The iPhone XS is forever



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Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

I'm tired of buying iPhones. For the past ten years, I have been buying and loving them, breaking them, losing them and replacing them and, in September, improving them. Last year, it cost me over $ 1,200 to get an iPhone X and, in my opinion, I'm seriously thinking of spending even more money to buy the iPhone XS.

But this is not because the iPhone XS is really better. This is not it. I want to buy the iPhone XS (prices start at $ 1,000) so I can stop buying iPhones for a while. This thing feels in the future, and yes, I know how stupid that sounds.

Drive

What is it?

The new flagship iPhones

As

A powerful camera and a processor so powerful that you will not know what to do

Not as

More expensive than ever

However, if you consider the power of the new A12 Bionic processor associated with a better camera system, the best results should allow me to manage my phone on a daily basis with a little more ease. In addition, some adjustments to the original design of the iPhone X also promise to make the iPhone XS more durable. Oh, and there is also the iPhone XS Max which is exactly the same as the iPhone XS, except that it is bigger and more expensive (prices start at $ 1100).

It comes back to a pretty boring iPhone update. It's an "S" year, so we should have expected specs bumps and small changes. The thing is, if you like to keep your device for more than a year or two, the iPhone XS is a great investment. If you upgrade from an iPhone 7 or 8, the iPhone XS will be a real eye-opener. If you already have an iPhone X, well, you already have a great phone. The iPhone XS is better, and I bet you it will have a longer life. That's what excites me the most.

A few years ago, the former Gizmodo editor, Brian Barrett, wrote an article on how the iPads are eternal. Apple did not sell as much as before, because Apple had made the iPad so good that people did not need to upgrade it. And now, I wonder if this is happening with the iPhone. The devices are more expensive, but they also seem more durable. Is the iPhone XS the first iPhone to keep for five years? I think that's it.

What is on the outside

In keeping with tradition, Apple has not changed the design of the iPhone XS much. It looks like an iPhone X! However, there are some seemingly minor differences that make it a better device.

Let's start with size. Again, the iPhone XS is like the iPhone X. Both devices have an OLED screen of 5.8 inches and have a thickness of 7.7 mm. It is slightly thicker than the iPhone 7, which has a thickness of 7.1 mm, and the iPhone 8, which has a thickness of 7.3 mm. Like the iPhone X, the iPhone XS footprint is slightly larger and slightly wider than an iPhone 8.

Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

For the iPhone XS Max, all these numbers increase. The device itself is almost exactly the same size as an iPhone 8 Plus, but the iPhone XS Max is an ounce more than the Plus at 7.34 ounces. So the Max is great, but if you use a Plus, it will not be very different in your hand or take up more room in your pocket. The 6.4-inch screen will seem expansive. Its use is also a little different because Apple has just released iOS to fit the larger format. In other words, you see what you would normally see on a Plus screen, except that it is extended.

Although you may not necessarily see it as if you are seeing a difference in size, the glass of the iPhone XS is new. Apple says the device has the "most durable glass on smartphone." This is an interesting statement, especially since many people have said that iPhone X is "Apple's most fragile phone". scratch tests with the new device, and the reports of those who seemed mixed, up to now. However, as a person who has babbled an iPhone X for a year but has ended up having a scratch-resistant screen and a cracks network on the rear window, any improvement in the durability of the device is welcome.

Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

Another difference you can see is the addition of two new antenna lines. Indeed, the iPhone XS integrates 4×4 MIMO technology for faster LTE transmission. (The iPhone X and the iPhone 8 had 2×2 MIMO.) The iPhone XS also supports QAM and LAA radio technologies for better connectivity. What this alphabetical soup of standards adds to downloads and downloads. In our tests, the iPhone XS smoked the iPhone X, speeds two to three times faster on the Verizon network.

What's inside? What's inside?

As it is an iPhone "S", the iPhone XS is above all a matter of courage. What I found particularly interesting, however, is that the improvements made to the iPhone XS are not necessarily obvious. This is certainly true of the processor, which seems to be designed to be extremely powerful and support applications that have not yet been built. I also think this is partially true for the camera, as you may need to learn new ways to take pictures to appreciate some of the most interesting features. But before we delve too deeply into these two things – which are the major upgrades on the iPhone XS – a quick note on face identity.

The face identification material is the same, but Apple says that it has altered the algorithms to make it faster. And indeed, it's faster. It was actually the first thing I noticed when I started testing the iPhone XS. It seemed to unlock immediately, and I liked it, because I always had the impression of having to look at the iPhone X for a few seconds before unlocking it. In a side-by-side test, the iPhone XS unlocks a faster pace than the iPhone X. Over time, additional seconds are added.

Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

Faster is somehow the general theme of what the iPhone XS does. Apple claims that the A12 Bionic processor is 15% faster than the A11 Bionic, and that the GPU is 50% faster. Our synthetic reference tests showed a marked improvement, although our daily tests suggested something more interesting. The A12 Bionic seems to be a V12 engine running on six cylinders.

Right now, you're only getting a fraction of the power of the chip, and even that chip is deliciously powerful compared to older iPhones. Star Walk 2 is smooth on the iPhone XS, while it tends to be late on the iPhone X. Fortnite charge about 15 seconds faster on the iPhone XS than on the iPhone X and Battlefields of PlayerUnknown only uses half the GPU on the iPhone XS than on the iPhone X. This means that it should be ready for a future of better graphics, maybe the one that the developers have not even imagined yet.

Apple's new A12 Bionic chip feels like it has more chips than I need at the moment, which is not a bad thing. It seems to be designed not only to better manage today's applications, but also to encourage developers to push their limits with the applications of tomorrow. It also does all this without sacrificing battery life. The iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max both showed the announced performance with respectively more than 11 hours and more than 13 hours of video playback. All of these things are very good if you are like me and you plan to invest $ 1,000 in a new phone and you want this phone to last a few years.

Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

What's in the bump

And then there is this camera module. It's neither inside nor out on the phone, which is a little awkward if you want your phone to stay flat on a table without a case. But that's not the goal. The iPhone XS camera is better than the iPhone X camera.

At the center of the best camera system is a larger sensor. Apple said the wide-angle camera has pixels 32% larger than those of the iPhone X. You can really see the difference that the size of an additional sensor makes when shooting in low light . This street scene in Brooklyn looks good in a picture taken with the iPhone X.

Taken with the iPhone X. The picture was trimmed but was not changed otherwise.
Photo: Adam Clark Estes (Gizmodo)

The details of the road and cars appear under the street lights, but the illuminated restaurant sign behind is off. When you look at the same picture taken with the iPhone XS, there is simply no more, including the letters on the panel.

Taken with the iPhone XS Max. The image has been trimmed but has not been changed otherwise.
Photo: Adam Clark Estes (Gizmodo)

There is more than one larger sensor. The A12 Bionic also plays an important role in allowing the camera to capture and process a lot of information very quickly. That's what makes the new Smart HDR feature possible and I say we can see the letters on that sign because of Smart HDR, which, according to Apple, combines the best features of multiple different exposures to increase the dynamic range of pictures. Several of us at Gizmodo have tested the boundaries of Smart HDR, and we agreed that it was good to keep the highlights of the picture from appearing so blown away. It does not recover photos taken in too much darkness, but allows you to see more details when shooting in bright environments or taking pictures with large brightness spots, such as our restaurant sign. -above.

The iPhone XS is also usually better at handling highlights and shadows than other iPhones, but its performance is not perfect. This is particularly evident in situations where the lighting is more difficult, such as the backlit building with the dinosaur painting below. It's a hard shot. The picture taken with the iPhone 8 Plus (left) basically flips into the bed, blowing into the sky and not producing much detail on the brick building. The picture taken with the iPhone X (center) does a better job but seems washed out. The photo taken with the iPhone XS Max (right) reproduces the textures on the building in a very realistic way, even if it loses some details in the shiny clouds. It's the best picture of the three, but it's still not perfect.

The same unmodified image captured by the iPhone 8 Plus (left), the iPhone X (center) and the iPhone XS Max (right)
Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

Another awkward situation for the iPhone XS is the very high contrast, especially for very bright images, such as reflections on the photos below. Check out this image of a bright copper still. Its textured exterior is a big part of what makes it interesting, but the photo taken with the iPhone X fails to preserve this texture. It is just blown in some places.

Look at all these brilliant points.
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)

You may not even notice that you lose details until you see exactly the same picture taken with the iPhone XS. Instead of fading away the glare and turning it into a frozen mess, this image preserves the delicate textures:

Look at all this detail!
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)

Honestly, most of the photos that I took with the iPhone XS look good. Which is to say that the camera is certainly good enough for most people. The new portrait mode and its adjustable depth of field are particularly interesting. This function allows you to adjust the appearance of the bokeh in portrait mode once they have been captured. You can make the background behind the focal point completely net or you can make it super blurry by using a new small cursor marked with F-stops in the editing mode of the Camera application. You do not really change the F-stop, since it's a software thing. Nevertheless, this gives you more flexibility with photo editing. The effect is a little wrong if you do too much, in my opinion, but it's something I like in the new camera.

The f-stop setting allows you to save portrait images that may be too blurred aggressively. From left to right: f-stop 1.4, f-stop 4, f-stop 5.6.
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)

Portrait mode is usually better. In the past, I usually treated many artifacts and weird problems with Portrait mode in the past, usually because of some gaps in the distinction between the portrait subject and the background. It's hard to say how much the iPhone XS can handle these challenges, but the fact that you can now adjust the bokeh effect is a useful tool in this regard. For example, if the edges of a subject in a portrait mode photo seem too blurry or even not entirely correct, the small magic slider can attenuate the bokeh effect and make the image more realistic. . It is also convenient if you just want some options to tweak this kind of photos, options that simply do not exist with other iPhones. The FThe Stop Cursor function is not available when you try to edit photos in Portrait Mode on older iPhone models.

Oh, and if you are hungry for more examples of what the iPhone XS can do, here is a complete gallery. All these photos are not edited except for a basic crop.

What's the point?

Let me be honest with you. I want to buy the iPhone XS, but I'm not sure to do it now. At the very least, I'll wait a few weeks to learn more about sustainability issues and test the iPhone XR. But I think I want to buy an iPhone XS and stop thinking about buying an iPhone before the 2020 presidential elections.

That's because the promise of longevity is what makes the iPhone XS so special. There is nothing new in the design, which suits me perfectly because the design is great. In terms of performance, the iPhone XS is slightly better than the iPhone X. It is hugely better than the iPhone 8 or the iPhone 7, however, the iPhone XS promises also to stay excellent for several years to come. At least that's what it gives.

Photo: Raul Marrero (Gizmodo)

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog on which you should buy the iPhone XS and recommended the iPhone XS 256GB in the gray space on Verizon. My review unit was exactly the same except that the new color was golden. I liked the gold! And I am also behind my initial recommendation. The smallest iPhone XS with midrange storage is probably the best phone for most people. That's what I'll buy, if I finally decide to buy one. And if you really want the jumbo, go for it and get the iPhone XS Max. I hope you like it.

The fact is that I want to love this new iPhone. I want to spend years of my life with this new iPhone. I want this new iPhone to last forever. Because it would not be the best? You spend a great price on a phone and you do not have to spend anymore. It will not happen anytime soon, but at least the iPhone XS will feel like staying.

README

  • It's like it will take years to see what the A12 Bionic chip can do.
  • The performance of the camera is slightly higher than that of the iPhone X.
  • Smart HDR and adjustable bokeh are great features that you can not use on any other phone.
  • New antennas make wireless much faster.
  • Faster Face ID makes unlocking the phone even easier.
  • $ 1,000 or more is a very high price, but you may be able to keep this device for years to come.
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