Apple Inc (AAPL.O) introduced a range of new iPhone 14 models capable of sending a call for help via satellite during an emergency, as well as crash-detection ability and an adventure-focused Ultra Watch.
The iPhone 14 models will test Apple’s ability to wring dollars from its relatively affluent customer base, which has kept spending in the face of rising inflation but is not immune to a weakening economy.
The iPhone 14 will start at $799 and the iPhone Plus at $899 and both will be available for pre-order starting Sept. 9.
Apple said it has developed a system that will work with emergency responders during emergencies in remote areas. It also said that in some situations, users will be able to use its Find My app to share their location via satellite when they have no other connectivity.
Meet iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and AirPods Pro. All that and more from the #AppleEvent
— Apple (@Apple) September 7, 2022
Globalstar said in the filing that it will be the satellite operator for Apple’s Emergency SOS service. Globalstar’s stock fell nearly 16 percent on Wednesday before being halted ahead of Apple’s announcement of the deal. The stock is up nearly 50% year to date.
Other companies are working on similar functions. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said last month that he was working with T-Mobile ( TMUS.O ) to use its Starlink satellites to connect phones directly to the Internet.
Apple’s iPhone 14 Plus model will have the same large screen as Apple’s iPhone Pro models but will have the same A15 processor chip as the previous iPhone 13.
The Cupertino, California-based company also showed off a trio of new Apple watches, including a new Watch Ultra model aimed at extreme sports and diving.
The Ultra has better waterproofing and temperature resistance for triathlons and outdoor work, as well as a larger battery for running events like better GPS tracking for sports.
The new watches include an upgraded budget model called the SE and the Series 8 Watch with crash detection and a low-power mode for 36 hours of battery life.
The Series 8 will start at $499 with cellular and the SE will start at $299 with cellular. The Ultra, whose base model includes cellular, will start at $799 and be available on September 23.
Apple said the new Series 8 watch has a temperature sensor that will work with the previously released cycle tracking app to detect ovulation. The company emphasizes the privacy approach of its bicycle tracking. Privacy and reproductive health data have become a focus for tech companies following the US Supreme Court’s ruling that struck down the constitutional right to abortion in the United States.
Apple said it does not have the key to decrypt health data such as cycle tracking.
But while accessories like the Apple Watch have driven growing sales from Apple’s existing user base, the iPhone has remained the backbone of its business, accounting for 52.4 percent of sales in its most recent fiscal year.
Apple’s stock was up 0.6% more than an hour into the presentation, according to the start of the event and trailing the S&P 500’s 1.5% gain for the session.
Some analysts believe that Apple could preview a mixed reality headset on Wednesday. The device is expected to have cameras that overlay digital objects onto the physical world, offering the wearer a view of the outside world. Analysts don’t expect the device to go on sale as early as next year.
An early preview would be rare for Apple, which keeps its product plans secret until before devices hit the market. A rival headset called Project Cambria is working with Meta Platforms Inc ( META.O ), which is pouring billions of dollars into the project.
But to get great apps for the new headset, Apple may need to give developers time to get used to it. “It’s going to take a lot of time for people to develop a new and radically different kind of platform,” O’Donnell said.
