Apple Bumps Up IPhone Camera Features, Adds Satellite Safety Element

Safety and women’s health, improved camera technology, advanced audio and a new iPhone screen design were among the highlights of Apple’s annual launch event Wednesday.

Apple Watch 8 and iPhone 14 series models have crash detection that works with emergency services if a user doesn’t respond to a prompt following a vehicle crash. The feature uses a dual-core accelerometer, HDR gyroscope and an advanced sensor-fusion algorithm to detect a crash, then uses the iPhone or Watch to check in with the user. If a user is unresponsive after 10 seconds, emergency responders will receive the device’s location, which is also shared with the user’s emergency contacts, presenters said.

The flagship 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and 6.7-inch Pro Max step up to a 48-megapixel camera and have a new display design called the Dynamic Island that gives users notifications without interrupting the current function, said Greg Joswiak, senior vice president-worldwide marketing. Ongoing background activities such as maps, music, a timer, sports scores, ride-hailing information and timers remain visible and interactive in the "island" while users continue to use their phones. The 14 Pro Models boast 2,000-nit peak brightness, twice that of their predecessor models.

The Pro series phones have a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, improved telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom and a front TrueDepth camera for improved light performance, the company said. A new action mode is said to deliver smooth video amid motion and vibration during capture. All the iPhone 14 models have Dolby Vision on recording and playback

Prices for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1,099 for the 128 GB models, and customers can save up to $1,000 on trade in, Apple said. Preorders begin Friday, and availability is Sept. 16. The iPhone 13 Pro models were no longer available Wednesday via the Apple website.

Apple added a new plus size option in the 14 series, now available in 6.1- and 6.7-inch versions. The models have Super Retina XDR displays with OLED technology supporting 1,200 nits of peak brightness. The 12-megapixel main camera has a larger sensor and pixels to capture more of a scene; Apple’s new Photonic Engine, in all 14 series phones, is said to make a “giant leap” in low-light performance. Cinematic mode is available in 4K at 30 frames per second and 4K at 24 fps.

The iPhone 14 starts at $799 for the 128 GB model and $899 for the Plus, before trade-in, with availability Sept. 16. Consumers can save up to $800 on trade-in, Apple said.

Another safety feature, Emergency SOS Via Satellite, is for situations where an iPhone user needs a connection when out of cellular range. Connections to a satellite typically require a user to be outside with a clear view of the sky, communicating with a device outfitted with a bulky antenna, said Ashley Williams, senior tech specialist, saying Apple “invented another way.”

Apple designed and built custom components and software enabling iPhone 14 antennas to connect to communications satellites’ frequencies. The connection is possible only when the phone is pointing directly at a satellite, which isn't likely visible, so Apple created an augmented-reality overlay showing users where to point the phone to establish a connection -- and stay connected -- as the satellite moves, eliminating the need for an additional antenna, Williams said.

Once connected, users have to send and receive enough information to get emergency help. Standard messaging protocols don’t work with satellites’ limited bandwidth, so Apple created a custom short-text compression algorithm to shrink the average message size by a factor of three, Williams said. It can take under 15 seconds to send a message with a clear view of the sky and longer under different conditions, such as light foliage coverage, she said. Apple worked with emergency services experts on questions they’re mostly likely to ask in emergency situations, providing a choice of the most common responses users can reply with to fit within satellite bandwidth limitations, she said.

If an EMS responder can accept text messages, Apple connects the user directly. If the responderonly accepts voice calls, relay centers with trained specialists will intervene, calling an EMS responder for the iPhone user. The service can also be used in less dire situations, Williams said. Hikers can use the Find My app to share their location manually via satellite to let loved ones know their location without sending a message, she said. She didn’t give an eventual cost for the service; it will be included for free in the U.S. and Canada for two years on wireless plan activation.

Apple launched a new category of Watch, dubbed the Ultra, for use in extreme environments. The Ultra has a compass waypoint feature that can be used to mark a location or point of interest in the Watch app. The waypoint updates dynamically in real time with the direction and approximate distance from the watch. A Backtrack feature uses GPS data to create a path showing where the user has been if they need to retrace their steps.

Apple Watch Ultra -- with a 49mm case, customizable button, 36-hour battery life and 2,000-nit display -- will be available Sept. 23 for $799. WatchOS 9 for Series 4 and later Apple watches is due for release Monday. Apple Watch 8 is $399 in GPS and $499, cellular; Watch SE starts at $249 for the GPS version.

Apple Watch 8 has temperature sensing and a retrospective ovulation estimator to help “inform family planning,” said Deidre Caldbeck, Apple Watch product marketing manager. All users on iOS 16 and Watch OS 9 can be notified of possible menstrual cycle deviations based on logged cycle data, Caldbeck said. Deviations such as persistent spotting and prolonged periods “can be symptoms of serious health conditions,” such as fibroids, thyroid disorders or polycystic ovary syndrome, she said. Data can be shared with a doctor, she said.

Cycle tracking data is encrypted on an Apple device and accessible only via passcode, Touch ID or Face ID, Caldbeck said. “When using iOS and Watch OS, default two-factor authentication and a passcode, health app data synced to iCloud is encrypted end to end.” Apple doesn’t have the key to decrypt the data, which is available only to the device owner, she said.

The next-generation AirPods Pro, with upgrades in noise-cancellation and a new Transparency mode, have Personalized Spatial Audio, which is tuned for the user based on the size and shape of their head and ears, Apple said. Battery life is increased by 1.5 hours to six, with active noise-cancellation, the company said. Customers can now charge AirPods Pro with an Apple Watch charger, the company said. The price is $149; preorders start Friday with availability slated for Sept. 23.

Apple introduced eSIM, eliminating the need for a digital SIM card in the iPhone; all U.S. models no longer have a SIM tray for the first time, the company said. Customers can transfer an existing cellular plan or get a new one digitally and store multiple eSIMs on the same device.