Apple has announced three new iPhones at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California.
The 2018 models are officially the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. Apple has now completely abandoned the iconic home button design made famous by the original iPhone and opted to push forward with the notch-based iPhone X model.
All three devices will feature notches at the top of the screen, Face ID and a full screen display. Apple also confirmed the new Apple Watch 4, which has been redesigned to allow for bigger screens.
Here’s a breakdown of what makes each one different:
iPhone XS
The incremental ‘S’ update to last year’s iPhone X, the XS features several new updates to go along with the identical body form of the 2017 model. The screen remains a 5.8-inch OLED and, sadly, the headphone jack has not made a surprise return.
New Features:
Apple has given the internals a major boost with the new A12 Bionic chip. The neural engine is now capable of performing five trillion operations per second—compared to 600 billion on the A11 Bionic. The increased power will also allow apps to open up to 30 per cent faster.
The OLED display now has a pixel density of 458 pixels per inch and can display a 60 percent greater range of colors through HDR. Maximum storage on the phone has now risen from 256 GB to 512 GB, the same as the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
The dual-cameras will feature a 12MP wide angle lens and 12MP telephoto lens. The front facing camera will be 7MP, along with an IR lens and dot projector for FaceID. You can also now change the depth of field after taking the photo (think Samsung’s variable aperture, but having full control once the picture is taken.)
The battery is now capable of getting an extra 30 minutes per day compared to the iPhone X.
Apple announced dual-sim dual standby compatibility, meaning you can have two phone numbers. The catch is, the second has to be a digital sim card, like in the Apple Watch.
Release Date:
The iPhone XS will be available for preorder on Friday (September 14) and will ship on September 21.
Sizes:
The iPhone XS will come in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB.
Price:
The iPhone XS will start at $999.
iPhone XS Max
The answer to the question, ‘why isn’t there an iPhone Plus version of the X. Apple have opted to ditch the Plus tag and replace it with Max. Given the enormous 6.5-inch OLED display, it’s probably a fair title.
New Features:
The iPhone XS Max’s new features are identical to the iPhone XS. The only differences come from the screen size—6.5-inch vs 5.8-inch—and the battery life.
The iPhone XS Max will be roughly the same overall size as the iPhone 8 Plus, despite having a screen that is a full inch bigger (diagonally). The battery life can last 90 minutes longer than the iPhone X.
Release Date:
The iPhone XS Max will be available for preorder on Friday (September 14) and will ship on September 21.
Sizes:
The iPhone XS Max will come in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB.
Price:
The iPhone XS Max will start at $1099.
iPhone XR
Apple has released a new budget version of the iPhone for the first time since the iPhone SE in 2016. The XR will have a bigger display than the XS—6.1-inches—however it will only be an LCD screen. Apple has also removed the secondary camera to keep the cost lower.
New Features:
The iPhone XR is built into an aluminium body with the 6.1-inch screen. It is roughly the size between an iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The phone will be water and dust resistant up to IP67.
The screen will be LCD, so not quite Super Retina. But its new “Liquid Retina: will have a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch.
The internal power has been given the same engine as the high-end iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max—the A12 Bionic. The battery life, when compared with the iPhone 8 Plus, will give 90 minutes more per day.
There’s just the single 12MP wide angle lens on the iPhone XR however the front facing camera will come with FaceID.
Release Date:
The iPhone XR will be available for preorder on October 19 and will ship on October 26.
Sizes:
The iPhone XR will come in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.
Price:
The iPhone XR will start at $749.
Colors Available:
Blue, white, black, coral, yellow and Product Red.
Apple Watch
That’s right, we’ve got another update to the Apple Watch. Apple CEO Tim Cook told audience members Apple Watch has become the No. 1 watch in the world. So, here we are with model number 4.
New Features:
The screen size on both models has increased by around 30 percent up to 40mm and 44mm—from 38mm and 42mm. The design has become slightly more curved to allow a better screen to body ratio.
Watch faces have been given a dramatic update to allow more control. Third party apps can now display on the front screen. The ‘Breathe’ app has also been given its own Apple Watch face.
The speaker within the watch is now 50 percent louder for phone calls and Siri responses. The microphone has been moved to the opposite side of the speaker to make phone calls more clear. A new S4 processor will run the watch up to two times faster.
And if you’re clumsy, the Apple Watch 4 will even warn you if you’re about to fall thanks to an updated accelerometer and gyroscope.
One of the biggest new features is the Watch’s ability to take an ECG (electrocardiogram). It will be the first consumer product on the market that can do so.
Battery life will stay the same, at 18-hours.
Release Date:
Order from September 14 and delivers from September 21.
Price:
Starts at $399 for GPS, and $499 for cellular.
Colors:
Silver, gold and space grey in aluminium.
Polished, gold and black stainless steel.
