A major new leak revealing many of the critical details related to forthcoming iPhone X Edition has stunned the technology world. It had already been widely anticipated that Apple would release three smartphones in 2017, but the new information seems to confirm this as a certainty. iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models will be released by Apple imminently, but how do these three devices compare?
Photo by GeekBariPhone X Edition
The iPhone X Edition will be the standout model of the three, intended to be the premium release. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus releases will both essentially operate as upgrades to the existing iPhone 7. This means that the technology utilized within the three devices will differ quite considerably.
Details of the iPhone X Edition leaking out has already been described as the biggest ever leak of its kind to impact upon Apple. The Californian corporation prides itself on privacy, and will thus be somewhat mortified that the details of its three phones are now in the public domain. Delays emanated from an unreleased version of the iOS operating system, which makes reference to an iPhone X alongside two iPhone 8 releases.
Other details included in this software include facial recognition technology that delivers an identification system and maps the expressions of users onto emojis. It is not known whether this facial recognition system will be utilized across all three devices, or whether it will be saved for the iPhone X handset alone.
OLED screen
What we can expect based on this new leak is for the iPhone X to be the OLED handset of the three. Apple is certain to introduce this new screen technology this year, with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus instead reserved for more traditional technology. Indeed, this had been widely anticipated, with recent rumors suggesting that the premium Apple smartphone for 2017 would be branded as the iPhone X.
Aside from the iPhone X leaks, images of a next-generation Apple Watch also emerged, while the consumer electronics giant is seemingly also readying AirPod headphones for release. Face ID is also reportedly the new replacement for Touch ID, with the system able to unlock handsets and make online purchases from Apple.
This latter feature is likely to be one of the major differences between the iPhone X Edition and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus releases, with the wraparound display in the premium release necessitating such technology. Animoji is the new name for the animated emoji characters that mirror a user’s captured facial expressions, which will be central to this facial recognition technology.
Sabotage fingered
While the leak is undoubtedly major news, it would not be quite such a big deal were it not for the fact that it seems to be a deliberate act of sabotage. The Apple blogger John Gruber believes that the leaker was probably a disgruntled Apple worker.
“As best I’ve been able to ascertain, these builds were available to download by anyone, but they were obscured by long, unguessable URLs [web addresses]. Someone within Apple leaked the list of URLs to 9to5Mac and MacRumors. I’m nearly certain this wasn’t a mistake, but rather a deliberate malicious act by a rogue Apple employee,” Gruber commented.
Aside from the information in the leaks, it is likely that the iPhone X will benefit from an improved camera over the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. This will be a difficult area for Apple, as the iPhone 7 Plus featured a dual-camera, and the technology is becoming an increasing staple in the industry. However, if the iPhone X Edition is to be distinguished from its two upgraded cousins, it surely must deliver superior photographic capabilities.
With a series of gestures able to control the iPhone X, it is likely that this smartphone will be a particular focus of the forthcoming event. Apple will be certain to show off its new technology with the iPhone X Edition, and it is possible that this phone it will be the only one in 2017 to benefit from augmented reality technology.
Major specs
The iPhone X will also benefit from a large wraparound display, with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus featuring more typical Apple screens. The 5.8-inch OLED display of the iPhone X Edition will be larger than the screens included in the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, both of which are expected to be the same size as the previous iterations in the series. And the two upgraded versions of the iPhone series will both also utilize LCD technology.
Other specs are also likely to be higher in the iPhone X, with Apple needing to arm its new premium release with the most impressive figures possible. It has never been a particular focus of the Californian corporation to deliberate staggering specifications, and thus we may see the iPhone X handset actually featuring less obviously impressive specs than many rivals.
But we can anticipate an increase in RAM memory to 3GB, while native storage could be increased to 512 GB in the premium model.
Release delay
Another major issue regarding these three smartphones that the iPhone X may not be available until October. Reports suggested that the 2017 iPhone range will see a staggered release, with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus made available in September, ahead of their more illustrious cousin. At the very least, we can expect fairly small numbers of iPhone X Edition units to be made available at first, meaning that pre-orders will need to be particularly swift.
Finally, the pricing of the iPhone X is likely to be in the $1,000 to $1,200 ballpark. Perhaps the entry-level version of the smartphone may retail at $999, with the higher spec versions costing significantly more. We can reasonably expect the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus to retail at much more affordable price points, possibly in the region of $799 and $899 respectively for the highest memory quantity versions.
