Apple has officially unveiled iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR at yesterday’s “Gather Round” conference in Cupertino. As you might have already figured out, we have the details, including phone specs, the cost of each model, and the anticipated release date. So without making you wait any further, let’s get right into the nitty gritty.
Information on iPhone XS, XS Max and XR
The iPhone XS is essentially the second-gen version of the iPhone X. It features a 5.8-inch OLED display that was featured on last year’s handset. The XS Max is quite similar to the XS model but is basically a “Plus” version of iPhone XS. The XS Max has an incredible 6.5-inch OLED display panel. Both devices are equipped with a surgical-grade stainless steel frame and provide the same premium feel and look that Apple introduced with iPhone X.
The glass Apple has used on iPhone XS Max and XS, per Apple’s explanation, is the strongest ever to be used on an iDevice handset. These claims have been made before, but honestly, there’s IP68 resistance on offer here, as well as a new Gold color apart from the usual Space Grey and Silver.
The iPhone XR sits between the middle of XS and XS Max in terms of display size and colorful new offerings. There’s multiple colors on offer: Blue, Black, White, Yellow, Coral and (PRODUCT)(RED). Just as it was expected for some time.
It features an OLED-based panel and features an old-school 6.1-inch LCD which Apple refers to as a “Liquid Retina” with a 1792*828 resolution. Similar to the iPhone X, the XR is going to be shipped with the TrueDepth camera system for facilitating the Face ID functionality that made the X popular but won’t be having 3D Touch functionality or the dual-lens rare camera display.
All three handsets feature incredible edge-to-edge displays without any bezel, and an aluminum frame on the iPhone XR, and stainless steel frame on the XS Max and XS.
iPhone XS, XS Max & iPhone XR Camera
The iPhone XS Max and XS feature a dual-camera setup as rumored, but there are significant improvements over the iPhone X. There’s now a f/1.8 12 MP wide-angle lens and new sensors along with a f/2.4 12MP telephoto lens. On the front, there’s a f/2.2 7 MP RGB camera with a quicker sensor, coupled with the Dot projector and IR camera.
Not only has the Portrait Mode received improvements, but with the integration of Neural Engine inside visual processing, the iPhone XS Max and XS is said to process the images quicker and more accurately. Also, Apple has taken HDR out, and replaced it with smart HDR. We’ll see how smart it has become once camera results come in. But at the moment, you can now enjoy the ability to make adjustments to depth-of-field, after capturing the image. It’s been purported as “Depth Control”.
When it comes to the iPhone XR, the camera “TrueDepth” is still present, but on the backside, you get a wide-angle 12MP lens – the same is present in the iPhone XS Max and XS along with all the other good functionality, like Portrait Lighting and Smart HDR. However, iPhone XR doesn’t have Depth Control.
Specifications, Release Date & Price
You have probably already watched Apple’s event with significant interest and heard everything about the new devices. However, it’s always worth revisiting device specs in order to know which one suits your requirements best, both currently and in the upcoming months.
Display stands at 5.-inch for the XS, while iPhone XS Max stands at 6.5-inch, with a 2688*1242 on the MS Max and 2436*1125 on the XS. The OLED display now has 60 percent higher dynamic range compared to the last year’s X. The XS Max has a slight benefit when it comes to the sound, as it offers a broader stereo sound. That said, all the handsets can record stereo voice.
Of course, there’s the secure biometric, faster and newer experience to look forward to. Apple says that not only the Face ID is quicker on the XS Max and XS, but the Secure Enclave is now more secure than ever. Also, at the heart of the new devices – including the XR version – there’s the new A12 Bionic processor and the faster LTE chip that offers a quicker LTE connection. In the industry, the A12 is the first 7nm chip, and offers a 15 percent increase in performance compared to A11, with the GPU of A12 gaining a 50 percent increase over the GPU of A11.
Also, for the very first time, there’s going to be a 512GB storage option on an iPhone. The XR won’t include this option, but it’s available on both XS Max and XS.
On the battery side, no specific numbers are mentioned, but with the XS, there’s a battery life that’ll last 30 minutes more than the iPhone X, or 90 minutes more with the XS Max above the iPhone X.
Dual-SIM is also present, and will be offered on all three of the new devices. That said, there’s going to be one support for 3-SIM and one support for physical SIM. That won’t please many people. However, Chinese people would be able to use two physical SIM cards on the new devices.
Apart from the new features, we look forward to the release date. However, after the X’s released last year and the price beginning at $999, the associated price tag is one of the most vital factors of any iPhone release. For the 2018 iPhones, here’s the price.
- iPhone XR ($749) – 64, 128, 256 GB
- iPhone XS ($999) – 64, 256, 512 GB
- iPhone XS Max ($1099) – 64, 246, 512 GB
Release Date
Apple is already taking pre-orders for XS Max and XS from September 14. Devices will start being received next week, starting September 24. For those looking forward to XR, pre-orders will begin on 19th October.
