Image from apple.com
Wait, what? Two new iPhones launch at the same time? Why? What’s the difference?
Let’s talk about it.
Design
- The screen: The iPhone X (pronounced “ten”) has a screen that goes right to the edges, with a small portion that dips down a bit at the top – this houses the front-facing camera and sensors.
- The back: Both new iPhones have glass backs. Are they durable? We’ll have to see.
- The home button: Now here’s a point of contention. The home button remains the same on the iPhone 8, however, when it comes to the iPhone X – say goodbye to the home button and hello to Face ID. That’s right, there’s no more physical home button, but there will be a virtual one (tap to turn the phone on, swipe up for the home screen and down for the control centre), so don’t panic just yet. This will be an interesting adjustment, as gone are the fingerprint sensors – so now you can pay with your face.
- Speaking of Face ID – we’re still undecided on our feelings for this feature. Is it cool? Absolutely. Will it get annoying to hold your phone up to your face to unlock it? Maybe.
- Headphone jack: Still not on either phone – sorry!
- Colour: The iPhone X will only come in black and silver, where the iPhone 8 still comes in gold.
Specs
- A11 bionic processor should lead to longer battery life on both phones
- Screens: iPhone 8 has the same LCD screen as the 7, while the iPhone X has an OLED screen (what Samsung and LG are using). This allows for more vibrant colours and higher resolution (2,436 x 1,135 pixels).
- Back cameras: The iPhone X is similar to the iPhone 8 Plus (dual 12MP cameras with an extra sensor as telephoto zoom lens)
- Front cameras: The iPhone X has a new front-facing camera with Portrait Mode effect (hello, selfies!)
- Size: physically, the iPhone X is the same size as the iPhone 8 (5.8 inches), but due to the maxed-out screen size, it looks bigger
- Features: Both new iPhones are water resistant, and can be wirelessly charged (though Apple’s AirPower mat for wireless charging won’t come out until 2018)
- iOS: Both phones come with iOS 11, which features a new control centre layout that you can customize and updated Siri, along with typical tweaks like more vibrant colours and transitions
Availability
- The iPhone X starts shipping November 3, and the iPhone 8 starts shipping September 22.
Price
- iPhone X – starts at $999 US (for 64GB)
- iPhone 8 – $699 US (for 64GB)
One thing many people have noticed is that Apple has gone from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X. No iPhone 9. Curious…