Apple iPhone 14 event liveblog and how to watch it
Here are the big Apple announcements – Adam and I will update this page in real-time.
Note: The Apple event is over, but the live blog shows the announcement as they happened in real-time today. Stay tuned for a post-event wrap-up tonight.
Your friendly neighborhood Swider-Man here 🕸️,
Drop down for the Apple event liveblog or watch the Apple event right here. I’ll have a full breakdown of the Apple news today on The Shortcut and be on Sirius XM channel Shade 45 tomorrow (Thursday) at 1pm to talk about Apple, Samsung phones, and forthcoming Google phones – and answer your call-in questions.
Then, when I get the rumored iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple Watch Pro and AirPods Pro 2 in hand, I will dissect them to tell you if they’re any good. As promised, I’ll tell you the best iPhone 14 price and where to get the best trade-in deals.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny
🍎 Apple is holding its big September press event – you can watch it below
✏️ I’ll also live blog the key news for those (at work) who can’t watch the video
🤔 Apple predictions:
📱 4x iPhone: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
⌚ 3x Apple Watch: Apple Watch 8, Apple Watch SE 2 and Apple Watch Ultra
🎧 1x AirPods: New AirPods Ultra are also expected
📅 Apple event time: 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST
Apple event liveblog and video
📆 2:31pm ET: As expected, pre-orders will take place on Friday, September 9 and it’ll go on sale on September 16. Only the iPhone 14 Plus will launch later on October 7.
💰2:30pm ET: Wow the price didn’t budge. It’ll cost $999 for the iPhone 14 Pro and $1099 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Out of the few Apple rumors that were wrong, I’m glad this one didn’t come true.
⚙️ 1:28pm ET: Here’s the specs sheet, as Apple wraps up the iPhone 14 Pro announcement likely the last big news of the day. “It’s an entirely new ways to experience the iPhone” says a rolling Apple video.
🤔 1:25pm ET: Here are the promises for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. I’ll be testing these out to see if it’s really better vs the promised specs on paper. 48MP Pro Raw images are going to be a fun one to test.
🔭 2:22pm ET: It has a 2x telephoto lens, which seems like a step back, but Apple is going to, of course, explain why that’s not the case given the specs where you can punch in with greater clarity.
📸 2:20pm ET: The main camera has a 48MP camera (as rumored) with a new Quad-pixel sensor and large 2.44-micron quad-pixel size (microns = the size of individual pixels). It’ll have an f/1.78 aperture and 2nd gen sensor-shift OIS. It’ll do 12MP pixel binning, which I’ll explain later. It’s still 48MP is great light situations, but combines those pixels in lower light situations for clarity.
⚙️ 1:19pm ET: Here’s the iPhone 14 Pro display specs sheet, but Apple isn’t done yet. It’s about to reveal the 48MP camera.
📺 2:16pm ET: Here’s another display perk: the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will get an always-on display – finally. This is something that has been on Android phones for almost seven years, and Apple is looking to include more (including dimmed backgrounds) while still saving battery life. Seems to work well with the new iOS 16 update that includes customizable widgets on the lockscreen.
🏖️ 2:13pm ET: Want an Island? Apple will sell you one with the iPhone 14. That’s what it is calling the new cutout in the display that’s not quite a notch. It’ll cover up the fact that Apple uses an advanced Face ID system with some display indicators. Goodbye notch, hello personalized island?
This is what it looks like without the elongated notification. I don’t want to give you the wrong idea – the super long cutout is software-made in some parts.
📆 2:09pm ET: The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus pre-orders will go live on September 9 (this Friday), but the release dates are staggered: the iPhone 14 release date is September 16, and the iPhone 14 Plus will come out on October 7.
On to the iPhone 14 Pro models.
💰 2:07pm ET: The iPhone 14 will cost $799 and the iPhone 14 Plus price is $899. The price stays the same from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14, but if you were using the iPhone 12 Mini or iPhone 13 Mini, you’ll be paying $100 more to upgrade to the new phone (since there is no iPhone 14 Mini). The iPhone 14 Plus is $100 cheaper than the iPhone 13 Pro (but I expected the iPhone 14 Pro price to go up a tick.
⚙️ 2:04pm ET: And here’s the iPhone 14 specs sheet.
💰 2:02pm ET: Here’s the diagram for the relay of how Emergency SOS via satellites will work on the iPhone 14 series. It’ll be free for two years, says Apple.
📶 2:01pm ET: Less than 15 seconds to send a message with a clear view of the sky. It’ll send texts to an emergency ground center, and if they don’t accept texts, Apple says it has worked to set up relay centers. This is a big deal.
🚨 2pm ET: Emergency SOS via Satellite is coming to the new iPhone care of custom Apple-made components. Before, it required a clunky antenna which Apple said: “We knew that approach just wouldn’t work for iPhone.” Classic. 🤣
💳 1:58pm ET: Goodbye SIM cards and hello eSIM. Carriers are onboard and in the US, there won’t even be a SIM card tray. This is being pitched as a safety feature, which I could see being a benefit – if your phone gets lost or stolen, people won’t be able to switch out the SIM card. Only phone reviewers who swap SIM cards almost weekly will have a problem with this. 😅
1:56pm ET: The highlight to normal iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus is the camera system, which Apple calls “a huge upgrade.” It has a larger and captures 1.9-micron pixels (so larger individual pixels with an f/1.5 aperture. That means your lowlight photos should look better. Video has always been stellar on iPhone camera (vs Android), and there’s a new Action mode for premium stablization.
📱1:50pm ET: The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will have a larger screen, says Apple. At least on the Plus version, which is technically replacing the iPhone 14 Mini (which doesn’t exist). It’ll have a 6.7-inch screen (the iPhone 14 will stick with 6.1 inches)
⚙️ 1:48pm ET: Here’s the AirPods Pro 2 specs sheet from Apple. Now onto the iPhone 14 with a larger screen.
📆 Pre-orders go live on September 9 and deliver on September 23, a bit later than the Apple Watch 8 and Apple Watch Ultra in all cases.
💰 The AirPods Pro 2 will cost $249, same price that the original launched at.
➰ There’s even a new loophole for a lanyard, which would come in handy for anyone (me) who often loses their AirPods.
🔋 AirPods Pro 2 will 33% more battery life, with 6 hours of listening time, and 30 hours with the case. Still done via a Lightning port, but now there’s MagSafe as well as Qi charging. You can also just use your Apple Watch charger.
🔻 Extra small ear tip to ensure more people can comfortably wear the AirPods Pro
2️⃣ 2X the noise cancellation as the original AirPods Pro.
⚙️ 1:43pm ET: H2 chip, low distortion audio and personalized spatial audio using the iPhone camera.
🎧 1:42pm ET: “Our most advanced AirPods yet,” says Tim Cook. About to learn more about “the new AirPods Pro.
➡️ 1:41pm ET: Shifting to AirPods now. How are we 41 minutes into this presentation already?
💰1:36pm ET: The Apple Watch Ultra will cost $799, meaning less than the $999 that was rumored before when everyone thought it would be called the Apple Watch Pro. 😅. But it is more expensive than the Apple Watch 8 at $499. It’ll go on sale TODAY!
🤿 1:30pm ET: “The most rugged and capable Apple Watch ever” says Apple, and it can go scuba diving and brightness is at 2,000 nits.
⌚ 1:25pm ET: The Apple Watch Pro is really… the Apple Watch Ultra. Key specs:
⌚ 1:22pm ET: Another smartwatch: the Apple Watch SE is here with a faster chipset, making it 20% faster than the 1st generation. It’ll be 30% bigger than the Series 3, if you’re upgrading from that. $249 (WiFi) and $299 (LTE).
🔄 1:20pm ET: Here’s the re-cap image on the Apple Watch 8. Looks like the new features are being saved for the Apple Watch Pro!
📆 1:19pmET: And the Apple Watch 8 will be available on September 16, which is also the expected iPhone 14 release date.
💰 1:18pm ET: The Apple Watch 8 will cost $399 for WiFi and $499 for WiFi and LTE.
🌈 1:16pm ET: Colors include Midnight, Starlight, Silver and Product red for the aluminum model. Silver, Gold and Graphite for Stainless Steel.
1:14pm ET: Low power mode, long overdue for for the Apple Watch, turns off things like the auto-on display and workout tracking, to extend the battery from 18 hours to 36 hours, says Apple. It’ll be available on the Series 4 and later, so no need to get the Apple Watch 8 for this promising feature.
1:13pm ET: Crash detection will detect if you’re in a severe car crash with location services and let your emergency contacts know about the impact. Apple spent years studying car crashes and it uses a sensor fusion algorithm. Works in passenger cars, SUVs and pick-up trucks. Runs entirely on your device.
🌡️ 1:10pm ET: There’s a new temperature sensor focused on women’s health and menstrual cycles, which helps the Apple Watch go beyond the previously added cycle tracking. Apple is touting the privacy of this feature, which is locked behind passcode, Touch ID and Face ID. Like all health data, it’s up to you to share it, says Apple.
⌚ 1:08pm ET: The Apple Watch Series 8 is here, with the same always-on display and new detailed watch faces (though that should also come to older smartwatches). Let’s get into the actual updates.
❤️ 1:06pm ET: “These are the reasons we do what we do” says Tim Cook after the video montage of stories about the Apple Watch savings people’s lives.
⌚ 1:04pm ET: First up is the Apple Watch. Tim Cook introduced a video segment in which the Apple Watch has saved lives. Many people with Afib credit the Apple Watch saving them while they didn’t have their iPhone on them at the time.
🆕 1:02pm ET: Tim Cook is on stage... or on the Apple lawn. And he promised to show new iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods. Confirmed!
⏲️ 12:45pm ET: We’re now 15 minutes from Apple CEO Tim Cook taking the stage at the Steve Job Theater for the first time since lockdown!
🍎 12:30pm ET: We’re less than 30 minutes from the big Apple event, which come to think of it, doesn’t seem that ‘Far Out’ at all. Adam and I will be dissecting every announcement – in real-time on this page.
⏯️ 12pm ET: We’ve added the Apple event live stream video, which you can watch right here. Can’t watch it at work? Refresh this page as we add content to the live blog!
Apple event video
🤖 10am ET: Apple has some competition. The Pixel Watch was spotted on the Google CEO’s ahead of the October 6 event. That’s when we’ll learn about the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro release date and the Google Pixel Watch release date.
🚀 9am ET: Get ready for a ton of Apple announcements as the company’s annual iPhone event takes place today. The new iPhone line will obviously be the main attraction of Apple’s ‘Far Out’ event — and we’ll almost definitely get an iPhone 14 release date — but we’re expecting to see new versions of the AirPods Pro and Apple Watch as well.
The Apple Watch 8 release date could also be revealed, along with an Apple Watch SE 2 and Apple Watch Pro, according to various leakers.
It promises to be an action-packed show, then, and we’ll be rounding up the biggest announcements from the show. If you’d like to tune in live, here’s how to watch the Apple ‘Far Out’ event 2022.
How to watch the Apple ‘Far Out’ event
The Apple ‘Far Out’ event 2022 takes place today, September 7, at 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST. Apple is streaming the event on its official website, but you can also watch it on Apple’s YouTube channel below.
We’re not expecting to see any MacBook-related announcements during Apple’s show, but there’s a slim chance the company could tease its long-rumored mixed reality headset. However, the majority of the show will focus on the new iPhone models, which will apparently feature a redesigned camera notch, an improved camera, and the ability to shoot 8K video.
A new Apple Watch line and AirPods are also hotly-tipped to be revealed during the Apple ‘Far Out’ event. A higher-end Apple Watch 8 Pro model will target fitness enthusiasts, while the new AirPods Pro could feature lossless audio support and various other audio improvements.
It’s not long now until we find out exactly what Apple has in store, but we can make one solid prediction: its new iPhone line is bound to be extremely popular with consumers once again.