerts, notifications, and activities," Apple said.
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A person holds an iPhone 14 Pro at an Apple event on the campus of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California on Sept 7, 2022. (JEFF CHIU / AP)
With features such as Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection, the entire iPhone 14 lineup introduces new safety capabilities that can provide emergency assistance.
Apple said its satellite SOS feature will work with emergency responders. It also said that users will be able to use its FindMy app to share their location via satellite when they have no other connectivity.
The service will be free for two years with the iPhone 14. Apple did not say what would happen after that period.
Shares in Globalstar Inc jumped 20 percent on Wednesday after the satellite services firm announced it will be the satellite operator for Apple's emergency SOS service.
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The new Apple Watch Ultra are displayed during a launch event for new products at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on Sep 7, 2022. (BRITTANY HOSEA-SMALL / AFP)
The $799 Watch Ultra has a bigger battery to last through events like triathlons and better waterproofing and temperature resistance to operate in outdoor environments along with recreational scuba diving to 40 meters, as well as better GPS tracking for sports
Ultra for sports
The Cupertino, California-based company also showed a trio of new Apple Watches, including a new Watch Ultra model aimed at extreme sports and diving and designed to challenge sportswatch specialists such as Garmin and Polar.
"Apple is competing for a consumer segment that already has high loyalty towards their existing products and vendors, and it will need to prove itself over time," said Runar Bjorhovde, an analyst at Canalys.
The Ultra, enpowered by watchOS 9, introduces a 49mm titanium case and flat sapphire front crystal that reveals the biggest and brightest Apple Watch display yet, the company said.
On the watch front, the $799 Ultra has a bigger battery which can reach up to 36 hours during normal use. A new low-power setting can extend battery life to reach up to 60 hours, Apple said.
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It enables the watch to last through events like triathlons and better waterproofing and temperature resistance to operate in outdoor environments along with recreational scuba diving to 40 meters, as well as better GPS tracking for sports.
All of the watches – which include a Series 8 priced the same as last year and an updated, cheaper SE model – and new iPhones will have the ability to detect when a user has been in a serious car crash and call emergency services.
The new Series 8 watch has a temperature sensor that will retroactively detect ovulation. The company emphasized the privacy approach of its cycle tracking.
The new iPhone 14 is displayed alongside the new Apple Watch 8 Series and new AirPod Pros during a launch event for new products at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on Sept 7, 2022. (BRITTANY HOSEA-SMALL / AFP)
The power of the new H2 chip in the second generation of AirPods Pro provides an exceptional acoustic experience and cancels up to twice as much noise over the previous generation AirPods Pro, according to Apple
Apple also unveiled the second generation of AirPods Pro with the new H2 chip and upgraded active noise cancellation and transparency mode.
Customers can use Touch control for media playback and volume adjustments directly from the stem, along with longer battery life, a new charging case, and an additional ear tip size for a better fit, the company said.
The power of the new H2 chip provides an exceptional acoustic experience and cancels up to twice as much noise over the previous generation AirPods Pro, according to Apple.
The new AirPods Pro will be available to order online and in the Apple Store app starting Sept 9, with availability in stores beginning Sept 23.
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But while accessories like the Apple Watch have driven incremental sales from Apple's existing user base, the iPhone remains the bedrock of its business with 52.4 percent of sales in its most recent fiscal year, and investors continue to wonder what, if anything, will be the company's next major product category.
Analysts expect that category to be a mixed reality headset that could come to market as soon as next year, but Apple gave no hints at those potential products on Wednesday.
Apple's stock closed up 0.9 percent, lagging the S&P 500's gain of 1.8 percent for the session.
With Xinhua's inputs