Apple unveils iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max with 'fastest chip in a smartphone'

All leaks and rumours around the new iPhones were bang on. Cupertino giant Apple has announced two new models in the Pro series - iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Powered by the faster processor, the new phones have better camera optics, emergency features and more, without reinventing the design. Apple claims them to be the most advanced Pro lineup ever, featuring the Dynamic Island -- a new design that introduces an intuitive way to experience iPhone -- and the Always-On display.

Screen Size: The iPhone 14 Pro features a 6.1‑inch (diagonal) all‑screen OLED display with a 2556‑by‑1179-pixel resolution at 460 PPI. The elder sibling, Pro Max, will come with a 6.7‑inch (diagonal) all‑screen OLED display and 2796‑by‑1290-pixel resolution at 460 PPI. Both models will feature Always-On display and ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.

Pro Camera System: Pushing the boundaries further, Apple has added a ‘pro camera system’ on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Pro lineup features a new 48MP Main camera with a quad-pixel sensor that adapts to the photo being captured and features second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization. For most photos, the quad-pixel sensor combines every four pixels into one large quad pixel, resulting in amazing low-light capture and keeping photo size at a practical 12MP. The quad-pixel sensor also enables a 2x Telephoto option that uses the middle 12 megapixels of the sensor for full-resolution photos and 4K videos with no digital zoom. And iPhone now shoots ProRAW at 48MP capturing the finest of details. The pro camera system gets a Photonic Engine, that improves mid- to low-light performance across all cameras through deep integration of hardware and software.

There is also an improved Telephoto camera that offers 3x optical zoom.

Dynamic Island: Replacing the notch on the two iPhone Pro models is what Apple is referring to as The Dynamic Island, which will enable new ways to interact with iPhone. This blends the line between hardware and software, adapting in real-time to show important alerts, notifications, and activities. With the introduction of Dynamic Island, the TrueDepth camera has been redesigned to take up less of the display area. Without impeding content on the screen, Dynamic Island maintains an active state to allow users easier access to controls with a simple tap-and-hold. Ongoing background activities like Maps, Music, or a timer remain visible and interactive, and third-party apps in iOS 16 that provide information like sports scores and ride-sharing with Live Activities can take advantage of Dynamic Island.

A16 Bionic, the Fastest Chip in a Smartphone: The A16 Bionic chip will power the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. With two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, the new 6-core CPU is up to 40 per cent faster than the competition and easily handles demanding workloads. A16 Bionic features an accelerated 5-core GPU with 50 per cent more memory bandwidth -- perfect for graphics-intensive games and apps -- and a new 16-core Neural Engine capable of nearly 17 trillion operations per second. Apple says, fundamental to the pro camera system, the A16 Bionic powers incredible computational photography features. The CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and image signal processor seamlessly work together to support the new camera hardware and perform up to 4 trillion operations per photo.

Crash Detection: With this new feature, Apple provides emergency assistance. The iPhones houses a new dual-core accelerometer capable of detecting G-force measurements of up to 256Gs and a new high dynamic range gyroscope. Crash Detection on iPhone can now detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone. These capabilities have been built on existing components, like the barometer, which can now detect cabin pressure changes, the GPS for additional input for speed changes, and the microphone, which can recognize loud noises typified by severe car crashes.

When combined with Apple Watch, Crash Detection seamlessly leverages the unique strength of both devices to get users to help efficiently. When a severe crash is detected, the emergency services call interface will appear on Apple Watch, as it is most likely to be in closer proximity to the user, while the call is placed through iPhone if it is in range for the best possible connection.

Emergency SOS via Satellite: The iPhone 14 lineup also introduces Emergency SOS via satellite, which combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Satellites are moving targets with low bandwidth, and it can take minutes for messages to get through. Since every second counts, with Emergency SOS via satellite, iPhone front-loads a few vital questions to assess the user’s situation and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite. The initial questionnaire and follow-up messages are then relayed to centres staffed by Apple-trained specialists who can call for help on the user’s behalf. However, this Emergency SOS via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be free for two years.

Price: The weakening Indian rupee and rising input costs have bumped up the pricing of this year’s iPhone. The iPhone 14 Pro will be available starting at Rs 1,29,900 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max has been priced starting at Rs 1,39,900. Both, the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, will be available in four colours – deep purple, gold, silver, space black.