Review iPhone X: what it looks like, price, features

The company Apple celebrated the tenth anniversary of the release of the first iPhone with the launch of the flagship smartphone iPhone X. The tenth apple gadget received not only a new design, but also innovations that fans were eagerly awaiting Apple. It became that revolutionary event, which, according to the creators, will determine the vector of development of the industry in the next decade.

Appearance iPhone X

Since the release of the first iPhone 4, the appearance of the smartphone has not changed dramatically. Therefore, the design of the new gadget became a pleasant surprise for the fans who were waiting. We can safely say that the iPhone X appearance fully corresponds to the latest trends and the spirit of the times.

Original design

The main feature in the design, which revived the external image of the new gadget, is the use of reinforced glass. The iPhone looks stylish and resembles a sandwich of glass panels with a metal frame in between. And that's not the only feature that differentiates the iPhone 10 from previous versions. Let's try to describe what the iPhone 10 looks like, its features:

1. The back wall is made of super-resistant glass, not aluminum alloy as in other models.
2. The lack of the familiar Home button and frames around the display.
3. The top frame has been transformed: added notches for the screen on the sides.
4. Oleophobic coating is applied to the glass surfaces of the case, from which fingerprints can be easily removed.
5. The steel frame between the glass panels, which reinforces the structure of the case, is made of a special surgical alloy. He is not afraid of corrosion, mechanical damage.

The iPhone's color palette is available in 2 colors: silver (white) and space gray (black). They differ not only in the color of the rear panel, but also in the execution of the steel frame of the case. The silver iPhone has chrome plated, while the space gray gadget has a bezel made to match the black front panel.

The paint is applied to glass panels in 7 layers, with the final layer endowed with a reflective optical effect and gives the color a special saturation.

Dimensions and shape

IPhone X surprises with its harmonious size and shape. It is convenient to use, fits perfectly in the hand and does not seem bulky. Dimensions iPhone 10: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm. This is larger than sizes iPhone 6, 7 or 8, but smaller than the Plus versions.

The dimensions of the sides of the display are 19.5 to 9, which visually lengthens the body.

What is the difference between the display iPhone X

Traditional LCDs are replaced by OLED, a 5.8-inch Super Retina HD display, which Apple has equipped iPhone X.

Display iPhone X benefits overview:

• Improved color rendition, color saturation, enhanced contrast.
• Reduced power consumption, which has a positive effect on the autonomy of the gadget.
• The underlay in the top center, left over from the frame where the sensors and the front camera lens are located.
• Support for the True Tone function, using 4-channel light sensors that analyze the state of the external environment and select the color gamut of the screen. With True Tone, it is possible to read text on the screen of a gadget like the page of an ordinary paper book, which minimizes eye strain.
• A new principle of tiered arrangement of the controller and microcircuits, which ensured the alignment of the picture in the corners. In this case, the borders of the screen extend to the edge of the top panel, look smooth and do not distort the image.
• An innovative color control technique that allows media content to be displayed in P3 and sRGB formats.
• HDR support, which allows you to view HDR10 and Dolby Vision video content.

From the above, it can be seen that the iPhone X received a completely transformed screen, in which only 3D Touch remained from the previous generations. The 5.8-inch display offers excellent brightness and color fidelity, as well as the widest possible color gamut. Its resolution is 2436 x 1125 px, with the highest density in the entire line of iPhones – 458 ppi. The contrast ratio is 1,000,000: 1, which is 71 times higher than that of the iPhone 8.

Features of control and use of the screen

The absence of the familiar Home button entailed a change in the order of execution of many commands. Perhaps this fact will cause some inconvenience in the first few minutes of using the gadget. However, a well-thought-out, intuitive interface allows each user to quickly understand the controls. What's new in some commands:

• Close the running application and go to the home screen with a simple swipe from the bottom up.
• By holding your finger in the center of the screen, you can call up the application thumbnails.
• Switch between open applications by sliding your finger along the bottom edge of the screen, which is indicated by a long glowing white strip.
• You can turn off or restart the gadget by simultaneously pressing and holding the power and volume keys for a while.
• Take a screenshot – press and quickly release the power and volume buttons.

Frequently used commands are simple and intuitive. As for specific actions, the order of their development is easy to find on the Internet.

New apps optimized for the large screen use the entire display surface. When using old applications, the user will see black stripes at the top and bottom of the screen. This does not in any way affect the operation of applications, it just turns out the screen is smaller in area.

Face ID scanner

An interesting feature of the iPhone 10 is the Face ID face scanner. It is declared by the company's developers as a reliable element of device protection and a complete replacement for Touch ID. It's fair to say that none of the developers have announced anything like Face ID yet.

Face ID provides protection against unauthorized iPhone unlocks. The function involves unlocking the smartphone only if the user looks into the peephole of the device's camera. It also provides thoughtful protection against fraudsters who try to use the photograph of the owner of the gadget.

The face scanner uses the True Depth toolbox for error-free and efficient operation, which includes:

• A projector that creates a unique face map of the owner of the iPhone. More than 30 thousand points projected onto the face form the most accurate projection.
• The IR emitter allows the object to be recognized in the dark using an invisible IR beam.
• The IR camera scans the mesh applied by the projector and generates an image of the face in the IR spectrum. The result is sent to the Secure Enclave, which is integrated into the A11 Bionic processor. It compares the identity of the faces of the owner of the device and the person trying to cancel the lock.

The face card is encrypted and stored exclusively on the device. Face ID identifies the owner even when their appearance changes using the latest processor machine learning technology.

To avoid any problems, and the lock was turned off on the first try, it is recommended to choose the distance between the face and the screen in the range of 25-50 cm. After scanning, it is suggested to swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Only in this way can you finally remove the lock and get inside the iPhone. Some consider this feature of Face ID to be a disadvantage, and call for getting rid of the unnecessary gesture. However, this option was invented solely for the safety of the device. Another advantage of Face ID is the ability to make purchases in App Store, iTunes Store or online stores via Apple Pay without traditional identification using a password or fingerprint. In iPhone X, after clicking on the 'Download' or 'Buy' icon, Face ID scans the face mesh and allows the purchase or download of the program. Scanning takes place in a split second and the user gets the impression that the action is performed instantly. You can also protect apps from unauthorized launch with Face ID.

The Face ID scanner has some features that make it not as convenient as the Touch ID scanner:

• Face ID is not designed for landscape orientation. This means that if you accidentally turn over the gadget, the scanner will not be able to unlock it. Whereas Touch ID works in any position.
• The weak point of the face scanner is bright sunlight. To avoid hitting it, you will have to choose the angle of inclination of the device and a suitable head position.
• The scanner's field of view includes the eyes, nose and mouth. If the bottom of the face is covered by a scarf, Face ID will not be able to identify the face.
• The technology is able to save a map of only one person. For comparison – Touch ID allows you to save fingerprints for multiple users.
• Face ID sometimes stops working for security reasons and requires a password if it fails to identify the user 5 times in a row. The gadget will also require you to set a password if the scanner has not been used for the last 4 hours in a row.
• The face scanner is not able to recognize children under 12 years old, and also does not always cope with the identification of twins. In this regard, a warning about the safety of using Face ID has been published on the official Apple website.
• Sometimes the scanner does not fulfill its function. Perhaps the reason is that he does not see the look. The user has to look not at the screen, but rather at the peephole of the front camera.
• The face scanner is noticeably slower than Touch ID. This annoys the owner when confirming the payment via Apple Pay, for example, in a supermarket. After all, the operation will have to be carried out quickly so as not to delay other buyers.

These features do not spoil the pleasant impression of the iPhone 10 and will be fixed over time with the release of software updates.

To enhance security, when it is assumed that outsiders will try to use the gadget, the owner of the iPhone X has the ability to disable the Face ID scanner for a while. You can forcibly activate password authentication by simultaneously holding the Power key and any of the volume buttons while the screen is on.

Create and share Animoji

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Together with iPhone X, users have the opportunity to create Animoji using their own face and voice and share them with other Apple gadgets owners.

You can use Animoji as a static sticker, or record a short animation. To create and send Animoji you need:

1. In the Messages application, select an already started conversation or go to the typing field.
2. Click on the monkey icon and choose the sticker you like: a cat, a dog, a panda, an alien or a unicorn.
3. Look into the camera so that the face fits in the frame.
4. Express your emotion, tap and hold the Animoji.
5. Drag the picture to the message field.
6. Click the send message icon to make the Animoji fly to its destination.

To record a short animation for 30 seconds, you have to press, to stop, press. To save the created Animoji – press and hold the image, then click 'Save'. The saved Animoji will be found in the iPhone 10 'Photos' application.

Cameras: description and main differences

The main camera iPhone X differs from its predecessors both visually and functionally. It is installed in the upper left corner of the rear panel, and is positioned vertically and has 2 lenses: wide-angle and telephoto. The resolution of each of them is 12 megapixels.

Main features:

1. Optical photo stabilization, allowing the iPhone X to capture good quality footage even in low light conditions.
2. Portrait lighting shaping function.
3. Improved IPS, which helps to identify not only people in the frame, but also parameters such as movement, brightness, lighting.
4. Fast camera autofocus.

Reduced pixel processing time, thanks to the use of innovative technologies. This allowed us to expand the range of colors and improve the quality of HDR photos on the iPhone X. There are 5 shooting modes:

1. Daylight is the main focus on the face, while the background is indistinct.
2. Contour light – assumes medium illumination, midtones.
3. Studio Light – Bright subject illumination and image clarity.
4. Stage light – A brightly lit object is placed against a dark or black background.
5. Stage Mono Light – A black and white version of Stage Light.

The new flash has received True Tone Quad-LED technology, which allows you not to darken the background when lighting. There is also a uniform backlight option used to avoid overexposed areas in the frame.

A number of improvements have also been made to the front camera:

1. Portrait shooting.
2. Option to simulate portrait lighting.
3. A set of special effects.

Video quality has also improved. The camera iPhone X allows a maximum shooting resolution of 4K @ 60fps, a minimum of 1080px @ 240fps. Time-lapse mode appeared.

Processor and performance

The performance of the jubilee iPhone 10 has broken all records. The powerful processor Apple A11 Bionic guarantees extremely high performance, and also guarantees full support and smooth operation of applications from App Store.

Compared to the A10 chip found in the iPhone 7, it demonstrates:

• efficiency is up to 75% higher;
• productivity is up to 25% higher.

Apple A11 Bionic is a 64-bit SoC that includes 6 cores: 2 high performance, 4 energy efficient. 6 cores run simultaneously under heavy load. The improved performance is mainly seen in games.

Battery, autonomous operation

The manufacturer has equipped the iPhone 10 with an upgraded form of a 2716 mAh battery, which significantly exceeds the capacity of its predecessors. Compared to the iPhone 8 Plus, the new model demonstrates similar autonomy with a larger display and lasts 2 hours longer than the iPhone 7. Estimated battery life:

• 21 hours of talk time;
• 12 hours of Internet surfing;
• 13 hours of online video viewing;
• 60 hours of listening to music.

The negative point is the heating of the device. This is more noticeable in games. After 10 minutes of operation, the temperature in the upper part of the case reaches 40 degrees.

Completion and packaging

The packaging of the flagship iPhone 10 is kept in the tradition Apple. This is a classic box with the image of an iPhone on the corporate background on the front side and the inscription iPhone on the side. The package contents are similar to the latest models of the gadget.

The standard kit includes:

• 5 W charger;
• Lightning-USB cable;
• EarPods with a Lightning connector;
• a clip for easy removal of the SIM card;
• leaflets with information.

Fast charger and apple case sold separately. Wireless smart headphones AirPods are also not included with the new smartphone.

Price

In Russia iPhone X is purchased in the stores of the official Apple reseller at the price:

1. iPhone X 64 GB – 64,990 rubles.
2. iPhone X 256 GB – 74,990 rubles.

The minimum cost of a charger for wireless charging is 3600 rubles. The cost of wireless headphones AirPods from authorized representatives Apple is equivalent to 192 USD.

Should I buy iPhone X

The iPhone 10 is one of the most powerful smartphones on the market. It has a large display that occupies more than 80% of the front panel and a high-quality camera. A built-in face scanner used for unlocking reduces the risk of unauthorized access to personal data.

Summing up, we can draw the following conclusions: the gadget is definitely recommended for updating from any generation of iPhones, as well as smartphones based on Android.

Factors that make you think before making a purchase decision:

• High price. However, it corresponds to the declared quality of software optimization, as well as the organization of a unique system of cloud services connecting different devices.
• Expensive service and components. Replacing the front and back panels made of super-resistant glass will have to pay the equivalent of $ 280 and $ 550 at the company's official dealerships. In order not to spend money on replacing panels, it is recommended to purchase a thick shockproof cover.
• Lack of standard 3.5mm audio jack. This fact condemns the owner of a supernova gadget to unforeseen costs when buying the appropriate headphones or adapters, which in turn will constantly break down and get lost.
• The lack of a second SIM card.
• The touch panel turns off and does not respond to touches at freezing temperatures.
• iOS is not working properly. Apps crash or don't open at all. Strange things are happening to the user interface. However, the developers are constantly working to fix them.

The disadvantages of iPhone X can also be attributed to the small number of technological innovations and the annoying manner of many people demanding a Wi-Fi connection for updates, even with mobile Internet.