Here is everything you need to know about the new iPhone models that Apple announced on 12th September 2018 – the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
This year’s pick of iPhones promises a lot to all types of smartphone users, from budget spenders to screen lovers. iPhone XS, its “plus” variation the XS Max, and Apple’s first battery-conscious iPhone, the XR are coming to an Apple store near you sooner than you think, but is it already time to say goodbye to the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X models?
At a glance, all
three phones run on A12 Bionic chips and therefore pack superior processing power compared to the iPhone 8. They’re also some of the biggest iPhones ever produced, with the smallest of them, the XS, featuring a 5.8” Super Retina OLED display, followed by the XR’s 6.1” LCD Retina display, and finally the XS Max’s massive 6.5” Super Retina OLED display, which essentially makes it a phablet. Both the XS and the XS Max are slated for an earlier launch date than the XR, which is supposedly Apple’s “budget phone” of the year with prices starting from 749 euros.
The XS and the XS Max will set you back £999 and £1,099 respectively with the only differences between them and their cheaper cousin being better displays and dual cameras (the XR has a single shooter at the back, breaking Apple’s recent dual camera trend) along with storage capacities of up to 512GB.
If you’re itching to get your hands on the new iPhones, there’s a lot to get excited about if you own a model older than the iPhone X or the 8 Plus. However, you’ll only enjoy marginal improvements if you already copped either of the two phones last year, but some may say that these improvements are well worth the upgrade. Here’s why.
Improved Cameras
One of the most outstanding features in both the iPhone XS’s and the XS Max’s cameras is the new depth control capability, which lets you blur photos in portrait mode like the pros; a trick known to photographers as bokeh. The dual shooters offer much better quality whether you’re in low-lit conditions or taking snaps while directly facing bright lights, and this is because of the new sensors and smart HDR feature.
Low light pictures are crisp and vivid, and while the outcome will look stunning to anyone still using models older than the iPhone 8 Plus, it is more or less the same compared to photos taken with the iPhone X.
Stunning, Large Displays
Everyone wants a big screen nowadays, and Apple has finally caved and released some of the most beautiful OLED displays in the market. Despite having a display that’s 6.5 inches large, the iPhone XS Max is only as big as every other iPhone Plus model.
The only discernible difference is the screen-to-body ratio. In other words, the screen of the iPhone XS Max covers almost every inch of the phone’s face, and with 458 pixels per inch, you’re in for a visual treat. It is still quite large, however, and one-handed use isn’t something everyone will be capable of initially owing to the fact that the entire face of the phone will serve as the display.
Apple’s First Big Battery Phone
According to Apple, the batteries of both the XR and the XS Max will last about 90 minutes longer than that of the iPhone 8 Plus. This is great news especially for budget phone lovers who will go for the XR. The iPhone X battery will go flat in 9.5 hours when
streaming video content. In comparison, the XS lasts an hour longer, while the XS Max and the XR will last for almost 13 hours on a single charge.
The XR is however expected to have a longer battery life than the XS Max owing to its less crisp LCD display and single-shooter rear camera. The XR is available for a more reasonable £749 and with almost the full feature set of the more expensive models barring a few noted below, it is very likely to be one of Apple’s best sellers in recent years.
- iPhone XR differences over the XS
- Chassis, aluminium versus the stroonger stainless steel
- Display (6.1″ LCD at 326ppi v 5.8″ OLED at 458ppi)
- Single lens camera versis dual lens
- Much wider range of colours
Release Dates
The iPhone XS and the XS Max will
be available on September 21, almost a whole month before the much-awaited
iPhone XR follows on the 19th October. Anyone interested in the more budget-friendly smartphone will have to hold on longer, and it is advisable to wait until all three models are available before making a choice.
One of the Editors for Tech on the Go, I love covering mobile tech and social media. I also manage the reviews we cover so all the writers stay on my good side!
