Presented iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus with an old processor, but support for satellite communication
Yesterday, Apple held an event during which it presented the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus smartphones. Thus, for the first time in several years, Apple released a larger smartphone outside of the Pro series. However, at the same time, the company abandoned the development of the compact iPhone mini.
The novelties inherit the design of the iPhone of the previous generation. Unlike the new iPhone 14 Pro series, the regular versions have kept the cutout in the upper part of the display, which houses the front camera and the array of TrueDepth sensors. The body of the device is made of metal and glass, which provides protection against mechanical damage.
The iPhone 14 features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, while the iPhone 14 Plus gets a larger 6.7-inch display. The screens have a peak brightness of 1200 cd/m2 and a peak brightness of 1200 cd/m2 in HDR mode (HDR10 is supported).
Each of the new products is based on last year’s 5-nm Apple A15 Bionic processor, which combines two high-performance and four energy-efficient cores, as well as a 5-core graphics processor. The iPhone 13 had a quad-core GPU, while the older iPhone 13 Pro had a five-core one. The manufacturer promises that the new products will provide the best autonomy among all iPhones due to the high energy efficiency of this platform.
But cameras, unlike processors, have been updated. The main camera is built on a new 12-MP image sensor with huge 1.9 micron pixels, which is complemented by an f/1.5 aperture lens. Optical stabilization is supported. The company promises that the new camera shoots 49% better in low light than its predecessors. Exposure in night mode is now determined twice as fast. And when shooting video, the improved stabilization mode Action Mode is now available, which ensures high smoothness of recording.
The front TrueDepth camera has also been updated. It is built on a 12-megapixel image sensor and has optics with an aperture of f/1.9. The front camera also started shooting much better in low light.
A very important innovation in the new generation iPhone will be support for satellite communication. True, full-fledged calls via satellite will not be available, as well as messaging. Satellite communication is intended exclusively for emergency situations – the iPhone will allow you to send a message to the emergency service and inform them of your location via satellite. Two-way communication, so you will receive a message that the emergency service has left. The satellite service will launch in November for users in the US and Canada, and iPhone 14 buyers will receive a free two-year subscription.
iPhone 14 also received support for the Crash Detection function, introduced today with the Apple Watch Series 8. It allows the device to use the accelerometer, gyroscope and other sensors to determine that the user has been involved in an accident. At the same time, a message is displayed on the screen in which the iPhone offers to confirm whether everything is in order with it. If you do not answer, the smartphone will automatically call the rescue service and send a message to the specified contact.
Note that Apple has prepared a surprise for users from the USA. Versions of the iPhone 14 without a slot for a traditional SIM card will be sold there. Instead, it is suggested to use an electronic eSIM. In addition, simultaneous connection of two eSIMs of different operators is supported.
