To be specific, we have had three iPhone eras. The first of them started with original iPhone release. Apple introduced it with an easy-to-use and delightful interface and, inside few years, it was successfully able to mainstream multitouch& modern smartphone.
iPhone 4 was the beginning of second era. It came with an amazing layered design, high-density Retina display, system-on-a-chip for the first time from Apple, and a lot improved camera. The second era iPhones leapfrogged all other things on market and showed how exactly smartphones could be used eventually as computing device.
Now, with the release of iPhone X, we’re getting along with third iPhone era. The new iPhone X is pronounced as iPhone 10.
Jump To Section:
- Super Retina Display Comes To iPhone X
- iPhone X Brings True Depth Camera and Face ID
- The Portrait Lighting Effect
- The AnijmojiIn iPhone X
- The Home Button Alternate In iPhone X
- Wireless Charging In iPhone X
- The A11 Bionic In iPhone X
- Pricing and Availability Of iPhone X
This new release from Apple is interesting in the fact that it brings back Apple’s layered design –hardened glass body is wrapped inside stainless steel –but it is now seamlessly curved. Towards the front of the new iPhone, you can find Super Retina display which goes top-to-bottom, edge-to-edge, corner-to-corner. Both the sides of the new phone are equipped with latest cameras that are designed specifically for revolutionizing augmented reality and computational photography.
On all accounts, this should be Apple’s next year’s smartphone. But Apple has decided to bring its next year’s tech to public today. However, it comes at a price.
Super Retina Display Comes To iPhone X
It’s a trip in itself to hold the new iPhone X from Apple. The new iPhone is just about the same size as iPhone 7 but it actually comes with bigger screen than what we have in iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone 7 Plus. It really fixed the problem for those who always longed for a bigger display but never wanted to use larger case which used to come with the iPhones previously. Now the problem is solved with screen size going even bigger than Plus and you can even hold your iPhone easily as well.
The screen is also stretched from one edge to the other. In fact, you have to think twice before you decide exactly how you can hold your new iPhone. The moment you lift your new iPhone or tap its screen, it gets to life and you simply forget everything else.
iPhones have always given users that blank canvas which fades away giving users the biggest and clearest view to all the apps as well as internet. But that thing is done even better in iPhone X compared to any other iPhone/iPad out there.
Apple has brought OLED displays for the first time to its iPhones. After criticizing old generation displays in public, Apple claims to finally have a panel that will meet the standards it wants to set. This includes color accuracy, calibration, and system that recognizes as well as adjusts to kind of media being shown automatically. Quite differently from the models from Apple’s competitors, there is no need to manually manage your color profiles if you have the new iPhone X only for getting appropriate OLED white.
Even better, Apple has come up with True Tone display which it used in its iPad Pro line. The temperature of the ambient lighting is measured by the system and then the display is adjusted accordingly so that the whites appear to be paper white no matter how yellow/warm or blue/cool things may be around you.
The new displays also offer support for HDR 10 as well as Dolby Vision. Don’t worry about 4K, HDR technology is going to be next sensation in videos, and iPhone X has already started to master it. Just watch something in HDR on your iPhone X and you’ll surely find it eye-popping.
Despite all the great things about Super Retina Display from Apple, however, it has one drawback: Some sort of notch drops down on top of the iPhone X. And, you cannot unsee that.
iPhone X Brings True Depth Camera and Face ID
In fact, the notch that we talked about above is there for a purpose. It actually houses the Face ID and True Depth camera in your new iPhone X. The Face ID is actually an entire system that includes flood illuminator, infrared cam, speaker, dot projector, proximity sensor and front camera.
And, none of these things could’ve gone underneath the display. For now, it is more like rear-view mirror right above the windshield, and slightly obstructs full, true, edge-to-edge display.
True Depth camera actually lets Face ID to work.Apple couldn’t bury Touch ID into the display and even if it could it wasn’t really sure whether it will work properly or not. So, it’s not there in Touch ID and, to replace it, Apple has introduced a sensor for facial identity.
Lifting your new iPhone X will trigger flood illuminator that allows your new iPhone work just fine even in no or bright light. Afterwards, 30000 invisible dots are beamed by the projector on your face and everything is then processed by neural network. If the Face ID recognizes you, it lets you in. Otherwise, it redirects you to the Passcode screen.
Just as was the case with Touch ID, Face ID also learns while it is being used. Hair, Makeup, hats, glasses, etc. don’t stop it from recognizing you. And, as you change the facial hair, or the face itself, Face ID sensor learns the changes and accommodates accordingly.
In fact, Apple even took the services of companies that offer special effects in Hollywood movies in the bid to try to fool its system using masks and makeups, and even with face videos. This way, it helped Face ID to learn how it can distinguish real from fake.
In comparison to the old Touch ID that had 1/50,000 chance to wrongly matching fingerprint to a random person, Face ID is as accurate as 1/100,000,000 chance for making a wrong call. So, it surely gives you better security.
There is no support yet for multiple faces in Face ID. This might cause problem to those who used to register their kids, partners or others with the help of Touch ID.
Face ID, however, comes with some accessibility features, and it can be used even when you have low or no vision at all.
I only saw all this as demonstrated by Apple’s representatives who already had their faces registered. Everything worked quickly and perfectly. It would be fun to see how it works actually.
There is also Portrait Mode selfie feature in the new iPhone which is enabled by True Depth Camera as well. They give you your portrait that features computationally rendered Bokeh and blur effects. And, as new iOS 11, comes with depth API, it is non-destructive. Therefore, it’s up to you to turn the Portrait Mode On/Off on the photos of your choosing any time. “Depthy” data can even be used for different other effects, like Portrait Lighting.
The Portrait Lighting Effect
The Photos and Camera team from Apple is working hard nowadays. After the introduction of Portrait Mode last year, now they have come up with Portrait Lighting that will even make you forget about yoru DSLR altogether.
Here’s the catch: Your depth data is acquired by Portrait Lighting,facial features are pulled out and then it applies the type of lighting you get in photo studios. It includes Natural, Contour, Studio, Stage Mono and Stage lighting options.
Currently, it is in beta form but it gives you a pretty good idea of what you can be able to do when sensor system just starts things off, and silicon is completely free for taking all the data and bringing out some visual magic. Particularly, with the iPhone X, where “telephoto” as well as wide angle lens now come with optical image stabilization features.
That will certainly make things even better for the low-light conditions. Apple has also given the camera system a touch of machine learning so that it keeps on analyzing videos in millions of discreet sections for identifying things like sky, grass, and motion. It can use the analysis for optimization of compression making sure that the edges or textures are not destroyed by the artifacts.
The AnijmojiIn iPhone X
The enthusiasm that Apple generates while disclosing its new emojis is always surprising for many. To be honest, it shouldn’t be like that. Emojis tend to be emotional and they resonate. Emojis are the warm alternative to those cold text messages. Someone might get angry if you send them a text that reads “I am running late” but if you send them gasping face or a contrite, they’d pass a smile for sure.
Animoji features all that empathy adding not only animation but voice and face matching to your emojis. Animojis come as part of iMessage app and lets you to make your messages a smile, grimace, shake, frown, etc. in the form of dog, chicken, cat, poop or unicorn.
The demo of this feature at September 12 event from Apple really made the entire crowd roar and everyone in demo area felt delighted.
The Home Button Alternate In iPhone X
As expected, Apple has got rid of Home Button in its latest iPhone X. It used to be the escape hatch for identifying and humanizing iPhones since the first release. Even, virtual Home button that came with iPhone 7 has been removed. Whether it shows that Apple is moving towards gesture-native devices or it is just a concession for technology limitations, only time will tell.
What we can conclude from here is that traditional functions of the Home button have all been reassigned. Here is how you can do different tasks that were previously done with Home button.
- Swipe up to go back to the Home screen
- Swipe up & pause for multitasking
- Press side and volume up buttons simultaneously for taking screenshots
- Press side button and hold to invoke Siri
- Double-click the side button for invoking Apple Pay
- Triple-click the side button for invoking accessibility
You have all the drift you need. (And, obviously, 3D Touch is still there with all the shortcuts, pops, peaks, as well as other different features.)
It all feels so natural and you might also want most of the gestures to be there for years. Though, it will take some time in getting used to with your new No-Home-Button device, but you’ll find the new thing really great for sure.
Wireless Charging In iPhone X
Apple is way behind in embracing wireless charging which is actually wireless for the device. It still needs plug into wall socket at other end. They even tried to dismiss that previously. However, even though Apple has decided to go all-in now, the new iPhone X offers support for Qi wireless charging. What this means is that it will work with so many different 3rd party charging pads on this standard, and even with AirPower pad that Apple is expected to release soon – that will charge three devices at most, including 2 iPhones and/or AirPods and Apple Watch.
The iPhone X still offers Lightning Port as well which means that you can take the old-school route and plug-to-charge your iPhone as well. Nevertheless, Apple is still hopeful that Qi support will be helpful in propelling this standard forward.
As of now, it is a nice addition to iPhone’s feature arsenal and Apple is certainly headed towards an even more robust future for distance-charging. We’ll be able to share more about it after using the feature for some time.
The A11 Bionic In iPhone X
The most important of all features in the new iPhone X is the latest A11 Bionic system-on-a-chip. It’s the incremental release for A10 Fusion chip that Apple released last year and not just includes 2 high-performance cores but there are 4 high-efficiency cores as well. Then, there is latest Image Signal Processor, Neural Networking, and custom GPU that comes built into the device. With A11, the system can be able to use all the cores at a time to offer more of parallel processing capabilities which weren’t there in A10 as much.
Besides, the battery timing is augmented by 2 hours as well. Sounds impressive, isn’t it?
Pricing and Availability Of iPhone X
The next year’s model of iPhone is available this year; however, it does come at a price. All components of the new iPhone X are really expensive, particularly the OLED display. The starting price set by Apple for new iPhones is $999 for 64 GB iPhone X and it increases further for 256 GB model. Yes, the new iPhone will be made available in two storage capacities and also in just two colors i.e. space gray and silver.
If you’re a fan of rose gold, gold and something fierce, you’re certainly not in luck.
If price is not the concern for you – and it won’t be if you’re using some installment plans that work on month-to-month basis –your new iPhone can be pre-ordered on 27th of October and actual sales will start on 3rd of November.
So, when you’ll spend some time with your new iPhone X, you’ll be able to explore more and more of its unique and interesting features. Something like Super Retina Display and Face ID will be most impressive. Just establish your opinion only after using the new iPhone for some reasonable amount of time.
You’ll really love the latest camera systems, back and front of the new model. Your new iPhone is intelligent and secured with Face ID and offers amazing new features like Portrait Lighting. Overall, it’s an exciting new release from Apple and it will definitely capture the praise of the masses.