iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS Satellite Feature Will Arrive Later This Month

The feature, which Apple announced at an event in September, allows you to contact emergency services even when you’re out of cell range.

Your iPhone 14 or 14 Pro will be able to contact emergency services via satellite later this month, Apple said Thursday in a release about its $450 million investment to support the technology. Apple says the service will allow people to contact help and share their location when they’re out of cell service range. It will be free to iPhone 14 users for the next two years.

When it’s live, Emergency SOS via satellite, as Apple calls the service, will allow people to text emergency services and share some information about their situation with emergency contacts. With a clear view of the sky, messages can be sent via satellite in as little as 15 seconds, Apple said.

Apple’s investment is helping to expand and enhance the satellite and communications network of its partner, Globalstar, which operates a fleet of 24 satellites for communication purposes.

The exact timing of Emergency SOS via satellites release isn’t clear, though Apple said it will require an iOS 16 software update coming in November. To start, it will be available to anyone with an iPhone 14 or 14 Pro in the US (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) and Canada. It will exclude iPhones purchased in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao.

Apple’s AirTags for Your Checked Bags Are a Travel Essential

Commentary: A tracker in my luggage was the only reassurance I had when my luggage went missing.

It was a far from ideal ending to our dreamy Sicilian honeymoon. We arrived back at Edinburgh Airport to discover our checked bags hadn’t made the journey home with us, and there was nobody in sight to advise us on what to do. Also less than ideal: My husband sheepishly breaking the news to me that he’d packed his house keys in his suitcase.

What could easily have been the cause of our first argument as a married couple turned out to be a blessing in disguise. That’s because there was an Apple AirTag attached to those keys.

This happy accident allowed us to check on his phone and see that his suitcase (and hopefully mine too) had made it as far as London, and was at that very moment sitting in Heathrow Terminal 5. Over the ensuing three days this provided us with immense reassurance as we witnessed the AirTag move from London to Edinburgh, and then across the city to our home.

While Apple’s AirTags have proven to be controversial, particularly when used by stalkers, this was a situation where they worked exactly as intended, offering us peace of mind and specific location information on our lost belongings. Without it, we would’ve been in the dark about where our possessions were and whether they would make their way home.

I can’t say enough good things about the service on board our British Airways flights, but the process of reporting and retrieving our bags through the airline’s online system was a mess. After submitting our reports, we received emails that didn’t include our names or tracking numbers, making it impossible to track our missing luggage. The only update came from the courier shortly before our bags were finally delivered to our front door.

The incident has made me certain I’ll never travel without AirTags again — as long as I have a choice to do so. But for a moment this week, I was worried I might not be able to.

Last month, German airline Lufthansa told a customer over Twitter that it was banning AirTags and other tracking devices from checked luggage. When pressed, it said: “According to ICAO guidelines, baggage trackers are subject to the dangerous goods regulations. Furthermore, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during the flight if they are in checked baggage and cannot be used as a result.”

Lufthansa later retracted its statement, telling CNET’s sister site The Points Guy: “The Lufthansa Group has conducted its own risk assessment with the result that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk. We have never issued a ban on devices like that.” The airline also told CNET that the German Aviation Authorities had agreed with its assessment.

There seems to be some confusion at the airline over how to interpret international aviation regulations, which are drawn up, but not enforced, by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

These rules specify that the small portable electronic devices containing lithium batteries should be prevented from unintentional activation and must be completely switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode) if stored in checked luggage. But it’s up to national governments to interpret these regulations and transpose them into law.

The worry with lithium batteries is that they pose a fire risk, but most national authorities and airlines continue to allow the small CR2032 batteries used inside AirTags and other trackers. This includes the US Transport Security Administration, which has explicitly confirmed that passengers can put them in their checked luggage.

The benefits of traveling with AirTags or other trackers are more clear than ever. According to the US Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report, over 1.4 million bags were “mishandled” by airlines within the US between January and June this year, up from around 693,000 in the same period the year prior. This summer there were multiple news reports about a global lost luggage crisis.

I was fortunate to get my luggage back after only a few days, but many passengers whose suitcases never show up on the conveyor belt aren’t so lucky. No matter how good your travel insurance is about providing compensation, the loss can be distressing and inconvenient. Knowing your personal belongings could be anywhere in the world, and are probably lying carelessly discarded on an airport floor can leave you feeling powerless.

AirTags can’t magically bring your bags back or provide any guarantees that your airline will rescue them for you. But they can provide valuable information when automated, faceless systems fail you. They can pinpoint your luggage’s location even when your airline declares it lost. If you have no choice but to fight with the airline to retrieve what’s yours, you have the evidence you need.

Ideally you won’t need it — and in an ideal world you’d remember to transfer all your most important items into your hand luggage before flying. But as the statistics and first-hand experience shows, errors occur all the time. Better to do yourself a favor and track your own luggage. And also make sure that at least one person in your marriage is smart enough to keep their house keys close to hand.

Sign In With Apple Is a Quick and Easy Way to Protect Yourself Online. Here’s How to Use It

Use your Apple device to verify your credentials instead of your social accounts or yet another password. Here’s what to know about the security feature.

Do you dread signing up for a new service or logging in to a new website? No one wants more emails in their inbox or to risk their security for using a site one time.

Sign in with Apple can help improve your online security when signing in to third-party apps and websites on your Apple devices with your Apple ID. The privacy tool will then verify your credentials instead of signing in with Facebook, Google or making a brand-new account using your email address on an app or website. You can use Sign in with Apple in any browser and supported app and is available on iOS, MacOS, TVOS and WatchOS.

Here’s everything you need to know about how Sign in with Apple works and how to use it. Plus, here’s how to check your iPhone’s privacy settings in two easy steps and nine rules for strong passwords.

How to use Sign in with Apple

  1. When you open an app or website, if it supports Sign in with Apple, simply tap Continue with Apple.
  2. Accept or deny any permissions the app asks for.
  3. Follow the onscreen prompts regarding your Apple ID. You can choose to edit your name or share or hide your email. Choose Continue.
  4. Enter your passcode when prompted. You can also confirm with Face ID or Touch ID. If you don’t have any of the three, you can use your Apple ID password.

As long as you’re signed in on your device, you’ll be signed in to the app. To sign out, just locate the settings in the app or website and choose Sign Out. You’ll need to repeat the process if you want to sign back in.

How does Sign in with Apple work?
Sign in with Apple uses your Apple device to verify your credentials instead of using your social account logins, which could make you vulnerable to being tracked online. With the Hide My Email option, Apple creates a random email address — you’ll recognize it by the unique alphanumeric string followed by @privaterelay.appleid.com.

The random email address can only be used for one specific app. The app or website will use the generated email, but Apple will forward any correspondence to your real email, protecting your identity. You can reply to whichever emails you like without exposing your personal email address. Apple lets you turn off the email forwarding feature at any time as well.

Sign in with Apple says it won’t use any of your information aside from what’s required to let you sign in and out of an account. The tool also employs two-factor authentication with Face ID or Touch ID. If you don’t see the Sign in option, that means the app or website doesn’t support it yet.

Which apps support Sign in with Apple?

  1. Open the Settings app on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, and tap your name.
  2. Tap Passwords and Security.
  3. Choose Apps Using Your Apple ID.

From there — if you’ve used Sign in — you should see a list of apps. You can tap through each app and see what preferences you put in place or change them, as well as read the app or website’s privacy policy. You can also toggle off email forwarding here as well as stop using your Apple ID with the app.

How do I use Sign in with Apple on Mac?

  1. When you open an app or website, if it supports Sign in with Apple, click Continue with Apple.
  2. Follow the onscreen instructions. You should be able to enter a different name if you don’t want to use your real name or choose which Apple ID-associated email you’d like to use, as well as the ability to choose Hide My Email.

After you start using Sign in with Apple, you can edit any apps that you’ve added by choosing the Apple menu > System Settings > click your name. From there, choose Password and Security and click Edit. This will let you turn off forwarding email or remove an app that’s using Sign in with Apple.

How do I use Sign in with Apple from a web browser?

  1. Sign in to appleid.apple.com.
  2. Click Sign In and Security.
  3. Click Sign in with Apple.
  4. Click any app using Sign in with Apple to remove access.

How do I change my forwarding email address?
If you use Hide My Email and need to make some changes, here’s how on mobile:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap your name.
  3. Tap Name, Phone Numbers, Email.
  4. Tap Forward to under Hide My Email.
  5. Choose a new email address to use in forwarding.

The new address you enter will apply across all the apps you’re using the Hide My Email feature with.

How is Sign in with Apple different from using Facebook or Google login?
Sign in with Apple is only visually similar to the icons that let you use your Google or Facebook credentials. While signing in with Facebook or Google might seem easier, a lot of personal information is attached to those accounts, like your nicknames, hometown and birthday. This data might seem unimportant at first glance, but some of that is prime security question fodder for your bank account and other sensitive information.

Sign in with Apple also gives you more control over the permissions apps and websites have access to. You can pick and choose which apps have to ask your permission each time it requests your location data from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It’s handy if you’re trying out a new app or you don’t plan on using an app often, for example.

What Finally Convinced Me to Ditch my Android for an iPhone

Commentary: My friends got their wish. I’m now Team Apple.

The iPhone versus Android debate rages on, and I’ve been caught in the middle of it for too long. For 10 long years, I’ve been Team Android, my most recent phone being the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. But when it came time to replace my beloved Galaxy — after months of going back and forth — I caved and bought an iPhone 14 Pro. And, green bubbles aside, now that I’m Team Apple, I’m never going back.

It may sound like I’m being overly dramatic, but that trip to the Verizon store signaled a big shift for me. I’ve always prided myself on not buying into the Apple hype. Despite years of pestering from friends to switch to an iPhone, I pushed back, maintaining that I liked being different from the masses. Everyone around me has an iPhone. It felt good to defy the norm. And so for years, I stuck with my Samsung Galaxy devices, which I still believe are incredible phones.

But after conversations with friends and family about what I could get from the iPhone that I could never get with my Android, I started to reconsider my stance. Yes, I loved my Galaxy S10 Plus and everything it offered: a top-notch camera, a customizable interface and Object Eraser, which removes any unwanted people or objects from your pictures (Pixel phones have a similar feature). But at the end of the day, there was one big thing my Android could never offer: a seamless way to communicate with all my friends on the iPhone.

Read more: Android vs. iPhone: 7 Things Apple Phone Owners Wish They Could Do

I’ve been told countless times that I ruin group chats by turning all the texts “green.” This is because Apple refuses to make iMessage compatible with Android phones, so when you message someone who isn’t on iOS, you’ll see green text bubbles instead of the standard blue ones. Because this felt like a superficial complaint — and is 100% Apple’s fault — I brushed it aside.

Until I realized I was missing out on other, more significant benefits of owning an iPhone.

Unless you use a third-party app like WhatsApp, there’s no easy way to send high-resolution photos and videos directly between an Android phone and an iPhone. I was OK with just using WhatsApp… until I began to envy my friends who were instantaneously AirDropping pictures and videos after our hangouts. WhatsApp also diminishes the quality of videos, and Google Drive takes a lot longer to upload videos to.

It also was frustrating that apps like TikTok diminished my camera quality on Android. Comparing TikTok videos taken on an iPhone — even an older version like the iPhone X — with those taken on my Galaxy S10 Plus is like night and day. On my Galaxy, TikTok distorted the colors and blurred everything in the most unflattering and unrealistic way. On the iPhone, videos are crisp and clear and appear just as they should. For someone who uses TikTok as much as I do, this was important.

These reasons, along with the fact that I already use a MacBook and would therefore benefit from the Apple ecosystem, led me to start changing my mind about owning an iPhone. Throw in features like the new always-on display on the iPhone 14 Pro models — something I absolutely loved on my Galaxy devices — and fun new elements like Dynamic Island, and suddenly I was sold on the idea of switching over.

Read more: iPhone or Android? Your Phone Choice Could Be Hampering Your Love Life

Yes, I had to fight off feelings of being a sellout. But I realized that ultimately, it’s just a phone. And no matter what you do, people will have unsolicited opinions about what device you’re using. My Galaxy worked well for me for many years. Now I was ready for something new. And so far, I have no regrets.

Check out the video above for more of my thoughts on switching from an Android phone to an iPhone.

I Switched From Android to iPhone. I’m Not Going Back

After 10 long years of loving Android, I’ve caved.

After months of going back and forth I went to my local Verizon store and ordered an iPhone 14 Pro. It may sound like I’m being overly dramatic, but the move signaled a big shift for me.

I’ve always prided myself on not buying into the Apple hype. Despite years of pestering from friends to switch to an iPhone, I pushed back, maintaining that I liked being different from the masses. Everyone around me has an iPhone. It felt good to defy the norm. And so for years, I stuck with my Samsung Galaxy devices, which I still believe are incredible phones.

But after conversations with friends and family about what I could get from the iPhone that I could never get with my Android, I started to reconsider my stance. Yes, I loved my Galaxy S10 Plus and everything it offered: a top-notch camera, a customizable interface and Object Eraser, which removes any unwanted people or objects from your pictures (Pixel has a similar feature). But at the end of the day, there was one big thing my Android could never offer: a seamless way to communicate with all my friends on the iPhone.

I’ve been told countless times that I ruin group chats by turning all the texts “green.” This is because Apple refuses to make iMessage compatible with Android phones, so when you message someone who isn’t on iOS, you’ll see green text bubbles instead of the standard blue ones. Because this felt like a superficial complaint — and is 100% Apple’s fault — I brushed it aside.

Until I realized I was missing out on other, more significant benefits of owning an iPhone.

Unless you use a third-party app like WhatsApp, there’s no easy way to send high-resolution photos and videos directly between an Android phone and an iPhone. I was OK with just using WhatsApp… until I began to envy my friends who were instantaneously AirDropping pictures and videos after our hangouts. WhatsApp also diminishes the quality of videos, and Google Drive takes a lot longer to upload videos to.

It also was frustrating that apps like TikTok diminished my camera quality on Android. Comparing TikTok videos taken on an iPhone — even an older version like the iPhone X — with those taken on my Galaxy S10 Plus is like night and day. On my Galaxy, TikTok distorted the colors and blurred everything in the most unflattering and unrealistic way. On the iPhone, videos are crisp and clear and appear just as they should. For someone who uses TikTok as much as I do, this was important.

These reasons, along with the fact that I already use a MacBook and would therefore benefit from the Apple ecosystem, led me to start changing my mind about owning an iPhone. Throw in features like the new always-on display on the iPhone 14 Pro models — something I absolutely loved on my Galaxy devices — and fun new elements like Dynamic Island, and suddenly I was sold on the idea of switching over.

Of course, I had to fight off feelings of being a sellout. But I realized that ultimately, it’s just a phone. And no matter what you do, people will have unsolicited opinions about what device you’re using. My Galaxy worked well for me for many years. Now I was ready for something new. And so far, I have no regrets.

Check out the video above for more of my thoughts on switching from an Android phone to an iPhone.

Apple store Glasgow workers unionise in UK first

Glasgow Apple store workers have become the first in the UK to secure official union recognition.

GMB union organiser John Slaven called it a “compelling new chapter in the trade-union story” being written around the world.

Earlier this year, workers in the Maryland branch formed the first Apple retail union in the US.

Glasgow’s Buchanan Street Apple store staff previously said union recognition would be used to bid for higher wages.

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An Apple official told BBC News: “We have long been committed to providing an excellent experience for our customers and teams.

“Apple is one of the highest-paying retailers in Scotland and we’ve regularly made enhancements to our industry-leading benefits as a part of the overall support we provide to our valued team members.”

Cost-of-living crisis
In June, after joining the GMB and filing for voluntary union recognition, workers at the store told the Glasgow Evening Times they earned about £12 an hour.

“People are suffering with the cost-of-living crisis,” one said.

“We need a pay rise, pay transparency and a voice.”

Mr Slaven said Wednesday’s union-recognition ballot result was “testament to the hard work of the activists and workers” in the store.

The two-thirds majority showed the union was “pro-worker and not anti-employer” and “trade unionism should be a normal and welcome feature of any workplace”.

The move comes amid increased unionisation efforts from workers worldwide at technology giants such as Activision Blizzard, Amazon and Google parent company Alphabet.

Last month, Labour leader Keir Starmer urged Amazon to officially recognise GMB workers, after a strike ballot fell three votes short of a 50% threshold.

Apple Will Reportedly Mark 2013 and 2014 iMacs Obsolete by Month’s End

That means those models will no longer be eligible to be serviced by Apple.

Apple will mark four iMac desktop models as obsolete later this month, MacRumors reported Tuesday. These include the 21.5-inch and 27-inch ‌iMac‌ from late 2013, the 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ from mid-2014 and the Retina 5K 27-inch ‌iMac‌ from late 2014.

The move will be official Nov. 30, according to the report. That means those models will no longer be eligible to be serviced by Apple.

According to Apple’s website, the last iMac desktop models to become obsolete were the 27-inch iMac from mid-2011, the 27-inch iMac from 2012 and the 20-inch iMac G5 (iSight).

These four models would join over 45 other obsolete iMac models. The entire list of vintage and obsolete Apple models can be found here.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

If You Don’t Need These 2 iOS 16 Features, Disable Them to Save Battery

Apple’s new iPhone features are cool, but disabling two of them could help your battery life.

Does it seem like your iPhone is always dying? You might not need to buy a new one just yet, but it’s probably time to make some changes. Maybe you need to charge it differently with the appropriate cables or invest in a decent power bank that lets you charge your iPhone from anywhere, without depending on a wall outlet.

You could also turn on Low Power Mode permanently or throw your iPhone into Airplane Mode to help preserve the little battery you have.

CNET Tech Tips logo
However, not all battery-saving tips are obvious, and if you’re running iOS 16 there are new ways that can help you keep your iPhone’s battery alive longer.

In this story, we’ll cover two new features to iOS 16, both of which consume your iPhone’s battery in varying degrees, and how you can turn them off to help preserve battery life. Here’s what you need to know.

And if you want some more battery savings tips and tricks, check out how to stop background apps from refreshing and how to replace your iPhone’s battery (cheaper than Apple).

Remove widgets from your lock screen
All the widgets on your lock screen force your apps to automatically run in the background, constantly fetching data to update the information the widgets display, like sport’s scores or the weather. And because these apps are constantly running in the background due to your widgets, that means they continuously drain power.

If you want to help preserve some battery on iOS 16, the best thing to do is simply avoid widgets on your lock screen (and home screen). The easiest way to do this is to switch to another lock screen profile — press your finger down on your existing lock screen and then swipe around to choose one that doesn’t have any widgets.

However, if you want to just remove the widgets from your existing lock screen, press down on your lock screen, hit Customize, choose the Lock Screen option, tap on the widget box and then hit the “—” button on each widget to remove them.

Keep haptic keyboard feedback turned off
Surprisingly, the keyboard on the iPhone has never had the ability to vibrate as you type, an addition that was recently made on iOS 16, known as haptic feedback. Instead of just hearing click-clack sounds, haptic feedback gives each key a vibration, providing a more immersive experience as you type. However, according to Apple, the very same feature may also affect battery life.

According to this Apple support page about the keyboard, haptic feedback “might affect the battery life of your iPhone.” No specifics are given as to how much battery life the keyboard feature does drain, but if you want to conserve battery, it’s best to keep this feature disabled.

Fortunately, it is not on by default. If you’ve enabled it in yourself, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle off Haptic to turn off haptic feedback for your keyboard.

And although they haven’t been released yet, Live Activities and the iCloud Shared Photo Library are two iOS 16 features that may also drain your battery, so look out for an update to this story on how to disable them.

iOS 16.0.3 on Your iPhone: Apple Fixes Some Annoying Bugs

Learn how to download the latest iOS 16 update today.

After releasing iOS 16 alongside the iPhone 14 last month, Apple has now rolled out another software update, iOS 16.0.3.

The latest update addresses bugs on some iPhone 14 models, including delayed or undelivered incoming calls and notifications and low microphone volume during CarPlay phone calls. It also fixes camera issues some iPhone 14 models have experienced, like a slow launch speed or spontaneously switching between camera modes.

The update also offers fixes that are not specific to iPhone 14 models. One change addresses an issue in which a malformed email could cause the Mail app to crash.

Here’s how iPhone users can download the update.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. Tap Download and Install.

See also
With iOS 16 on Your iPhone, Do These 3 Things Immediately
iOS 16’s Best New Features: New iMessage Updates, Lock Screen
7 Hidden iOS 16 Features We Were Surprised to Find
4 Annoying iOS 16 Features You Can Fix Right Now

Best iPhone in 2022: Which of Apple’s Phones Is Right for You?

Apple’s iPhone lineup ranges pricewise from $429 to $1,599. Here are the best iPhones to match your needs and budget.

The best iPhone is obviously going to be different for everyone and really depends on your needs and budget. With the launch of the iPhone 14 series, Apple now sells eight different models that range in price from $429 for the iPhone SE (2022) to $1,599 for an iPhone 14 Pro Max with 1TB of storage.

The eight iPhone variants Apple currently sells are a mix of new models and phones that date back to 2020. Below are the various models, their release date, the number of rear cameras they have, their processor and their current list price, which for some phones includes a $30 activation fee that’s waived if you activate your iPhone on a carrier at the time of purchase.

But whether it’s the tiny iPhone 13 Mini and its 5.4-inch screen or the 2020 iPhone 12, you actually have a lot to consider to find your perfect phone. Navigating Apple’s iPhone spectrum can be overwhelming, whether you’re considering colors (the iPhone 13 comes in six), or features like the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island, which expands and contracts to show system alerts.

Then there are the cameras. The iPhone typically has some of the best cameras found on any phone. But the iPhone SE has just one on the back. The 12, 13, 13 Mini, 14 and 14 Plus each have dual-rear cameras. And then there’s the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max that not only have a trio of cameras but come with features like the ability to take ProRaw photos or record ProRes videos.

To further complicate things, carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon as well as third-parties like Best Buy and Amazon continue to sell discontinued models such as the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. And then there’s the prices. Apple’s starting price for each model isn’t necessarily what you’ll pay. Nearly all of the phones on this list can be bought for significantly less with a mixture of trade-ins and/or service commitments with most US wireless carriers.

I know, it’s a lot. Luckily, I have tested and reviewed all eight versions of the iPhone and can help you navigate through all the noise.

iPhone 14
Best iPhone for most people
When I reviewed the iPhone 14, I said it was essentially the iPhone 13 Pro’s processor and main camera inside the body of an iPhone 13. No doubt, some will be disappointed that the iPhone 14 isn’t radically different from previous models. But that’s part of its charm. Familiarity has been one of the keys to Apple’s success with the iPhone. And as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The iPhone 14’s best features are ones you may never see or use — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That includes Crash Detection, which can notify emergency services when you’re in an automobile accident. Starting in November, you’ll get Emergency SOS via Satellite that lets you use a satellite to message emergency dispatchers in places without cell coverage.

And while the iPhone 14 has a nearly identical flat-sided design as the iPhone 12 and 13, including a ceramic shield covering and a water resistant body, the inside has been completely redesigned. The 14’s back-glass is easier and more affordable to repair since it’s no longer attached to internals.

All phones in the iPhone 14 series only use eSIMs in the US and have a new selfie camera that for the first time ever has autofocus. Add in a new video stabilization tool called Action mode, an upgraded Cinematic mode that can capture 4K video at 24fps and iOS 16, and you have an excellent phone. If you activate it on a carrier, Apple drops the price to $799. Check out our iPhone 14 review.

iPhone 14 Pro
Best premium iPhone
From the back, the $999 iPhone 14 Pro looks identical to last year’s 13 Pro. But don’t let that sameness fool you. It’s the 14 Pro’s screen where there’s something different and wonderful going on. The display notch, that defined previous Face ID iPhone models, has morphed into a pill-shaped screen cutout that can show system alerts and background activities like when you receive a call or play music. Apple calls this functionality the Dynamic Island. I know, it’s not the best name, but it’s truly one of the best features.

The iPhone 14 Pro has a 6.1-inch adaptive-refresh-rate screen that adjusts between 1 and 120Hz depending on what’s on the screen. It also gets upgraded cameras, a faster processor, an always-on display, iOS 16 and new safety features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite. Driving all these upgrades is Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip, which in use feels peppy.

The main camera gets a new larger 48-megapixel sensor. While more megapixels doesn’t necessarily mean better photos, Apple divides the pixels into groups of four and combines them into one larger pixel. The result is a 12-megapixel photo that’s brighter and has less image noise and better detail.

The iPhone 14 Pro is the one of the best phones released by Apple or any phone maker this year. Check out our iPhone 14 Pro review.

iPhone 13
Best iPhone value
The $729 iPhone 13 is still an excellent phone. In fact, if you’re tempted by the iPhone 14 and want to save some money, grab a 13. They have essentially the same body, same screen and same A15 Bionic processor. Although technically, the iPhone 14’s processor does have an extra GPU core.

The iPhone 13, like the 12 before it, is defined by its square-sided design. It supports 5G, MagSafe charging and has cameras on par with the ones from 2020’s top-of-the-line iPhone 12 Pro Max.

But the iPhone 13’s best feature is its larger battery that, in our tests, lasted 4.5 hours more on a single charge than the iPhone 12, and nearly 3 hours longer than the new iPhone 14.

The 13 also has Cinematic mode, which is basically a video version of Portrait mode, and iOS 16, This all adds up to an excellent phone. The iPhone 13 earned a 2021 CNET Editors’ Choice Award. Also, if you activate it on a carrier at purchase, Apple drops the price to $699. Check out our iPhone 13 review.

iPhone 14 Plus
Most affordable big iPhone
The $929 iPhone 14 Plus is either a big iPhone 14 or a scaled-back iPhone 14 Pro Max, depending on your perspective. Ever since the iPhone XS Max launched in 2018, there has been only one option for those who love big screens: Pay top dollar and get a Max model with extra features you might not necessarily need (like a telephoto camera or a high refresh rate display). I know many CNET readers, friends and co-workers who have shelled out $1,100 or more for an iPhone 12 Pro Max or 13 Pro Max because it was the only way to get a phone in the size they wanted. But that changes now.

The 14 Plus has all of the iPhone 14’s features and, like the 14 Pro Max, it has a 6.7-inch display that gives you a larger canvas for watching videos, playing games and taking photos. The 14 Plus can either let you fit more onto the screen or just show everything the iPhone 14 does but much bigger. A magnified view seems like such a mundane feature, yet as my eyes get older, I definitely welcome it.

If you are deciding between the iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max and you don’t need a telephoto camera, a high-refresh-rate screen or extra weight, I say go with the 14 Plus and save $200. If you activate it on a carrier, Apple drops the price to $899. Check out our iPhone 14 Plus review.

iPhone 13 Mini
Best small iPhone
Who said small phones don’t exist in 2022? The $629 iPhone 13 Mini is brilliant because it has everything the iPhone 13 has — it’s just smaller. It has the same square-edged looks, support for 5G and the same cameras. The 13 Mini’s defining feature is its 5.4-inch OLED screen that supports Dolby HDR. If that sounds too small, consider that Plus models, like the iPhone 8 Plus, had a 5.5-inch screen inside a much larger body. The 13 Mini’s secret is that it lacks those giant forehead and chin bezels that defined the iPhone for its first decade.

The screen is covered with Apple’s ceramic shield and the body, like nearly all phones on this list, has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The 13 Mini has an A15 Bionic processor which puts it on the same level of performance as the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus.

The iPhone 13 Mini is the exact same price as the iPhone 12, but the Mini actually lasts longer on a single charge than the bigger iPhone 12. I only recommend you get the 13 Mini for its size. If you aren’t OK with a small phone, you might be disappointed or frustrated. And if you activate it on a carrier, Apple drops the price to $599. Check out our iPhone 13 Mini review.

iPhone 14 Pro Max
Best battery life
The $1,099 iPhone 14 Pro Max is just a big version of the iPhone 14 Pro. It has the same A16 Bionic processor, the same cameras and the same features. But it does differ in two big ways from the 14 Pro: It has a bigger 6.7-inch high-refresh rate screen and a bigger battery. In fact, in our tests, the iPhone 14 Pro Max had the longest battery life of any phone on this list.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is outstanding in every way. But I only recommend getting it if you want a bigger Pro model iPhone, because it weighs a lot. It’s 34 grams heavier than the iPhone 14 Pro and 37 grams heavier than the iPhone 14 Plus. Most of that weight comes from the 14 Pro Max’s stainless steel body. Check out our iPhone 14 Pro Max review.

iPhone 12
Best iPhone under $600
The $599 iPhone 12 and its flat-sided design marked the beginning of the current generation of Apple phones. Of everything on this list, it’s the oldest but also one of the cheapest, especially if you want to snag an iPhone with a contemporary look and Face ID.

The iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch display covered in Apple’s ceramic shield for durability, a still-very-fast A14 Bionic chip, 5G support and MagSafe charging.

The iPhone 12 earned a 2020 CNET Editors’ Choice Award. If you choose to get an iPhone 12 and can afford to pay $50 more, I definitely recommend upgrading from 64GB of storage to 128GB. The iPhone 12 starts at $629, but if you activate it on a carrier, Apple drops the price to $599. Check out our iPhone 12 review.

iPhone SE
Best cheap iPhone
At $429, you might think the only appeal of the iPhone SE (2022) is its price. And admittedly that is a big factor. On the outside, the iPhone SE has the same body as the iPhone 8, which makes it the only iPhone on this list that still has TouchID. On the inside, the SE has the same A15 processor as the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 14 and 14 Plus which takes the 2017 camera hardware and gives it an injection of Apple’s computational photography magic.

The SE represents the classic iPhone design but with the added ability to run the latest version of iOS and apps. One of the quieter updates in 2022 was that the SE’s back was upgraded to the back glass used on the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini. The iPhone SE is simply your most affordable way into all of Apple services like FaceTime, iMessage and iCloud. Check out our iPhone SE review.