This is CNBC's live blog covering everything Apple announced at this year's iPhone 14 and Apple Watch launch event from Apple Park, its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Apple just wrapped up its big fall iPhone event where it announced new iPhones, AirPods and Apple Watches. Here's what it announced:
- iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Satellite emergency service for iPhones
- Apple Watch Ultra
- New AirPods Pro
- Apple Watch Series 8
- The new Apple Watch SE
The new iPhones will be available to order Friday, and Apple didn't increase the prices as some analysts had expected. The new Apple Watches will be available to order Wednesday and the new AirPods Pro launch Sept. 23.
Check out the rest of our coverage below.
Money Report
Apple announces iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, no price increase
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Apple CEO Tim Cook just announced the iPhone 14 pro, the high-end models for this year.
The smaller model with a 6.1-inch screen is called the iPhone 14 Pro. The bigger model will be called the iPhone 14 Max.
The iPhone 14 Pro will start at $999, and the bigger model starts at $1099. That's the same price as last year's models. They go up for preorder on Friday and will ship next week.
These devices have a new front design with a smaller cutout for the front-facing camera which expands the device's screen. Apple calls the cutout a "dynamic island" and it can essentially display notifications or other system information, such as baseball scores.
The iPhone 14 Pro has a lot of new features:
- An always-on display which doesn't turn off when it's not in use.
- Apple also introduced a new low-power mode to make the battery life last longer.
- It uses Apple's latest A16 Bionic chip, which Apple says was built on a 4-nanometer process.
- A 48-megapixel camera thanks to a bigger sensor.
- Better low-light photography.
- Redesigned flash.
It comes in four colors, space black, silver, gold, and deep purple.
— Kif Leswing
Apple adds satellite emergency service feature to iPhone 14
Apple announced a long-rumored capability to connect its iPhone 14 series to satellites for emergency services during its event on Wednesday, through a partnership with Globalstar.
The feature is designed to connect an iPhone 14's antennas directly to a satellite, to send a message in areas unconnected by cell towers.
Apple's manager of satellite modeling and simulation Ashley Williams said an algorithm in the phone compresses text messages to a size that will "take less than 15 seconds to send" to a satellite, before its relayed to a ground station and on to an emergency service provider.
The emergency satellite service launches in November, and is included free for two years with an iPhone 14.
Globalstar confirmed in a filing that it is supporting the iPhone 14 emergency satellite service, and will "allocate 85% of its current and future network capacity" to support the feature.
Satellite communications — which has several existing networks that support specialized, purpose-built phones — is undergoing a new era of investment. Companies including Elon Musk's SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile have previously announced partnerships with mobile service providers, with a similar goal of providing similar satellite services directly to traditional consumer smartphones.
– Michael Sheetz
Apple announces iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus starting at $799
Apple CEO Tim Cook just announced the iPhone 14. So far, Apple has announced two new models— a iPhone 14 Plus and an iPhone 14.
The iPhone 14 Plus replaces the older "iPhone 13 mini" model with a bigger model with a 6.7-inch screen.
The iPhone 14 will start at $799 and the Plus will cost $899. Preorders start on Sept 9 and the smaller version will go on sale on Sept. 16. The Plus model won't ship until October, though.
Apple said that all U.S. iPhone 14 models will no longer use physical SIM cards, replacing them with a digital eSIM that can support multiple phone numbers and is better for security.
Features of the iPhone 14 include:
- True -tone OLED display
- Five colors including a new light blue
- Improved battery life
- Ceramic screens that are more durable
- Better low-light performance on the front-facing camera
- Action Mode that stabilizes video
- Safety service called Emergency SOS via Satellite that can connect to emergency services even if the user is outside of cellular or wi-fi range. It's free for iPhone 14 users in the U.S. and Canada and launches in Canada.
— Kif Leswing
Apple announces new AirPods Pro that cost $249
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced a new model of Apple's AirPods Pro, which are wireless earbuds with noise-cancelling.
They cost $249 and will go on sale on Sept 23.
They have better sound quality and clarity, Apple said, due to an Apple H2 chip on the inside, an upgrade from the earlier model's H1.
New features include:
- New touch control to adjust volume
- Longer battery life with up to 6 hours listening time
- A smaller extra-small ear tip
- A speaker added to the case
- Can be charged with MagSafe chargers.
Apple said that the noise cancellation on the new models is twice as good as before.
— Kif Leswing
Apple unveils high-end Apple Watch Ultra, starting at $799
Apple just announced the Apple Watch Ultra, a new high-end watch with a new design, bigger screen, and titanium case. The product is aimed at outdoor athletes.
It will cost at least $799 and will hit store shelves Sept. 23. Preorders are available Wednesday.
It comes with a new watch face with more information, including a compass. It also has a new orange "action" button for quick use while working out or wearing gloves. It can also show how deep the user is diving while swimming.
Apple says the watch can get as much as 60 hours of battery life with a software update this fall.
"Every detail has been engineered to create the most rugged and capable Apple Watch ever," Apple COO Jeff Williams said in a promo video.
— Kif Leswing
Apple announces low-cost Apple Watch SE starting at $249
Apple has announced a redesigned Apple Watch SE, which is a lower-cost version of its mainline Series 8.
This year's model includes:
- A bigger screen
- A new plastic design on the underside of the watch
- Heart rate notifications
- Fall detection
It will retail for either $249 or $299 starting on Sept. 16. Apple is marketing it as a device for children who might not need their own iPhone. — Kif Leswing
Apple announces Apple Watch Series 8 with temperature sensor
Apple CEO Tim Cook has kicked off the video-oriented launch event with Apple Watch news.
The new device will be called the Series 8, Apple COO Jeff Williams said. It's more durable than previous models and has a new temperature sensor that can be used to help monitor health data, including ovulation.
It will come in four colors in aluminum — black, gold, aluminum, and red — and three colors in stainless steel. It costs at least $399 for an aluminum model and $499 for one with cellular connectivity.
Apple says the device is designed to keep data secure and private and that health data will only be shared with explicit permission from the user.
Apple also added a new safety feature powered by two motion sensors. The new car crash detection can detect if you were in a severe car crash and automatically call emergency services.
A new mode on Apple Watches can extend the Apple Watch battery life from 18 hours to 36 hours by temporarily disabling the always-on display and workout notifications.
Cook started by airing a video featuring people reading letters written to him about how the wearable has helped them get assistance in emergency situations.
— Kif Leswing
Tim Cook: Announcing new iPhones, Apple Watch and AirPods
The event is starting. Tim Cook just said the event will focus on three products, the iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. -- Sofia Pitt
We're in our seats
We're in our seats and the theater is starting to fill up. There's definitely a galaxy sort of theme going on here. Apple's invite teased something "far out." We'll know what that means soon enough. -- Sofia Pitt
Over 300,000 people waiting to stream Apple's launch on YouTube
Ten minutes minutes before the launch is scheduled to begin in Cupertino, California, over 300,000 people are on the YouTube livestream page, a sign that there is still significant consumer demand for information on new Apple products direct from the source. — Kif Leswing
Apple's fall launches are critical
Apple's fall launches are critical for the company as they draw millions of viewers from around the world who want to know about Apple's newest products. They build hype for new iPhones and other devices going into the all-important holiday shopping season, Apple's busiest sales time of the year. -- Kif Leswing
We're about to take our seats
We're walking down to take our seats in the theater. -- Sofia Pitt
Tim Cook hints at a 'stellar' theme for the event
Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted his traditional pre-launch tweet, which hints at the theme for the event with the word "stellar."
Apple's invites had the tagline "far out" with deep space imagery, which some Apple followers thought could suggest that Apple was preparing to release a satellite-based cellular connection for iPhones or a night sky photography feature. — Kif Leswing
Check out the snack spread
There are lots of snacks and beverages here. We're about to head downstairs to take our seats before it kicks off. -- Sofia Pitt
Apple stock doesn't usually outperform after an iPhone launch
Investors looking to trade on the news of Apple's new iPhones on Wednesday should keep Bernstein's Toni Sacconaghi's advice in mind.
"Historically, Apple's stock does not react materially to iPhone announcements (given that there are typically no surprises), and performance has generally been fairly muted in the 3-months following iPhone announcements (typically mid-September to mid-November), as investors wait to gauge the strength of the iPhone cycle," Sacconaghi wrote in a note this week.
In fact, analysts say that Apple shares typically perform in-line with the market one month after the reveal, CNBC reported this week. — Kif Leswing
Apple store is down ahead of the event
The Apple Store is down, per tradition, until the end of the launch event when it will come back online with all of Apple's new products.
-- Ashley Capoot
We're here at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino
We're here live in Cupertino, California at the Steve Jobs Theater, where Apple is set to unveil its new products. You can see in the image below that it's already getting pretty packed with press and analysts. And we're all badged up. -- Sofia Pitt
