Apple has taken the wraps off of its latest (and possibly greatest) iPhone(s), the Xs and Xs Max. As this is an "S" year, the new iPhones are based on last year's models. However, while they may look the same, there have been improvements made under the hood.
The iPhone Xs and Xs Max
The iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max are incremental upgrades over last year's iPhone X. The iPhone Xs (pronounced 10-S) features a 5.8-inch display packing in 2.6 million pixels. The iPhone Xs Max boasts a 6.5-inch screen with 3.3 million pixels.
This makes the Xs Max the biggest iPhone Apple has ever made, and is the company admitting its customers want larger screens. For many years Apple refused to move beyond the limitations of its 4-inch screens while Androids got bigger and bigger.
These new devices are powered by Apple's new A12 Bionic processor, a six-core, 7-nanometer chip capable of running 5 trillion operations per second. Apple claims this means the iPhone Xs and Xs Max can launch apps 30 percent faster than the iPhone X.
Both new iPhones feature a dual camera system on the rear with a 12-megapixel wide camera and 12-megapixel telephoto lens sensor. There are new sensors, an updated TrueTone flash, an improved bokeh effect, and what Apple is calling "Smart HDR".
Other things worth noting are:
- Apple claims this is "the most durable glass ever in a smartphone".
- The new iPhones are splash, water, and dust resistant, with a rating of IP68.
- Face ID has been upgraded, making it faster and more advanced that ever.
- Both phones have dual-sim capabilities, but it's an eSim everywhere but China.
Pricing and Pre-Orders
The iPhone Xs and Xs Max are both available with 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage. The latter being a new capacity for Apple's flagships. The iPhone XS will start at $999, while the Xs Max will start at $1,099. Pre-orders start this Friday (September 14).
Before you place your order for the new iPhone Xs or Xs Max, consider reading our review of the iPhone X. Or, if you have finally tired of Apple's incremental upgrades why not consider purchasing one of these iPhone X alternatives instead.