Introducing Apple’s new iPhone | Star

Cupertino, Calif. — Apple’s latest iPhone lineup is the same price as last year’s model, with better cameras, faster processors, and more power, despite inflationary pressures pushing up the prices of many other everyday items. It boasts a long-lasting battery.

The pricing, revealed Wednesday at Apple’s first in-person product event in three years, came as a bit of a surprise. Many analysts predicted that Apple would charge devout fans as much as 15% of his surcharge to offset rising costs for many components.

The hype surrounding Apple’s new iPhone 14 model is part of the company’s annual post-Labor Day ritual for more than a decade. Wednesday’s event was held at the company’s campus in Cupertino, Calif., at a theater named after the company’s co-founder Steve Jobs. After Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage, most of the event consisted of pre-recorded video presentations the company honed at previous events staged during the pandemic.

For several years, Apple’s new iPhones have mostly featured gradual upgrades in camera and battery life, and this year’s model was no exception. Prices for the standard iPhone 14 start at $799 (USD). Deluxe iPhone 14 Pro Max starting at $1,099.

Among the latest improvements is a 48-megapixel camera on the Pro and Pro Max models, which the company says produces particularly sharp images. The iPhone 13 versions of the Pro and Pro Max have a 12-megapixel camera. This year’s high-end model will also feature an always-on display that stays lit even when the device is locked. This is a feature that has long been available in many smartphones with Google’s Android software.

Starting in November, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will be able to send SOS messages via a new satellite feature. This is a safety measure intended to help users call for help when they are in remote areas without a wireless connection.

All iPhone 14 models have motion sensors that can detect serious car crashes and automatically connect to emergency services.

Consumers are curbing spending on many discretionary items as inflation remains at its highest level in 40 years. The iPhone is far superior to competing Android devices, which may have contributed to the recent decline in smartphone sales.

Global smartphone shipments in 2022 are expected to decline by 6.5%, according to research firm International Data Corporation, following the slowing sales outlook. That’s almost double the 3.5% decline he predicted a few months ago. IDC estimates that the average price of new smartphones this year will be about 6% higher than last year, despite the expected drop in sales.

Consumers are still buying iPhones this year, even though Apple is already charging the highest prices in the industry. According to Canalys, another research firm, Apple sold an estimated 106 million iPhones in the first half of this year, an 8% increase from the same period last year.

Forrester analyst Thomas Husson praised the new lineup for its faster chips, improved design, and “several progressive innovations.”

Apple shares rose 1% in late afternoon trading.

Meanwhile, the company’s Apple Watch Series 8 includes a new temperature sensor aimed at helping women retroactively track their ovulation cycles, plus a crash detection feature that will also debut on the iPhone 14. The .16 starts at $399, the same as last year’s model.

As part of its efforts to broaden the appeal of wearable technology, Apple has launched Watch Ultra models designed to be more durable and offer a range of special features tailored for hikers, scuba divers and other outdoor enthusiasts. is expanding. The Watch Ultra, which launches on September 23rd, will be priced at a premium of $799.

CCI Insight analyst Leo Gebbie predicts Ultra will compete with established sports watch brands such as Garmin, as well as the Swiss luxury watchmaker, whose products are focused on extreme sports. .

Apple also announced AirPods Pro 2, the next generation of wireless earbuds. It also maintains the starting price of $249.

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AP Business Writer Matt Ott contributed to this article from Washington, DC.

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