iPhone X: Everything You Need To Know

Updated on

LATEST: Apple has finally revealed the next generation iPhone X aka iPhone 10 to a captive audience of millions. Apple CEO Tim Cook did the honors at the Steve Jobs Theater, noting that the Apple “team has been hard at work for years on something that is important to all of us”. Cook particularly referenced the tenth anniversary of the iPhone range, boldly asserting that this new smartphone release will “set the path for technology for the next decade.”

iPhone 10

Confusingly for fans of the smartphone series, the iPhone X aka iPhone 10 is pronounced by Apple executives at least as iPhone 10. But many of the early announced features of this smartphone were exactly as expected. With a glass front and behind, the iPhone X is designed for wireless charging; more on that later.

Firstly, the dominant new feature of this next-generation smartphone is the 5.8-inch display that dominates the front panel of the device. This wraparound screen will very much update the iPhone concept, and will undoubtedly make this device the most sought-after of the three new iPhone releases.

iPhone X aka iPhone 10 2
Image: Keynote / Screenshot

Face ID

As had also been predicted, Apple has dropped the Home button from the iPhone range in favor of a new Face ID system. It doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as leaks from a disgruntled employee in the last 48 hours had pretty much revealed this already. However, it was still refreshing to hear this confirmed by the Apple hierarchy, ahead of the final release of the iPhone 10.

The display is certainly a massive improvement on previous iPhone releases in terms of resolution, delivering 458 pixels per inch. The super retina screen also supports HDR, meaning that the iPhone screen will never have looked so crisp and detailed.

Apple was keen to emphasize that the new Face ID system is compatible with the Apple Pay mobile payment system, along with any third-party applications that already accept the Touch ID system. Assorted Apple employees demonstrated that accessing the home screen is now achieved by simply swiping upwards. “The point of it is to enable an entirely new experience,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s VP of marketing, asserted.

According to Apple, the new Face ID system is also 20 times more secure than the existing Touch ID security feature. This is clearly the major motivation for introducing the new technology, in a climate in which mobile security is increasingly sensitive.

Animojis

Apple also demonstrated so-called ‘animojis’; animated emojis that a user controls with their face. These will be made available through the Messages app. Craig Federighi, senior VP of software engineering, successfully demonstrated this features to the assembled audience and masses watching worldwide.

Wireless charging and camera

The glass-backed smartphone can also be charged wirelessly, with a new AirPower device able to handle multiple devices. Camera features have also been improved in the iPhone X aka iPhone 10, with improved flash, better low-light performance, and portrait lighting for selfies. People are going to be blown away with the selfies you can take,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s VP of marketing, suggested.

iPhone X or iPhone 10 camera
Image: Keynote / Screenshot

Apple also promised improved battery life from the iPhone 10, although there weren’t too many specific details on this. What we do know, though, is that the entry-level version of the iPhone X will set you back $999, with 64GB and 128GB models available.

PREVIOUS UPDATES:

UPDATE: 09-12-2017: Today is the big unveiling day for the iPhone X aka iPhone 10, with this critical date in the technology calendar kicking off at 10am Pacific Time. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone X alongside it two other iPhone 8 upgrades, and a wide range of other products. The eyes of the technology world will be firmly squared on the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, as we wait to see what the tenth anniversary of the iPhone range has in store.

Apple Stock iPhone 8 / iPhone X Launch Event
Image Source: Apple.com (screenshot)

Release date

The iPhone X release date is expected to be in October according to the latest information, after a major leak occurred in the last few days. iPhone products will be released in a staggered fashion in 2017, with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus arriving late in September, ahead of the iPhone X device.

Price

The general consensus of opinion is that the iPhone X price will be in the region of $1,000. However, this will only apply to the entry-level version of the smartphone. It is believed that the premium iPhone X price may be in the region of $1,200. Major carriers will offer 24-month deals, though, which will reduce the purchasing price for consumers.

Augmented reality

With Apple intending to release a revolutionary model in order to mark the tenth anniversary of the iPhone range, there will be a whole raft of new iPhone X features. Central to these will be the inclusion of augmented reality functionality, with Apple CEO Tim Cook having already enthusiastically thrown the weight of the corporation behind this new technology.

Expect augmented reality to play a major role in the Apple unveiling event, and for this new AR system to deliver both gaming and security functionality.

Display

Of all the iPhone 8 specs, the display to be included in the device is undoubtedly of critical importance. This is particularly true as Apple is completely redesigning the screen of the iPhone X, delivering a wraparound OLED display that will see the appearance of the smartphone alter significantly from previous iterations.

The 5.8-inch edge-to-edge screen will dominate the front panel of the device, eliminating bezels almost entirely from the design. It is also believed that this shift in the iPhone concept will signal the end of the traditional Home button, with these features instead being integrated within the screen.

This display will also deliver Quad HD resolution, meaning that the iPhone X aka iPhone 10 panel will be capable of displaying more pixels than any previous Apple mobile release.

Design

The redesigning of the iPhone X means that the size of the smartphone will be rather pleasing for those who prefer contact mobile devices. It is expected that the body of the iPhone X aka iPhone 10 will slot neatly between the size of the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 and 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus.

A glass design is expected, meaning that Apple will abandon the aluminum casing that it has used in recent years, possibly leading to an end to the ugly antenna lines that have been criticized previously.

Wireless charging

Another major advantage of the glass design is that it will enable Apple to implement its wireless charging system. Reports have suggested that the consumer electronics giant has been tinkering with this new technology behind the scenes, and is ready to introduce a wireless charging mechanism that enables iPhone X uses to charge their devices at an impressive 15 feet.

Face ID

Of all iPhone X features, the new Face ID system, which has emerged following a leak from a disgruntled Apple employee, is obviously the most important. This facial recognition technology will be used to unlock the phone, with many believing that the Touch ID system will be phased out. However, it is possible that both will be included in order to provide iPhone X consumers with extra security options.

Headphone jack

However, there is little evidence that Apple has any intention of restoring the headphone jack among iPhone X features. Despite the popularity of the 3.5mm port, it seems that Apple is committed to wireless music playback. Those wanting a premium smartphone with a physical port for headphones should instead consider the Samsung Galaxy range.

Specs

iPhone X specs will, of course, be of critical importance in selling the device, and Apple is thus expected to beef up the capabilities of this smartphone in comparison to previous generations.

Of central importance will be the new A11 processor included in the device, which recent leaks indicate will be a six-core unit that will revolutionize the iPhone range. Delivering two extra cores of processing power should result in an extremely slick unit, which will be the most powerful smartphone Apple has ever released.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the same leak indicated that Apple will freeze the memory of this premium smartphone at 3GB. However, storage will be massively increased, actually doubled in the premium version of the iPhone X aka iPhone 10. This means that those shelling out in the region of $1,200 will receive a smartphone with and enormous 512GB storage capacity.

A larger battery is also expected for the iPhone X, as Apple attempts to respond to one of the major criticisms of its flagship smartphone, its relatively paltry battery life.

Camera

The iPhone X camera will also be significantly improved over previous generations, with Apple said to have particularly focused energy in this area. This will result in a new dual-lens unit that delivers improved shooting in darker photographic conditions. While there will be no megapixel increase in comparison to previous generations, the hierarchy of the company has promised that the new iPhone X features will blow previous smartphone cameras away.

Colors

Finally, the iPhone X aka iPhone 10 colors will be of particular interest to fashion-conscious consumers, and it is thus interesting that a red version of the smartphone has seemingly appeared. Leaks over the last 24 hours suggest that there will indeed be a red version of the iPhone X, and that this will launch alongside the more traditional white, black and gold models. It certainly seems that iPhone X buyers will have plenty of color choices.

UPDATE 09-11-2017: With the iPhone X due to be unveiled in 24 hours, Apple will be somewhat disappointed that its usual veil of secrecy has collapsed. The major leak which emerged over the weekend has provided Apple fans and the technology community with a major insight into this next generation handset.

Photo by GeekBar

iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone X will be the branding for the next generation Apple handset, featuring an OLED display, radical new design and premium specs. Meanwhile, the ungraded versions of last year’s iPhone 7 will surprisingly be named iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. For a long time it was largely expected that iPhone 8 would be the name for the premium device, but we now know this isn’t the case.

An iOS 11 leak, dissected by such developers as Steve Troughton-Smith and Guilherme Rambo, has revealed a treasure trove of goodies regarding the next generation smartphone. Firstly, it is now expected that the iPhone X will feature 3GB of RAM memory, meaning that it will not benefit from an upgrade over the existing iPhone 7 Plus.

Processor

However, more interestingly, digging around also revealed that the smartphone will be armed with a brand new six-core Apple A11 processor. This is a step up for the consumer electronics giant, after previous versions of the iconic Apple smartphone only utilized quad-core technology.

Camera

Leaks also suggest that the iPhone X camera will be a dual-lens 12-megapixel snapper. This was widely anticipated, with reports previously suggesting that Apple has been working on some outstanding camera technology to utilize in this next generation release. There have been few details regarding precisely what this entails, but with Samsung having upped the ante with the Galaxy Note 8, we can reasonably expect an outstanding camera to be included in the iPhone 8.

Wraparound screen

Undoubtedly, though, the significant new feature in the iPhone X is the wraparound display that will dominate the front panel of the smartphone. This new screen is very much following the industry zeitgeist, with smartphones from Samsung and LG also notable for this design element.

This feature will represent the first time that Apple has significantly redesigned the iPhone range physically for three years. But this does seem an essential move for the manufacturer, with designs featuring significant bezels now looking somewhat dated.

Cutout details

It is also believed that the top of the iPhone X will feature a cutout for the speakers included in the phone, with other spaces for the front camera and sensors also included. Leaked data indicates that the selfie shooter may not be hugely improved over previous generations, with a 7-megapixel lens being linked with the smartphone.

Apple is also expected to eliminate the Home button from the device, which has been such a fixture of the iPhone range in its 10-year existence. Instead, the functionality of the Home button will be integrated within the new wraparound screen.

Gesture panel

A new gesture panel could also be included, with this technology able to respond directly to swipes, tabs and other hand movements. This would represent a direct response to other manufacturers in the niche, with Samsung having ditched physical navigation buttons in the Galaxy S8 released this year.

Face ID

It is still unclear whether a fingerprint scanner will be included in the iPhone X, but the loss of a Home button does suggest that this feature may be left out. This possibility looms more clearly into view based on the inclusion of a new facial recognition system which will unlock the iPhone X. Leaks indicate that this has been branded as Face ID, which obviously implies that it could completely replace Touch ID. Conversely, Apple may choose to offer only two separate ways of unlocking devices.

There is a precedent for the inclusion of Face ID, with similar systems having been fitted to Windows PCs over the last few years. Recent Samsung releases have also benefited from iris scanning systems, as well as camera-based facial recognition.

The new IR-based camera system which Apple will utilize is expected to create a 3D scan of a user’s face. By recognising its unique shape and features, the system will then be able to prevent erroneous users from logging the phone. Leaks have also implied that the system will work equally well from several different angles, although it is not known whether it will be able to recognize a face from an iPhone X laid on a flat surface.

This major new system will also be able to authenticate payments, as Apple continues its assault on the mobile payment market. Aside from the ability to unlock the phone itself, it is also likely that Face ID will provide access to a wide range of security features.

Other specs for iPhone X aka iPhone 10

Other specifications have yet to be fully leaked, but it is known about the iPhone X will almost certainly benefit from Quad HD resolution. This will mean that the new Apple release is able to display more pixels than any previous product from the Cupertino-based company.

There are certain to be other spec upgrades as well, with buzz from close to the Apple supply chain suggesting that the iPhone X will feature increased storage capacity. It is believed that Apple will offer consumers a version of the OLED smartphone featuring 512GB of native storage.

Meanwhile, the battery included in the iPhone should also be significantly larger than previous releases, with a unit close to 3,000 mAh having been linked with the smartphone.

Data on the price of the iPhone X has also yet to be released, but the overwhelming consensus of analysts believe that consumers can expect to pay in the region of $1,000 for the entry-level unit. Meanwhile, there is some speculation gathering that Apple will stagger the release of the three handsets, meaning that the iPhone 10 / X will not hit the stores until October.

Recent reports have suggested that the next generation Apple smartphone will be branded as the iPhone X. This actually makes obvious sense for the consumer electronics giant, as it would acknowledge that the tenth generation nature of this iteration, and set the release up as a major landmark. This can be considered essential in a climate in which the level of iPhone sales has receded slightly over the last 12 months.

iPhone x Price
iPhone X Box image via LetsGoDigital

Accompanying the iPhone 10 / X release will be the two upgraded handsets that have been widely predicted. However, it is reported that these will be branded as iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus units, with the iPhone X being the premium device.

iPhone X Price

But critical to the success of the iPhone X will be the pricing of the units. It has been widely reported that consumers can expect to pay in the region of $1,000 for this device, with some of the more expensive units offering more storage retailing for around $1,200.

The notable tweeter Benjamin Geskin believes that the entry-level 64GB iPhone 8 will retail at around $999, with the 256GB and 512GB variants costing $100 and $120 mark. This will undoubtedly make the iPhone X the most expensive smartphone Apple has ever released. But deals should be available from major carriers in order to shave the bill.

iPhone X Design

It is known that the iPhone X will represent a major reboot of the iPhone concept in design terms. Apple will firstly include the first ever wraparound display in the history of the iPhone series, and this will dominate the front panel of the device. The iPhone X will benefit from OLED technology, which is also a first for Apple.

Furthermore, this will be a large display, with the size of the screen widely reported to be 5.8-inches. With the resolution of the display expected to be quad HD, this is undoubtedly the most impressive smartphone screen that Apple has ever produced.

Wireless charging

One of the major new features to debut in the iPhone X will be the wireless charging system that Apple has reportedly been tinkering with internally. This innovative approach will enable users of the iPhone X to recharge their devices at a lengthy 15 feet; adding new convenience and flexibility to the iPhone range.

Augmented reality

Alongside wireless charging will be the introduction of augmented reality, with several clues pointing to this technology being an essential feature of the iPhone X. Firstly, a Tim Cook has already expressed his enthusiasm for the technology publicly, indicating that Apple is committed to supporting AR.

Additionally, code has been identified in the iOS 11 operating system which points to the inclusion of AR in forthcoming Apple products. Augmented reality is expected to deliver both gaming and security functionality in this next-generation handset.

Touch ID

Elsewhere, there is some debate regarding the Touch ID system that has been such a central feature of Apple products in recent years. Barron’s has reported that Apple is facing serious challenges in order to implement the scanner in the forthcoming iPhone X aka iPhone 10.

Citing sources from close to the Apple supply chain, it is believed that Apple is struggling to implement the Touch ID scanner within the new design of the iPhone X. And another report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicates that the iPhone 8 may not offer Touch ID whatsoever.

“We predict the OLED model won’t support fingerprint recognition, reasons being: (1) the full-screen design doesn’t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition, and (2) the scan-through ability of the under-display fingerprint solution still has technical challenges,” Kuo wrote.

The well-known analyst then went on to explain the nature of these difficulties.

“(i) requirement for a more complex panel pixel design; (ii) disappointing scan-through of OLED panel despite it being thinner than LCD panel; and (iii) weakened scan-through performance due to overlayered panel module. As the new OLED iPhone won’t support under-display fingerprint recognition, we now do not expect production ramp-up will be delayed again (we previously projected the ramp-up would be postponed to late October or later).”

Camera

Apple is also expected to include an outstanding new dual-camera in the iPhone X aka iPhone 10, with a particular focus placed on delivering improved shooting in darker conditions. The consumer electronics giant has reportedly been beavering away on this new snapper behind closed doors, and new features and improved functionality should elevate its performance well above the level of the iPhone 7 Plus.

Spec upgrades

The iPhone X will also deliver a raft of spec upgrades, with Apple updating several features associated with the smartphone. Top of the list will be a new battery, with the mobile expected to feature a cell in the region of 3,000 mAh. When combined with new power-saving functionality and the wireless charging features that have been widely anticipated, this all adds up to an increasingly improved handset.

Apple is also expected to upgrade the storage capacity of the iPhone X aka iPhone 10 significantly in comparison to previous releases. This should result in a 512GB version of the smartphone being released this year. However, Apple has shown no apparent enthusiasm for the flexible micro SD card system, and it is once again expected to be excluded from the iPhone series.

There will also be a new A11 processor, while the RAM memory included in the iPhone X aka iPhone 10 will be bumped up to 3GB.

Release date

It is not yet known precisely when the iPhone X will be released, but recent Apple smartphones have emerged in September. This makes late September a likely window for the iPhone X generation, but some sources have suggested that it will be put back to early October. This would put the device up against the Google Pixel 2, but Apple really doesn’t need to be hugely scared of other manufacturers.

Leave a Comment