iPhone XS and XR: what Apple did not give us

In the months leading up to the launch of the new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, there was the usual chatter – some based on potentially credible leaks – about the features we could get in Apple's next generation iPhones.

Many rumors have turned out to be accurate. As expected, we have indeed received three new iPhones, two of which are larger, one with a less expensive LCD. And we had some nerdy additions like dual SIM card support and wider NFC compatibility. But some of the rumors and desired characteristics never materialized. Here is a quick summary of what we did not get. Maybe everything will go into the iPhone 11 (or iPhone XI, or whatever the 2019 model line will be called).

3 rear cameras, best optical zoom 3x or 4x

The camera is one of the main reasons why users are switching to a new phone, and Apple has introduced some interesting improvements to the iPhone XS 2018 lineup compared to the iPhone X 2017: a new image sensor and a new one. Smart HDR signal processor, and the addition of "advanced bokeh and Depth Control" to portrait mode, which allows you to manipulate the background after taking the picture. But the basic specifications of the camera – 2 rear lenses, apertures, 2x optical zoom, megapixel ratings – are identical, year after year.

Meanwhile, competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Note 9 are increasing their lead with variable aperture, and the impressive Huawei P20 Pro has added a network of three-lens cameras and a 3x optical zoom. We would have liked to see the 2018 iPhones match at least some of these features – if not something really radical, like the A 5-lens configuration is to be feared for a future Nokia phone.

Touch ID on the screen

The iPhone X was the first iPhone to leave a physical home button, but Apple also removed the Touch ID fingerprint reader.

The face recognition is impressive, but Touch ID is probably faster and works from all angles. There was hope that Apple would bring it back, perhaps in the form of a biometric choice with a face identifier. But Apple seems to double its face identity instead.

We would still like to see Touch ID behind the screen, a phone made by Vivo. OneTouch (its sister brand) has already confirmed that its next OnePlus 6T will also include a screen reader, and we think that Samsung is working hard to integrate Qualcomm Ultrasonic Fingerprint Reader Technology behind the screen of his Galaxy S10, supposed to arrive early 2019.

Better battery life

OK, Apple has been able to say that its new iPhones offer improved autonomy. But the truth is that it's only nominally better. Without going into specific numbers, Apple says the iPhone XS will last 30 minutes longer than the iPhone X while the iPhone XS Max will last 90 minutes longer than the iPhone X. The iPhone XR, says the best battery of all new iPhones – and every iPhone ever – can run 90 minutes longer than the iPhone 8 Plus, which (according to our calculations) means about 30 minutes of more than the XS Max.

We'll be doing our own battery tests in the coming days and weeks, and we'll let you know how the numbers go down when we publish our complete reviews of the new iPhones. But what we would like to see about the battery life is enough to allow us to go from dawn to bedtime, even with lots of pictures, videos, games or drinking, without the need

USB Type-C quick chargers in the box

Many people would be upset if Apple switched from its Lightning port to a USB Type-C connection, which is gradually becoming the norm for other phones and laptops, including Apple's own line of MacBooks. But exchange the rectangular USB-A connector on the iPhone charger who enters the box – while leaving Lightning on the phone – would mean that Apple users could recharge their iPhones from their new MacBooks without the need for an adapter.

And with the right USB-C power adapter, charging can be faster. If you visit the Apple website, you can find a page that talks about fast loading. Here's how Apple describes it:

Fast charging allows you to quickly and easily charge your iPhone X, iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus. Your iPhone recharges quickly up to 50% in 30 minutes when you use an Apple USB-C to Lightning cable and one of these adapters:

• Apple USB-C Power Adapter 29W, 30W, 61W or 87W
• A compatible third-party USB-C power adapter supporting USB power (USB-PD)

Apple already sells these cables and chargers, but you have to pay an extra $ 25, $ 25 or $ 35 for the cable alone. It would be nice if Apple included these updates in the box, especially if you pay for the iPhone XS and XS Max, which start at $ 999 (£ 999, AU $ 1,629) and $ 1099 (£ 1099, $ 1799 AU) respectively. The rumor of a default USB-C charger has gained momentum in the months leading up to the launch of the new iPhones, but that was only wishful thinking.

Headphone jack adapter for 3.5mm lightning in the box

Not only Apple kill the latest iPhones with headphone jacks, it will not even provide the Lightning-to-3.5mm audio jack dongle with its new 2018 iPhones, as it did with iPhones without previous headphone jack. Instead, you can buy the dongle separately for $ 9. It's a disappointment. (Lightning EarPod earphones are always included).

5G support for future protection

OK, it was a stretch, but one could dream, right?

Current iPhones work on 4G LTE networks. Upcoming 5G cellular data networks promise extremely fast speeds. But apart from some new broadband cable offerings such as Verizon's 5G Home, we will probably not see 5G networks compatible with mobiles – and 5G phones – before 2019 at the earliest. Still, it would have been nice if Apple slipped a 5G chip into its 2018 iPhones.

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Stylus support

In March, Apple added support for its Apple Pencil to its entry-level iPad. This provided exactly the same drawing and writing functions on the basic iPad screen that was previously available only on Pro models. But maybe Apple would reverse this formula for phones: if Apple made its biggest and most expensive iPhone in the world, why not differentiate an iPhone Pro with a stylus stand – and maybe a new one? Apple Pencil mini?

Unfortunately, it should not be – at least not for 2018. Maybe we'll see this one day, but in the meantime, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 remains the king of the pen phones.

TBD: Unbreakable screen

At the time of the release of the iPhone 6 in 2014, there was talk of an unbreakable sapphire screen, but that never happened. Last year, we managed to crack the screen of the iPhone X in one drop (Apple charged $ 279, £ 286 or AU $ 419 to replace the OLED screen of the iPhone X). The back of the iPhone X, also made of glass, did not improve.

For 2018, Phil Schiller, senior vice president of global marketing at Apple, announced on stage at Steve Jobs Theater that the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max use the "most durable glass of all smartphones." Apple has not said if it is Gorilla Glass 6, but Corning is an Apple partner.

Does "the most durable" mean "unbreakable"? We do not guess, because Apple would have undoubtedly given a new name to its image and emphasized it accordingly. We will test the new iPhones once they are available, so we'll see how they behave. In the meantime, we would like to see an iPhone as durable as the Motorola Z2 Force.

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