Given the reports of falling demand for iPhones, Apple will clearly have to work hard to make the flagships of 2019 attractive to fans of the brand. We tell you what to expect from the iPhone XI, and what features we will not see for at least another year.
Everything we know about the 2019 iPhone - XI / XT / 11
release date
Apple announced the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR on September 12, 2018, but the release dates for these models differed. So, the iPhone XS and XS Max were available for pre-order from September 14 and went on sale on September 21. At the same time, pre-orders for the iPhone XR only opened on October 19, and the release took place a week later, on October 26.
If Apple sticks to its usual schedule, the presentation of the new iPhones will take place on Tuesday, September 10th. Pre-orders are likely to open on September 13, and new items will go on sale on September 20.
Name
Apple deviated from the usual naming scheme in 2017 when it announced the iPhone X (pronounced “iPhone ten”), then in 2018 we got the iPhone XS and iPhone XR (“iPhone ten es” and “iPhone ten er”, respectively). That is, Apple went from the iPhone 8 straight to the iPhone XR, and we never saw the iPhone 9.
Given the appearance of X in the names, it has become more difficult to guess what the 2019 iPhones will be called. iPhone XI or iPhone 11 (and, accordingly, iPhone XI Max or iPhone 11 Max) are the most likely, but the name of the updated iPhone XR remains a mystery.
Less popular options include the iPhone XT and just a "new iPhone" that does away with numbering entirely (as the company now does with standard iPads).
At the same time, Apple may choose a completely new name, as was the case with the iPhone X, and due to the fact that only code names are used in production and commercial names are never disclosed, it is pointless to expect secrets from insiders here.
Design: notch or not notch?
Most analysts agree that the design of the flagship model will remain the same as in the iPhone XS. And this means that the notch that appeared in 2017 and migrated to 2018 iPhones will remain with us in 2019.
But the notch itself is likely to decrease.
A report published by ETNews says that Apple has done a lot of work to bring the front camera and Face ID components together as much as possible. Thanks to this, the engineers were able to reduce the size of the modules and sensors located at the top of the display and reduce the size of the notch.
Or maybe a recess in general down with? This, of course, is unlikely, but the chances are still not zero.
Hopes for this appeared in March 2018, when Apple patented a smartphone design without a notch in the display. Interestingly, in the patent description, Apple acknowledges that front-facing camera modules integrated into the display may be “aesthetically unappealing.”
After that, the Dutch blog MobileKopen discovered another patent describing a way to place camera modules and Face ID sensors in holes in the display. In January, AMS, a supplier of Face ID components, announced a technology that can reduce the size of the notch. Of all the above, most likely, it is the latest development that will be used in the 2019 iPhone.
Specifications for iPhone XI and iPhone XI Max
Apart from the design changes, the new generation of iPhone is also expected to be the most powerful ever. In particular, we are waiting for a new processor, next-generation cameras, improved performance and energy efficiency, and possibly a new connector and support for Apple Pencil.
Display
Over the past few years, Apple has been working with various OLED display manufacturers to rely less on Samsung. It is this South Korean company that supplies displays for Phone X, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. In particular, Apple considered the possibility of cooperation with Japan Display, and also stimulated LG Display to develop an OLED division, and also purchased equipment for the production of such displays in Taiwan.
Apple is reportedly planning to phase out LCD altogether and equip even lower-end models with OLED displays, but it is not known if this will happen in 2019 as OLED is still quite expensive to manufacture. Rumors are divided: someone claims that this year we will see LCD in the younger model, someone says that OLED will rule the show already in this generation.
One way or another, the flagship iPhone XI (or whatever Apple calls it) will definitely get an OLED display, and, most likely, even thinner and lighter than the iPhone XS, thanks to Samsung's Y-OCTA technology, which integrates the touchscreen into itself. display. It is unlikely that this will have a strong effect on the thickness, since these displays were not thick anyway, but Apple is attracted to this technology, including as a way to reduce the cost of production.
As for 3D Touch, it was not in last year's iPhone XR and there is information that in 2019 it will not be in any of the models. This was announced by Blaine Curtis, an analyst at Barclays. The Wall Street Journal agreed with him and added that all three 2019 iPhones are likely to “inherit” the Haptic Touch technology introduced with the iPhone XR.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted that 3D Touch will disappear from iPhones because it increases the cost of devices, but at the same time does not add enough new functionality and is not very popular.
Processor A13
Apple has been working with Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) for several years to develop new processors for the iPhone, and it doesn't look like the pattern will change this year. Industry analysts back in August 2018 reported that Apple had signed a contract to supply processors for the next generation of iPhones exclusively with TSMC.
Little is known about the Apple A13 yet, other than that it will be made on a 7nm process with ultraviolet lithography and will be even more powerful than the Apple A12 Bionic in the iPhone XS and XS Max. In addition to the standard improvements in overall performance and graphics power, we're also expecting another leap in machine learning with Apple's Neural Engine to power the next generation of AR apps.
There will be no 5G (but there will be Wi-Fi 6)
Although some manufacturers will launch their first 5G smartphones this year - including Samsung, LG and OnePlus - it seems that Apple will once again not rush to innovate. A Bloomberg report shows that we likely won't see 5G support in iPhones until 2020. And this can hardly be called critical, because in 2019, operators are just starting to deploy 5G infrastructure, and it will not be possible to catch 5G everywhere, even if your smartphone can work in these networks.
On the other hand, the 2019 iPhones will support Wi-Fi 6, which will provide faster Internet now, and not when Russian carriers finally have a 5G network ready for operation.
cameras
As already mentioned, the appearance of the iPhone XI will be practically no different from last year's iPhone XS, but the devil, as they say, is in the details. In particular, one of the three iPhones in 2019 (most likely, we are talking about the updated iPhone XS Max) will have a camera consisting of three modules. And this, surprisingly, is a problem, since Apple's triple camera renders look, to say the least, unusual:
Luckily, leaker @OnLeaks has reported that Apple itself has not yet decided on the design of this year's flagship, and two prototypes are being developed in parallel, of which only one will be used in the final product. He also attached a render of the second design, which, to be honest, looks much more ergonomic than the square module version:
Either way, it's obvious that Apple will have a hard time convincing users that this smartphone, with the design we're seeing for the third year in a row, is truly innovative. Therefore, playing on visual differences (especially as catchy as a square camera) and an additional lens for better pictures and videos is a great marketing ploy.
At the same time, the regular iPhone XI will get a dual camera like its predecessor, but the sensor itself will be better. So, the Indian site CompareRaja revealed what resolution the lenses of the “regular” iPhone XI will have: 14 and 10 megapixels. Since Apple has previously relied on a 12-megapixel main module, the new camera will really be able to show better results. The characteristics of the third module in the iPhone XI Max have not yet been disclosed.
According to The Korea Herald, Apple is “considering” adding Apple Pencil support to the next generation iPhone. This is also reported by another South Korean publication, The Investor (however, its authority is much more controversial compared to THH). However, Kuo also reported that Apple Pencil support is possible in the iPhone 2019. Note that it is possible that only the iPhone XI Max will receive stylus support - just like Samsung adds S Pen only to the Note series flagships.
USB-C instead of Lightning?
Jean-Baptiste Su, an analyst at Atherton Research, believes that Apple will ditch Lightning and move to a USB-C port in new iPhones, as it already did with the 2018 iPad Pro. However, rumors about this are quite contradictory.
So, the Japanese site Mac Otakara also believes that the iPhone 2019 could potentially get a USB-C port, based on data from insiders. For now, Apple can still change the decision about which port to use in new models, so the situation here is the same as in the case of the location of the camera modules in the iPhone XI Max.
According to Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka @OnLeaks), who is said to have information on the 2019 iPhone prototypes, the new iPhones definitely use Lightning connectors.
Detailed review.
iPhone XS is a 5.8-inch Apple smartphone that was presented at a presentation on September 12, 2018. The iPhone XS features a 5.8-inch OLED display, a glass back, a powerful system based on the revolutionary A12 processor, 4GB of RAM, a dual vertical camera and many other features. In this review, we talked in detail about all the pros and cons of the iPhone XS.
Equipment - horror
What if it's short? The package bundle only got worse compared to the iPhone X - the adapter from 3.5 mm to Lightning disappeared from it. A high power charger is not included. Owners will have to buy the necessary accessories for fast charging for their hard-earned money.
The iPhone XS comes in a traditional compact rectangular box. The box looks quite ordinary, but its content has changed somewhat compared to last year's smartphones. The smartphone comes with EarPods with Lightning connector, USB/Lightning cable, 5W charging adapter and documentation.
Did you notice the loss? Yes, the kit does not come with an adapter from the 3.5 mm jack to Lightning that died a couple of years ago. This means that if you want to listen to music on your brand new smartphone while using your favorite 3.5mm headphones, you will have to go to the store first. And give there 690 rubles for an adapter.
Specifically, this feature of the configuration disappointed us slightly. There is another, which leaves a much larger unpleasant aftertaste. Included with a very expensive smartphone is the most common 5W charging adapter. It will take almost two hours to charge a smartphone using such an adapter. There is no question of any fast charging out of the box.
To be able to charge the smartphone faster, the new owner will need to run to the store again to buy a more powerful charger. The minimum spending is 1,590 rubles. For this money, you can purchase a 12W iPad power adapter. Charging will become noticeably faster, but not as fast as possible.
For full-fledged fast charging, which allows you to charge your iPhone by 50% in 30 minutes, you will need to buy a 30 W USB-C adapter (3,590 rubles) and a USB-C cable (1,790 rubles). Thus, after buying a smartphone for a lot of money, the buyer needs to pay Apple more than 5,000 rubles for accessories. There is little pleasure in this.
On the other hand, Apple did the same last year when it released the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Smartphones also received support for fast charging, but the necessary accessories were not included. In other words, there is no reason to be surprised at such a decision by Apple.
Name
What if it's short? The new iPhone XS is properly called "iPhone Ten Es". However, in Russia the name “iPhone Ten Es” has already taken root.
Before the Apple presentation, the company's new flagship was called differently. The smartphone was predicted by the names iPhone 11, iPhone XI, iPhone X 2, and even the very unlikely name iPhone Pro. The real name of the flagship was revealed a couple of weeks before the presentation. A major leak has indicated that Apple's new 5.8-inch smartphone will be called the iPhone XS. And so it happened.
With this name, Apple emphasized that the iPhone XS is an improved version of the iPhone X, and not a completely new generation model. However, like any previous iPhone with the prefix "s", the iPhone XS received a lot of new features.
What is the name of the iPhone XS? At the Apple presentation, company executives called the smartphone "iPhone ten es" - this is the official name. In the people, of course, the smartphone will be called differently. In Russia, for example, the name “x es” may take root, since the original iPhone X was often called “x”.
Design
What if it's short? The iPhone XS is still the same iPhone X in terms of design, not a single overtly obvious change. The only major change is the new gold body color, which differs from the gold that Apple has used in previous smartphones with more depth.
In its appearance, the iPhone XS is not much different from the iPhone X that preceded it. The front and back surfaces of the smartphone are covered with a new generation of protective tempered glass. According to Apple, the glass is the most durable ever used in smartphones. True, crash tests proved that glass continued to be glass. If you drop your smartphone from arm's length onto a hard surface, the glass is highly likely to crack. As for the collection of scratches, for several months of careful use without a case, no incidents occurred. Not even micro scratches appeared on the case.
The glass is connected by a stainless steel frame. Note that some users cursed that the frame would peel off over time. However, there were very few such reviews. And the frames of the iPhone X in our edition remained in perfect condition.
The shape of the body has not changed in principle. The case is slightly rounded at the corners, in the traditional style of Apple smartphones. Due to the minimal bezels of the display, the case looks slightly elongated. But the dimensions because of this are not huge. They are 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm. The indicator is identical to the iPhone X.
Almost the entire front surface of the case is occupied by the display. There are minimal bezels on the sides and bottom. The top bezel is much more prominent, but the sides are cut off. Yes, Apple has decided not to abandon the “monobrow” yet.
The top end of the case is empty. On the right is the power button, on the left are the volume buttons and the sound mode switch. At the bottom end there are speaker grilles and a classic Lightning connector. Despite some rumors, the transition to USB-C did not take place.
The new iPhone XS is very similar to the iPhone X, but Apple still singled out the model from its predecessor. The smartphone was released in three body colors (the iPhone X was released only in two): silver, gray and brand new gold. The new gold color has really not been used by the company in any of the devices before. Compared to the "regular" gold, the new color is much more intense. Each color is applied to the case using a unique PVD coating method to achieve a glossy effect.
The experience of using the iPhone XS is no different from the iPhone X, of course, if you switch from one smartphone to another. A brand new smartphone is in the hand and no novelty is felt. And where would it come from if the design and even the dimensions of smartphones are identical. If you switch to the iPhone XS from earlier Apple smartphones, which are still made in the old design, then there will be a lot of emotions from the novelty. Unusual gestures will also surprise you, allowing you to control your smartphone without the Home button, and the display in the entire front surface, and the glass back surface.
Display
What if it's short? The smartphone has a 5.8-inch OLED display with highest resolution, brightness and contrast. All the main characteristics of the iPhone XS screen are identical to the iPhone X, but there are a couple of important "chips". This is immediately increased by 60% dynamic range of the display, due to which the colors look brighter and more saturated, and support for content with a frame rate of 120 Hz.
iPhone XS comes with a full 5.8-inch OLED Super Retina HD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The display resolution is 1125×2436 pixels (pixel density per inch is 463 ppi). The iPhone X has a similar figure. This means that developers do not have to update their applications specifically for a smartphone.
The screen covers 81.4% of the front surface of the smartphone. Apple achieved this result by reducing the bezels around the display.
The display brightness is 625 cd / m² - an excellent indicator for OLED displays. The image on the smartphone will be perfectly visible on the street on a bright sunny day. The screen supports Apple's proprietary True Tone technology, which automatically adjusts the temperature of the display depending on the ambient light. The display contrast is 1000000:1.
Despite numerous rumors, support for 3D Touch in the smartphone has not disappeared. The iPhone XS recognizes how hard you press the display, just like previous models since the iPhone 6s. Recall that according to rumors, Apple intends to abandon 3D Touch technology in the future.
The display also supports HDR10 and DolbyVision. Support for the extended P3 color format has also not gone away - due to it, the display is so bright and saturated.
Comparison of iPhone XS and iPhone 8 displays
Comparison of iPhone XS and iPhone 8 Plus displays
Comparison of iPhone XS and iPhone SE displays
The screen is equipped with support for an advanced color management system that works at the iOS level and displays any content in a wide color spectrum.
Sound
What if it's short? It sounds VERY loud and rich. The stereo speakers of the smartphone are immediately 50% louder than in the iPhone X and the difference is really noticeable.
Apple engineers have given Special attention sound. The stereo speakers of the smartphone began to sound 50% louder compared to the iPhone X. The company specifically wanted to achieve this result, since support for Dolby Vision and HDR formats will allow owners to enjoy movies not only with a high-quality rich picture, but also with surround sound.
Characteristics
What if it's short? iPhone XS is the fastest smartphone in the world. It is equipped with an innovative six-core Apple A12 processor, which performs any tasks instantly. And thanks to the second-generation Neural Engine machine learning module, the chip is constantly self-learning and improves the functions of both the iPhone XS itself and iOS 12.
The smartphone is based on the revolutionary Apple A12 Bionic processor. Its main feature is the technological process by which it was created. TSMC used the 7nm FinFET process to create the A12 Bionic processor. For comparison, the iPhone X is powered by the A11 Bionic chip, which is made using a 10nm process technology.
The iPhone XS was the first smartphone in the world to feature a 7nm processor. Moreover, competitors will not soon catch up with Apple. At the moment, only TSMC is capable of producing such processors - other companies have problems.
A12 Bionic includes a six-core computing processor. The four cores of the chip are responsible for efficiency, the remaining two for performance. When the iPhone XS performs a complex task, such as running a "heavy" game or application, the performance cores are activated at full capacity. They are also assisted by energy efficient cores. Thanks to this, even complex tasks are completed instantly.
But if the most ordinary everyday tasks are performed on the smartphone, then only energy-efficient cores work. Their power is enough to launch applications very quickly, move between them, etc. without a lot of energy. Such a system allows you to spend significantly less resources. Up to 50% smaller than iPhone X.
The system-on-chip A12 Bionic integrates a quad-core GPU, which was also developed by Apple. Its key feature is the support for lossless data compression technology. It opens up completely new possibilities for both users and developers.
The third important component of the A12 Bionic system-on-chip is the second-generation Neural Engine machine learning module. It is capable (and does it all the time) of executing five trillion instructions per second. This phenomenal indicator allows the A12 Bionic processor to self-learn much faster. For the user, all of this means that iOS 12 features that use machine learning data work better. For example, searching for pictures in the Photos app starts even before a person has entered a query.
What does the new A12 Bionic processor, made using a completely new technology, give? Productive power! iPhone XS is the fastest smartphone in history. He took over this title from his predecessor iPhone X and immediately went ahead.
The smartphone is up to 70% faster than the iPhone X thanks to the new processor. The increase in productivity is manifested literally in everything. It opens apps and games faster, performs complex operations, encodes videos, and more. The difference in speed is visible to the naked eye. Notably, the iPhone X felt like a perfectly fast smartphone. However, Apple clearly proved that the iPhone can be even faster.
In synthetic tests, the iPhone XS easily outperformed the previous leader - the iPhone X. In the single-core test mode, the difference was not the biggest - 4835 points against 4320. The flagships of other companies lost significantly.
Even more confident iPhone XS performed in testing in multi-core mode. The six-core A12 Bionic processor left no chance for any other smartphone, including the iPhone X.
At the same time, the A12 Bionic processor is more energy efficient. It uses less power, allowing iPhone to last longer without needing to be recharged.
The amount of RAM has also increased. If the iPhone X had 3 GB, then the iPhone XS already has 4 GB. The increased amount of “RAM” will allow the smartphone to keep more applications in memory and perform much more demanding tasks.
Built-in memory
iPhone XS has 64, 256 or 512 GB of internal memory. Previously, no Apple smartphone was equipped with 512 GB of internal memory, the maximum was 256 GB in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Thus, the smartphone has doubled the maximum amount of internal memory.
face ID
What if it's short? The Face ID facial recognition feature on iPhone XS just got even better. The function itself has not received significant improvements, but due to the improvement of the Secure Enclave security module, face detection for users is noticeably faster.
Thanks to the fast-paced A12 Bionic chip, the Face ID feature has also been accelerated. It identifies the user and unlocks the smartphone much faster. Also, the speed of Face ID was affected by the accelerated Secure Enclave security module. He began to compare the saved map of the user's face and the face of the person itself faster. The speed of recognition, and with it unlocking the iPhone or confirming a purchase, has increased. It is important to note that the iPhone XS still does not have Face ID 2.0. The face scanner, like the original iPhone X, creates a map of the user's face by projecting 30,000 points onto it.
Feelings from using Face ID are ambiguous due to the fact that in the iPhone X there was no dissatisfaction with the speed of the face recognition function. Improvements could only be tracked in a direct direct comparison of Face ID in both smartphones. The smartphone reacts a little earlier, but the difference cannot be called striking. As for stability, it is in full order for the first few days of active use. Face ID detects a face while standing, sitting, lying down, in the dark, at an angle, and as you like.
The only thing that the Face ID function has not learned is to work in landscape orientation. We are waiting for such an innovation in the next generation iPhone.
Battery and Charging
What if it's short? The iPhone XS is a real long-liver. The smartphone quietly keeps 23 hours of talk time, and in everyday mode can work freely for two days.
iPhone XS is powered by a 2658 mAh lithium-ion battery. An L-shaped battery consists of two connected cells. For the first time, Apple applied such a solution in the iPhone X and, apparently, it will be implemented in the company's smartphones in the future.
Battery life has increased by 30 minutes compared to the iPhone X. This means that the smartphone has up to 20 hours of talk time.
The smartphone supports fast charging. Using a powerful power adapter, you can charge your smartphone up to 50% in just 30 minutes. The model also supports wireless charging, the speed of which has increased significantly compared to the iPhone X.
Water protection
What if it's short? iPhone XS is not afraid of water. A smartphone can be thrown to a depth of up to two meters and kept there for 30 minutes - nothing will happen to it. And that's just the official specs. In fact, and this was confirmed by testing, the iPhone XS can easily withstand diving to much greater depths.
Few people expected this, but Apple has increased the degree of protection against water and dust. Apple's latest smartphone is protected from dust particles and moisture according to the IP68 standard. This means that dust, in principle, cannot get under the body of the device, and under water the smartphone will calmly last for 30 minutes (at a depth of up to two meters). Previous water-resistant iPhones were IP67 rated.
It is important to note that these are only the declared characteristics. In fact, a smartphone can stay at greater depths without a threat to its life. Subjecting the iPhone to such tests on purpose, of course, few people would think of. But future owners should know that if their smartphone suddenly falls to a great depth in a river or sea, then even if the depth exceeds two meters, nothing will happen to it.
iPhone XS is protected not only from water, but also from various other liquids. Nothing will happen to the smartphone even after immersion in milk, juice or beer.
cameras
What if it's short? The dual camera specs of the iPhone XS are misleading at first glance, as they simply don't differ from the iPhone X's camera. But Apple has made some very important improvements to the new smartphone's camera. Deeper pixels, a new image processor, and support for the unique Smart HDR mode enable iPhone XS to capture phenomenal photos.
The main camera is quite familiar to the iPhone X - double, located vertically and decently protruding from the body. The camera resolution is 12 megapixels. Wide-angle lens aperture - f/1.8 telephoto lens - f/2.4. The camera supports 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom. Both modules support optical image stabilization.
Noticed? All key camera specs are the same as the iPhone X. But important additional specs that Apple doesn't list directly in the specs have been improved. First of all, the pixels have increased, the size of which is 1.4 microns (against 1.2 microns in the iPhone X). This figure is far from a record. Many much cheaper smartphones even two years ago had cameras with deeper pixels. However, the increased pixel size helped noticeably improve image quality.
The second important improvement is the support for the smartphone's camera by the new image processor, which is built into the A12 Bionic chip. The specific characteristics of this processor are unknown, but Apple says that thanks to it, the overall quality of the shooting is also seriously improved.
A key software improvement to the camera comes in Portrait mode, which lets you capture photos with a depth-of-field effect. The creation of bokeh effect when shooting in Portrait mode has been improved. Both the background and the subject have become noticeably more accurate, which has increased the overall quality.
The "Portrait" mode has got support for a new feature called "Depth". It allows you to adjust the depth of field in a portrait photo after shooting. To do this, you only need to go to the "Camera" application and twist the slider.
In addition, the camera received support for the new Smart HDR mode. Like conventional HDR, its "smart" version achieves detail in the darkest and lightest areas of the picture. But Smart HDR does it in a special way, using the full power of the new signal processor. As a result, the manifestation of details is much more noticeable. And here it is worth noting that Apple was not the first to create such a function. For the first time, such a solution was used by Google in the Pixel smartphone.
Also iPhone XS can shoot video with stereo sound. Since the smartphone itself has stereo speakers, it will be possible to fully view and listen to such videos directly on the iPhone.
Sample photos on iPhone XS
Daytime photography on iPhone XS
Superb detail, even when the lighting isn't perfect.
The iPhone XS camera is definitely the best in capturing detail of any Apple smartphone.
And one more example of the ability of the iPhone XS camera to capture details in the farthest plans.
When shooting against the sun, the frame does not lose detail.
A vivid example of the fact that Apple decided to stick to its tradition in the iPhone XS and not “tint” the colors in the photo. The color reproduction is made as realistic as possible, as we see in reality. The iPhone camera does not apply any filters by default.
In the picture below, the "correctness" of the camera's color reproduction is proved once again. Notice how the bright objects in the background are really bright, because they are. "Coloring" the entire photo does not occur. Yes, for some this may seem like a minus.
Shooting moving objects on camera is a pleasure. No blurring or any other defects.
The portrait mode has been improved, but in most cases you will not be able to see a clear difference from the iPhone X. Both smartphones take great photos with bokeh effect. And not just excellent, perhaps the best among smartphones.
Night shooting
However, in terms of night shooting The iPhone still, of course, has room to grow. In the lower photo, you can see the clear work of noise reduction in the sky and in distant parts of the frame. However, it is in this case that the fine detailing of the main object draws out.
Night photos are excellent, especially if you "catch" on any illuminated objects.
However, even if you shoot not specifically a light source, you get quite excellent pictures.
Video examples
Daylight example
During the day, you can shoot amazing videos with the highest detail and honest color reproduction.
Night shot example
The camera allows you to shoot great videos even in low light conditions. Please note that due to the lack of lighting in the videos below, the overall picture does not suffer and obviously noticeable flaws are not visible.
Front-camera
What if it's short? The front camera of the iPhone XS supports Smart HDR mode and the new Depth feature, and also has improved stabilization when shooting video.
The front camera has a resolution of 7 megapixels and f / 2.2 aperture. The key features of the front camera are the Portrait mode for taking selfies with the effect of depth of field and support for various portrait lighting effects. The portrait mode for the front camera received identical improvements as for the main camera: improved bokeh effect and the "Depth" function. Also, the front camera is equipped with a new advanced video stabilization function.
But if you look back at the iPhone X, then the iPhone XS is less impressive. The new Apple smartphone is no doubt better in all respects, but really innovative technologies smartphone is not used. The iPhone XS is a typical Apple smartphone with an "S" prefix. It is good, but too similar to the previous generation model. And what is important, it is similar not only in appearance or set of functions, but also in terms of sensations from use.
With this in mind, the second assessment of the iPhone XS, as the successor to the iPhone X, will be lower - 7.5/10.
When will the iPhone 11(Xl) be released? What will it have characteristics and how much will it cost?
In today's realities, the competition for any large company producing smartphones is huge. In order to stay afloat and not lose your own audience, you need to be competitive by delivering the latest technologies to the market in a timely manner at adequate prices.
Apple is no exception, because in order for products to remain a brand, it is necessary to maintain interest in their own products among users. So, despite the time frame, the iPhone 11(Xl) will soon be released, which will bring a large number of innovations to the iPhone line.
Release date of iPhone 9 and iPhone 11(Xl) in Russia and the world (Sales start date)
The release of the new iPhone 9 and iPhone 11(Xl) is scheduled for September 2018. In turn, we will receive more detailed information about its characteristics at the global conference for developers on Apple platforms. In the same way, at this conference, updated, accessories in the form and long-awaited will be presented.
However, in 2017, the company began selling its new devices at different times. The iPhone X came out a month after the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Whether this was done intentionally or for objective reasons is unknown. Apple may have deliberately held back the iPhone X in order to sell more iPhone 8s, but most likely there were some manufacturing problems, such as a shortage of components.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo doesn't think Apple will miss its favorite date in 2018. Kuo believes that the company will try to introduce all of its new models at the same time. "Apple wants to deliver its products seamlessly and on time," he said in an insight note.
What new models will Apple release in 2018?
Japan's Nikkei, citing "an Apple product design source," reports that we should expect two new models with OLED screens (6.3 and 5.8 inches OLED) and one phone with an innovative liquid crystal display that differs from predecessor with lower power consumption (TFT-LCD, 6.1 inches).
Ming-Chi Kuo believes that all three new items will be released in the fall. They will be united by a similar All-Screen design (a screen over almost the entire frontal area) with a familiar slot. Most likely the devices will be called: iPhone 9, iPhone 9 Plus and iPhone 11(Xl).
What will be the price of the new iPhone 11(Xl) and iPhone 9?
Apple marketed the iPhone X as a premium phone with a premium price (minimum £999/$999), while the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus cost £699/$699 and £799/$799 respectively.
Based on the information of the Chinese edition of Economic Daily, in 2018 it will be possible to purchase a relatively cheap phone “for iPhone X”. This "budget" version of the iPhone 11 has already been codenamed "Hangzhou", and the more expensive version is "Lisbon".
Most likely, the statements of the Economic Daily are based on the opinion of Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes that Apple will introduce a cheaper iPhone. It will have most of the features of the iPhone X, including a bezel-less display.
However, in order to reduce the cost of the device, manufacturers will install a screen on liquid crystals and thin-film transistors (TFT-LCD), as a result, due to the reduced number of pixels, the cost will be reduced.
According to Kuo, the budget novelty will cost $649-749, while its brothers will cost about $1099-1199.
The main design changes of the new iPhones
There is reason to believe that in 2018 all Apple's flagships will have a screen almost across the entire frontal area, like the iPhone X. This means that the successors of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, as well as the successor to the iPhone X, will be frameless, with the Face unlock function. ID", and do not support the "Home" button. In iPhone 11, the design will not be radically new.
On the front of the smartphone, at the top, we will most likely find the usual slot, and in it the FaceTime camera and facial recognition sensors. Appearance may well change by 2019. South Korean media outlet (ET News) reports that Apple "wants to combine the facial recognition module with the camera module." If so, the slot will become smaller.
Is the back panel metal or glass?
According to the Nikkei, Apple wants to hedge their bets when it comes to materials. In the fall of 2018, two phones with organic semiconductor (OLED) screens and one with a liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) will be released. It is for the second model that the back panel will most likely be metal. Because of this, it is unlikely to boast a wireless charging function.
Also, in May 2014, Apple received a patent for "Electronic Devices with Side Displays". This means that in the future the iPphone screen will be not only on the front, but also on the side surface. The side display becomes a continuation of the front one, and it is also touch-sensitive.
Representatives of the company say that on the sides it will be possible to place application icons, a swipe unlock function, music player buttons, information about messages and a caller, system buttons and much more.
It seems to us that one problem will arise with such screens: it will be impossible to put a case on a smartphone without losing functionality, and without a case it can be accidentally broken.
OLED, LCD-TFT and Micro LED screens
What screens will the three new iPhones have? In November 2017, Kuo revealed that two of the new 2018 models will feature OLED displays, like the iPhone X, while a third will have an LCD-TFT screen. For this reason, the last of these devices will be cheaper. Unfortunately, the resolution of this model will also be lower.
The analyst also predicts that the "budget" variant will have a 6.1-inch screen, slightly larger than the more expensive 5.8-inch device.
“The two OLED models are very high-tech products, while the TFT-LCD model is aimed at people on a budget. We believe that the main difference between the first and second models is the size. Different dimensions of smartphones are designed to meet the various needs of users of Apple products. The new model with a TFT-LCD screen will be significantly different from the first two in terms of hardware and design, for example, the pixel density will be lower. The buyer will be attracted first of all big screen and 3D Touch for reasonable money (around $649-$749),” Kuo said.
It is also reported that Apple is working on the introduction of screens on miniature light-emitting diodes (Micro LED). Initially, they will most likely appear on the Apple Watch, as it used to be with OLED, and after the technology can be implemented on the iPhone.
In 2014, Apple acquired LuxVue, a company that specializes in miniature LEDs, proving the company's interest in the technology.
Miniature LED screens are very sensitive, functional and durable. They consume little power and still produce very bright and clear images with rich colors.
You can challenge this claim by saying that OLED displays have the same characteristics. Yes - it's true, but miniature LEDs provide lower power consumption and longer life.
The new technology may appear in the Apple Watch in 2018, and in the iPhone a year later.
The most important new features of the iPhone 11 (Xl), what's new?
As mentioned earlier, in order to remain competitive, it is necessary to bring the latest technology to the market at affordable prices.
iPhone 11 is not an absolute copy of previous versions in an updated design. It should make a big contribution to the smartphone industry by bringing innovation in its own body.
Face ID on all models…but Touch ID still available
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a report predicting that Apple will roll out its new Face ID technology to all phones expected in fall 2018, as an in-screen fingerprint scanner (Touch ID) remains a technologically challenging option. However, she may not disappear anywhere.
Kuo warns that Apple's plans depend on user feedback on the security and health of Face ID. If a large number of complaints follow, implying difficult, frustrating use with intermittent failures, the company will devote more resources to solving problems with Touch ID.
Apple used "Face ID" technology in the iPhone X, but has also explored the possibility of integrating Touch ID into a smartphone or tablet display. The company filed a patent for on-screen Touch ID back in January 2013.
The patent describes how to put your finger on the screen to scan the fingerprint. An earlier version of the scanner was located on the Home button. The touch screen is covered with a layer that reads the print. The technology allows several people to use one gadget with varying degrees of access.
The setting is quite flexible and supports restricted usage. So a person, putting a finger, gets access only to certain applications. This is a useful feature if there are kids in the family who like to dig into their parent's iPhone or iPad.
And that is not all. The technology can be used in applications for learning to play the piano, and specifically for practicing the correct position of the fingers.
It would seem that quite recently we got acquainted with 4G, and now gigabit LTE is on the way - an intermediate standard on the way to 5G. It looks like the flagship iPhone will support this technology.
Gigabit LTE can provide download speeds of up to 1000 megabits per second (in practice, the speed will be much lower). Gigabit LTE-enabled smartphones pick up a signal at great distances from the tower, they will not lose connection even if there are many other devices around, looking for connections, for example, in a crowded area.
Some phones already support the new technology (Galaxy Note 8). Unfortunately, the iPhone X does not have this capability.
The gigabit LTE standard is currently only available at the Tech City test sites in London and also in Cardiff. But in 2018, the technology will begin to spread across Britain. Then the phones that support it will show what they can do in terms of upload and download speed.
Remote wireless charging
Wireless charging, available to owners of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, with modern technological development is not surprising. We put the device on a special rug, and the process has begun. Convenient, but the essence remains the same: the two elements must be in contact with each other.
A Bloomberg spokesperson believes that Apple is already developing a wireless charger that can charge the device from a distance. The work is based on magnetic resonance of the near field. While it is about one meter, but there is an opinion that the plans are much more ambitious.
The new iPhone will ship with L-shaped batteries from LG
Economic Daily says Apple has chosen Korea's LG Chem as the exclusive battery supplier for its next generation iPhones. According to an unnamed source, LG has invested "hundreds of billions" in equipment and will begin full-scale production in early 2018, just in time for the release of the iPhone 11.
But that's not all, either. The battery in the next-generation iPhone will be in the shape of the letter L. They say the shape has been changed for better use. inner space and reducing charging time, which is exactly what previous models lacked.
Camera update
Undoubtedly, the camera occupies a separate place in the life of every person. The iPhone X's camera was a great example of quality, but it's not perfect either. The camera of the new iPhone 11 could be a significant upgrade to Apple's smartphone lineup.
Rear 3D scanner (for augmented reality)
It's unlikely that "Face ID" or any other TrueDepth technology feature will move to the rear camera. However, that doesn't mean the camera on the back won't get some smart new options.
Bloomberg, citing "people in the know", reports that the iPhone 11's rear camera will work as a 3D scanner. This is in addition to the TrueDepth scanner on the front, which is needed for Face ID and other similar features based on structured light. That is, 30,000 laser points are projected onto the user's face, and the device recognizes its owner.
A new system in the rear camera calculates the time it takes for the laser to bounce off surrounding objects.
It is believed that this new scanner will be primarily used for augmented reality applications, which the company has spent a huge amount of effort to develop for last year. It will build a 3D model of the environment and then add information and functionality to it.
Photos with "super resolution"
Apple is going to expand the capabilities of the cameras of its devices on the iOS platform. Patent published by the Patent and trademarks United States (USPTO) in May 2014, suggests that phones will soon take “super resolution” photos. All this thanks to optical image stabilization (the same is already in the iPhone 6 Plus).
The patent describes a system that takes a series of photos at slightly different angles, and then, as it were, “stitches” them. The result is a photo with the highest resolution.
Apple does not say that all photos will be like this: super resolution mode can be enabled, like high dynamic range (HDR) or panorama shooting mode.
Rumor has it that the company plans to provide phones with this option in the very near future. It will be possible to shoot with DSLR quality, and it will be the biggest camera update in the history of the iPhone
Removable lenses
Apple is also exploring the possibility of attaching detachable lenses to iPhone cameras. In January 2014, the company patented methods for attaching camera modules to devices such as iPhone and iPad.
The first of the two patents is titled "Rear Panel of a Portable Electronic Device with the Ability to Mount Multiple Lenses on a Camera." We remove the back cover and put a regular wide-angle or fisheye lens.
The second patent is called "Magnetic Removable Lenses with Leveling Edge". An alternative method of mounting on a magnet is proposed.
The ability to use removable lenses on the iPhone is still there, but for now these are third-party accessories.
What is the result?
The new iPhone will not be revolutionary, unlike the iPhone X. However, its changes in design, technical aspects and price deserve respect.