13 critical details revealed at Apple’s iPhone 14 launch event

What are the big takeaways from the iPhone 14 event? We’re here on the ground at the Steve Jobs theatre in Apple Park, Cupertino, with what you need to know:

What new iPhone 14 models will we get?

There are 4 new models to choose from now that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro come in two screen sizes – 6.1 inches (standard) and 6.7 inches (Max). So now there’s the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

What are the colour choices?

The iPhone 14, including standard and larger ‘Plus’ size come in midnight, blue, starlight, purple and (PRODUCT)RED finishes. The iPhone 14 Pro gets the new Deep Purple colour, new Space Black along with silver and gold.

Has the ‘notch’ at the top of the screen changed?

Both new versions of the iPhone 14 still have a camera ‘notch’ at the top of their displays. While the iPhone 14’s notch looks the same as the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 Pro has new ‘lozenge’ shaped camera cut-out which is positioned slightly beneath the top edge of the screen, and is a bit smaller. This new shape works with a brand new Dynamic Island feature that centralises notifications around the camera cut outs.

Will there be a price increase?

The iPhone 14’s price stays the same as last year for the 6.1 inch size, and the 6.7 inch Plus model is slightly more. The iPhone 14 Pro models have seen a price increase over the iPhone 13 Pro models. Here’s are all of the Australian model prices:

• iPhone 14 will be available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models, and starts from A$1399 inc GST
• iPhone 14 Plus will be available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models, and starts from A$1579 inc GST
• iPhone 14 Pro will be available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB models, and starts from A$1749 inc GST
• iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB models, and starts from A$1899 inc GST

When will we get them?

You’ll be able to pre-order the iPhone 14 now with the iPhone 14 available on Sept 16th, while the iPhone 14 Plus will be out on Oct 7th. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will be available on September 16th.

iPhone 14 Pro feature summary

What were the big surprises?

Health and safety were the big themes of the event, with features across Apple Watch and iPhone to help protect you. A big one was Crash Detection, which uses the phone’s speaker, barometric pressure sensor and accelerometer to detect if you’re been in a crash. The speaker can listen for the sound of a crash, the barometric sensor can tell if the Airbag has gone off, and the accelerometer can detect rapid deceleration. It will ask if you need help, call emergency services and let your contacts know.

Next, if you find yourself lost in the woods, adrift on a boat or hanging upside-down on a mountain cliff face without phone reception, US and Canadian iPhone 14 Pros can relay an SOS message via overhead satellites. We’re not sure if or when this feature will come to Australia, however it will welcome if it does.

What was missing?

We were expecting to see an improved 90Hz display on the iPhone 14 standard and Plus models, and there was no mention of 8K video recording on the iPhone 14 Pros.

Does the regular iPhone 14 use the same chip as the older iPhone 13?

Likely due to chip shortages, the standard iPhone 14 gets the same A15 Bionic chip as used in the iPhone 13 Pro. It doesn’t appear that there have been any hardware or RAM tweaks to increase the performance.

Will the iPhone 14 Pro get a brand new chip?

The more expensive iPhone 14 Pro gets a completely new A16 Bionic chip. This looks to be considerably more powerful than the older iPhone 13 Pro, and will provide even better AI capabilities for low light photography, portrait modes, along with impressive gaming performance. 

The Dynamic Island feature puts notifications around the iPhone 14 Pro’s new lozenge shaped camera cutout

Will there be an iPhone 14 mini?

There is no ‘mini’ size offered this year. This could be due to issues with the small size constraining battery life too much, or it just wasn’t popular enough and Apple is content to simply offer the iPhone SE as its compact model offering.

What are the standout features of the new iPhone 14 Pro?

48 megapixel main camera with Quad Pixel technology, a 2 x brighter ‘always on’ display with 2000 NIT peak brightness, lozenge-shaped FaceTime camera with Dynamic Island notification feature, Photonic Engine with 2 x low light performance, Action Mode with improved image stabilisation, Cinematic mode now supports 4K at 30 fps recording

What are the standout features of the standard iPhone 14?

The new 6.7 inch size on the iPhone Plus, OLED displays on both models, selfie cameras get auto-focus, improved low light photo performance

Is it worth upgrading from the iPhone 13?

The iPhone 14 Pro is the real show stopper, and the biggest step up in terms of capabilities over the previous year’s model. It’s also more expensive. The standard iPhone 14 doesn’t see as large a jump, and, given how good the iPhone 13 already is, there’s not a lot to be gained by upgrading unless you’re coming from a much older iPhone.

What other new products were announced at Apple’s ‘Far Out’ event?

• The Apple Watch 8 including a new, lower cost SE model and new ‘Ultra’ model that’s designed for hard core explorers, adventures and athletes. The Apple Watch 8 gets the new Crash Detection feature as well as a temperature sensor to help women retrospectively detect ovulation
• Updated AirPods Pro 2 earbuds with personalised spatial sound that uses your phone’s camera to photograph your unique head and ear shape, 2 x improved noise cancellation and a better charging case that can be located with the Find My app and can work with an Apple Watch or Mag Safe wireless charger

Apple’s Watch 8 Ultra, perfect for extremes

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WA to get 98 locally made electric vehicle chargers for public use

Western Australia is set to get 98 new electric vehicle chargers from Australian company Jet Charge by 2024, the WA State Government has announced.

Spotted by the folks at Gizmodo Australia, the announcement is part of the State Government’s plan to implement the “world’s longest continuously connected electric highway” linking 49 locations throughout WA. It includes locations as far north as Kununurra, Esperance in the south, and the eastern-located Eucla.

The first charger is due this November, with each included location to have both a standard and a fast charger installed. Using the fast charger, capable of generating up to 150 kilowatts DC, will provide drivers with 15-minute top-ups, according to the WA State Government. After commencing the project in November, it’s expected the highway network will be completed by 2024. Once completed, 200 kilometres will be the average distance between charging stations across the state.

Jet Charge is an electric vehicle charging infrastructure company based in Victoria and works with many international automotive companies. The contract awarded to the local company is part of the WA State Government’s $43.5 million commitment to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state.

“We started Jet Charge almost a decade ago to accelerate the transition to low emissions vehicles in Australia by breaking down the barriers to electric vehicle charging,” Tim Washington, Jet Charge CEO, said. “Jet Charge are so proud to be involved with a landmark EV charging network that features a lot of Australian made innovation, and will absolutely smash those barriers allowing people to drive EVs all over the great State of Western Australia.”

“WA’s EV fast charging network is an important step to boost our uptake of electric vehicles, enabling drivers to travel the vast distances around the State more easily,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said in a media statement. “This will help to reduce carbon emissions, as WA transitions to net zero by 2050.”

Australia’s electric vehicle charging network is steadily growing state-by-state. Earlier in the year, the NSW State Government partnered with MG Motor to install up to 3,500 electric vehicle chargers in regional areas.

Although electric vehicles may not be affordable to all Australians yet, it’s good to see access to charging infrastructure increasing across the country. There are options below the $50,000 mark, so fingers crossed that the technology becomes even more affordable in the coming years.

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What surprises are in store for the Apple Far Out event?

Apart from the iPhone 14, what else might the tech giant unveil at this week’s Apple Far Out event?

It’s that time of year again when Cupertino prepares to take the wraps off a range of new gadgets, with the Apple Far Out event scheduled for 10am Wednesday in California – which is the very early hours of Thursday morning in Australia.

Apple always likes to drop a few hints when sending out the invitations to its launch events, and this one is no exception. With an image which looks like the night sky, it seems likely that “Far Out” could refer to support for astrophotography in the new iPhone 14, following Google’s efforts with its Pixel phones to capture decent photos of the night sky.

As for the iPhone 14 line-up, Apple is expected to ditch the small iPhone mini model. There is also talk of a larger regular iPhone, to be called 14 Plus, rather than the 14 Max. Some new iPhones may also stick with Apple’s A15 Bionic chips, due to chip shortages.

Beyond the next iPhone, there are plenty of rumours as to what else Apple might unveil on stage.

Apple is also expected to reveal a new Apple Watch range, adding an Apple Watch Pro to the line-up. Larger than existing models, and with a bigger screen, the Apple Watch Pro is expected to feature a titanium casing and more durable design, aimed at fans of extreme sports.

Meanwhile, the AirPods Pro 2 could support fitness tracking thanks to their built-in accelerometer and other sensors. They’re expected to support the next version of the H1 chip, handling digital signal processing and perhaps Bluetooth 5.2.

If Apple wants to get really Far Out, it could finally unveil its long-rumoured AR/VR headset, or go toe-to-toe with Samsung and pull out a foldable iPhone.

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LG brings LED MoodUP fridges, smart shoe storage, and air quality to IFA 2022

LG came to IFA 2022 with a focus on lifestyle products, showing off the MoodUP fridge with LED panels, a unique shoe storage solution, and new air purifying technology for the home.

Stylish and functional appliances are a recent theme for LG, having just launched the colourful LG Objet refrigerator and freezer collection. It appears the recently announced additions at the IFA consumer electronics conference continue the company’s trend of making products with more than simply performance in mind.

Set the mood with MoodUP fridges

Shown at IFA 2022, the LG MoodUP is a refrigerator set with coloured LED panels you can change via an app. Naturally, it keeps your food cold, but the fridge also doubles as a kitchen entertainment hub. With the LG ThinQ app, you can choose from 22 colours for the upper door, and 19 colours for the bottom door. The lighting serves a functional purpose, too: blinking if the door is open too long, and glowing brighter at night to help you navigate the dark. It even greets you with a blink when you approach.

Beyond the kitchen light show, the LG MoodUP fridge also houses a Bluetooth speaker you can stream music to. When playing music, the LED panels sync and change colours along with the tunes. It’s still early days for the unique fridge, so expect further details on pricing and availability at a later date.

LG now wants to… look after your shoes?

Aimed at sneaker enthusiasts, LG revealed a couple of storage and cleaning solutions for your shoe collection. Starting with a method of showing off your kicks, the LG Styler ShoeCase is a display box with transparent panels made to keep shoes safe from humidity and UV light. Moreover, it has an interior rotating turntable to flaunt your footwear from all angles, and you can stack four ShoeCases on top of one another.

Various configurations of the Styler ShoeCare and Styler ShoeCase devices.

Meanwhile, its companion, the Styler ShoeCare is like a dedicated washing machine for shoes. Suited for various materials including leather, suede, and sports fabrics, it uses TrueSteam technology to refresh shoes. It has multiple settings, and its standard course can refresh up to four pairs in just over 30 minutes. Plus you can clean two different types of shoes simultaneously thanks to the Styler ShoeCare’s Dual Care System.

For the hardcore sneakerheads, LG’s ThinQ app allows for remote monitoring and control across the ShoeCase and ShoeCare devices. It sounds niche, but there’s clearly a market for it.

PuriCare Objet Aero: a hybrid between furniture and air purifier

Rounding out LG’s major lifestyle showcases at IFA 2022 is the PuriCare Objet Collection Aero Furniture. Similar to the company’s fridges, function and form is a feature. Available in three colours (Crème Rose, Crème Yellow, and Crème Grey) and two tabletop shapes (Round and Track), the PuriCare Objet range provides 360-degree air purification in a small piece of furniture.

More than just a decorative piece with air purification capabilities, the device also houses wireless charging technology for smartphones and wireless earbuds. It supports fast charging for both Samsung (9-10W), and Apple (7.5W) devices, so you can rest your phone on the furniture and get a top-up. Additionally, you can choose from eight different colours of mood lighting via the ThinQ app.

For the PuriCare Objet range’s air purification, it improves indoor air quality through a multi-stage filtration process. This uses LG’s Ultra-fine Filter, Dust Collector Filter and Deodorisation Filter, in addition to UVnano technology which helps keep the device’s fan blades clean as well.

Although hard details are scant on LG’s future lifestyle range, it likely signals a change for home appliances in general. From the niche to the multifaceted, the company’s message is clear: If it doesn’t serve multiple purposes, it doesn’t belong in the home.

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Samsung unveils sustainable home tech that uses less energy and makes us feel good

Combining advanced green technologies with its AI-driven SmartThings Energy platform, Samsung has revealed plans to create the ultimate sustainable home experience with its latest range of smart home appliances.

Unveiled at the IFA 2022 electronics trade show in Berlin, Samsung’s Bespoke product lineup features eco-conscious technologies which reduce energy consumption, as well as tackle environmental threats such as the release of microplastics.

By 2023 all of Samsung’s major appliances will be Wi-Fi connected and controlled via the SmartThings app

Combining connected appliances with services such as SmartThings Energy with AI Energy Mode, users are able to maximise energy savings, said JaeSeung Lee, President and Head of Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics.

“As customers’ needs are shifting towards more sustainable options, we are excited to meet those needs by delivering the latest energy saving, smart appliances,” Lee said.

“By leveraging efficient appliances with the synergistic features of SmartThings, we are planning to offer a truly sustainable home experience like never before.”

Samsung’s energy-efficient washing machines, with SmartThings Energy with AI Energy Mode, can optimise laundry cycles to cut energy usage by up to 70 per cent, by washing clothes with cold water while still delivering powerful cleaning. They harness the power of bubbles to help detergent do more work with less energy. They can also reduce microplastic emissions from clothing by 54 per cent, by using filtering technology to capture harmful plastic particles. 

In the kitchen, Samsung refrigerators can intelligently adjust temperatures based on door opening patterns and compressor speed, saving up to 10 per cent on energy use. Other notable energy savings include 40 per cent for the Eco Heating System, 20 per cent for dryers and 20 per cent by the end of this year for the Residential Air Conditioner (RAC).

With exchangeable panels, you can refresh your refrigerator’s design instead of replacing it

Samsung’s sustainable home efforts extend to modularity and changeable panels built into appliances, such as the refrigerators, which reduce waste by extending the lifespan of the product. Users can purchase additional designs and easily switch the panels on their appliances, which in practice means appliances can be updated instead of being thrown out as needs change.

Samsung Electronics is also participating as a Board Chair in the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA) conference at IFA 2022.

Samsung is working towards a sustainable future by repurposing fishing nets and using recycled resins

The common goal of HCA – an organisation founded by large appliance manufacturers of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), home appliances and TVs – is to provide safe, secure and interoperable products which use connected features and services to ensure users enjoy a holistic experience of their home appliance ecosystems.

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Huawei teams up with Devialet on FreeBuds Pro 2 wireless earbuds

Huawei recently launched its latest earbuds – the FreeBuds Pro 2 – in Australia, offering wireless Bluetooth connectivity, noise cancellation, and clear voice technology as core features.

Designed in partnership with French audio company Devialet, the FreeBuds Pro 2 uses an “Ultra-hearing True Sound Dual Driver” system to produce high-fidelity sound. Specifically, the earbuds house an ultra-high frequency micro planar diaphragm and an 11mm dynamic driver capable of generating audio frequencies between 14Hz and 48KHz. This equates to hardware that can handle both the high and low notes. 

Intended for all types of listeners, the FreeBuds Pro 2 use Triple Adaptive EQ technology that automatically tunes audio on the fly. It assesses factors such as your ear structure, how the earbuds fit into your ears, and volume settings to personalise the EQ settings. Additionally, the earbuds can produce wireless Hi-resolution audio of up to 990kbps when paired with a compatible device.

Huawei claims the active noise cancellation technology in the FreeBuds Pro 2 is suited for various environments, including windy outdoor days and noisy flights. The earbuds can also automatically pick the best mode to combat external noise by combining its Triple Mic ANC System and Intelligent Dynamic ANC 2.0 technologies. For making calls, the FreeBuds Pro 2 isolates your voice from background noise via its 4-Mic Call Noise Cancellation system and Huawei’s deep neural network algorithm.

Other features include seamless switching between two devices – including phones, tablets, PCs and so on – on-device gesture controls, and the ability to view the last 10 connected devices for Huawei AI Life App users. Battery life comes in at up to four hours with ANC enabled – which boosts to 18 hours with the included charging case – or 30 hours without ANC. Made to fit snugly, the earbuds come with three different-sized silicone ear tips.

Available now in Silver Blue, Silver Frost, and Ceramic White colour options, the FreeBuds Pro 2 cost $349 from Amazon and Huawei Authorised Experience Stores. As a limited-time bonus, anyone who buys the earbuds between now and 24 September will also receive a Huawei Sound Joy portable Bluetooth speaker at no extra cost.

As indicated by its price, the FreeBuds Pro 2 clearly targets the premium audio market, emphasised by the focus on hi-res audio. Oddly, given its premium product status, the earbuds are not recommended for use while exercising, which may be disappointing for those who prefer their earbuds to serve an all-in-one purpose.

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Let me entertain you: Motorola moto g32

Motorola’s moto g32 is designed to take your mobile entertainment experience to new heights, according to the company. Key to this is a smooth 90Hz FHD+ display and an audio system tuned with Dolby Atmos® technology, but the phone has a suite of other appealing features too, including an advanced triple camera system.

Smooth video, full sound

For watching games, movies and streaming video, the moto g32’s 90Hz refresh rate helps ensure screen transitions are quicker and more fluid than on a typical smartphone. The 6.5 inch ultra-wide screen can present a sharp panorama from edge to edge while still fitting comfortably in your hand, according to Motorola.

The high-spec visuals are paired with large (for a phone) stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos® for enhanced multidimensional sound from streaming video, music, or gaming. You can also expect to hear greater bass, clearer vocals, and even more clarity at higher volumes, according to Motorola.

Entertainment has become a huge part of our lifestyle and we’ve designed the moto g32 to not only deliver on these features, but to also keep up – all without the hefty price tag

Kurt Bonnici, Head of Motorola for Australia and New Zealand

Super clear shots

The moto g32’s 50MP triple camera system is designed to capture every moment clearly. With a 50MP main sensor, Quad Pixel technology claims to provide 4x better low light sensitivity than standard pixels, for sharper and more vibrant photos regardless of the lighting conditions. Additionally, Ultra-res mode on the g32 allows for clear outdoor shots even when cropping is necessary, according to Motorola.

Part two of the triple camera system includes an 8MP ultra-wide rear camera capable of capturing four times more of the scene than a regular lens, which is handy for group shots. The background is blurred automatically by the ultra-wide rear camera with a depth sensor, so taking professional-looking portraits can also be a doddle. Completing the trio of lenses is a dedicated 2MP macro vision camera for capturing detailed close-ups.

Processing power

The moto g32’s entertainment credentials are underpinned by a Snapdragon 680 octa-core processor. Optimised for multimedia playback, it amplifies the performance of the device in every aspect to power enhanced gaming experiences and photography, smooth streaming, and rich audio.

In addition, the TurboPower 30 charging technology can provide hours of power in just minutes. There are some caveats though – the battery must be substantially completed and you can expect the charging rate to slow as charging progresses.

Suited to anyone looking for a phone that can keep up with their entertainment needs, the moto g32 sells for $299 at JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, Big W, Mobileciti and the Lenovo online store.

For more information, visit Motorola
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