At the Steve Jobs Theater, on Apple’s new campus, the company introduced several new devices. On top of a the newest model iPhone the 8 there was that line “one more thing” to celebrate the ten year anniversary of the first iPhone, the debut of the iPhone X (iPhone 10). One of the common advances in all devices was the introduction of wireless charging. Wireless charging has long been a feature of newer cell phones and have been a glaring deficiency in recent iPhones. Somewhat surprisingly, Apple will use the Qi charging standard which allows it to be used with most common charging stations.
iPhone X
The belle of the ball was clearly the iPhone X. iPhone X is not just a number upgrade, it is a complete deviation from traditional iPhone design. The iPhone X has an edge-to-edge OLED (2436×1125, 458 PPI) display on the front of the handset. It is made of glass on both the front and back, with a layer of stainless steel in between. The overall size measures 5.8 inches on the diagonal which puts it in line with the Plus size iPhone models. Coming in only two finishes, space gray and silver, which is a callback to the first iPhone models.
As was previously rumored, the iPhone X removed the physical Home button. To wake the display, you need to tap it and swipe up from the bottom; however that is not the only way to get the phone unlocked. The feature given the most conference time was the Face ID function. Face ID uses the new front-facing camera along with 3D sensing facial recognition software to identify your face and unlock your phone.
Apple says that you’ll only have to setup Face ID once, the phone will then recognize your face even if you’ve gotten a haircut, put on glasses, or did something that modifies your face like facial hair or a piercing. Over time the built-in machine learning will learn your face and recognize changes as they develop over time including changes in hair color, or the growth of facial hair. Apple Pay will also use Face ID and will be compatible with third-party apps.
One of the most ridiculous new uses for the fancy facial recognition software was the inclusion of Animojis. Animojis are customizable emojis that can sense and mimic your facial expressions, so you can finally send that personalized poop emoji we’ve all been praying for.
The iPhone X comes in two size models a 64GB for $999 and 256GB for $1149 and can be pre-ordered starting on October 27th which will be released on November 3rd.
iPhone 8
Apple changed up their naming convention cycle, skipping the S model for the full 8. The iPhone 8’s design is based on the 7 and it doesn’t look very different. iPhone 8 and 8 Plus feature glass front and backs which helps aid in the newly introduced wireless charging.
iPhone 8 run Apple’s new A11 Bionic chip that has six cores and 64-bit design. Apple says that it is up to 75 percent faster than the A10 chip. Cameras have also been improved in the 8 models. There is a new 12MP camera and sensor pair that supports optical image stabilization. The Plus has dual cameras similar to the 7 Plus model, however with new sensors.
Portrait lighting also gets an upgrade in the iPhone 8 models. This features senses the scene in which your photo was taken; then automatically adjusts the lighting and contours of the face in the photo to produce a better shot. Portrait lighting analyzes your image and changes it to get the best possible picture; rather than just using a filter on the original image.
The iPhone 8 models will start at $699 for the 64GB, and the iPhone 8 Plus will start at $799. Preorders begin this Friday, September 15th with phones arriving on September 22nd.
