Back in 2017, Apple gave a major gesture to their celebration of the tenth anniversary of the ubiquitous iPhone, by developing and releasing a “special edition” device alongside the actual then-latest-gen iPhone 8 and 8 Plus phones. This one-off smartphone was the iPhone X (being the Roman numeral for “ten”), and it was a showcase of some up and coming mobile tech features that Apple was working on like Face ID. It also removed the signature Home button, a shock. This Wednesday, Apple premiered some new iPhones, and it seems they will expand the iPhone X into its own line.
The Verge reports that Apple’s special event, hosted by CEO Tim Cook at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino on September 12, revealed exactly what the prevailing rumors said would be revealed. These are three new iPhones, and rather than a number like “9” they instead will be spinning off from the “anniversary-issue” iPhone X from 2017, which incidentally was also simultaneously discontinued on this same day that its successors were introduced to the public. Now taking its place as the flagship Apple smartphone is the iPhone XS with its larger variant the XS Max, plus the introductory iPhone XR.
As they are taking after the original iPhone X, Apple made sure that the XS and XS Max feel just like its predecessor. The Max is significantly huge but at the same time looks identical to the regular XS; it also comes across as being far more ergonomic-feeling than the Plus versions of the numbered iPhones. Inside the casing is Apple’s A12 Bionic chip with a 7-nanometer processor, OLED screens (5.8 inches for the XS, 6.5 for the Max), 12-megapixel rear cams, 7-megapixel selfie cam, a higher water/dust resistance rating of IP68, and a Nano-SIM/e-SIM dual support capability. Oh, and no Home button as suspected.
Next is the iPhone XR, a 6.1 inch smartphone that offers the best features and potential of the XS but at a more affordable price range. To wit, it uses an LCD screen and does not have the 3D Touch feature, but it still packs the same A12 chip and dual-SIM support (Nano and e). Rather than the XS stainless steel frame the XR uses aluminum with a glass sandwich design. It also has but one 12-megapixel cam (rear) and only an IP7 resistance rating.
Prices for the new iPhone X models are as follows: $999 for the XS, $1,099 for the XS Max, and $749 for the XR (cheapest in the line so far). Dual Nano-SIM variants of these devices will be manufactured by Apple for markets in Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China. The XS/Max arrives September 21 and the XR October 26.
Image courtesy of ZDNet
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