The iPhone Xs: Apple’s latest top-class smartphone
Published on 02/10/2018 in Tech, tips & tricks
Apple unveiled its long-awaited new smartphones at a press event. The showpieces are the iPhone Xs and the larger Xs Max. We took a look at what these devices have to offer for you.
The characteristic notch on the screen is still there
The iPhone Xs follows on from the iPhone X of 2017. The design is relatively unchanged. The devices again have an edge-to-edge OLED display with very thin screen edges and the characteristic notch in the screen that contains the camera and a few other sensors.
In addition to the 5.8-inch model and a resolution of 2,436 x 1,125 pixels, Apple also launched a larger iPhone Xs Max measuring no less than 6.5 inches: a screen diagonal of 16.5 cm with 2,688 x 1,242 pixels.
The outer dimensions of the device are no larger than the iPhone 8 Plus, although the display on this phone is a full inch smaller. The iPhone Xs has a stainless steel casing, while the frame on the somewhat cheaper iPhone XR is aluminum.
Smallest chip ever provides extra processing power
All 2018 iPhones are fitted with the new A12 Bionic chip from Apple and partner TSMC. As far as we know, this makes them the only smartphones with a so-called 7-nanometer processor at the moment.
Two other leading chip manufacturers, Qualcomm and MediaTek, are expected to switch from 10 nanometers to 7 nanometers in 2019. The advantage of this new production technology is that the processor is both faster and more economical.
The iPhone Xs also has 4 GB RAM and is available with storage space of 64, 256 of 512 GB. According to Apple, the latter should suffice for upwards of 200,000 photos.
New operating system and new business functions
The iPhones are delivered with iOS 12 as standard. Apple’s brand-new operating system is above all sharper, with apps that start up almost twice as fast and a smoother keyboard display.
iOS 12 also offers lots of handy business functions. Just think of FaceTime conversations with up to 32 people at the same time, far more control over notifications – which are now neatly arranged by subject – and more Do Not Disturb settings.
In addition, iOS 12 automatically creates complex passwords, so you don’t have to make them up or remember them. In cars with CarPlay, you can now choose which navigation app to use, such as Google Maps instead of Apple Maps.
Camera with facial recognition
Both iPhone Xs models come with a 12-megapixel double main camera with optical image stabilization: a wide-angle lens and a lens with 2x optical zoom. Both devices also have Face ID: an advanced form of facial recognition via the TrueDepth camera on the front.
The smartphones can be charged wirelessly and accommodate two telephone numbers, via a physical SIM card and a so-called eSIM. This last option is to be activated later this year via a software update.
Other specifications of the new flagship product include the improved stereo reproduction, Smart HDR for more details in the bright and shadowy areas of photos and dust and water resistance in accordance with the IP68 standard.