First look: Top 5 features of the new Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple officially launched the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus (with a more expansive 6.7-inch screen), and the much-hyped Pro model phones in the series on Wednesday.

The devices were unveiled during an in-person event at Apple Park in Cupertino, the first one of its class post-pandemic. The event itself lived up to its usual standards, turbo-charged with the collective energies of over a thousand tech geeks, Apple super fans, content creators, and some serious writers.

Apple revealed the devices and wearables in a typical Apple aesthetic – sleek and functional. Some of us wish Apple CEO Tim Cook could have hung out on stage and interacted with the audience a bit longer. The entire show was pre-recorded.

1. iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Let’s talk about the most exciting features on the devices starting with brand new features on the Pro models, including a dynamic island, crash detection, an emergency SOS calling service via satellite, and the first-ever 48MP camera on an iPhone.

Dynamic Island and how it works?

The iPhone’s notch has been replaced with a 'Dynamic Island', and the internet is not having it. Popular tech reviewer Marques Brownlee said, “Apple naming the pill cutout the ‘Dynamic Island’ is the most Apple thing they’ve Appl-ed ever.”

The 'Island' enables new ways to interact with iPhone, 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. It maintains an active state to allow users more accessible 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'. I feel it’s a sleek update, making it a creative way to make the pill notch feel more like part of the UI.

2. Crash detection

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. A convenient tool.

The service is possible thanks to a new dual-core accelerometer capable of detecting G-force measurements of up to 256Gs and a new high dynamic range gyroscope. “These capabilities build 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 recognise loud noises typified by severe car crashes,” explained Apple.

The company said that the microphone is turned on only when driving is detected; Bluetooth, CarPlay, or speed can trigger this.

“All data is processed on the device and discarded after a crash event has been detected unless the user has opted into sharing their data to improve Crash Detection. Only the sound level is shared with Apple, not the raw audio,” explained the company, putting to rest privacy concerns.

The company's advanced motion algorithms trained with over a million hours of real-world driving and crash record data provide even better accuracy.

When a severe crash is detected, the emergency services call interface will appear on Apple Watch, as it is most likely closer to the user, while the call is placed through iPhone. However, there was no way to check this application at the product unveiling after the keynote. We have to take Apple's word for whether it works just fine.

3. Emergency SOS via satellite

A feature that top Apple experts predicted would be unveiled was the Emergency SOS via satellite. The system combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, explained Apple.

“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,” it said.

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. This technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

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.

4. New Class of Pro Camera System

iPhone 14 Pro takes computational photography even further with Photonic Engine, offering a giant leap for mid to low-light photo performance across all cameras through deep hardware and software integration.

For the first time, the Pro line-up features a new 48MP main camera with a quad-pixel sensor that adapts to the captured photo and features second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilisation. The quad-pixel sensor also enables a 2x Telephoto option that uses the middle 12 megapixels of the sensor for full-resolution images and 4K videos with no digital zoom.

The quad-pixel sensor also benefits pro workflows, optimising for detail in ProRAW. And with a new machine learning model designed specifically for the quad-pixel sensor, iPhone now shoots ProRAW at 48MP with unprecedented detail.

Additional pro camera system upgrades and features include:

A new 12MP Ultra Wide camera with 1.4 µm pixels delivers sharper images with more detail, improving already powerful macro photography capabilities.

An improved Telephoto camera that offers 3x optical zoom.

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