Apple equips iPhone 14 with satellite connectivity
By Marc Arcas
Cupertino, California, Sep 7 (EFE).- Starting in November, the iPhone 14, presented here Wednesday by Apple, will be able to transmit messages directly to a satellite if the user experiences an emergency situation beyond the reach of cell towers.
To be offered in collaboration with Globalstar, the service – free for the first two years – is based on an algorithm that compresses text messages to a size requiring less than 15 seconds to send to a satellite, Apple said during the event at its Cupertino headquarters.
CEO Tim Cook also introduced a new, premium version of the company’s smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra, which was designed with athletes in mind.
Made of titanium and with a larger screen, the $799 Ultra includes a compass and a depth-meter for use underwater, and features an orange “action” button for quick access, even while wearing gloves.
In terms of styling, the iPhone 14 ($799) and 14 Plus ($899) resemble the iPhone 13, but offer expanded photo and video capabilities.
The larger iPhone 14 Pro ($999) and Pro Max ($1,099) offer an always-on display and a 48 megapixel camera and run on Apple’s newest chip, the A16 Bionic.
While the Pro has a 6.1 inch screen, the Pro Max boasts 6.7 inches of screen space.
All of the iPhone 14 models come with a digital eSIM rather than a physical SIM card.
Among the innovations in the latest edition of the mainline Apple Watch, Series 8, are a temperature sensor used to monitor women’s health.
Apple says that the device is capable of estimating when the user has ovulated. The company stresses that the device is secure and that health data will not be shared without explicit approval from the user.
Also new are motion sensors intended to detect if the user is in a collision and automatically notify emergency services.
The basic Series 8 watch will sell for $399. For $499, the consumer gets cellular capability.
Apple likewise introduced an improved version of the more budget-friendly Apple Watch SE, with a larger screen and heart-rate notifications.
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