Google looks to be gearing up to join the league of life-saving services with the inclusion of satellite-based messaging in Google Messages. With Apple already offering satellite-based Emergency SOS, the company is reportedly teaming up with Garmin to bring a similar feature to Android devices through the upcoming Android 14 update.
Neil Rahmouni, a tech enthusiast, unearthed intriguing clues within Google Messages’ code, hinting at the integration of satellite messaging support. While not officially confirmed, Rahmouni’s findings suggest a possible collaboration with Garmin, a well-known wearable brand.
Garmin is renowned for its extensive satellite communication products and services, including emergency SOS options available across over 150 countries and all seven continents. If Google joins forces with Garmin, its Android 14-powered Emergency SOS could potentially outshine Apple’s offering, which is limited to a few countries.
However, Rahmouni wisely urges caution against excessive speculation until Google officially announces the partnership and its features. As Android 14’s release approaches, anticipation mounts over the precise connectivity options and satellite messaging capabilities it will introduce. Despite Google’s confirmation of satellite communication integration in Android 14, key details such as availability and supported devices remain undisclosed.
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.