The Series 8 is the middle child of Apple’s 2022 Watch lineup, and unfortunately it might be the easiest to overlook. With its main updates being crash detection and a new skin temperature sensor that allows for ovulation tracking, the Series 8 feels like a small update to last year’s Series 7. At $399, it also faces stiffer competition from the Watch SE, which not only saw a price reduction this year to $250, but also shares the same processor as the Series 8, among many other features. And with the high-end Watch Ultra arriving soon, it’s hard to imagine anyone is feeling excited about the Series 8.

Still, since most people don’t upgrade their smartwatches on a yearly basis, a generational comparison isn’t the most useful to make. On its own, the Series 8 is a superb watch that makes a great multipurpose wearable with excellent health and fitness tools. I’ve spent about a week testing the Series 8 alongside the Watch SE, as well as the Series 7. (Yes, that is a lot of watches on my wrists.) And, while I don’t feel ready to pronounce a full verdict, I can comfortably say most people will be satisfied with the Series 8.

It’s hard for me to truly compare the Series 8 to the Series 7 because I received a larger size to test than usual. The older model in my possession is the 41mm version, while the Series 8 I have is the 45mm option. It doesn’t translate to a major functional difference, but the size discrepancy did make some features harder to test.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

For example, I’m already more sensitive than most about sleeping with a watch on my wrist. That the 45mm Series 8 is bigger than my Series 7 meant I hated testing its sleep-tracking even more than usual – so much so that I’ve been putting off this part of the review process. Instead, I wore the new 40mm Watch SE to bed, which made for a tolerable experience.

I have so far worn the Series 8 on a redeye flight to see if I’d get some temperature readings then, but despite my having set up a Sleep Focus as required, the watch didn’t track sleep. I’ll have to do more testing, but between that and also testing the Watch SE overnight, I can’t evaluate features like the new skin temperature sensor for now.

Apple uses the data it collects while you sleep to calculate a baseline for your body temperature, and over time it looks at deviations to assess if and when you ovulated. The Series 8 requires at least five nights of data to determine the baseline, after which more time is required to gauge your cycles.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

With all that’s involved in testing this feature, I’ll need to wait a little longer before I can get a better idea of how useful it is. I also can’t safely test crash detection, so that’s not something I can vouch for either.

For now, though, living with the Series 8 is a lot like using the Series 7 . The new beige Starlight color option isn’t something I’m excited about, but it does make the Watch feel less like a black stone on my wrist.

Though the Series 8 uses a newer S8 system-in-package processor, it didn’t feel dramatically faster than its predecessor. It did last a little longer in general, though I need more time testing to know for sure. I also suspect that the larger size might have something to do with this. I used the new low power mode in watchOS 9 one morning when the Series 8 was down to 20 percent battery and I still had to run to the gym for an 8am workout. It managed to last another two hours at least while also being able to track my performance during the HIIT class. I was impressed by how little it felt like I had to sacrifice in exchange for the extra juice.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I also enjoyed checking out some other watchOS 9 updates like cardio zone pages during workouts and the new watch faces. The Lunar screen in particular helped me remember that the Mid-Autumn Festival was this past weekend, since I could clearly read the date in Mandarin on the page. (The date for the festival in Mandarin is also a colloquialism that refers to the moon.) When I switched Focus Modes on my phone, the corresponding symbol showed up at the top of the Series 8’s screen to indicate it also adopted that profile. Reminders to take the medications I have saved to Apple Health were also helpful, and I liked being able to use the watch to log pills I took.

Most of these features will be available to those using older Apple Watches once the software update is installed.

While it’s nice that you can get ECG and blood oxygen readings on the Series 8, I didn’t run those very much during my time with the device. These aren’t tools that I’d use regularly enough to warrant spending an extra $150 on the higher-end model. For most people, the Watch SE offers plenty for a nice price — especially if you can live without an always-on display and IP6X dust resistance.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The Series 7 and 8 both charge faster than the SE, but the cheaper watch never took longer than 45 minutes to get enough juice for a day’s use. Also, I have yet to misplace my Apple Watches, so the U1 chip that’s missing from the SE hasn’t felt as important. On the Series 8, that ultra wideband feature will enable more precise location via Apple’s Find My app.

I’ll most likely keep using the Series 8 as my primary smartwatch (after trading it in for a smaller model), but not because I really need the skin temperature sensing or crash detection; my job requires me to stay up to speed on the latest devices and features. But if I were making the decision for myself (and not my career), I’d most likely buy the Watch SE. Still, the Series 8 is well-rounded and full-featured, and arguably the best smartwatch around. That is, until we get our hands on the upcoming Watch Ultra.

Apple Watches are starting to look mostly the same. The new Series 8 and Watch SE look so much like last year’s Series 7 that I struggle to tell them apart. But in fact the new models Apple unveiled last week bring some less obvious changes. The most notable of these is a new temperature sensor that’s currently being used for ovulation tracking, as well as an onboard high-g accelerometer that allows for crash detection.

The company also unveiled the Watch Ultra, which was designed specifically for outdoor adventurers. The Ultra may be the most exciting smartwatch of the three, but what the new Watch SE offers for the money makes it the more interesting device in my book. Plus, Apple shaved $30 off its price, so the SE now costs $250 even though it’s basically the same as the $400 Series 8. Honestly, this feels like the smartwatch most iOS users should consider.

In the week I’ve had the Watch SE, I’ve been wearing it alongside either my Series 7 or the Series 8, which I’m also testing. Size aside, I haven’t noticed much of a difference between the three models. The Series 8 is available with 41mm or 45mm cases; I’m using the latter. It’s a little too big for my wrist, but I do like how much easier it is to see things on that roomier screen. Meanwhile, the new SE comes in 40mm or 44mm options; I have the smaller version, which I prefer especially since it’s more comfortable to wear to bed.

The main features you’ll miss if you opt for an SE instead of a Series 8 is the Always On Display (AOD), ECG reader, blood oxygen app and the new skin temperature sensor. Like the older SE, this year’s model also charges at a slower rate than the Series 7 and 8, and doesn’t have a U1 chip for ultra wideband. It also lacks the IP6X dust resistance rating of its more premium counterparts, so if you’re likely to take this Tough Mudding or to the beach, it might be worth considering a more expensive model. Those who hate chunky bezels will also find the SE’s thicker borders off-putting, but without a side-by-side comparison I didn’t notice a big difference.

Otherwise, this year’s Watch SE actually packs the same system-in-a-package (SiP) processor as the $400 Series 8, as well as a high-g accelerometer that makes crash detection possible. In my time with it, the SE has, unsurprisingly, been just as responsive as the Series 8, starting workouts and completing heart rate scans in the same amount of time. It did tend to be slower at detecting outdoor walking workouts, but when I agreed to record a workout it usually showed the same ongoing duration as the more premium watch. It was also typically faster at recognizing when I’d stopped walking than my Series 7.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

As for the other missing features, frankly, I haven’t really used the ECG and blood oxygen readings on the Series 7 I’ve worn for a year. I’ve performed maybe three scans of each type in that time, and I definitely rely more on heart rate than blood oxygen to gauge my fitness.

I only noticed the AOD was missing from the SE when I was wearing both the SE and the Series 7, and they each buzzed with an alert. I had to wait a split second for the SE’s screen to wake, whereas the notification was ready for immediate viewing on the Series 7. Aside from that, though, the AOD didn’t greatly impact my experience with the SE.

It didn’t even affect the battery life, for better or worse. You’d think that not having an always-on display would make the SE last longer, but most days the SE and my Series 7 lasted the same amount of time, despite the latter having an AOD. Both of them hung around all day, tracking my morning workouts and frequent outdoor walks while serving up various reminders and alerts. I could usually make it to the next morning with some battery leftover, too.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I’ve yet to test the new low power mode on the Watch SE, but I did try it on the Series 8 when I only had about 20 percent of juice one morning ahead of an 8am workout class. I activated low power mode and was able to track the entire 45-minute session and get back home with less than 10 percent left.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see the Watch SE still had 92 percent of battery after tracking my sleep overnight. I woke up to a report showing all the zones I’d undergone in my five hours of sleep, detailing the amount of time I had spent in core, deep and REM. This is a watchOS 9 feature, so if you have an older model you’ll get it when you update your software.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Compared to the last Watch SE, this year’s model features a larger screen and the new SiP and sensors that I mentioned earlier. If you’re considering upgrading from that model, the new SE will certainly feel fresh. If you’re choosing between a new SE and a Series 8, though, it’s less a question of what you can live without and more of how much spare cash you have. Those who don’t mind spending $150 more can buy the Series 8 for the assurance of having every feature Apple offers. Otherwise, most people will be satisfied with what the new Watch SE delivers for the money.

 caa47972-4b4f-4731-b726-2d3fdda5f604The iPhone 14 series is at once controversial and underwhelming. With its latest phones, Apple chose to ditch the physical SIM card slot but continued to avoid adopting USB-C, and on the non-Pro models there's still the notch. At the same time, the iPhone 14 looks nearly identical to its predecessor — at least on the outside. It has slightly improved cameras, a new high-g accelerometer for crash detection and the ability to connect to satellites for emergency communication.

Apple also decided to revive a larger Plus model this year in lieu of a new iPhone mini, and kept the same A15 Bionic chip instead of upgrading to the A16 Bionic powering the iPhone Pro line. The Plus won’t be available until October and we only have the smaller $799 model in for review right now. So far, save for some controversial changes and emergency applications, the iPhone 14 is the very definition of an incremental upgrade.

Design

The best way to distinguish between the iPhone 13 and 14 is by looking for the SIM tray on the left. The new phone doesn’t have one. Other than that, the only difference this year are the new color options (purple and blue). I like them, but they don’t inspire the same sort of lust in me that the green iPhone 12 or pink iPhone 13 did.

The lack of change isn’t a bad thing, by the way. Apple’s handsets may seem predictable, but they still feel expensive and well-made. They also have the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, as well as the same ceramic shield protecting the display from scratches. It feels like the company has settled on a design for the foreseeable future and won’t be deviating from it much.

In fact, the iPhone 14 has nearly the same dimensions as the iPhone 13. Despite being a hundredth of an inch thicker, it’s two grams (or 0.07 ounces) lighter. For comparison’s sake, the iPhone 14 is also heavier than the Galaxy S22, but otherwise the same size.

Although not much on the outside has changed, Apple did say at its ‘Far Out’ event last week that it redesigned the iPhone 14’s internals by separating the aluminum housing and the glass of the phone’s back so they’re no longer one enclosure. This brings two benefits: more efficient heat dissipation and improved repairability. If you crack the iPhone 14’s back glass, you’ll no longer have to get the entire housing replaced. This makes fixing a broken iPhone not only easier, but also cheaper, especially when your phone is out of warranty. Of course, destroying my review unit just to test this out doesn’t make sense, but it’s a welcome change regardless.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Display and audio

I’m kind of upset that Apple still hasn’t upgraded the iPhone 14’s screen. It still runs at 2,532 x 1,170 and a mere 60Hz. What gives? The last generation was already woefully outdated with its slow refresh rate. When I switch between the iPhone 14 and the 14 Pro, I immediately notice how much choppier scrolling is on the regular phone.

The iPhone 14’s display is brighter than before, but only slightly. It now goes up to 1,200 nits when showing HDR content, which makes things easier to see in sunlight. Colors are rich and details are crisp — no surprises here. If you’ve seen one iPhone display, you’ve seen them all. At least in recent years.

The same can be said for the iPhone 14’s speakers. Blackpink’s Pink Venom sounded adequately clear and loud, with a focus on the trebles and mids and lacking in bass. The iPhone 14’s quality won’t wow your more persnickety party guests, but it’s serviceable.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Cameras

The bulk of the improvements on the iPhone 14 have to do with its cameras. Specifically, there’s a larger 12-megapixel sensor with bigger 1.9-micron pixels than before, as well as updated low light processing that Apple is calling the Photonic Engine. This should make for better pictures not just in low light, but also greater clarity in all conditions.

Compared to the previous generation, though, this year’s cameras aren’t a huge step up. Photos I shot with the iPhone 14 and 13 were very similar. A furry plush toy bear on a table looked slightly cooler in the iPhone 14’s picture than on the iPhone 13’s, and its furry paws were slightly clearer on the new phone’s shot.

An unlit neon sign saying in a pitch black room also appeared cooler on the iPhone 14 than on the 13, with both rendering the striped wallpaper in the background equally clearly. These results were the same when I used the ultrawide cameras to capture the scene, too.

In low light, the iPhone 14 was slightly better at showcasing details like my highlights and individual strands of my hair in photos shot with the rear camera. But otherwise, things like brightness and color were about the same between the iPhone 14 and its predecessor. Even the portraits I shot of a glass of liquor in low light looked so similar they were impossible to identify without labels. Oddly, though, the iPhone 14 sometimes took pictures that were less saturated.

The iPhone 14 did produce mildly improved selfies in low light. While autofocus is a new feature this year, it didn’t make my pictures dramatically better. Details like the scarring on my cheeks were clearer in low-light selfies from the new phone, but the two devices were on par in daylight.

The iPhone 14 also features the new Action mode for improved stabilization in videos, and like most of the other updates this year, this provides only a small enhancement. That’s in part because Apple’s video stabilization was already pretty effective, and the benefits brought by Action mode aren’t as obvious. But if you’re into shooting extremely shaky footage with your iPhone 14, Action mode should be handy.

Emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection

Thanks to a new high-g accelerometer and a high dynamic range gyroscope, Apple was able to add a crash detection feature to the iPhone 14 series. This isn’t something I can safely test, unfortunately.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

All iPhone 14s, Pro or not, will also be able to connect to satellites so you can send emergency messages when cellular or WiFi signals aren’t available. This feature is rolling out in November in the US, and based on a private demo I saw following the Apple event, it appeared to work.

First, when you’re away from cellular and WiFi networks, you’ll see an SOS graphic that lets you know you can still dial 911 and the iPhone will use any other available network to place your call. But when none of those are available and you want to use Emergency SOS via Satellite, you’ll first have to use the Phone app to dial 911. When the device is unable to connect and you’re in a situation with satellite access (i.e., you’re not surrounded by buildings and are in the wilderness with a clear view of the sky), Apple will prompt you to use satellite communications.

Having to first dial 911 seems unintuitive if your focus is trying to send a text or connect to a satellite, but Apple wants you to think of this feature as more of a last resort when trying to contact emergency services fails. The company has relay centers set up, too, with staff who are trained to help users get in touch with the closest emergency responders in case there aren’t any nearby that accept text messages.

During my demo, an Apple rep showed what it would look like when communicating with one such relay center (presumably aware that we were in a hypothetical situation). After failing to reach 911, the iPhone 14 showed a few multiple-choice questions that the rep answered quickly, describing their condition and environment. The system then sent a report summing up the situation and providing the latitude and longitude of our location. 

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

While that message was being sent, our demo iPhone 14 appeared to lose connection to the satellite it had first latched on to and we had to wait until another came by to finish sending the report. When that was done, the phone brought up the conversation that it had started in Messages with emergency services.

Texts that were sent over satellite were in gray bubbles, while the responses came back in green. We went back and forth with the responder until a theoretical team had been dispatched to our location.

The satellite communications tool can also be used in the Find My app to share your location with family and friends. I was able to test this out during my demo, and I followed the directions on an iPhone 14 to point at a satellite coming over the horizon behind Apple Park. I was told to stay still while a connection was established, after which my location was sent to a contact on the sample iPhone. The system will tell your friends that your position was shared “via Satellite” — in case those bragging rights are important to you. Then, you won’t be able to send your location via satellite again for 15 minutes.

While I can see some people potentially abusing this as a stunt, I can also imagine how it might be useful to keep your loved ones abreast of your whereabouts as you wander out in the wilderness. This shouldn’t be something that features heavily in your daily life, but it could be very helpful if you’ve lost your signal while exploring.

Brian Oh / Engadget

Farewell, physical SIM cards

Another change to the iPhone 14 line is the removal of the SIM card tray. I’ve long felt that a SIM-less world is a seamless world, and when carriers worldwide support it we will be able to more conveniently roam globally. The problem is, I’m not sure we have the infrastructure yet.

Apple may have been premature in getting rid of the SIM card tray, but it could give US carriers the push they need to adopt the format. Apple has offered eSIM support since the iPhone XR in 2018, and the company states it’s had a lot of adoption growth. With the iPhone 13 last year, Apple started using eSIM as the primary method of activation in all US retail stores, too. In general, setting up my review unit’s service was painless; all I had to do was wait two minutes for Verizon to activate my line. Apple also offered the option of converting my existing physical card to a digital one without having to leave my apartment.

It’s funny that Apple has thrown caution to the wind and fully embraced eSIM before it adopted USB-C, though. The charging standard is more prevalent and would make many people’s lives more convenient. This is one area where the iPhone 14 feels stuck in the past.

Brian Oh / Engadget

Performance and battery life

The iPhone 14 may use last year’s A15 Bionic processor, but it’s still a capable phone that holds its own against this year’s flagships. My feverish rounds of Royal Match while messaging fellow reviewers my thoughts on the iPhone 14 Pro all happened smoothly, and in general the phone stayed cool to the touch. It got warm when I repeatedly tested the selfie camera’s autofocus in low light, but didn’t get alarmingly hot.

It also managed to last an entire day that started with an 8am workout class. At about 10pm, I was down to less than 15 percent and had to activate low power mode before I could get home and charge it. That got me to 12:30pm with 6 percent left, and I was still able to snap some pictures during that time.

Wrap-up

The iPhone 14 is very similar to the iPhone 13, which itself was very similar to the iPhone 12. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad phone — it’s just less of an upgrade for anyone using a phone that’s only two years old. You’ll notice a bigger difference if you’re going to the iPhone 14 from the 11 or older, since new features like Emergency SOS via Satellite and crash detection are hopefully things you won’t need to use much. For those people, the iPhone 14 will be a satisfying daily driver.

For years, Apple has been the lone holdout in a sea of all-screen phones with punch-hole cutouts that house selfie cameras. The black rectangle that sat at the top of its flagships since the iPhone X has drawn some criticism, but mostly ambivalence. Apple has kept it around, in large part because Face ID requires sophisticated cameras that can’t easily be downsized. Meanwhile, Android phones have either used punch-hole cutouts or moved on to under-display cameras, aided by the adoption of in-screen fingerprint scanners.

With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple is leaving the notch behind and using a pill-shaped cutout instead to house its front cameras. But it’s not just changing up the hardware and calling it a day. The company also uses software and animations to make the cutout feel more useful and better integrated into the interface than on Android phones. In true Apple fashion, the company is also giving the feature a fancy name: Dynamic Island. Leave it to Apple to be late to the party, do things a little differently and slap some grandiose branding on it.

The Dynamic Island isn’t the only example of Apple adopting a feature late but doing it its way. The iPhone 14 Pros also bring a 48-megapixel camera system and Always On Displays that show your entire lock screen, instead of a simplified interface. Add Emergency SOS via Satellites and the removal of the physical SIM tray and the iPhone 14 Pros feel like significant changes.

Design

But, giant pill-shaped hole aside, they don’t look that much different from their predecessors. Even that difference is actually fairly minor. When it isn’t doing anything, the Dynamic Island is still an obvious black space at the top of the screen.

The new models are a teeny 0.01 inches thicker and a hair shorter than last year’s. The smaller Pro also gained a bit of weight – 0.07 ounces (or 2 grams) to be exact. The Max still feels like a massive brick of a phone that could crack your skull open if it fell while you were reading in bed, but if you’ve used previous models, you know what you’re in for.

From the back, the iPhone 13 Pro and 14 Pro look basically identical, and you can only sort of tell them apart by the fact that the latest model’s cameras are ever so slightly bigger. You can also eyeball their edges to find the SIM card tray; in the US, the iPhone 14 lineup no longer supports physical cards. It doesn’t really take away from or add to the iPhone 14 Pros’ design — visually it’s just a small distinction.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Living on Dynamic Island

Let’s not pretend that the notch has gone away. It may no longer extend from the top bezel, but the camera cutout here is larger than those on Android phones. When nothing is happening in the space, the hole is still obvious, especially when watching a fullscreen video. In fact, when I was switching between the iPhone 14 and the Pro, I didn’t notice a big difference. Still, by ensuring the camera is always camouflaged by software, Apple isn’t just providing a faux full-screen experience, it’s also giving it an air of usefulness.

When you start a timer or play a song and swipe up to go to the home screen, for example, an animation shows the app jumping into the island. That space stretches a little to make room for a clock or album cover on the left, while a countdown or a dancing waveform sits on the right. Tap the island and it’ll take you back to the app. Long press it, and the box expands further to show more controls.

It’s not much easier or faster than swiping down from the top to access the playback box, but I guess this way there’s an obvious indicator something is happening. The animations throughout this experience are slick, making everything feel polished and thought-through.

The island’s extra width when something is in it causes things like the cellular connectivity symbol to go away, and you’re left with the WiFi and battery icons. In the case of a timer, the island is so long that only the battery indicator is left. For the most part, I didn’t find this problematic, though I’ve yet to be in a situation where I needed to have both a countdown running while keeping an eye on the number of bars I was getting.

Dynamic Island works with apps that use the Now Playing API, CallKit and the Live Activities API introduced at WWDC, so most developers shouldn’t have to edit their code to accommodate. For now, only incoming calls in third-party apps that use CallKit have more controls in the Dynamic Island. Outgoing calls will just show an icon, though this will be fixed in a software update later this year. The Live Activities API isn’t available yet either, but developers can use it later this year as well.

Most apps already avoid the notch area on iOS, but every now and then something trickles through. On Telegram, for example, part of a blue badge peeps out above the pill. When multiple activities are taking place at once, the island splits into two, forming a horizontal exclamation mark. I started a Maps navigation while playing Spotify and running a countdown, and the directions took over the main island while the album cover jumped over to the right, for instance.

I need to spend more than a week with the iPhone 14 Pro to know how much of an impact it would make on my life, but for now, the biggest effect is aesthetic. Seeing the pill change into a square when signing into an app or Apple Pay with Face ID, as well as the turn right arrow appear when I’m navigating somewhere, is a nice touch.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

In general, notifications feel neater, too, in part because they happen in a persistent space instead of a translucent box that slides in and out from the top. The fact that it’s a black box with text in colorful font also makes it easier to see.

Display and audio

Dynamic Island aside, Apple hasn’t changed much about the iPhone 14 Pro’s screen resolution. You’ll still find a 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR panel on the Pro and Pro Max respectively, and they support ProMotion for refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Though they both pack slightly more pixels than their predecessors, the Pro still offers the same density at 460 ppi, while the Pro Max is a slight 2 ppi higher than before. But Apple did make the displays brighter. They can hit up to 2,000 nits outdoors, and 1,600 nits indoors when playing HDR video. I did have a slightly easier time reading things off the iPhone 14 Pro than on the 13 Pro, though the difference isn’t significant.

On the surface, the Always On Display (AOD) might not seem like a huge change, but a lot has been done under the hood to make it work well without overtaxing the battery. The AOD runs at just 1Hz, and Apple improved the LTPO (or low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) display to ensure graphics and colors still look good. It also made a new low power supply for the AOD and with a dedicated coprocessor that updates the screen without having to tap the CPU. For things that change predictably, like the clock or a countdown, the system prerenders frames and feeds them to the AOD when needed.

Finally, using the proximity sensor, which is now behind the display, the AOD is turned off when it detects occlusion — like when you flip your phone face down or stick it in your purse or pocket. It’ll also be disabled during a Sleep focus, low power mode or when you’re using CarPlay, since Apple believes you won’t need to see your AOD during those times. In some other scenarios, like when you use the Continuity Camera on macOS or if you’re wearing an Apple Watch and leave your phone, the AOD turns off too.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

While Samsung and Pixel phones give you a black-and-white screen showing just the clock, date and weather along with a row of indicator icons, Apple actually presents your full lock screen, complete with wallpaper and widget support. As someone who doesn’t use a personalized background, I don't find that a major plus. But it is helpful that Apple shows you actual notifications instead of just the icon for an app. By the way, if you’re concerned about privacy, or just don’t like this, you can turn off the AOD in Display settings.

Because it’s so similar to the lock screen, I sometimes got confused and would hit the power button in an effort to turn the display off. I also would try to swipe left to use the camera, thinking the page was active, when in fact the phone was in a “sleep” state with the AOD on. Eventually, though, I got used to this and remembered to double tap before swiping to access the camera.

I also used the iPhone 14 Pro to play music in my new apartment as my usual speakers hadn’t been set up yet. As expected, it’s not as loud or clear as a proper speaker, but provided ample volume and decent background noise. The playlist of sing-along songs like Stronger by Kelly Clarkson or Oops I did it again by Britney Spears lacked bass and sounded a bit noisy in the mid levels, but was generally typical of a smartphone.

Emergency SOS and eSIM setup

All iPhone 14s, Pro or not, will be able to connect to satellites so you can send emergency messages when cellular or WiFi signals aren’t available. Thanks to a new high-g accelerometer and a high dynamic range gyroscope, they’re also able to detect if you’ve been in a severe vehicle crash detection. This isn’t something I can safely test, so we’ll have to take the company’s word that the feature works. Meanwhile, Emergency SOS via satellite is rolling out in November in the US, so I haven’t been able to check it out either. But based on a demo I took following the Apple event, it appeared to work.

First, when you’re away from cellular and WiFi networks, you’ll see an SOS graphic that lets you know you can still dial 911 and the iPhone will use any other available network to place your call. But when none of those are available and you want to use Emergency SOS via Satellite, you’ll first have to use the Phone app to dial 911. When the device is unable to connect and you’re in a situation with satellite access (i.e. you’re not surrounded by buildings and are in the wilderness with a clear view of the sky), Apple will prompt you to use satellite communications.

Having to first dial 911 seems unintuitive if your focus is trying to send a text or connect to a satellite, but Apple wants you to think of this feature more as a backup to calling emergency services. Only when you fail to connect to 911 should you consider satellite messaging as a fallback. The company has relay centers set up, too, with staff who are trained to help users get in touch with the closest emergency responders in case there aren’t any nearby that accept text messages.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

During my demo, an Apple rep showed what it would look like when communicating with one such relay center (presumably aware that we were in a hypothetical situation). After failing to reach 911, the iPhone 14 showed a few multiple-choice questions that the rep answered quickly, describing their condition and environment. The system then sent a report summing up the situation and providing the latitude and longitude of our location. While that message was being sent, our demo iPhone 14 appeared to lose connection to the satellite it had first latched on to and we had to wait till another came by to finish sending the report. When that was done, the phone brought up the conversation that it had started in Messages with emergency services.

Texts that were sent over satellite were in gray bubbles, while the responses came back in green. We went back and forth with the responder until a theoretical team had been dispatched to our location.

The satellite communications tool can also be used in the Find My app to share your location with family and friends. I was able to test this out at the demo, and I followed the directions on an iPhone 14 to point at a satellite coming over the horizon behind Apple Park. I was told to stay still while a connection was established, after which my location was sent to a contact on the sample iPhone. The system will tell your friends that your position was shared “via Satellite” — in case those bragging rights are important to you. Then, you won’t be able to send your location via satellite again for 15 minutes.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

While I can see people potentially abusing this for sheer entertainment, I can also see how it might be useful to keep your loved ones abreast of your whereabouts as you wander out in the wilderness. This shouldn’t be a feature that impacts your daily life, but that could be very helpful if you’ve lost your signal while exploring.

Another change to the iPhone 14 is the removal of the SIM card tray. I’ve long felt that a SIM-less world is a seamless world, and when carriers worldwide support it we will be able to more conveniently roam globally. The problem is, I’m not sure we have the infrastructure yet.

Apple may be a bit premature in getting rid of the SIM card tray, but it could give US carriers the push they need to adopt the format. Apple has offered eSIM support since the iPhone Xr in 2018, and the company says it’s had a lot of adoption growth. With the iPhone 13 last year, Apple started using eSIM as the primary method of activation in all US retail stores, too. In general, setting up my review unit’s service was painless — all I had to do was wait two minutes for Verizon to activate my line. Apple also offered the option of converting my existing physical card to a digital one without having to leave my apartment.

It’s funny that Apple has thrown caution to the wind and fully embraced eSIM before it adopted USB-C, though. The charging standard is more prevalent and would make many people’s lives more convenient. This is one area where the iPhone 14 Pro feels stuck in the past.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Cameras

With a new 48-megapixel primary sensor, updated low-light processing algorithm called Photonic Engine and new features like Action mode for improved video stabilization, the iPhone 14 Pros’ cameras promise a meaty upgrade. But in my testing so far, the changes seem minor.

In fact, most of the photos I took from the iPhone 14 Pro and 13 Pro are basically indistinguishable. Sometimes images from the newer phone were brighter, sometimes they weren't. The 13 Pro delivers pictures that are slightly cooler with more saturated colors, and I frequently preferred its results. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6 Pro produced pictures that were about the same in terms of quality and split the difference in color temperature.

All three phones were adept at keeping details crisp even in shadows. The lines inside the roof of a shelter were sharp when I magnified the pictures. When I used the telephoto lens to zoom in to 3x, though, the iPhone 14 Pro produced the brightest image. It also delivered the punchiest colors on some graffiti under an overpass.

However, sometimes the iPhone 14 Pro actually does worse than the 13 Pro and Pixel. In my shots of a park, the 14 Pro had the least saturated greens. In general, the quad-binning of the 48-MP sensor doesn’t seem to drastically improve image quality, at least in daylight.

A similar story can be told of the cameras in low light. In one example, the iPhone 14 Pro’s shots had the most accurate color and cleanest details, beating the Pixel 6 Pro at capturing the individual lines on a leaf. But Google’s flagship did a better job with a picture of a bright bar in a dim restaurant. It clearly captured individual leaves on a potted plant on a shelf, while the same part of the picture was shrouded in shadow when shot with the iPhone 14 Pro.

The Pixel also took generally brighter nightscapes of Manhattan, with the iPhone 14 Pro coming in very close behind and differences boiling down to minor variations in color temperature. Both devices rendered the words “Now Leasing” on a faraway building equally clearly — that is to say, slightly mottled but impressive for how dark and distant the lettering was. Compared to the 13 Pro, too, the latest iPhone doesn’t offer a huge improvement. But Apple is definitely closing the gap on Google when it comes to low light performance.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I still prefer the Pixel for portrait shots, though. While the iPhone 14 Pro’s new focal length of 24mm is supposed to be better for portraits, it still isn’t as adept as Google at picking out subjects and blurring out the background. I used all three phones to snap a friend chilling with one leg up on a park bench, and the Pixel was best at keeping the scar on his knee in crisp detail.

In general, most people comparing the iPhone 13 Pro and 14 Pro won’t notice a major difference in picture quality. But advanced users will appreciate the ability to shoot 48-MP images in ProRaw, which will allow them to capture greater detail.

Video is another area that got an improvement too, with support now for up to 4K resolution and 30 frames per second in Cinematic Mode. I don’t usually shoot clips that sharp, but the footage I got of a dog chasing a frisbee came out smooth and vivid.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I also checked out Action Mode by chasing my friend up and down a path, recording both with and without the new stabilization feature. I did notice slight improvements, but frankly, Apple was already delivering impressively stable footage.

The same can be said for selfies taken with the TrueDepth camera up front. In general, the iPhone 14 Pro’s pictures here came out slightly brighter than the 13 Pro’s and, although autofocus is a new feature, I haven’t noticed a big improvement. In selfies where I was headbanging or where a friend was fidgeting, both the iPhone 13 and 14 Pro delivered crisp shots.

So the changes to the iPhone 14 Pro’s cameras aren’t a dramatic jump from last year’s model, but anyone looking to upgrade from an iPhone 12 Pro or older is likely to find the latest flagship a satisfying improvement.

Performance and battery life

As expected, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are smooth, well-tuned machines that can handle any task thrown at them. Apple’s new A16 Bionic chip handled my massive selfie binges while playing Spotify in the background alongside concurrent timers, Maps navigation and more. In the brief time I’ve had the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s gotten warm but not uncomfortably so, which is more than I can say for my Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 12.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

In spite of the AOD I haven't noticed the battery running perilously low even after a long day starting with a 10am workout, followed by numerous camera test sessions and a night out. I got home at 1am with some juice to spare. One night I forgot to charge the iPhone 14 Pro and had to run to a morning workout with just 19 percent in the tank. It still lasted more than an hour and I was even able to do some testing.

Wrap-up

From the outside, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max don’t look dramatically different from their predecessors, aside from the Dynamic Island. But thanks to the Always On Display and crisis-preparedness features like crash detection and Emergency SOS, the iPhone 14 Pros feel potentially more useful in unforeseen circumstances.

Sure, the camera updates feel less significant than I expected. But anyone upgrading from an older phone will appreciate what Apple has to offer. Though the Dynamic Island is the most obvious and controversial change, it’s things like the AOD and easy eSIM setup SIM that make me want to switch to the iPhone 14 Pro and get ready for a different, more globally connected world.

For the iPhone 14, Apple has decided to "go bigger." So instead of an iPhone 14 mini, this year we're seeing the iPhone 14 Plus take the smaller handset's place. The new 6.1-inch iPhone 14 is accompanied by the 6.7-inch Plus variant, with the company promising to deliver the best battery life on an iPhone. Though I can't verify that claim yet, I was able to spend some time with the new iPhone 14s at the Apple event. Though I miss the cute mini flagship, I can understand why the company opted for a larger phone.

Many reviewers like myself loved the small iPhone for its size, but lamented its short battery life. With a bigger frame, the iPhone 14 Plus should have room for a larger battery to last longer. Both the 6.1-inch and the 6.7-inch models also use the A15 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 13 Pro, and are generally not very different from the last generation. 

In spite of its size, I liked that the iPhone 14 Plus felt lighter than the Pros, though. At 203 grams, it's lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro (206 grams) and the Pro Max, which is an absolute brick at 240 grams 

The biggest difference here is that the rear camera has a larger 12-megapixel sensor and bigger 1.9-micron pixels. The front camera now offers autofocus for clearer selfies, and these were things that were hard to gauge at the crowded hands-on area. US models of the iPhone 14 will no longer have a physical SIM card slot, though this wasn't something I was very bothered by. 

This story is developing, please refresh for updates.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.

It was a day of farewells today at Apple's 'Far Out' iPhone launch event. In addition to getting rid of the iPhone mini variant, Apple also ditched the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro in favor of a pill-shaped cutout. The company is calling this the "Dynamic Island" at the top of the screen. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max also feature brighter screens and offer an Always On Display so you can always see your most important information. At the Apple Event in Cupertino, I spent some time with the new devices and have to say that while the dynamic island still feels very obvious, it also seems a lot more useful.

The difference is that the interface now makes better use of the space by displaying different information on it. When I started a countdown on the timer app or played a song on Apple Music, the island would show an orange dot to indicate something was happening. Then, when I left the app, the island displayed a waveform to show that my voice recorder was still running, or that music was playing. When I long-pressed the island with one of these activities going on, the box expanded to show more controls. 

Apple Music, for example, expanded to show the playback progress bar and buttons for rewind, pause and skip below it. For Timer and Voice Memo, controls appeared for stopping the countdowns and recordings respectively. The software cleverly camouflages the camera hole here, so it never interrupts the content and is hidden with empty black space in that area. Of course, so far, I've just used Apple's own first-party apps on the iPhone 14, and third-party options might not adapt to the island as well.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

When nothing was going on, long-pressing the dynamic island resulted in a slight stretching animation and light haptic feedback. If you peer hard at the pill, you can also see the 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera off to the right under it. Again, it's not quite an all-screen display, but the camera cutout feels better hidden than before.

Speaking of, the iPhone 14 Pro also got an upgraded camera system, with a new 48-MP primary rear sensor backed by Apple's new Photonic engine for better low light performance. That's not something I could test here at the brightly lit demo space, nor was I able to check out the new Action mode for video stabilization. But there are plenty of improvements to the iPhone 14 Pros on the video and camera front, like Cinematic Mode support for up to 4K resolution and 30fps framerates that we'd have to check out in a full review. 

Another new feature I was able to briefly try is the Always On Display. When left to sit for awhile, the iPhone 14 Pro dims its screen, but remains just bright enough so you can see your lock screen's contents. When I lifted the iPhone 14 Pro slightly, its display quickly reverted to full brightness, just as responsively as older iPhones wake from sleep. 

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Unlike the approach on Samsung or Pixel phones, Apple's version keeps things like your wallpaper and widgets visible in addition to the clock. This might tax the battery a bit more, but the company is still promising all-day endurance for the iPhone 14 Pro series. That might be thanks to the new A16 Bionic Chip, which is built on a 4nm design process that might be more energy efficient. But it's something that again, we'll have to wait till we can test for ourselves to verify. 

There was quite a bit more that I couldn't properly check out here at the Apple event, including the company's new Emergency SOS and Crash Detection features. And though the Pro and Pro Max's respective 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens were plenty bright, it wasn't easy to determine if the new phones' displays were indeed brighter than their predecessors. 

If you're already overdue an upgrade or can't want to make sure you get one next week, you can pre-order the iPhone 14 Pros on September 9th. Those who can should wait till we can perform a full review, and the phones will be available from September 16th starting at $999 for the Pro and $1,099 for the Max. 

This story is developing, please refresh for updates.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.

Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone 14 at its "Far Out" event today and it seems mostly like an iterative upgrade over last year's models. We do have a new Plus model this year by way of the iPhone 14 Plus, which features a 6.7-inch display, in addition to the 6.1-inch iPhone 14. And unlike what the rumor mill was speculating, the front camera notch is still there.

Both the iPhone 14 models have the same Super Retina display that goes up to 1,200 nits, and feature ceramic shield covering for protection from scratches. The devices are available in five colors this year, including new blue and purple shades. 

In addition to bigger screens, the iPhone 14s have longer battery lives, with Apple saying the Plus has the best battery life ever in an iPhone. They're also powered by the same A15 Bionic processor as last year's iPhones. The most significant updates appear to be in cameras so far, with a new 12-megapixel main camera that has a larger sensor and bigger pixels at 1.9 microns. Video recording is also getting a new feature called Action Mode, which stabilizes shaky footage as you're recording. 

Apple (Screenshot)

Another notable change this year is the removal of the physical SIM card tray. With US carriers more widely supporting eSIMs, Apple is getting rid of the slot on the edge of the iPhone so users no longer have to fiddle with the tiny bits of plastic and can get their phones remotely provisioned. 

The company also introduced a new service called Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple "designed and built custom components and specific software so that iPhone 14 antennas can connect to satellites' unique frequencies." A new app will show you where to point your phone to establish a connection when you're out in the wilderness, so you can get a satellite link and send your emergency message. The app also reduces the number of keystrokes you'll need to enter, by offering templates and asking questions about your situation (like the terrain you're in), so you can get help in the quickest way.

You can also use some of the new Emergency SOS features while you're hiking using Find My, so you don't need to be in a crisis situation to use it. The service launches in November and will be free for two years with the iPhone 14 in the US and Canada. No word yet on how much Apple intends to charge after that time.

The iPhone 14 starts at $799 while the Plus starts at $899 and they'll be available for pre-order on September 9th. The base model will be available on September 16th, while the Plus rolls out on October 7th.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s iPhone event right here.

Parler, the app that's largely associated with Donald Trump supporters, conservatives and far-right extremists, is once again available for download via the Google Play Store. Billing itself as a "free speech network", Parler was banned and removed from the Android app store in January [2021] after the US Capitol insurrection. A Google spokesperson said at the time that the removal was due to the app's lack of "moderation policies and enforcement that remove egregious content like posts that incite violence." 

A Google spokesperson said "As we've long stated, apps are able to appear on Google Play provided they comply with Play’s developer policies. All apps on Google Play that feature user generated content (UGC) are required to implement robust moderation practices that prohibit objectionable content, provide an in-app system for reporting objectionable UGC, take action against that UGC where appropriate, and remove or block abusive users who violate the app's terms of use and/or user policy."

Parler has made substantial modifications to its app to comply with Google's policies. Bloomberg and Axios have reported that the apps' developers have implemented policies to moderate content and remove posts that incite violence, which made it compliant with Google's requirements. Despite its suspension and delisting from the Android app store, people could still download Parler from the company's website and continue to use it.

Parler was reinstated to the iOS app store in May this year, after modifying its AI-based moderation tool to hide content it identifies as "hate." Donald Trump's "Truth Social" has been available on the iOS store since February, though it has yet to launch on Android. Google reportedly has yet to approve that app due to concerns over its violations of standards and inadequate moderation policies.

This week, Cherlynn is joined by UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith to discuss what they expect Apple to announce at its upcoming event on September 7th. Besides new iPhones and Watches, what might the company launch? Our hosts are also joined by senior reporter Jess Conditt to go over the highlights from Gamescom, including Sony’s new DualSense controller and PSVR2 update. We’ll be taking a break next week, so come back in two weeks for a new episode!

Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!

Subscribe!

• iTunes

• Spotify

• Pocket Casts

• Stitcher

• Google Podcasts

Topics

• Apple confirms September 7 “Far Out” event – 1:46

• What to expect from the IFA electronics show in Berlin – 32:35

• The most interesting news out of Gamescom 2022 – 41:56

• Other news: Mark Zuckerberg's bad VR avatar and a movie based on BlackBerry – 1:11:47

• Working on – 1:13:01

• Pop culture picks – 1:15:48

Video Stream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Mat Smith
Guest: Jess Conditt
Producer: Ben Ellman
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos
Graphics artists: Julio Barrientos, Cherlynn Low
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

I hate to admit it, but I might have a new favorite phone. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the latest version of the company’s smaller foldable and with this generation, the company has addressed most of our problems with the previous model. It’s delivered longer battery life, increased durability and a slightly more useful external display. With the same $1,000 starting price as before, the Z Flip 4 costs about the same as an iPhone 13 Pro and a Galaxy S22+, but can fold into a square that you can hide in your palm. It’s a supremely fun phone to use, thanks to the different modes you can set it up in. The Z Flip 4 isn’t perfect, but by improving its battery life, Samsung’s finally made a foldable phone that’s ready for the mainstream.

Design

One of the best things about the Flips is that you can fold them in half and easily stuff it in a pocket, small bag or other tight space. As someone whose desk is chronically cluttered, I struggle to find a spot to place my gigantic Pixel 6 Pro, which, if not placed carefully on an even surface, would suicidally slide off a table and plunge to its death.

Thanks to its new matte finish, Flip 4 is not as slippery as its predecessor or the Pixel, so I was less afraid of putting it on top of keys or packs of snacks, for example. I’ve only dropped it once since I’ve had it, and so far, the case has survived without a scratch. And because the Flip is so small, I also had a much easier time finding somewhere to place it. On one occasion when I wore something with a particularly tight pocket, the Flip 4 still fit easily, though it was a bit uncomfortable. It still felt better than the iPhone 12 and Pixel 6 Pro that I regularly use, though, both of which peek out the top and make bending forward feel like I’d break the phone.

I’ve also been far less careful with my review unit of the Flip 4 than with prior foldables, tossing it into bags packed with keys and other hefty phones. I panicked for a second when I realized what I had done, because I still needed the phone to be in pristine condition for a photoshoot, but phew, the Gorilla Glass Victus+ covering on the Flip’s inside and outside has kept it scratch-free.

Many of the other changes the company made this year are less impactful. The smaller hinge, shinier edges and slightly sleeker lines make the new model look a little cleaner, and the external cameras protrude slightly more than before, but beyond those minuscule differences, it’s hard to tell the Flip 3 and 4 apart.

The easiest way for me to identify the Flip 4 is by its color. My sample is in Samsung’s “Bora Purple” hue, which is a nice lavender shade, but I prefer the blue version. When open, the two Flips are even harder to tell apart — the latest model is just a hair shorter.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Both their hinges feel similarly sturdy, and I could still, with a lot of careful maneuvering, open and close the Flip with one hand. I even created a spot on my home screen for my thumb to push into the panel for leverage when shutting the device, and so far I haven’t felt like I might break the display.

The Flip 4 still has a crease running across its display, but this time it seems shallower. It might just be because it’s new and over time it may get more prominent. But those hoping for a more minimal crease may be disappointed — it’s definitely still there and noticeable.

If you’re a fan of sensory experiences like I am, you might like to know that stroking this crease as you scroll long articles or Reddit posts still feels oddly satisfying. Running your finger up and down this depression feels like trying to massage a knot out of your back (except you don’t want to use nearly as much pressure). It’s not going to get in the way of your using the Flip, but if you’re into tendons it’ll just spice up the experience.

It’s hard to compare the Flip 4 to other phones because it’s the only viable one of its kind retailing in America, but it’s still worth noting that at 187 grams (or 6.59 ounces), it’s lighter than other $1,000 phones like the S22 Plus and the iPhone 13 Pro. It’s just 13 grams heavier than the iPhone 13.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Displays and audio

The Flip 4 is also hard to categorize because of its unique screen. Though it measures 6.7 inches diagonally, its aspect ratio of 22:9 makes it slightly longer and narrower than most phones. I didn’t mind this — in fact, I found it easier to reach across the Flip’s display to hit buttons on the other side than on my iPhone or Pixel.

As usual with any Samsung mobile device, the Flip 4’s 1080p panel delivered rich colors and crisp details, and I love the 120Hz refresh rate for scrolling through my favorite subreddits. There is a slight issue with viewing angles when you fold the phone slightly, though. If you’re looking at it straight on, everything seems fine.

But sometimes from an angle, I’ve seen some discoloration along the crease. This isn’t a huge deal, since I’m rarely looking at the screen that way and it doesn’t really impact visibility.

I also spent less time reading things on the 1.9-inch cover display, but when I did use it to reply to messages or set alarms, it was easy to read. I love the colorful clock faces Samsung provides, which make the Flip 4 look more eye-catching.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Using the cover display to play music from Spotify is convenient, and by default hitting play on this widget will start the last song you listened to. In general the Flip 4’s speakers were loud enough to provide background sound while I worked, though I wish there were stronger bass for tracks like Taste by Tyga and INVU by Taeyeon. The music also sounded slightly different when the Flip was open versus when closed, with audio seeming a little canned in the latter mode.

In use when folded: Flex Mode and cameras

The Flip 4 is perfectly capable as a regular, non-bendy phone, but when it’s closed or half-folded, it’s truly unique. In those formats, it’s basically either a camera with its own built-in kickstand (perfect for the selfie-obsessed like myself) or as a less-disruptive pager-like device. I’ve loved using the Flip 4 to record an embarrassing number of yoga routine videos or document my outfits for the week. I’ve even attempted some of the trendy dance moves young people seem to do so much on TikTok. (Though, I will never share those clips.)

There are two ways to shoot with the Flip 4 when it’s flexed: With the external cameras and the cover display as a viewfinder, or with the internal camera while framing your shot with the top half of the main screen.

When I try to use the cameras on the outside to shoot selfies, it’s hard to find a flattering angle because the outside screen is so small I can never see my entire face in it unless I’m too far away to make adjustments. Even with the phone completely closed, using the cover display as a viewfinder is not worth the effort — I always ended up with awkward, unflattering angles. The internal camera is more reliable, but it doesn’t have the wide angle lens and generally produces less vibrant shots.

Despite the limitations, I’ve been enamored with taking pictures on the Flip 4. It’s worth shouting out the open palm gesture that Samsung has supported for years that makes hands-free triggering of the camera much easier. And I have to be honest — I mean specifically shooting selfies and content for social media featuring me (and my friends). The Flip 4 is also useful for my video calls with my parents in Singapore, eliminating the need for a phone stand. None of this is new to this year’s Flip, by the way. I just wanted to remind you how much fun and function you can get out of a regular-sized phone that folds.

Samsung also offers an interface called Flex Mode that kicks in on compatible apps when the system detects the phone is open at about 170 degrees or less. In these situations, apps like Camera and Gallery turn the lower half of the screen into a touchpad that lets you swipe through pictures while displaying the content you’re viewing on top. YouTube, for example, will display the video on the top half, flanked by two horizontal black bars, while the title, views, details and comments sit in the bottom portion.

It’s mostly intuitive and useful but, man, I have such a love-hate relationship with Flex mode. I vividly remember thinking that using the Flip with one hand while leaning back on my couch would be easier if Samsung added its Flex Mode panel to more apps so I could easily scroll through long posts or articles. I was wrong.

On the Flip 4, Samsung introduced a Touchpad feature to its Flex Mode panel, which you can force enable for most apps even if their developers didn’t design a specific layout. You’d use this like it were a laptop trackpad on the bottom of your screen: move your finger around to control a cursor, tap to click links and other elements and drag two fingers up or down to scroll. You can’t pinch to zoom, but honestly that’s not a laptop-like gesture I need here.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

In theory, a lot of this makes sense. When you’re using one hand and holding the Flip slightly folded, reaching for elements on the top of the screen with your thumb can be tricky. The trackpad makes it easier to click things at the edge of the panel. But two-finger scrolling in one-handed use simply does not work, unless you somehow can balance the Flip with just three fingers and have the dexterity to use your remaining digits to swipe on the screen.

Those of us without Olympian-level finger gymnastic skills will probably need to leave Flex Mode to scroll. Trouble is, there is no easy way to summon this panel. Worse, it reappears if you straighten and refold the screen, or if you jump to another app and return. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve hit the X to dismiss Flex Mode, only to absentmindedly open Telegram to reply to a friend, and be presented with the black box again.

To make things worse, the X icon to dismiss the Flex Mode box is right up against the crease, making it incredibly hard to hit. I usually have to tap it about five times to get it to register. Honestly the only thing the new trackpad is good for is dragging the cursor to the X to close itself.

To be clear, this panel only appears if you’ve gone into the experimental Labs area in Advanced Settings to enable it for specific apps. Most people are unlikely to encounter it by default, and the Flex Mode layouts for customized apps like Gallery and Camera are fine.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Cover display is slightly more useful

Samsung is also caught in a difficult situation when it comes to the external screen. This window is the same size as last year, and the company’s added a new widget so you can do more without opening the phone, like control your smart home appliances. The existing options were a media player, calendar, schedule, weather, alarms, timer, quick dial and health, which is really a glorified step counter. To make the cover display a bit more useful, Samsung also added the ability to quickly reply to messages using emoji, dictation or a selection of preset responses like “No thanks” or “On my way.” It’s basically what you get from a six-year-old Fitbit or smartwatch. The Apple Watch offers an onscreen keyboard for replies now, too, even if it’s hilariously and uselessly tiny. Still, I’m glad Samsung at least offers some options here, making the cover display at least slightly more functional.

The minimal functionality of the Flip 4 when it’s closed is a good way to partially unplug from distractions while still remaining reachable — kind of like using a pager (remember those?). Samsung’s new customizable clock face designs are adorable and make the device more attractive. I also appreciate being able to surreptitiously set a timer or snap a selfie when the Flip is small enough to hide in my palm — people are less aware of me taking my 900th selfie of the day when I’m using a tiny square instead of holding out a metal-and-glass slab of a phone.

Without increasing the size of the cover display, the company can’t really do much more. And I’m not sure I want Samsung to go bigger. A larger second screen would tax the battery, which is something the Flip 4 can barely spare. I’d much rather the company gave the next Flip better cameras.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Cameras

That’s not to say the Flip 4’s cameras are bad. They’re actually surprisingly capable — especially the pair of 12-megapixel sensors on the outside. With larger 1.8-micron pixels than the Flip 3, the primary and ultrawide cameras both delivered impressively colorful and sharp pictures that rivaled the Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro in bright light.

Like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Flip 4’s pictures were warmer and more saturated than the Pixel’s, but less red than the iPhone’s. All three handsets produced similarly sharp pictures of buildings at sunset, though Samsung’s images were occasionally a little soft. But they weren’t anything egregious — the bark on a tree I shot against the sun wasn’t as crisp on the Flip for example. But I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t pixel peeping looking for the differences.

As usual, Google has the upper hand at night, with windows on the Empire State Building looking tack sharp, but slightly blurrier on the Flip 4. I also prefer Google’s approach to Portrait mode. The Pixel 6 Pro is better at identifying outlines of subjects and applying a blur to everything else. Samsung’s system is still hit or miss and can look artificial.

The iPhone and Pixel both offer better quality than the Flip on zoomed-in photos, especially in low light. While Apple and Google were able to retain generally clean lines in the faraway Manhattan buildings in a nightscape, Samsung’s picture was a muddy, blotchy mess.

Selfies I took in low light with the Flip 4 were similarly splotchy, but the Pixel and iPhone didn’t do much better in those situations anyway. I was pleasantly surprised by how sharp and warm the photos I captured with the Flip’s inside camera in daylight turned out, though. They looked more natural than the Pixel’s shots, and were about as good as the iPhone’s.

The videos I recorded with the Flip’s external cameras were also on par with the other two. Like a true fitness influencer wannabe, I set up the phone alongside the Pixel and iPhone and took copious videos of myself working out, and each time the Flip’s clips were about the same quality. One time, though, the Flip’s video was out of focus, which I think might have something to do with how I started recording. In general, most of the videos I shot with the Flip were smooth and vivid.

Performance and in use

Like any mainstream flagship phone, the Flip 4 is equipped with the latest top-tier Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and has 8GB of RAM. After some initial hiccups while setting up the phone, during which the Flip 4 got noticeably warm, things got smoother. I never encountered any lag as I shot videos, livestreamed to Instagram, screen-recorded my friends’ Instagram Stories or posted photos. It did get hot again when I called my parents via Telegram, but otherwise the Flip mostly remained cool.

It’s worth reminding you all that some apps struggle with the Flip’s uncommon aspect ratio. The biggest culprit is Instagram. Often, the create post button will be out of reach or overlap other posts. The Stories editor has a blank black strip at the bottom between the viewfinder and the submit buttons, and if you’re using Samsung’s keyboard, it sometimes obscures things like the color picker or tag suggestions. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it’s a minor inconvenience to be aware of if you’re getting the Flip.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Thankfully the days of heavy-handed overlays like TouchWiz are mostly in the past, and Samsung’s phones now ship with fairly clean versions of Android and its One UI interface. There are pros and cons with this — I love Samsung’s Gallery app and the built-in video editor, for example. But I hate that Samsung occasionally still serves up ads in the notifications shade, showing you recommendations from the Galaxy App store. I also find that One UI doesn’t seem to understand Do Not Disturb mode, and frequently lets unnecessary alerts through. Still, the Flip 4’s software is not bloated and is fairly customizable, so you can alleviate some potential frustrations.

Battery life and charging

My biggest complaint about the Flip 3 was its dismal battery life, and it was the one thing keeping me from recommending it to a more mainstream user. With the Flip 4, Samsung not only used a larger 3,700mAh battery, but also a more power-efficient processor. The results aren’t astounding, but the Flip 4 generally lasts all day.

I usually take it out in the afternoon and come home past midnight with about 20 percent to spare. One Sunday, I took the Flip 4 to an early morning workout and ran around New York and New Jersey all day. By 10pm, it had dropped to 15 percent and was prompting me to enable battery-saving mode.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

This is sort of pitiful compared to the battery life of the iPhone 13 Pro, Pixel 6 Pro and S22 Plus, which all stick around longer than a day. But given the Flip 4 has two screens, I’m willing to be more forgiving. Plus, when it came time to recharge the Flip, it didn’t take long — I usually got more than 40 percent of power in about 40 minutes.

On our video rundown test, the Flip 4 clocked 16 hours and 35 minutes, which is five hours more than the Flip 3 and, surprisingly, also more than the Nothing Phone 1. It’s even on par with the Galaxy S22+. Meanwhile, phones like the Pixel 6 and OnePlus 10T delivered results of more than 20 hours.

Wrap-up

With its improved battery life and durability, the Flip 4 is a more practical phone than its predecessor and is the first of Samsung’s foldables that’s truly ready for the mainstream. Sure, there are a few minor inconveniences to put up with, like Instagram’s incompatibility with its aspect ratio or the fact that it has considerably less battery life than other phones at this price. But if you’ve been itching to see if a foldable phone might fit in your life (and your pocket), or if you’re a selfie aficionado, the Flip 4 will be a satisfying purchase.