This week on The Shift, Shane Hewitt and I talked about the products announced yesterday by Apple, including four models of iPhone 14, three Apple Watches, and second generation AirPods Pro. We also talked about two games new to Apple Arcade: Hanx101 Trivia, the Tom Hanks produced game on Apple Arcade, and Gris. Finally, we talked about the plethora of video games being adapted for television and movies, including Bioshock and Horizon Zero Dawn.
In his introduction to Apple’s event this morning, chief executive Tim Cook emphasized the interaction between three of the company’s main products: iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.
To prove the point, Apple followed up Cook’s welcome with a video of people telling stories about how the ability to make calls with their Apple Watch had improved, or saved, their lives.
This ecosystem is one of Apple’s most significant selling points and the company has continued to find ways to allow the devices to work independently, while encouraging customers to want all of them.
Apple provided details of updates to these three categories of product on Wednesday, which included new hardware features and new functionality.
Crash Detection is one such feature that is coming to all iPhone 14 models as well as all new Apple Watches. This is made possible by two new motion sensors, one of which is a high g-force accelerometer, that can accurately determine when you’ve been in a serious crash, and can automatically notify emergency response when it happens.
Emergency SOS via satellite is another new feature coming to all new iPhone 14 models, which enables an iPhone to connect to a satellite when you’re off the cellular grid. A visual graphic on the screen helps you keep your iPhone’s antenna pointed at the satellite, and compression technology reduces the size of messages so communications can be transmitted via satellite.
Satellite-enabled emergency communication is launching in the U.S. and Canada starting in November, and the service is free for two years with the activation of any iPhone 14 model.
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are minor updates for Apple
The base model iPhone 14 is a standard upgrade over the previous models, while adding the iPhone Plus with a larger screen size of 6.7 inches, compared to the 6.1 inches of the iPhone 14.
These come with storage of 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB storag
They both use the A15 chipset that is in iPhone 13.
Both cameras are 12 MP. The main camera has a faster aperture, which means crisper action shots, and the front camera has autofocus for the first time.
Apple’s also introduced a new image processing system it calls Photonic Engine, which leads to better performance from all cameras especially in low light conditions.
iPhone 14 is available on September 16 starting at $1,099, and iPhone 14 Plus ships on October 7 and starts at $1,249.
Camera notch on iPhone 14 Pro gets smaller, repurposed for notifications and alerts
Apple’s smartphone innovation this year is coming in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models, with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays that are always on.
Built with the most recent A16 Bionic chip, iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are faster and more efficient. Apple claims that competitor chipsets are a couple of generations behind where Apple is with the 6-core CPU in the A16.
The cameras in the iPhone 14 Pro are improved, with a 48 MP main camera and 12 MP telephoto and ultrawide cameras, also with the Photonic Engine and also with Action Mode, which effectively turns the smartphone into a steadicam.
The coolest feature on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, though, is called Dynamic Island, which turns the camera notch on the front into something usable: an area that displays notifications and alerts.
The Dynamic Island is contextual and interactive, so it shows different information depending on what you’re doing, and you can tap or tap and hold on the area to get more information or open other apps.
Both iPhone 14 Pro models are available on September 16, starting at $1,399 for iPhone 14 Pro and starting at $1,549 for iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Updates to Apple Watch includes a new Ultra model
The Apple Watch Series 8 improves on the existing health measurement tools – ECG, blood oxygen levels, notifications of irregular heart rhythms – with new tracking features for people who have menstrual cycles. A new temperature sensor in the Series 8 can provide information that indicates when ovulation is happening.
Apple knows that the privacy and security of this information is important, and the health data is stored on the Apple Watch, and if it’s being shared to another device or another entity, it is encrypted and Apple cannot decrypt this information.
The Series 8 will also support international roaming, so you can keep your cellular-enabled Apple Watch connected when you’re out of Canada.
Apple Watch Series 8 releases on September 16 and starts at $529 for GPS and $659 for GPS and cellular.
Apple Watch SE is a lower cost model of Apple Watch, and the new second generation model has much of the same functionality as the Series 8.
It’s also great for families because your kids can use an SE even without having an iPhone.
Apple Watch SE version two releases on September 16 and starts at $329 for GPS and $399 for GPS and cellular.
Apple Watch Ultra is a redesigned model intended for people who use their device in extreme environments.
Everything about the Ultra is bigger. It’s a larger wearable, 49 mm, with a bigger battery that delivers 36 hours of regular use and up to 60 hours with a new optimization feature. And the buttons and dials were created so they can be operated even while wearing gloves. One of the buttons is customizable so you can set it up for what you need it to do, like switch from timing your swim to timing your bike to timing your run if you’re a triathlete.
Designed to withstand incidental impacts, it also works in extreme temperatures, from -20 Celsius to 50 above.
A dual-frequency GPS means that even in challenging environments, like urban centres with lots of tall buildings, you can get accurate and precise readings, and new compass functionality includes waypoints and backtracking.
It’s got an 86-decibel siren that can be heard up to 180 metres away if you need to attract emergency responders, and an app that turns the Apple Watch Ultra into a full-on dive computer with information about depth, water temperature, and duration under water.
There are new watch bands, too, for different environments including underwater and alpine.
Apple Watch Ultra releases on September 23 and costs $1,099.
Second generation AirPods Pro improves how external sound is processed
The new AirPods Pro, which are designed to fit inside your ear canal, have a new H2 chipset which delivers improved automatic noise cancelling and has the ability to change how much external noise you can hear if you’re in transparency mode, so you’ll get less environmental sound if you’re in a construction zone than if you’re walking in the park.
There’s also improved capacitive touch control so you can adjust the volume by sliding your fingertip up or down the stem.
Battery life has been improved by more than six hours, to about 30 hours, and the carrying case now has a speaker so it can beep if you’re trying to find it, and you can use your Apple Watch charger to charge the case.
The best idea, though, is letting customers get their Memoji engraved on the case, a free service. The second generation AirPods Pro are available on September 23 at a cost of $329.
Tom Hanks has produced a trivia game for Apple Arcade, Gris launches on Apple Arcade, and the latest announcements of video games being adapted for television.
Tom Hanks trivia game debuts on Apple Arcade
Tom Hanks fans can prove how sincere they are by playing Hanx101 Trivia, a new quiz game that launched on Apple Arcade last week. In fairness, Hanx101 Trivia isn’t just testing facts about the actor, but is a more generic trivia game with questions in topics like celebrities, sports, and politics.
Of course, you also get Mr Hanks cheering you on by saying things like, “Way to go!” and, “You’re looking good!”
Also coming to Apple Arcade this month is Gris, published by Devolver Digital and originally released for computers and the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The game was ported to iOS a year later, and is now free to play by anyone with a subscription to Apple Arcade.
The platforming adventure game is elevated by the art and score, which evokes feelings of grief and melancholy, hope and wonder.
The latest on video game adaptations for television
Netflix might have cancelled Resident Evil after one season, but the streamer has found success in The Witcher, heading into a third season, and the animated Castlevania adaptation, which ran for four seasons and is getting a spin-off series, Castlevania: Nocturne.
And the ten-episode kid-friendly series based on the Canadian-developed Cuphead is tracking well.
In the past couple of weeks, we’ve learned of a couple of other video game franchises that are being adapted for Netflix.
Horizon Zero Dawn is another blockbuster franchise that Netflix hopes to turn into an equally popular series. Steve Blackman, who has been showrunning the Umbrella Academy for Netflix, is co-creating the new series with Michelle Lovretta.
The Umbrella Academy writer/director/executive producer Steve Blackman has extended his creative partnership with Netflix.
The ten-episode animated series for adults, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, premieres on September 13.
Meanwhile, from the Sony catalogue, The Last of Us is coming in the spring to HBO, Sony’s God of War has been picked up by Amazon Prime, and Twisted Metal season one has completed filming for Peacock, the NBC streaming platform.
And John Wick director Chad Stahelski has been tapped to film Ghost of Tsushima, and he intends to cast the film with Japanese actors and film it in Japanese.
This week on The Shift, Shane Hewitt and I talked about the PS5 remake of The Last of Us Part 1, the 20 seconds of teaser footage of the HBO series, the new DualSense Edge customizable controller coming for the PS5, and the collapse of retinal implant company, Second Sight.
Naughty Dog’s remake of The Last of Us shines on the PS5 and the HBO teaser for the series looks like a faithful adaptation. And the first customizable PlayStation controller will be released as the DualSense Edge.
Rebuilt for the PS5, The Last of Us Part 1 is better than ever
I’ll never forget my first play through of The Last of Us. It was clear that Naughty Dog had created something special.
Ever since, the franchise has continued to astound us, with a prequel chapter, a remastered version, a sequel, and the announcement of a television adaptation.
This latest release, The Last of Us Part 1, is not a remaster but a remake. And while the story is the same and the levels haven’t been redesigned, the mechanics and controls have been overhauled, and exclusively for the PS5 console.
The result is that the first game is better than ever because the “drunken-sailor movement mechanics” – as I referred to them in my 2013 review – have been fixed so Part 1 plays like Part 2.
And even though the remaster, which introduced better visuals for the PS4 console, looked great, the 4K support driven by the PS5 is unbelievable.
The other important addition to the game are the accessibility controls to enable gamers with different abilities can more fully enjoy the experience. This is something that made Part 2 so valuable and groundbreaking.
There’s some controversy that Sony has priced The Last of Us Part 1 as if it was a new release. In Canada, suggested retail is $90.
If you’ve played the game and have no interest in replaying it, there’s no need to pick up this edition.
But if you’ve not played the first instalment and want to, I think the improved controls and mechanics warrant the higher price tag. It’s more enjoyable to play.
You’ll also benefit from playing through the prequel chapter, which is the origin story of the franchise protagonist, Ellie.
Debut of the trailer for the HBO series, The Last of Us
While we’re on the topic, HBO showed off a meagre 20 seconds of footage of the series based on that first game. Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey and shot in southern Alberta, it looks to be every bit as faithful to the source material as has been promised by executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.
PlayStation DualSense Edge is a high-performance and customizable controller
The wireless controller is for the PlayStation 5 console, and introduces customizable controls including swappable stick caps and triggers. And you can save control profiles so you can easily swap between the configurations you need for a shooter to the one you need for an action RPG.
And sticks are replaceable.
This is the first time Sony has created its own high-performance PlayStation controller. Pricing and release timing were not disclosed.
The Mind Control Division is the intelligence arm of Blaine Kyllo's Solo Corps Creative Incorporated. This department conducts investigations and experiments into media and technology culture.
