Lots of people are getting their new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max this weekend, so we wanted to provide this important piece of advice. While your wireless carrier can probably help, you should check out our guide on how to activate eSIM on iPhone 14 (opens in new tab).
As we explain below, U.S. models of the iPhone 14 don’t have a SIM card slot, so it’s eSIM all the way. So follow our step-by-step instructions and also see our guidance on how to transfer an eSIM or a physical SIM to your new iPhone.
2022-09-16T21:01:44.747Z
(Image credit: Apple/Future)
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 look almost identical, so is it worth the upgrade? In short, probably not, unless you’re already in the iPhone upgrade program. The design is the same, including the notch, as is the display.
But there are some notable differences, and our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 comparison breaks everything down for you. The gist is that the iPhone 14 offers better images in low light, a slightly faster A15 Bionic chip (stolen from last year’s iPhone 13 Pro) and silky smooth Action mode video.
2022-09-16T20:05:11.500Z
(Image credit: Future)
No matter which iPhone 14 model you choose in the U.S., none of them have a SIM card tray. And that’s because Apple is going eSIM only in America. That means you’ll have to enter the SIM card info into the Settings app.
Fortunately, it’s not hard to get up and running. Plus, we have a guide to eSIMs on the iPhone 14 and how they work. Once you are set up, it’s fairly easy to switch between active lines. So you can have one phone number for business and one for personal use. And you can store up to 8 eSIMs overall per iPhone 14.
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One of the questions I got on my iPhone 14 Pro Max review on YouTube was whether the Dynamic Island is tough to reach when using one hand. My answer was yes, but Apple already has a solution on the way to make things easier.
As reported by 9to5Mac (opens in new tab), the iOS 16.1 beta integrates the Dynamic Island into the Reachability feature under settings. So once you turn the feature on, the Island will actually move along with the rest of the display halfway down the screen. That’s a handy upgrade.
2022-09-16T17:44:22.959Z
(Image credit: Future)
Like any new iPhone, the iPhone 14 is not immune to launch day issues. An iPhone 14 bug was initially preventing users from setting up their devices over Wi-Fi. But this problem has apparently been addressed.
According to The Verge (opens in new tab), Apple has released an iOS 16.0.1 update that “should resolve any activation or migration issues facing owners of the new iPhone.” However, note that users may need to update and restore their phones using a Mac or PC to solve this problem.
2022-09-16T16:46:50.982Z
(Image credit: Apple)
Whoops! It looks like Apple itself was aware of the rumors that the iPhone 14 Pro series was going to have dual cutouts at the top of the screen. As reported by MacRumors (opens in new tab), Apple has been showing a punch hole and pill shaped cutout for the iPhone 14 in various support documents, even though the new Dynamic Island uses a single cutout.
2022-09-16T15:49:56.419Z
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
As good as the iPhone 14 is, it’s not necessarily the best phone in its price range. Case in point: the Samsung Galaxy S22. Samsung’s $799 handset offers a 120Hz display and 3x telephoto zoom, two features the regular iPhone 14 lacks.
Here’s a quick overview of four ways the Galaxy S22 beats the iPhone 14. But we also go over where Apple beats Samsung. Plus, we have a full face-off coming up this weekend to declare a definitive winner.
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(Image credit: Apple)
With any new iPhone launch you’ll find that Apple gives some older phones the axe. So be sure to see our overview of the iPhones Apple has discontinued (opens in new tab) following the iPhone 14’s release.
The iPhone 11 is no more, and there’s no iPhone 12 mini, either. The iPhone 11 going away hurts most as there’s no solid sub-$500 iPhone in Apple’s lineup now with a screen size 6 inches or bigger.
2022-09-16T14:57:36.319Z
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The iPhone 14 is a good phone, but you should really know about all of the differences between it and the iPhone 14 Pro before you buy. Our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro (opens in new tab) comparison breaks it all down so you’ll be able to make the most informed decision.
Here’s the gist. The iPhone 14 Pro has a bunch of exclusive features, including always-on display, Dynamic Island and a 48MP main camera. But that’s not all.
2022-09-16T14:40:24.763Z
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
We just finished a couple of more battery tests on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and we have good news. Apple’s 6.7-inch flagship lasted an excellent 13 hours and 39 minutes on average, which puts this phone on our best phone battery life list.
Anything above 11.5 hours is considered excellent. Stay tuned for more results for all the new iPhones!
We needn’t have worried, though — because own benchmarks tell a very different story about just how powerful the A16 Bionic really is.
In short: Apple has solidified its lead in the mobile system-on-chip space, because the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are the fastest and most powerful phones ever. Get the full story in our iPhone 14 benchmarks test report.
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Action mode is another new iPhone 14 feature, and the best way to show it off is to simply watch some footage with it turned on and off. And it’s pretty easy to do; you just press a button in the camera app when recording video, and you should see smooth and steady video, as if you were using a gimbal.
Running up this incline on a path, you can see that the video is much more stable with Action mode turned on. With it off, it looks like I’m veering wildly from side to side. Our iPhone 14 Pro Max review has more comparisons for you to check out.
2022-09-16T13:06:23.722Z
Ever wondered what the inside of an iPhone 14 Pro Max looks like? No, don’t go prying off the back of your new phone, that’s not a good idea. Instead, take a look at the above iPhone 14 Pro Max teardown video by PBKreviews (opens in new tab), which takes apart the new device piece-by-piece to compare it with the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
It’s fascinating stuff if you’re interested in what’s inside your phone rather than just what it can do.
2022-09-16T12:58:58.039Z
(Image credit: Apple)
The iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS via Satellite option is another new feature for Apple’s latest handset, and this one’s available on all models rather than just the Pro.
The Dynamic Island is interactive, too. Long pressing this area brings up more controls, such as playback, so you don’t have to keep jumping between multiple apps or swipe down from the top of the screen.
It gets better. As third-party developers tap into Apple’s Live Activites API, you’ll be able to see the status of your Lyft ride, the score from your favorite NFL team or the ETA for your food delivery order. Now that’s smart, and it worked well in our testing.
2022-09-16T12:41:32.521Z
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Another great new iPhone 14 feature is the Dynamic Island found on the two Pro models. You’re going to be hearing this word a lot, so let’s break down what it means. Dynamic Island is the replacement for the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
This pill-shaped cutout doesn’t just house the TrueDepth camera and tech for Face ID; it delivers info and changes shape on the fly. You could start a timer and see the countdown clock towards the top of your screen, or album art for the music playing or the next turn for Apple Maps.
2022-09-16T12:32:05.364Z
(Image credit: Future)
You might think from the name that the always-on display will always be… well, on. But Apple has now confirmed that there are some instances where the always-on display will temporarily turn off.
There are eight of these, including when your iPhone is face down, in a pocket or bag and when Low Power Mode is switched on, with the idea being that disabling the feature at these times will help you preserve battery life on your phone.
2022-09-16T12:25:09.196Z
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
A few bugs and some (inevitable) delays aside, it’s pretty much all good news as far as the iPhone 14 range goes. In fact, there are so many positives — particularly with the Pro models — that it’s hard to know where to start.
This shows you a low-brightness version of your current lock screen, allowing you to check your notifications, your iOS 16 lock screen widgets, and of course the clock.
It’s something Android phones have had a version of for some time, but none look quite as pretty, or show quite as much at once, as the AOD Apple’s developed.
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There’s also a bug that reportedly affects iMessage and FaceTime. According to 9to5Mac (opens in new tab), this can leave users unable to receive messages and calls, or iMessages to be sent with the generic green bubbles to other iPhone users.
So what can you look forward to if you do have a shiny new iPhone 14 in your mitts today? Well, mostly lots of very good things, but also a couple of slight negatives.
We’ll start with the negatives, just because they’re freshly reported. For instance, it seems there’s an iPhone 14 activation bug which might be causing the set-up process to fail for some people.
This comes from MacRumors (opens in new tab), which says it’s seen an internal Apple memo where the iPhone 14 doesn’t connect to open Wi-Fi networks when being set up. The workaround is to instead use a PC or Mac for that part of the process, which isn’t the most elegant solution. Hopefully Apple will sort this issue out quickly.
2022-09-16T12:04:00.493Z
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The fact that so many people want to get their hands on the iPhone 14 Pro models is hardly a surprise — in fact, we think the difference between the base model and its more expensive siblings is greater than ever.
Why? Well, there are multiple reasons including the fact that the Pro replaces the divisive notch with the really clever Dynamic Island, the camera upgrade to a 48MP sensor and the increased battery life.
Nor is the situation just bad for people looking to buy some iPhone 14 Pro models today — even some people who preordered those phones are being told they might not get their handset on time.
According to 9to5Mac, multiple iPhone 14 preorders have been delayed at the 11th hour. Many have contacted them to express their frustration at the estimated delivery dates slipping to September 23. And some have even been pushed back to September 30.
2022-09-16T11:52:13.429Z
(Image credit: Apple)
In the U.K., for instance, where Apple stores are already open, I can order an iPhone 14 Pro right now and pick it up from my local outlet tomorrow. However, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is showing as unavailable to collect from any of the 12 nearest stores.
There are no such problems with the base iPhone 14: that’s readily available for pick up tomorrow in multiple colors and configurations.
2022-09-16T10:58:29.519Z
Model
Estimated delivery date (U.S.)
Estimated delivery date (U.K.)
iPhone 14
September 20
September 21
iPhone 14 Plus
October 7
October 7
iPhone 14 Pro
October 17-24
October 18-25
iPhone 14 Pro Max
October 24-31
October 25-November 1
Good morning, and welcome to Tom’s Guide’s iPhone 14 launch day live blog.
Let’s start by talking about wait times. As the table above shows, some new iPhone 14 models are far easier to get hold of than others. For instance, if you order the base iPhone 14 today, it should be delivered as soon as next week. But if you want the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you might have to wait until the end of October to get your hands on it!
In-store availability is potentially better than that, but it will depend on which model you want and where you are. Either way, it’s clear that the Pro models are in greater demand than ever this year.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
