Cupertino In addition to the possibility of sending emergency messages by satellite, one of the innovations is a constantly active display on the more expensive Pro version of the iPhone 14. Apple is expanding the product range of its computer watches with a larger and more robust Apple Watch Ultra, which is intended primarily for extreme athletes and adventurers.
Emergency messages via satellite
Emergency messages via satellite can save lives if people in areas without mobile phone reception are in danger. At the moment, you need special phones with larger antennas for this. Apple, on the other hand, integrated an in-house system for connecting to satellites into the conventional case sizes of the iPhone 14.
However, the connection remains a technical challenge, as the group admitted at the presentation on Wednesday. For example, the iPhone must be pointed directly at the satellite, and the transmission can take a few seconds or several minutes. Since the satellites are not visible to the naked eye, users get help to align the devices with a graphic on the screen. The feature will initially only be available in the US and Canada and will remain free for the first two years for buyers of an iPhone 14.
Display can stay on
In the more expensive Pro models of the iPhone 14, the display may remain on all the time. For example, this creates new possibilities for applications on the home screen that display information in real time – such as live stands at sporting events. The Pro devices also get a reduced display recess for selfie camera and face recognition as well as a 48-megapixel sensor in the new camera system, which, among other things, should provide better images in difficult lighting conditions.
All of this has its price: the new devices are becoming more expensive across the board than their predecessors. The basic model of the iPhone 14 costs 999 euros compared to 899 euros for the iPhone 13. The prices for the iPhone 14 Pro now start at 1299 euros instead of 1149 euros before. For the larger Pro Max, it is now at least 1449 euros instead of 1249 euros before. And the most expensive iPhone, the Pro Max with a terabyte of memory, now costs 2099 euros – 250 euros more than the iPhone 13. In the USA, however, analysts were partly surprised that the prices for the domestic market remained unchanged.
The iPhone is by far Apple’s most important product. Sales of the device bring in about half of the Group’s revenues. It also plays a key role in sales of other technology such as watches and earphones, as well as services such as Apple Music.
Global smartphone sales have shrunk in recent months due to economic concerns and higher inflation, among other things. However, the two largest suppliers Samsung and Apple were able to decouple themselves from this development and sell more phones.
Apple takes the lead on expensive phones
Especially with more expensive smartphones, Apple expanded its leadership. In the first half of the year, iPhones accounted for about two-thirds of computer phones sold at a price of more than $ 600, according to the analysis company Canalys. And the iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone model. Overall, Apple increased iPhone sales in the first half of the year by 8 percent to 106 million devices and thus achieved a market share of 18 percent, the highest in years.
A central question for many market observers is how robust this demand will remain if disposable income shrinks, among other things due to rising energy costs. So far, Apple’s money machine has continued to run at full speed – and in the Christmas quarter, the group traditionally does its best business. For example, Apple recorded record sales of $ 123.9 billion and $ 34.6 billion in profit in the quarter ended 2021. Analyst Tony Sacconaghi of the financial firm Bernstein believes that the average iPhone retail price could increase by 10 to 15 percent.
Thanks to a larger battery, the Apple Watch Ultra should run for 36 hours without recharging – and up to 60 hours with the power saving settings activated. All versions of the watch are equipped with a cellular connection as standard. An additional large button should also be easy to use with gloves, which helps, for example, in winter or when diving.
The conventional new Apple Watch 8 gets two sensors that measure body temperature. New motion sensors can detect car accidents so that the watch can automatically alert emergency services. The watch detects, among other things, a frontal or side impact as well as a rollover. It also evaluates the ambient noise for this purpose. Apple’s mobile chip watches will also support roaming for the first time. Previously, connectivity without a connected iPhone was limited to national borders.
Updated Airpods Pro
With the new Airpods Pro, Apple is updating the more expensive model of wireless earplugs introduced back in 2019. Among the innovations are, according to Apple, twice as good suppression of ambient noise, as well as the ability to change the volume with swipes on the earbuds.
With its various Airpods, Apple is the clear number 1 in the wireless earbuds business despite growing competition. Together with the in-house Beats brand, Apple sold 17.5 million devices in the last quarter alone, according to Canalys calculations, and achieved a market share of almost 28 percent. The pursuers are therefore far behind: in second place, Samsung comes with the hi-fi subsidiary Harman and well-known brands such as JBL on 5.8 million earbuds and a good 9 percent market share.
