Consumer electronics giant Apple went all out on Wednesday to make its annual new product event in Cupertino, California, a big to-do, unveiling the latest iterations of its popular iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPod earphones.
But one very notable watcher dropped a soft-trolling social media post poking fun at how the new iPhone 14 looks and feels a lot like its predecessor, the iPhone 13. And for that matter, the iPhone another generation back, 2020’s iPhone 12.
Eve Jobs, the youngest child of the late Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder and longtime leader, took to Instagram with a meme spoofing the ongoing similarities and, perhaps, uninspired feature enhancements for the latest installment in the iPhone franchise.
While Eve Jobs was clearly a meh when it comes to the new iPhone 14, Apple is touting upgrades and tweaks that it calls “groundbreaking.”
Out with the old: Apple has dropped its smallest, and least expensive mode, the Mini, in its latest iPhone release but adds a new Plus model that sports a 6.7-inch screen alongside the standard 14 that features 6.1 inches of viewing space.
Both models still use the A15 Bionic chips that powered the 13, but both also come with a new dual-camera system that features a 12 megapixel main camera and an ultrawide lens. Apple says the front-facing camera has also been upgraded in a system it calls TrueDepth.
Two new safety features, Emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection, come standard on all four new iPhone 14 variations and could give some added peace of mind to users.
One allows users to make a satellite connection if they find themselves out of cellphone network range but need to make an emergency call. The other can sense if you and your phone have been involved in a car accident by making use of an in-phone accelerometer that can detect gravity force measurements up to 256 G-forces, according to Apple. Any of the new iPhone 14 models will automatically make an emergency call on your behalf if the sensor picks up a catastrophic event.
Sticker prices for the new phones are $799 for the iPhone 14 and $899 for the iPhone 14 Plus.
Kings of the Apple tree: Apple’s two new premiere phones, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, feature the makers latest A16 Bionic processors, the new Super Retina Display and an always-on feature that keeps the screen lit and occupied with some customizable basics, like date, time and temperature.
Notably, these phones include a design feature that dispenses with the old screen “notch” and instead, comes with a new feature in the same real estate that Apple calls the Dynamic Island. The small window shows icons that let you know what ongoing background activities are afoot, like maps, music or a running timer. Screen sizes are 6.1 inches for the Pro and 6.7 inches for the Pro Max.
The Pro phones come with a three camera system that feature a 48 megapixel main, an ultra-wide and a telephoto. And, Apple says its new “action mode” provides hefty stabilization that keeps your videos looking smooth.
A new iPhone 14 Pro will set you back $999 and the Pro Max sports a starting price of $1,099.
One operating system to rule them all: Earlier this year, Apple touted the latest upgrade to the brains that keep their iPhones popping, iOS16, which is due to be publicly released on Sept. 12.
The new system includes a host of new features including Stage Manager, which creates new options for managing open windows; Continuity Camera, which integrates the iPhone as a multifunction webcam; and Handoff, which will coordinate moving a FaceTime call that originates on an iPhone or iPad to a Mac.
The latest iPhone operating system will also feature the new “Lockdown Mode” which bolsters the internal defenses of its devices and computers by strictly limiting certain functionalities and sharply reducing the digital avenues that could be potentially exploited by highly targeted spyware.
Apple says the new feature is a revolutionary advancement specifically designed for users who may be considered as high value by cybercriminals and “personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats, such as those from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.”