Apple Inc. on Wednesday introduced a range of new iPhone 14 models capable of sending a satellite distress call during an emergency and with shock detection capabilities.
The new iPhone 14s will test Apple’s ability to continue to extract dollars from its relatively well-off customer base, which has continued to spend in the face of rising inflation but is not immune to a weakening economy.
The iPhone 14 Plus will have a larger screen, like the iPhone Pro models, but the same A15 processor chip as the previous 13.
The Cupertino, California-based company also unveiled a trio of new Apple Watches, including a new Watch Ultra model aimed at extreme sports and diving.
The Ultra has a larger battery to last through events like triathlons and better water and temperature resistance to perform in outdoor environments, as well as better GPS tracking for sports.
The new watches include an upgraded budget model called the SE and a Series 8 with collision detection and Low Power Mode for 36-hour battery life.
The Series 8 with cellular will start at $499 and the SE will start at $299 with cellular. The Ultra, which includes mobile in its base model, will start at $799 and will be available on September 23.
Apple said the Series 8 has a temperature sensor that will work in conjunction with its previously launched menstrual cycle tracking app to retroactively detect when a person has started to ovulate.
The company highlighted the privacy focus of the tool. Privacy and reproductive health data have become a focus for tech companies in the wake of the US Supreme Court decision that ended the country’s constitutional right to abortion. Apple said it doesn’t have the key to cracking health data like cycle tracking.
Still, while accessories like the Apple Watch have driven incremental sales from Apple’s existing user base, the iPhone remains the bedrock of its business with 52.4% of sales in its most recent fiscal year.
Apple shares were up 0.3% within half an hour of the presentation, in line with the start of the event.
Some analysts believe that Apple could give a glimpse of the future by showing off a mixed reality headset. The device is expected to feature cameras that pass the view of the outside world to the user while overlaying digital objects onto the physical world. Analysts don’t expect it to go on sale until next year at the earliest.