The official iPhone 14 event invite says, "Far out," adding a negative-space design of the Apple logo with an intergalactic theme. The Cupertino-based tech giant has never been alien — heh, heh — to being the star of conversation in the tech world, but this cosmic-themed invite is causing an eruption of speculation. Is this celestial creation a clue about the iPhone 14's upcoming new features?
In 9to5Mac's opinion, the extraterrestrial invite could be hinting at anything from satellite connectivity to upgraded cameras. MacRumors, on the other hand, reported on a cool augmented-reality (AR) easter egg on Apple's Events page, sparking social media users to suspect that an AR/VR announcement is imminent.
AR/VR
If you have an iPhone, visit Apple's Events page. Next, tap on the Apple logo; this should launch an AR experience that will superimpose a black-hole animation on your display. You can even magnify it (or reduce it) by employing the pinching gesture. Pretty cool, huh? But we have questions! Could this interactive animation be a subliminal message for something, well, far out?
Apple has been secretly working on an AR/VR headset for nearly a decade, according to bean spillers. A few months ago, the rumor mill was awash with chitchat that Apple could possibly announce something — anything — regarding its mixed-reality headset at WWDC (Apple's yearly developers' conference). Unfortunately, Apple remained totally mum about the project.
Could the iPhone 14 event be the first time Apple acknowledges its long-rumored headset? Possibly, but it's unlikely. According to respected Apple leaker Ming-Chi Kuo, due to Shanghai lockdown interruptions, Apple will purportedly announce its AR/VR plans in early 2023.
Still, some Apple fans suspect that the interactive AR experience is a clue. Whether it's on the iPhone 14 or a brand spankin' new headset, speculators believe an AR/VR reveal is forthcoming. It's worth noting Apple included an AR component in the iPhone invite last year too, so don't get your augmented or virtual hopes up too high.
Points to AR/VRAugust 24, 2022
Astrophotography
Others, including 9to5Mac, suspect that the cosmic-themed invite is hinting at astrophotography, the practice of capturing pictures of celestial bodies. Prior to the iPhone 13 announcement, there was gossip about the line getting cool new astrophotography perks. Apple leaker Max Weinbach, for example, said that iPhone 13 featured an astrophotography mode, allowing users to take clear, nighttime photos of the stars and moon. But when Apple announced the line last year, we were disappointed to discover that there was no such upgrade.
This is a feature the Google Pixel series already sports, so it's not too far-fetched to assume that Apple may attempt to outdo its Android rivals with an industry-leading astrophotography mode on the iPhone 14.
Satellite connectivity
Reports of Apple's plans to launch an iPhone line with satellite connectivity began surfacing last August. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a journalist who claims to be well-connected with Apple insiders, published a report about the Cupertino-based tech giant's satellite connectivity project, which would allow users to send messages without cell service. It's a tool that could be useful to iPhone owners in emergency situations.
Gurman stated that the iPhone 13's hardware will be "satellite ready," but Apple won't announce the new feature until 2022. Well, it's 2022 now! Could Apple unveil the intergalactic feature at the iPhone 14 event? Only time will tell.
Be sure to tune in for Apple's iPhone 14 livestream event on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. EST.
