Apple today introduced iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, featuring two sizes — 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches — in a sophisticated design with impressive camera upgrades and groundbreaking new safety capabilities. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus take stunning photos and video with a powerful camera system featuring new Main and front TrueDepth cameras, the Ultra Wide camera for unique perspectives, and Photonic Engine — an enhanced image pipeline. Both models include the A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU, which offers incredible performance and efficiency for demanding workloads, and is designed with privacy and security built in. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce critical safety capabilities such as Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite, a first in the industry. And with amazing battery life, industry-leading durability features, and super-fast 5G, this iPhone lineup is more advanced than ever before. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in midnight, blue, starlight, purple, and (PRODUCT)RED¹ finishes. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 9, with availability for iPhone 14 beginning Friday, September 16, and availability for iPhone 14 Plus beginning Friday, October 7.

“Our customers rely on their iPhone every day, and iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. With the new, larger 6.7-inch display on iPhone 14 Plus, users can enjoy more content onscreen when browsing the web and even more text,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Both phones have a powerful new Main camera with a huge leap in low-light performance, advanced connectivity capabilities with 5G and eSIM, and the incredible performance of A15 Bionic, which helps enable even better battery life. All of this, tightly integrated with iOS 16, makes iPhone more essential than ever.”  

A Beautiful and Durable Design with Amazing Battery Life

Available in the popular 6.1-inch size and a stunning new 6.7-inch size,² iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature a durable and sleek aerospace-grade aluminum design in five beautiful finishes. The larger display of iPhone 14 Plus is great for streaming movies and playing games, and iPhone 14 Plus boasts the best battery life ever in an iPhone.³ Both models have an updated internal design for better thermal performance, gorgeous Super Retina XDR displays with OLED technology that supports 1200 nits of peak HDR brightness, a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and Dolby Vision.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus also feature the durable Ceramic Shield front cover — exclusive to iPhone and tougher than any other smartphone glass — and are protected from common spills and accidents with water and dust resistance.⁴

Powerful Camera Upgrades Enabled by Photonic Engine

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce a new standard for photo and video capture with a new 12MP Main camera featuring a larger sensor and larger pixels, a new front TrueDepth camera, the Ultra Wide camera to capture more of a scene, and Photonic Engine for a giant leap in low-light performance.

Through a deep integration of hardware and software, Photonic Engine improves mid- to low-light performance for photos across all cameras: up to 2x on the Ultra Wide camera, 2x on the TrueDepth camera, and an impressive 2.5x on the new Main camera. Photonic Engine enables this dramatic increase in quality by applying the computational benefits of Deep Fusion earlier in the imaging process to deliver extraordinary detail, and preserve subtle textures, provide better color, and maintain more information in a photo.

Dual-camera system upgrades and features include:

• A new Main camera with a larger ƒ/1.5 aperture and 1.9 µm pixels, enabling photo and video improvements in all lighting scenarios for better detail and motion freezing, less noise, faster exposure times, and sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
• A new front TrueDepth camera with an ƒ/1.9 aperture that enables better low-light performance for photos and video. Using autofocus for the first time, it can focus even faster in low light and capture group shots from farther away.
• A new Action mode for incredibly smooth-looking video that adjusts to significant shakes, motion, and vibrations, even when video is being captured in the middle of the action.
• The Ultra Wide camera, offering a unique perspective for wider shots and improvements to low-light photos with Photonic Engine.
• An improved True Tone flash that is 10 percent brighter and has better uniformity for more consistent lighting.
• Cinematic mode, now available in 4K at 30 fps and 4K at 24 fps.
• End-to-end Dolby Vision HDR, available only on iPhone.

Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite

The entire iPhone 14 lineup introduces groundbreaking safety capabilities that can provide emergency assistance when it matters most. With a new dual-core accelerometer capable of detecting G-force measurements of up to 256Gs and a new high dynamic range gyroscope, Crash Detection on iPhone can now detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone. These capabilities build on existing components, like the barometer, which can now detect cabin pressure changes, the GPS for additional input for speed changes, and the microphone,⁵ which can recognize loud noises typified by severe car crashes. Advanced Apple-designed motion algorithms trained with over a million hours of real-world driving and crash record data provide even better accuracy. When combined with Apple Watch, Crash Detection seamlessly leverages the unique strength of both devices to get users help efficiently. When a severe crash is detected, the emergency services call interface will appear on Apple Watch, as it is most likely to be in closer proximity to the user, while the call is placed through iPhone if it is in range for the best possible connection.⁶

The iPhone 14 lineup also introduces Emergency SOS via satellite, which combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Satellites are moving targets with low bandwidth, and it can take minutes for messages to get through. Since every second counts, with Emergency SOS via satellite, iPhone front-loads a few vital questions to assess the user’s situation, and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite. The initial questionnaire and follow-up messages are then relayed to centers staffed by Apple‑trained specialists who can call for help on the user’s behalf. This breakthrough technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection, providing a sense of security when hiking or camping off the grid. Emergency SOS via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be free for two years.⁷

A15 Bionic: A Powerhouse with a 5-Core GPU

A15 Bionic brings incredible performance to iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Still faster than all the competition at any price, the 5-core GPU enables even smoother graphics for video apps and high-performance gaming, and powers incredible camera features like Photonic Engine and Cinematic mode, all while delivering impressive battery life, and protecting privacy and security with the Secure Enclave. The 6-core CPU handles demanding tasks smoothly and efficiently, and the 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, enabling even faster machine learning computations for features in iOS 16 and third-party app experiences.

Powerful Connection Capabilities

iPhone offers users super-fast downloads and uploads, better streaming, and real-time connectivity with 5G to help them stay in touch, share, and enjoy content.⁸ Support for 5G on iPhone now extends to over 250 carrier partners in over 70 markets around the world, with expanded support for standalone networks. eSIM allows users to easily connect or quickly transfer their existing plans digitally, is a more secure alternative to a physical SIM card, and allows for multiple cellular plans on a single device. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus remove the SIM tray for US models, enabling users to more quickly and easily set up their devices.

Apple Fitness+ for All iPhone Users

Later this fall, for the first time ever, Apple Fitness+ will be available for all iPhone users to subscribe to and enjoy in the 21 countries it is offered in, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch. iPhone users will have access to the entire service featuring over 3,000 studio-style workouts and meditations, all led by a diverse and inclusive team of trainers. Fitness+ users will see onscreen trainer guidance and interval timing, and estimated calories burned will be used to make progress on their Move ring. Fitness+ will be fully integrated with the Fitness app coming with iOS 16 and located in the middle tab, where users can stay motivated to close their Move ring through awards, activity sharing, and more. Users only need an iPhone to sign up, and can then experience Fitness+ on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

Featuring iOS 16

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus feature iOS 16, offering a reimagined Lock Screen along with new communication, sharing, and intelligence features that together change the way users experience iPhone. The Lock Screen is more personal, beautiful, and helpful than ever with a multilayered effect that artfully sets subjects of photos in front of the time, and newly designed widgets that offer information at a glance. For Lock Screen inspiration, the wallpaper gallery offers a range of options, including Apple collections, a Weather wallpaper to see live weather conditions as they change throughout the day, an Astronomy wallpaper for views of the Earth, moon, and solar system, and many more. With Messages, users can now edit or recall recently sent messages, and mark conversations as unread to revisit them later.⁹ iCloud Shared Photo Library makes it even easier to share a collection of photos with family.¹⁰ Live Text gets more powerful with the ability to recognize text in video and quickly convert currency, translate text, and more, and Visual Look Up adds a new feature that allows users to tap and hold on the subject of an image to lift it from the background and place it in apps like Messages.¹¹

iPhone and the Environment

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are designed to minimize their impact on the environment, including antenna lines that use upcycled plastic water bottles that have been chemically transformed into a stronger, higher-performance material. iPhone 14 models also use 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, including those used in MagSafe, and 100 percent recycled tungsten in the Taptic Engine. Both models also include 100 percent recycled tin in the solder of multiple printed circuit boards, and 100 percent recycled gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards and in the wire of all cameras. Fiber-based packaging does not use outer plastic wrap, bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from all packaging by 2025.

Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations, and by 2030, plans to be 100 percent carbon neutral across its entire manufacturing supply chain and all product life cycles. This means that every Apple device sold, from component manufacturing, assembly, transport, customer use, charging, all the way through recycling and material recovery, will have net-zero climate impact.

Pricing and Availability

• iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in midnight, blue, starlight, purple, and (PRODUCT)RED in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities. 
• Customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, the US, and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus beginning at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, September 9, with iPhone 14 availability beginning Friday, September 16, and iPhone 14 Plus beginning Friday, October 7.
• iPhone 14 will be available in Malaysia, Turkey, and 20 other countries and regions beginning Friday, September 23.
• Emergency SOS via satellite will be available starting in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be included for free for two years with the activation of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
• Customers can get iPhone 14 for $33.29 (US) a month for 24 months or $799 (US) before trade-in, and iPhone 14 Plus for $37.45 (US) a month for 24 months or $899 (US) before trade-in from apple.com/store, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple Store locations. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers.¹²
• Customers can save up to $800 (US) on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus after trade-in directly from apple.com/store or at an Apple Store when they activate it with select US carriers. Terms apply. For eligibility requirements and more details, see apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/carrier-offers. Pricing for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus includes a $30 (US) carrier instant discount that requires carrier activation.
• Customers in the US can get ready for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus pre-orders until 10 p.m. PDT on Thursday, September 8, by visiting apple.com/store or using the Apple Store app. They can choose to pay monthly or in full, add a trade-in credit toward their new iPhone, or upgrade through the iPhone Upgrade Program.
• iOS 16 will be available as a free software update on Monday, September 12.
• Customers who purchase iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will receive three free months of Apple Arcade with a new subscription.
• Leather Wallet with MagSafe and iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus Leather Cases will be available in five new colors: midnight, forest green, ink, umber, and orange. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus Clear Case and Silicone Cases will be available in midnight, storm blue, red, chalk pink, lilac, elderberry, succulent, and sunglow.

About Apple 

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

1. Every iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus (PRODUCT)RED purchase now contributes directly to the Global Fund to combat pandemics like COVID‑19 and AIDS.
2. The display has rounded corners that follow a beautiful curved design, and these corners are within a standard rectangle. When measured as a standard rectangular shape, the screen is 6.06 inches (iPhone 14), or 6.68 inches (iPhone 14 Plus) diagonally. The actual viewable area is smaller.
3. All battery claims depend on the cellular network, location, signal strength, feature configuration, usage, and many other factors; actual results will vary. The battery has limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. Battery tests are conducted using specific iPhone units. See apple.com/batteries and apple.com/iphone/compare for more information.
4. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are splash-, water-, and dust-resistant, were tested under controlled laboratory conditions, and have a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions. Resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage is not covered under warranty.
5. The microphone is turned on only when driving is detected; this can be triggered by Bluetooth, CarPlay, or speed. All data is processed on the device and discarded after a crash event has been detected, unless a user has opted into sharing their data to improve Crash Detection. Only the sound level is shared with Apple, not the raw audio.
6. Crash Detection is designed for four-wheel passenger vehicle crashes with certain mass, G-force, and speed profiles consistent with severe, life-threatening crashes. It was designed for severe, life-threatening, high-impact front and rear, side-swipe, T-bone, and rollover crashes. Crash Detection is available worldwide on iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra.
7. Emergency SOS via satellite was designed for use in open spaces with a clear line of sight to the sky. Performance may be impacted by obstructions such as trees or surrounding buildings. iPhone will continue to operate under normal temperature conditions.
8. A data plan is required. 5G, Gigabit LTE, VoLTE, and Wi-Fi calling are available in select markets and through select carriers. Speeds are based on theoretical throughput, and vary based on site conditions and carrier. For details on 5G and LTE support, customers can contact their carrier or visit apple.com/iphone/cellular.
9. Users can edit a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it and can unsend a message for up to two minutes after sending it. Users can make up to five edits to a given message, and recipients will be able to see a record of edits made to the message.
10. iCloud Shared Photo Library will be available in a future software update.
11. Some features may not be available for all countries or all areas. View a complete list.
12. This offer is available to qualified customers and requires a 24‑month installment loan when selecting Citizens One or Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI) as the payment type at checkout at Apple. iPhone activation is required with AT&T, T‑Mobile/Sprint, or Verizon for purchases made with ACMI at an Apple Store. Taxes and shipping are not included in ACMI and are subject to the cardholder’s variable APR. Additional ACMI terms are in the Customer Agreement. Additional iPhone Payments terms are at apple.com/legal/sales-support/iphoneinstallments_us.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are subject to FCC rules as well as consumer protection, contractual, and other provisions of federal or state law. They cannot be sold or delivered until the FCC’s authorization process is complete.

I always look forward to Apple’s September event because I know that it’s the dawn of a new iPhone model. Two years ago when the first pro models were launched, I was thrilled. The ‘pro’ has been my go-to iPhone model since then. Last year, I opted for an iPhone 12 Pro and I’ve been incredibly happy with its performance. So much so that I really thought long and hard about upgrading to the iPhone 13 Pro. Based on the announcements made by Apple on September 14, I wasn’t sure if the hassle of upgrading would be worth it this time around. On the surface, it seemed as though the updates to the iPhone were “S model” upgrades. 

For those who are new to the iPhone family, an “S” year is sort of considered a half-upgrade. In previous years, the S models have been the same body style and size, but some moderate technical upgrades occur within the phone to make it worthwhile for those who want to upgrade every year. The first “S” model occurred in 2009 with the release of the iPhone 3GS. S models are somewhat lackluster and for most people, they just aren’t worth the trouble to upgrade. My fiance fits into that category. She has a 12 Pro and since she isn’t having any issues with it, she decided to forego the upgrade this year. After having the iPhone 13 Pro in my hands, I’m really happy to say that I’m glad I took the leap. It’s more than an “S” upgrade – it’s a solid device and worth every struggle I went through to get it. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The iPhone arrived via UPS around 1:30 p.m. CDT. I quickly ripped open the shipping box and found all the return materials for my iPhone 12 (I’m returning it as a part of Verizon’s upgrade program) and the new, black iPhone box. I was surprised that the shipping box was as large as it was because even though there was packaging in the box with it, the iPhone box had enough room to freely move around. Fortunately, there was no damage to the box or the phone inside, but it was still surprising. 

Since the iPhone no longer ships with a power adapter, the box is much slimmer than it used to be. The only things included in the box with the phone are the charging cable (USB-C to Lightning), a small Apple logo sticker, a SIM card tool, and a user guide. The image on the cover of the box matches the color/size/shape of the phone model inside. The sticker on the back of the box provides all the necessary information about the phone including the model, serial number, and IMEI number. 

Upon taking the phone out of the box, I noticed some subtle physical differences between it and my older iPhone 12 Pro. They are so subtle, in fact, that I don’t think many people would normally notice them, but when I took notice of the size of the camera system, I decided to do a close side-by-side comparison. 

Front/Face

• The notch is not as wide on the 13 Pro as it is on the 12 Pro and the speaker on the 13 Pro is placed right along the top edge of the phone. It’s also noticeably longer than the iPhone 12 Pro’s speaker. 
• The size of the bezel looks just about the same on both phones. 

Right Side (sleep/wake button side)

• The 5G antennae seems to be in exactly the same place on both phones. 
• The sleep/wake button is about 0.25 inches lower on the iPhone 13 Pro than the iPhone 12 Pro’s placement of the button.

Back

• The camera system on the iPhone 13 Pro is quite a bit larger than the iPhone 12 Pro’s camera system – by about 0.5 inches all the way around. Because the camera system is larger and so is the notch for it, this makes the iPhone 13 Pro sit quite a bit higher than the iPhone 12 Pro did. 

Left Side (volume button side)

• The SIM card slot is approximately 0.5 inches higher on the iPhone 13 Pro
• The volume buttons and mute switch are approximately 0.25 inches lower on the iPhone 13 Pro

Top/Bottom

• Look to be exactly the same on both phones

Dimensions

• iPhone 12 Pro: 5.78” H x 2.82” W x 0.29” D
• iPhone 13 Pro: 5.78” H x 2.82” W x 0.30″ D

Weight

• iPhone 12 Pro: 6.66 ounces
• iPhone 13 Pro: 7.19 ounces

The physical differences are few and far between, but they are there. The only reason I actually noticed them was because I tried to place a case designed for the iPhone 13 Pro onto my 12 Pro before the new phone arrived and the buttons didn’t line up right. 

INTERNAL UPGRADES

After a thorough review of the exterior of the phone, I decided to look at the internal differences between the 12 Pro and the 13 Pro. 

• Display: Both phones have the 6.1” Super Retina XDR display. The iPhone 13 Pro has ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.  
• Cellular Data: Both phones are 5G. 
• Camera System: Both phones have Pro 12MP camera systems including Telephoto, Wide, and Ultra Wide lenses. The 13 Pro lenses have different aperture sizes than the 12 Pro. They can both record with Dolby Vision HDR up to 4K at 60fps, but the iPhone 13 Pro also has Cinematic mode in 1080p at 30 fps. 
• Optical Zoom Range: The iPhone 12 Pro has a range of 4x (digital zoom up to 10x) while the 13 Pro has a range of 6x (digital zoom up to 15x).
• LiDAR Scanner: Both phones have the LiDAR Scanner for Night mode portraits, faster autofocus in low light, and next-level AR experiences
• Processor: The iPhone 12 Pro has the A14 Bionic chip while the iPhone 13 Pro has the A15 Bionic chip – the fastest chip ever in a smartphone. They both have a 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores, but the 13 Pro has a ‘new’ version of this system.
• GPU: iPhone 12 Pro has a 4-core GPU and the 13 Pro has a 5-core GPU
• Neural Engine: Both phones have a 16-core Neural Engine, but the 13 Pro has a newer version of it. 
• Battery: iPhone 12 Pro provides up to 17 hours of video playback and the 13 Pro provides up to 22 hours. 
• Other: Both phones have Face ID, the ceramic shield front, surgical-grade stainless steel, water resistance up to 6 meters for up to 30 minutes (IP68), and are compatible with MagSafe charging.
• Capacity: Both models are available with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, but the 13 Pro also has a 1TB version.

Like I said, on the surface, the specs make it look like it’s a half upgrade, but when you get the device in your hands, it doesn’t feel like a half-upgrade at all. For me, the ProMotion technology is enough for the upgrade. It supports faster frame rates and just makes every movement feel fluid and noticeably brighter. And you only get the ProMotion feature if you get the pro-model iPhone 13. Even though I was only moving from a 12 Pro to the 13 Pro, I can still tell a substantial difference in the way the newer phone operates. Every operation seems faster and better. I will admit that I haven’t had a full test of the battery life yet, but I’m encouraged so far that I haven’t had to put it on charge with my usual daily operations. 

CONCLUSION

If you are considering making the leap to the 13 Pro models, I would highly recommend it. It’s not disappointing and in my opinion, it’s completely worth it. I don’t regret my upgrade decision and I don’t think anyone else who makes this leap won’t either.

For more information, visit apple.com, Facebook, or Twitter.

A rock-solid communication tool  

As tough as smartphones are today, they still aren’t impervious to hardcore wear and tear like what you might find as a hiker or construction worker. There are some, however, that are ‘properly rugged’ and designed to handle the elements. One such phone is the S40 Lite from DOOGEE. DOOGEE is a technology company that started in Spain in 2013 and one year later, they unveiled their first smartphone. Today, it’s one of the world’s leading rugged phone brands. One of the models that is available is the S40 Lite. It’s a rugged Android-based smartphone (running Android 9.0 Pie) that is rated IP68 and is designated as shockproof, waterproof, and dust-proof. 

The S40 Lite can withstand up to 30 minutes submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water, 24 hours beneath 1 meter of concrete, and 1.2 meter drops. The phone can also handle extreme temperatures (~20º C – 60º C). The phone is constructed with first-class materials including reinforced aluminum alloy, TPU and polycarbonate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The display is 18:9 and 5.5” in size. The phone will work on 3G networks and features a quad-core CPU and 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM. The battery has a capacity of 4,650mAh and charges using Micro USB. The S40 Lite also has a customizable button that can be used for SOS, switching to game mode, or to use the water camera. The phone does feature a fingerprint scanner on the backside of the phone and facial recognition. 

USER EXPERIENCE

I’m an avid iPhone user and I have been for many years. I do dabble into Android devices from time-to-time, but for the most part, I stick with the iOS devices. I must admit that I was intrigued by this Android device though because of its rugged nature. I do like that it is designed to take on the elements rather than be destroyed by them. Out of the box, I noticed some things right off the bat. For one thing, the phone feels great in the hand. It’s only slightly bigger than the iPhone 11 Pro and it’s close to the same weight. One other thing that popped out to me was the multipurpose key on the left side of the phone. It sits just below the SIM/TF Card slot and it’s outlined in metallic red. I like that the metal finish calls out the button, but think that it’s odd that the button doesn’t match the orange highlight color on the rest of the phone. 

After turning the phone on,  I connected it to WiFi and started using the phone’s features. Since my primary phone is an iPhone 11 Pro, I did find the operation of the phone to be a bit laggy. Every time I switched screens or loaded an email through Gmail, everything seemed to be jittery. That said, I did love how easy the face recognition was to set-up and the quality of photos I took was very good. The facial recognition was ok in terms of function. It worked really well 8 times out of 10. Those other 2 times, I would have to enter my passcode. I didn’t have any issues using the fingerprint sensor.

Unfortunately, I can’t comment on how well the cellular features work on this phone because I have Verizon as my carrier and in our area, it’s only a 4G network. The S40 Lite does not work on 4G networks.  According to DOOGEE, the S40 Lite is a 3G Global Smartphone and it supports worldwide 3G frequencies, but it does not support 4G networks. With that in mind, I tested out the phone’s features as best as I could on WiFi. 

There were a couple of odd features I discovered with the S40 Lite. First, the manual that comes with the phone is very generic. It seems as though maybe DOOGEE uses the same manual for every phone because it doesn’t make mention of specific features or model numbers. I also noticed that on one of the diagrams of the phone in the manual that has the charging port on the phone labeled for USB-C. This phone uses Micro USB to charge. In my opinion, I feel that Micro USB is out-dated technology and that any smartphone made in the past 2-3 years should, in fact, be using USB-C as its charging connector.

CONCLUSION

The S40 Lite is a capable phone and I can recommend it for rugged activities such as camping or hiking. I think it’s a robust device and it’s functional. Is it something I’d want to use on a daily basis? Probably not, but it is perfect for those rugged excursions where you want to take something with you. 

For more information, visit doogee.cc, Facebook, and Twitter.

A premium budget-priced phone.

I have been an iOS user for many years. That said, I enjoy exploring different operating systems and love checking out various types of hardware. So, when the opportunity to review the Sony Xperia 10, I jumped at it, which was released to the public in February 2019. At $350, the Xperia 10 is considered a ‘budget’ phone by today’s standards, but I have to admit, that I found it was much more than that. 

DETAILS

The Sony Xperia 10 is nicknamed “The Ultimate Wide” on Sony’s website for its 21:9 widescreen viewing experience. The screen is made with Gorilla Glass 5 for durability and scratch resistant. The Xperia 10 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.2GHz octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM. In addition to the 6” Full HD display, the Xperia 10 also has 64GB of internal storage and supports microSD cards of up to 512GB. The phone is compatible with GSM Carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) and GSM SIM kits including Cricket Wireless, Tracfone, Net10, H2O, AT&T Prepaid, and Simple Mobile. The cameras on the phone are also impressive with 13.0MP and 5.0MP dual rear-facing cameras that offer 21:9 cinema ratio and bokeh effect for artistic photos. 

SPECS

• Carrier : Unlocked
• Wireless Technology : 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, GSM
• Operating System: Android 9.0 Pie
• Processor Speed: 2.2 gigahertz
• Internal Memory: 64 gigabytes
• Screen Size: 6 inches
• Water Resistant: No
• Phone Memory (RAM): 3 gigabytes
• Front-Facing Camera : 8 megapixels
• Processor Brand : Qualcomm Snapdragon
• Rear-Facing Camera : 13 megapixels
• Processor Model: 630
• Internet Connectable: Yes
• Keyboard Type: Touch Screen
• Media Card Slot: microSD
• Mobile Hotspot Capability: Yes
• uilt-In GPS: Yes
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Compass, Fingerprint sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Magnetometer, Proximity sensor
• Wireless Charging: No
• Social Media and Messaging Services: SMS, MMS
• Stylus Dock: None
• Headphone Jack: Yes
• Display Type: LTPS-LCD
• Recording Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K)
• Battery Capacity: 2870mAh
• Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth, NFC
• Dimensions: 6.1” x 2.6” x 0.3”
• Weight: 5.7 ounces

USER EXPERIENCE

The Sony Xperia 10 arrived in a simple white box with the name of the product printed on the box. Inside, you’ll find the phone along with a USB-C charging cable, a 5V power adapter, and lots of little paper pamphlets. There is a startup guide, but there isn’t much to it. Getting started with the phone is very simple though. I started up the phone and then logged into a Google account, which synced to other Google products I have been using. 

With it being a smartphone, I decided to run it through a few tests based on how I normally use my iPhone on a daily basis. Here are some of the areas I looked at:

Entertainment: I watched quite a bit of Netflix and YouTube on the phone and was impressed with the quality of the video on the vibrant LCD. I also used Pandora to stream music while I worked. I happened to have a pair of Sony CH700 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones to use with the Xperia 10. Not only did the headphones connect without any issue, but the phone also recognized the Sony wireless headphones and suggested that I download the companion app for the headphones. The music sounded great and there was no problem with how the two devices worked together.

Productivity:  I typically use smartphones throughout the day to keep up with my daily calendar. My co-workers and I recently started sharing Google calendars so that we can keep up with each others’ schedules. Because the Xperia 10 syncs directly with Google accounts, the calendars show up without any problem. I love being able to view the calendar on my phone — and any other Google product — and then see the same information on my computer. 

Phone Functions: The basic functions of the phone work as they should. I thought the call quality was above average and that other features of the phone were easy to navigate. One of my favorite features of the phone was how it feels in the hand. Because it is slightly thinner than the iPhone XS, it just seems to fit my hand better. It’s very easy to reach functions on the touch screen with one hand. The only issue I really had with basic functions of the phone was that I had to press the wake button on the side each time I wanted to see the screen. The iPhone provides a function that wakes up the screen when you tap it. I have become so accustomed to this feature that it was shock to the system when I couldn’t do it on the Xperia 10. 

Battery: I thought the battery life was incredible. I left it on standby for several days and the phone held its power well. I even found that after using the Xperia 10 to watch videos for long periods of time (several hours) that the battery life didn’t suffer greatly. 

CONCLUSION

Out of the box the Xperia felt like an extension of my hand. While I am an iOS user at heart, I can’t deny that the ‘feel’ of the phone is wonderful. The back of the phone has a matte finish, too, which also makes it a better holding experience than an iPhone because you don’t feel like you’re going to drop it nor will it slide out of your hand. The screen is incredibly clear. I really enjoyed watching videos on the Xperia and thought that the audio quality was incredible. It was little harder to hear audio than it was on an iPhone, but I think that was a volume issue and not a quality issue.  Overall, I thought the Xperia 10 is a quality smartphone for the price. It’s affordable, durable, and enjoyable to use. 

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