Apple has updated its latest iOS 16 to version iOS 16.5 rather recently. Even more recently, they have just released the 16.5.1 version of the iOS 16.5. Apparently, they have just updated the 16.5.1 again. While being only a 2.7MB update, it is a critical one.
Apple labels this as one of their Rapid Security Response updates for their software. Alongside the Apple iPhone, the iPad is also getting the Rapid Security Response for the iPadOS 16.5.1. As per the release notes, the iOS 16.5.1(a) update is available for iPhones with iOS 16.5.1. But it is not just the iPhone and iPad that is getting a security update. At the same time, Apple is releasing security updates for MacOS Ventura [13.4.1 (a)] and Safari (16.5.2).
The thing about Apple’s security updates is that they can be rather vague in their description. According to their release notes, the update addresses “web content processing that may lead to arbitrary code execution”. According to Apple as well, there has been reports on the issue being heavily exploited, hence the need for iOS 16.5.1 (a) update. The release notes says that the update will bring “improved checks” to address the issue, whatever that means.
Rapid Security Response updates are important updates, they tend to patch security issues that has been reported or found. That also means that it is recommended that users on the latest iOS to check for their updates if they have not been updated yet. It is a relatively small update too, which also means that you might not have too much trouble or too long of a downtime with your iPhone when you do update your device. Once updated, your iPhone will request that you restart your device. Once you do so, your device should display iOS 16.5.1 (a) instead of the regular iOS 16.5.1 when you check its software version.
It is that time again, that time to update your iPhone. No, not buy a new iPhone, just update its operating system (OS). The iOS 16.4 is here!
Apple’s release notes should be a good enough indication of what you technically can expect from your iPhone once you update it. In this update, you get some bug fixes as expected, but you also get plenty of new emojis you can use for iMessage. Of course, it is not just about those.
New Emojis
That is the first thing they listed in their release notes for the new version of iOS. To be fair, they did release 21 new emojis for you to use. You get a new shaking head, pink heart, blue heart, grey heart, and a few new animals like a donkey or a moose now. There are also a few new objects you get like flute, maracas, a comb, and even a pea pod, for some reason. You get a few new hand gesture emojis too, like a ‘talk to the hand’ in left and right variations.
Push Notifications for Webs
Your websites now can send your iPhone a push notification if you add the webpage to your home screen. While it is something that just makes sense, the feature has never been a thing before for Apple’s iPhones. You can now opt in for notifications from your favourite websites. You can also easily opt out from notifications via the notification tab in Settings. Your notification can be received on the iPhone itself, viewed from the lock screen, or you can even get your web app to notify you on your Apple Watch. Since it is a new feature, not all websites might work with push notification.
The web push notification is also supported by Focus. You can choose which notifications appear at whatever appropriate time you set.
To be fair, the feature has been teased and mentioned when iOS 16 was launched. The feature was not included with the original iOS 16.0 release though. It is now, so you cannot say that Apple does not deliver on their promised features.
More for Podcasts
iOS 16.4 has not just added a tonne of new emojis to the iPhone. It offers big update to Apple’s Podcasts app. Users can now see the channels that they are subscribed to on the top of their library. If users follow a show that is part of a channel, that channel will also appear in their library so that they can also explore other shows from the same channel.
They have also updated the ‘Up Next’ feature. Apple Podcasts helps queue new episodes from shows that users follow or channels that users subscribe to. The feature is not only for shows users follow though, it will also play other podcast shows or episodes they do not follow. Once the show is fully played, Apple Podcasts will remove it from your ‘Up Next’ list.
You have more overview of the podcasts that you have or have not played too. It is not a huge change in interface, but your followed, played, and unplayed podcasts now surface better. You can see more of your subscriptions and probably have a better overview to what you are paying for.
All of these functions mentioned will also go to CarPlay. Of course, you still have to access Apple Podcasts on CarPlay to access the new ‘Up Next and Browse’ interface. The Browse tab allows users discover even more shows they might like in the comfort of their car.
AppleCare Overview
You can also now see your AppleCare coverage right on your iPhone. You can go to Settings and find out what sort of warranty coverage that is available to you iPhone and even how long you have left before your iPhone goes out of coverage.
Emergency SOS via Satellite Expanded
Emergency SOS is not necessarily a brand-new function to iPhone. It is not available everywhere in the world though. In the case that you live outside of the coverage area like North America, you are out of luck. The new iOS 16.4 expands its availability to six more countries though.
If you own an iPhone 14 with iOS 16.4 installed and you live in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Portugal, you now can use Emergency SOS. It connects to Globalstar satellites where available and allows users to send text messages to emergency dispatch even without a cellular signal. It is a subscription-based service though, oddly enough. Users get to use the function for free for two years after activating their iPhone 14. For existing iPhone 14 users in newly supported countries, their two-year deal starts as soon as they update to iOS 16.4.
They have also expanded the emergency calling feature. Users will automatically connect to 112 in their emergency in case there is no cellular signal. Of course, since it is a satellite technology, you want to ensure that you have a clear line of sight of the sky at least to function it.
PlayStation 5 DualSense Edge Controller Support
The subheading should be an explanation on its own. Sony’s DualSense Edge is Sony’s answer to the high-end aftermarket controllers in the market. Since it is new, it is not supported on the iOS, until now at least.
Even More Security Patches
Every new update should come with security updates. On The new iOS 16.4 there are over 30 security and bug fixes. Apple found possible exploits to accessibility feature that could allow third-party apps access to user information and patched that. They have also fixed potential exploits that affects Apple Neural Engine, Calendar, Camera, CarPlay, Bluetooth, Find My iPhone, iCloud, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari browser. There was also a kernel exploit that allows codes to be executed on your iPhone without your knowledge.
Time to Install iOS 16.4
iOS 16.4 is now available for your latest iPhones. You might not care about the PlayStation DualSense Edge, or the new emojis. You do not want to ignore the security concerns that your iOS device can raise though. Most updates bring not only new features to your smartphone, they also bring new security patches that can help protect you in the long run. The iOS 16.4’s full release notes are as below.
This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
21 new emoji including animals, hand gestures, and objects are now available in emoji keyboard
Notifications for web apps added to the Home Screen
Voice Isolation for cellular calls prioritizes your voice and blocks out ambient noise around you
Duplicates album in Photos expands support to detect duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library
VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
Accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected
Fixes an issue where Ask to Buy requests from children may fail to appear on the parent’s device
Addresses issues where Matter-compatible thermostats could become unresponsive when paired to Apple Home
Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models”
Apple’s Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite service has saved the life of an iPhone 14 user involved in a car crash in the USA.
Intelligent crash detection and vital information sharing
According to a Twitter post by law enforcement and first responders, a vehicle with two passengers swerved off the Angeles Forest Highway and plummeted 300 feet into the canyon of in the Angeles National Forest. This fall was detected by the users iPhone 14 through the Crash Detection feature. This feature detects crashes with the help of the gyroscopes, accelerometer,barometer and even microphone to detect elements of the crash such as abrupt motion and the sound of glass breaking.
When a severe crash is detected, an alert will appear with a slider to make an emergency call. You can slide to call emergency services or dismiss this alert if not required. If no response is received in 10 seconds, a further 10-second countdown will start. At the end of it, emergency services will be contacted immediately. Siri will then read out the automated message “The owner of this iPhone was in a severe car crash and is not responding to their phone”. It will then relay your approximate location with latitude and longitude. It will also send a message to your emergency contacts after another 10 second countdown, if you have them set up.
Emergency SOS uses satellite when cellular
reception is unavailable
However, during the car crash at Angeles Forest Highway, there was no cellular reception for Crash Detection to call emergency services. So, Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature came in to play. It sent an emergency text message to an Apple relay center via satellite. An employee then called the LA County Sheriff’s department to relay that information. With this, rescuers were able to locate both passengers and get them to a hospital for treatment. Apple’s features have definitely come in clutch to save the lives of at least these two people.
For more information on how to set up Crash Detection on your iPhone, visit the Crash Detection feature page on Apple’s official website. This feature is available on iPhone 14 and iPhone Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and Apple Watch Ultra.
Malaysian Apple users rejoice as 5G will finally be available on your iPhone.
Thanks to the iOS 16.2 update, users on Apple’s telco partner networks of Celcom, DiGi and U Mobile are now able to connect to the 5G network. This marks the end of a long wait for iPhone users wanting 5G connectivity. Apple has featured 5G since it’s 2020 iPhone 12 while the national 5G network began operating just last year. At the moment, 5G connectivity is only limited to Apple’s telco partners. Maxis users will have a longer wait while Yes Mobile and Unifi mobile users are out of luck, as they are not listed partners.
To enjoy 5G on our device, first ensure that you have a 5G compatible model. Partners Celcom, Digi and U Mobile have announced 5G connectivity support for the iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 3rd generation SE models. You als need to be on a 5G-enabled mobile plan with an Apple telco partner and within their coverage area.
Next, you need to ensure your device has updated to iOS 16.2. and carrier settings are updated to version 53.1. To check this head to Settings>General>About. Once done, head to Settings>Mobile Data Options>Voice & Data to see the new 5G On and 5G Auto options. Choose either one and your iPhone is 5G ready. You also have the option of prioritizing 5G ahead of WiFi by selecting More Dataon 5G option in the Data Mode section.
For more information on 5G for iPhone, visit the official sites for Celcom, Digi and U Mobile.
We know that the Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro starts at MYR 4,199 and MYR 5,299 respectively. While Apple maintained the same US$ pricing for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, prices in Malaysia has gone up a little thanks to some shifts in currency exchange rates. The price tag, for Malaysia at least, is still a little hefty if you want to get the device directly from Apple.
Pre-orders for Malaysia have started during the weekends (16th of September 2022 to be exact). Thankfully, you do not have to place your pre-orders specifically with Apple directly. You can do it with all the major carriers in Malaysia at this point, including U Mobile. With these network providers too, you can get your iPhone with their existing postpaid plan, so rather than paying for your iPhone in a single hefty payment, you can space out your payment together with your phone plan over a year to two years.
Maxis, Celcom, Digi, and even U Mobile has revealed their most anticipated phone plans, their postpaid plans for the upcoming Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models. The most affordable way to own an Apple iPhone 14 at this point, at least at the time of writing, is via engaging on Maxis’ Postpaid Share 48 plan. There is a small caveat here though, the Share 48 plan is technically dependent on another full Postpaid plan like the Postpaid 128. While it only gives you 30GB in monthly data quota, sharing the line with another principal line owner also allows you to share data with the principal line. On the device end, you are getting your basic Apple iPhone 14 with 128GB of storage for only MYR 116 every month. That totals to MYR 167 on a monthly basis. Once you go for the Maxis Postpaid 128 plan though, you are paying MYR 221 every month.
While the Maxis Postpaid 128 plan with the iPhone 14 seems a little pricey compared to the Postpaid Share 48 plan, it is still more affordable than anything else you can find in the market at this time. The next best thing for the most basic iPhone 14 is from Digi and it totals up to MYR 240 a month. The only other network providers that allows you to own an Apple iPhone 14 for below MYR 300 is U Mobile and Celcom with their MYR 98/month plan with iPhone that will set you back a total of MYR 247 a month. These prices are exclusive of SST though, so you want to keep that in mind.
Maxis’ Postpaid Share 48 and Postpaid 128 plans still gives you access to the highest end Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max with 1TB storage. Of course, the price of the iPhone itself will shoot up to MYR 230 every month, that is on top of the MYR 48/month you pay for your data plan. That will only total up to MYR 278 every month though, still more affordable than most of the iPhone plans you can find anywhere. Of course, the price goes up to MYR 324 the moment you go for the Maxis Postpaid 128 plan. For Celcom and Digi, you are required to have their more premium Celcom MEGA 158 (worth MYR 158/month) and Digi Postpaid 120 (worth MYR 120/month) to get your hands on Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro models.
You can refer to all the installment and phone plans from Maxis, Celcom, Digi, and U Mobile on their respective websites.
[UPDATE] U Mobile has announced that they are also on the pre-order bandwagon. Pre-order of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will begin on the 16th of September 2022. More info on their website.
When Apple’s iPhone 14 was announced by Cupertino, its availability in Malaysia was confirmed to be 23rd September 2022. There were no mentions on its pre-orders during the launch though. Fret not though, Apple Malaysia has confirmed that the Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will be available for pre-orders from the 16th of September onward. There is one small caveat in the pre-order though, the Apple iPhone 14 Plus will only ship out from the 7th of October 2022 onward.
Of course, you can buy your new iPhone from Apple directly via their website or any of the authorized retailers in Malaysia. Unfortunately, we do not have a proper Apple Store in Malaysia just yet. Alternatively, you can get your latest iPhone from the carriers, and three of Malaysia’s major carriers has also put up their pre-order teasers. Pre-orders with the carriers also start on Malaysia Day (16th of September 2022).
Obviously if you are getting your iPhone device directly with Apple, you are paying for the device in cash, or installments via your credit card. With the carriers, you would usually be required to sign up for their data plans. At this point though there are no information on what sort of plans you will have to sign up for to get your new iPhone. There is no solid indication of pricing from the carriers just yet.
Of course, there are going to be some check boxes you must tick if you want to order your device from the carriers. Their websites will also tell you to ensure that you have any of your outstanding bills cleared. You also want to make sure that you are not tied to any contracts before you pre-order your iPhone 14. Pre-orders from the carriers will be carried out virtually entirely, which also means you want to make sure that you have a stable internet collection. You also want to be on their postpaid plans to make sure that you can get your device with no issues during the pre-order period.
So far, only the three major carriers have announced their pre-orders for the new iPhone. The three major carriers, as mentioned earlier, are Maxis, Celcom, and Digi. While UMobile does have an iPhone specific plan, they have not made any announcements regarding the Apple iPhone 14 devices from their end just yet. We are guessing that they will announce their iPhone plans closer to the actual availability date on the 23rd of September 2022. For more information on the Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, you can visit their website.
The regular iPhone 14 is more than just a hardware update, that much we know. Some of the new hardware fitted into the new iPhone 14 makes the device one of the best life companions you can ask for. It packs the previous generation A15 Bionic, which is still regarded, as per Apple, one of the most powerful System on a Chip (SoC) you can find in the current smartphone market.
But the Pro variant of the iPhone 14 deserves something better, something even more powerful. It is, after all, Apple’s most powerful flagship to hit the market. It is supposed to be the most technologically advanced and innovative smartphone in Apple’s range of smartphones.
Welcome to the Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the two most innovative smartphones in the world by Apple’s standards.
Maximum Speed, Maximum Power
First up is the brand new A16 Bionic that is even more powerful than the already potent A15 Bionic chip you can find in the current iPhone 14 and the older iPhone 13 Pro series. According to Apple, the new chip is 40% faster than the A15 Bionic, which technically makes it the fastest smartphone processing chip you can find in the world today. Again, this is all according to Apple. For the first time ever in a smartphone as well, the A16 Bionic employs the 4nm build process to make it even more efficient than before. The A16 Bionic also packs an even more powerful dedicated imaging engine that allows the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max to fully take advantage of its 48-Megapixel quad-pixel main camera.
Brighter than Ever Retina
The display on the iPhone 14 Pro models are the most advanced you can find on any iPhone so far. You get either a 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion that allows the device to turn its refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz to prolong battery life. The displays now can push up to 2000 nits of peak brightness too, twice that off the iPhone 13 Pro. The new Super Retina XDR display also features Always-On display for the first time on an iPhone. Just to keep everything safe and protected, the displays are protected by Apple’s new Ceramic Shield front cover like the regular vanilla iPhone 14. Of course, the rest of the device is also water and dust resistant to ensure that it gets through life with no fuss.
Dynamic Island
Keen eyed readers might find that the notch on the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max is a little different now. It is a sort of elongated punch hole instead of a forehead notch. The punch hole houses a TrueDepth camera and other sensors for Face ID to work. The proximity sensor and light sensor is situated behind the display unit instead of the island now.
While this type of solution is nothing new in the smartphone industry, the genius is in how iOS 16 ‘hides’ the island hole. They call it the Dynamic Island, and it is a rather clever way of integrating the island hole into the iOS experience.
The Dynamic Island functions as the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max’s notification and quick access panel for ongoing background apps. You can keep things like timer in view via the Dynamic Island as well, turn-by-turn navigation can also be kept on the Dynamic Island even when you are on other apps. It even displays Live Scores of live matches in the most sensible way.
48-Megapixel!? On an iPhone!?
Out the back is also the most advanced camera system that you can find on an Apple smartphone ever. You now get a 48-megapixel sensor instead of the usual 12-Megapixel sensor on the main shooter. Alongside the main shooter are 12-Megapixel Ultra-Wide and Telephoto cameras. Thanks to the more powerful A16 Bionic chip, the Pro model’s cameras performs at least twice better in low-light conditions.
The 48-Megapixel sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is the biggest ever found on an iPhone and that also helps with low-light photography. To ensure that photos are not hoarding your storage bandwidth, the 48-Megapixel photos are shrunk to 12-Megapixel sizes while maintaining the depth and detail of a 48-Megapixel photo. Thanks to the 48-Megapixel sensor as well, 4K videos and photos can be captured with in full resolution without digital zoom even when you put the camera to 2x zoom. Of course, more pixel count also means even more detailed photos in ProRAW formats.
Crash Detection & Emergency SOS via Satellite
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max also includes Crash Detection technology and Emergency SOS via satellite feature just like its more accessible cousins, the vanilla iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Unfortunately, again, Emergency SOS function is only available for the U.S. and Canada markets for now.
Price and Availabilty
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available will be available in select regions on the 16th of September 2022 onward. Malaysia will get both variants of the device not too long after that though from the 23rd of September 2022 onward. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is available in four storage variants – 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. You can choose between four colour options for the most advanced Apple iPhone ever – Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, and Space Black. The iPhone 14 Pro starts from 5,299, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at MYR 5,799. For more information on the Apple iPhone 14 Pro, you can check out their website.
The Apple iPhone 13 was something of a wonder. It was, according to Apple, amongst the most powerful smartphones in the world. Of course, Apple would also like to think that they make the best smartphone in the world. Confidence is key, they say.
With the iPhone 13, Apple pulled all the stops to make the smartphone experience better than before. Instead of focusing on fitting new hardware to push technological boundaries, it was more about making the Apple iPhone a better companion to its users. They followed that same recipe in the new Apple iPhone 14, alongside some very welcome additions.
First up, there is no iPhone 14 Mini here. You have the Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus instead. You get the standard 6.1-inch display with the regular iPhone 14, and then you get a larger 6.7-inch display on the Plus variant. They are selling this as a separate thing to the Pro variants of the iPhone too, understandably.
New Bigger Display
You still get the recognizable notch on the top part of the display that now houses a TrueDepth camera. According to Apple, the front camera will now take better pictures than ever with newly added features like autofocus. On both variants also, you get a beautiful Retina XDR OLED display with peak brightness of 1200 nits making HDR contents as immersive as they come on an iPhone The Retina XDR display also boasts 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and Dolby Vision for an even better Netflix experience, especially if you go for the larger iPhone 14 Plus. The displays are also now covered in what Apple calls a Ceramic Shield front cover, a built-in screen protector to protect it from drops and other bumps it might meet in its lifetime. It is also water and dust resistant, to ensure that it can handle anything you can throw at it accidentally, obviously.
Power From the Pros
Beneath the new expansive display is Apple’s proven A15 Bionic System on a Chip (SoC). It is the same one found on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro models. It packs two powerful performance cores for all sorts of heavy lifting, and four efficiency cores within to keep the device going for long periods of time. It also packs a 16-core neural engine for Siri to leverage on and for iOS to keep things snappy and snazzy. For even better photos, the A15 Bionic also houses a new integrate image processor. The Apple iPhone 14 Plus also now features the longest all-day battery life of any available iPhone.
Even Better Photos and Videos
Out the back is a glass housing that adorns new colours for the iPhone. You still have the standard black (Midnight), and white (Starlight) variants of the Apple iPhone. The Product RED is also still an option for the iPhone. Additionally, you get to get your iPhone 14 in blue or purple.
The backs of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus house two cameras. The main camera is a 12-Megapixel shooter like before. Accompanying the 12-Megapixel main shooter is an equally impressive 12-Megapixel ultra-wide camera. Thanks to the dedicated Photonic Engine found on the A15 Bionic, the camera performance is much improved especially in low-light conditions. The Deep Fusion computational prowess also allows the camera to capture photos with breathtaking details and textures, true to life colours, and full of information.
There are a few new features on the camera too; it has a new action mode that cleverly stabilizes videos even when they are shot in the middle of the action. The LED flash has also been re-worked and is now 10% brighter than before and is supposedly more uniform and consistent. There is also the Cinematic mode available for videos shot in 4K 30fps and 24fps. Of course, you get to shoot your videos in brilliant Dolby Vision HDR colours.
Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection
What is impressive with the iPhone 14 is not all the things listed above. It is not the latest iOS 16 for the iPhone. Nor is it the fact that Apple Fitness+ is coming to all iPhone users. What we find most impressive regarding the Apple iPhone 14 is that it now packs satellite technology and a high-impact accelerometer.
Having satellite technology might not seem like a big deal. Satellite based mobile phones have existed for a while now and it is used in various situations where cellular signals are choppy or when cell towers cannot be installed. It is a rather old school technology that is only good in very specific situations. On the iPhone, it is good for emergencies. They call it Emergency SOS, which is rather fitting. Because satellite signals can be very specific in terms of direction, the iPhone Emergency SOS interface guides you to get the best connection to an available satellite. In emergency situations, the feature allows you to quickly send SOS messages to available emergency services via satellite. Since the low-bandwidth nature of satellite communication means it might take a few seconds to minutes for messages to get through to the right people, Apple’s Emergency SOS interface presents a quick questionnaire to assess your situation before sending a distress signal to an Apple relay station and then to the right services. The satellite technology can also be used in the Find My app, for services to easily and accurately locate you in non-cellular or WiFi situations.
The high-impact accelerometer that is newly found on the iPhone 14 is like no other accelerometer on regular smartphones. It can withstand and measure G-Force up to 256Gs. Combined with a new high dynamic range gyroscope, the new iPhone 14 packs the first ever smartphone-based Crash Detection technology. Where the Apple Watch detects fall impacts and inform your emergency contacts, the iPhone detects when you get into a severe car crash and automatically dials emergency services if the user is unable to reach their iPhones for whatever reason. The feature is also made possible by combining several existing technologies like barometer, GPS signals, and microphones which have been trained to recognize a car crash by motion and sounds.
Price and Availability
The Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in five colour options mentioned above. Storage options starts at 128GB and tops out at 512GB. Pre-orders for the Apple iPhone 14 series in the United States will begin 9th of September 2022 onward. The Apple iPhone 14 will start shipping on the 16th of September onward while its bigger brother, the iPhone 14 Plus starts shipping on the 7th of October 0nward. Malaysia will get its first taste of the new iPhone from the 23rd of September 2022 onward. Emergency SOS via satellite will not be available in regions outside of the U.S. and Canada for now. If you are in the available regions, the service is included for free for two years if you purchase an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus. The Apple iPhone 14 will be available for MYR 4,199 onward and the iPhone 14 Plus will be available from MYR 4,699 onward.