iPhone X was launched last week in Romania and over 50 other countries around the world, ours being included in the premiere in the first wave of launches for such an important phone for Apple. iPhone X was launched with very limited stocks by the Apple company, but not only in Romania, but on the whole planet, some of the customers who pre-ordered the phone are still waiting for its delivery almost everywhere.
The iPhone X arrived at iDevice.ro on the day of its launch, so this week I had the opportunity to use it in every way, and now I'm talking about its novelties. If you are interested in the phone, then you can have it buy from here, stocks being of course limited, as everywhere in Romania.
Impressive design, with few exceptions
The iPhone X is the third Apple phone model released with a new design this year, after the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus went on sale in September. The iPhone X amazes you from the start with the huge screen, for the iPhone series, which covers the entire front panel, with the exception of the visible cutout in its upper central part.
The iPhone X also has a glass case, just like the iPhone 8, which creates a premium look for the phone, being at the same time quite resistant to scratches or impact. Whether we are talking about the space gray or silver model, the color of the iPhone X case is slightly different from that of the iPhone 8, although theoretically both models should have the same color, Apple applying an additional protective layer for the paint.
The iPhone X also has a stainless steel edge, unlike the aluminum one of the iPhone 8, which is shiny and enhances the entire appearance of the phone. The space gray version of the iPhone X best resembles the jet black model of the iPhone 7, and if you were to ask me, I would say that the phone is a candidate for the title of the most beautiful smartphone of the year, which it would have won. if it didn't have cutouts.
The biggest design change for iPhone X still remains the removal of the Home button, this being the first Apple phone model to remain without the iconic control button. Removing it requires learning a completely new way to control the phone, so gestures have completely replaced it, and together with it we also have a longer Power button, which has new functions, closing the phone is no longer possible with it.
Amazing screen, the best implemented in a smartphone, but imperfect
After looking at the wheel around, the iPhone X must be turned on, and here you will have contact for the first time with the new OLED screen used by Apple. Declared right the best smartphone screen, the OLED screen of the iPhone X has a diagonal of 5.8 inches, with a resolution of 2436 x 1125 pixels, 458 pixels per inch, and a contrast ratio of 1.000.000:1, the images being displayed on over 90% of the surface, excluding the cutout that cuts the upper part, but allows the visualization of information in its two "ears".
The iPhone X has an amazing screen, with exceptional color reproduction, with the reproduction of the black color much more faithfully than any other iPhone and with a better brightness, even in strong light. The iPhone X is a screen that, compared to that of the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8, impresses from almost every point of view, and I was very pleasantly surprised by most of the improvements made by Apple.
However, the iPhone X screen comes with some problems, and the first one you will notice is the change in colors depending on the angle from which you look at the screen. If you tilt your head slightly to the left or to the right, when you look at the iPhone X screen, you will immediately notice that those warm colors turn into blue, cold colors, with every movement of the head or the phone, this being the most annoying thing I noticed it on the screen.
The iPhone X has a True Tone screen and supports HDR10 plus Dolby Vision, which changes the shade of colors depending on the ambient light, but the function is not very helpful to alleviate the problem of the OLED screen which displays warm and cold colors depending on how we look at it at him. Apple says that this is a common problem with OLED screens and we can only believe the Americans, because they have been seen before on Android phones.
The iPhone X might have it too problems with the burn-in effect, found on Android phones, but Apple says that this could only happen in very rare cases. So far, however, I have seen that the iPhone X has problems with operation in the cold, with green stripes displayed on the screen, with applications that open by themselves, or the impossibility of taking over the users' touches during normal use.
The iPhone X does not have a perfect OLED screen, those from Samsung having difficulties in making perfect components, but maybe that was to be expected. Overall, the iPhone X screen is amazing, but nothing is perfect in this world, not even the components used by Apple.
A11 Bionic chip with amazing performance, on paper
The iPhone X also has an A11 Bionic chip, like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, ensuring exceptional performance for the new Apple phone. We are talking about a processor with 6 cores and 3 GB of RAM integrated into the A11 Bionic chip, and in the synthetic tests we have the best performing smartphone, but in the real world iOS 11 "pulls it down" with the way it was designed functions by Apple.
iPhone X has enormous processing power, but iOS 11 fails to keep too many applications open in the background, and depending on the NAND storage medium, it will also do very fast graphics processing. The models with 64 GB of storage space have NAND chips with half the performance compared to those with 256 GB of storage space, so it is good to know what kind of differences there are between them at the moment.
Although the iPhone X is surpassed in performance tests, for daily use, by Android phones that manage the RAM memory efficiently, in daily use the phone will work without problems. You will probably never feel that you cannot keep too many applications open in the background, or that the NAND storage medium is not the fastest, so you will have a very good experience.
Basically, the A11 Bionic is 70% faster than the iPhone 7 processor and 60% faster than any Android phone, the video card also being the most powerful of all. Despite this, the Apple company had to integrate another 1 GB of RAM in the phone to facilitate its use without problems even if we use many applications that remain open in the background.
The new A11 Bionic chip also has a special artificial intelligence chip implemented, which allows it to take over all the commands given to the applications that contain it. Apple implemented it to be able to release the resources of the main processor, so that the very good performances that this component has are also obtained.
Face ID
One of the most important features of the iPhone X is Face ID, a facial recognition system that replaces Face ID after the Home button was removed from the new phone. Face ID works through the new front camera, called TrueDepth, which consists of a variety of sensors that scan our face to create a 3D map of it and use it for biometric security.
Face ID can be set even during the initial configuration process of the iPhone X, or from the dedicated menu in the Settings application. Face ID can be set in a few seconds, the process requiring the simple rotation of the face 2 times for it to be fully registered by the phone, and at the end you have the possibility to use your face to unlock the phone at any time.
Face ID works on the basis of an artificial intelligence system that learns our face over time, so that no matter what kind of changes we suffer, the phone would still be unlocked. Whether we grow a beard, lose an ear, or an eye, wear a cap, eyeglasses, or some sunglasses, Face ID will use artificial intelligence to recognize us and unlock our phone.
Face ID uses a camera and an infrared sensor to create a 3D map of our face, projecting over 30.000 invisible points on our face to create the 3D map we mentioned above. Face ID works perfectly even in the dark, then an infrared camera is also used to recognize us in total darkness and I can tell you that everything works flawlessly.
Face ID is presented by Apple as being much more secure than Touch ID, the chances of being fooled are 1.000.000:1, compared to 50.000:1 in the case of Touch ID. Apple says that a twin brother could trick Face ID and this has already been demonstrated, so you better expect it because Apple can't provide total protection, but pictures can't be used to unlock our phones in use .
Face ID also comes with a series of new functions in iOS, the Apple company implementing one that allows unlocking only if we are attentive to our phones. More precisely, Face ID looks at our eyes and only when it detects that we are looking at the phone does the unlocking, this function keeping the screen on when we are looking at it, it also hiding the notifications from others, showing them only when we are looking at the screen, or turning off the clock alarm in the morning.
The attention functions available in Face ID for iPhone X can be extended by developers, and the Apple company even allows them to be deactivated if you do not need them.
Finally, Face ID is even slower than Touch ID for unlocking from the LockScreen, but faster in authentication for downloading applications, or authorizing access to them. Face ID comes with some disadvantages, but also with many advantages, and I am very satisfied with what the Apple company has created and I am sure that many Apple customers are of the same opinion this year.
For Face ID, the Apple company also created a special little trick called Animoji, that is, we are talking about animated emoji characters based on our facial expressions. The Apple company created animoji to demonstrate how advanced the facial recognition system of the iPhone X is and how well it can follow our face, over 50 facial expressions being recognized by Face ID and implicitly for Animoji.
To create these animojis, we will have to use the Messages application, this system being available there, Animojis can only be sent from the iPhone X to any iDevice, or saved in the phone's library for sharing on social networks.
Rooms – the second best master bedroom in the world
The iPhone X has the second best vertical dual camera implemented in a smartphone, according to photography experts, the Apple company managing to amaze. After the iPhone 8 Plus initially equaled the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in the top of the best smartphone cameras, with the iPhone X the Apple company managed to do something even more amazing for customers all over the world, but that's only half the story.
iPhone X has a dual camera consisting of two 12 megapixel sensors each, one of them being wide-angle, the other telephoto. The first camera sensor has an f/1.8 aperture with optical stabilization, while the second has an f/2.4 aperture also with optical stabilization, but also optical zoom up to 2X, a new quad-LED True Tone slow flash being implemented by Apple company.
The dual camera of the iPhone X has impressive specifications, and the experts praise it fully, but the results in the real world vary a bit. Personally, I can't say that the iPhone X camera "backed me", and that's because it's a long way from the pictures taken by Apple to yours, because they don't come out as great as you'd imagine, and when you see them on the computer you get the feeling that more is needed there.
Starting with iOS 11, Apple has also implemented two new standards for photography and video, HEVC and HEIF, deactivating them and using JPEG, resulting in better quality photos. Compared to the iPhone 8, the iPhone X camera is marginally better, the differences being small, but the HDR effects would need more work, including photos in low light, Apple still has a lot to do.
iPhone X has also implemented new options for the Portrait function, which can record pictures with natural light, studio, contour, scene, or mono scene. You can see in the animated image above how the pictures taken using these new functions look like, the light being extremely important for good results, the portrait function remaining an essential one for the iPhone.
TrueDepth camera - the beginning of a revolution
iPhone X comes with a new TrueDepth camera that Apple has implemented to allow the use of Face ID for facial recognition, it being integrated into the cutout of the screen. You can see in the image above that it comes with a dot projector, a lighting sensor and an infrared camera, all of these components being necessary to use Face ID and facial recognition.
The TrueDepth camera has a resolution of 7 megapixels and is a normal one, but in combination with all these sensors it offers functionality that no other phone on the planet has. Because we are talking about such an advanced camera, the Apple company has also implemented the Portrait function for it with all the novelties that we presented above for the main camera, everything being offered in tandem for users who want to enjoy it.
The TrueDepth camera does not take better pictures than the front camera than the iPhone 8, but the Portrait function allows you to use that bokeh effect for really successful pictures.
4K video at 60 FPS
iPhone X is implemented for the front camera and the possibility of filming at 4K resolution with 60 FPS, or at 1080p resolution at 240 FPS. In both cases, compatibility for the HEIF, HEVC format needs to be activated in the phone, so you will have to make the videos that way, even if we are not talking about such a great quality for the final result.
iOS 11 – new gestures and unprepared applications
iOS 11 required many changes for iPhone X, and the biggest of the new ones are the gestures for use without a Home button, plus the unprepared applications. I start with the gestures, which allow you to fully control the iPhone X using simple swipes on the screen to close applications, to switch from one application to another, to access those open in the background and not only that.
First, it should be mentioned that Apple has integrated in the lower part of the screen a permanent thin bar around which all the slides must be made. iPhone X allows closing an application by swiping from bottom to top on that bar, and if you want to switch between applications, you just have to swipe from left to right, or from right to left.
If you want to close all the applications in the background, then you have to swipe from the bottom to the middle of the screen without taking your finger off the screen, the task switcher with the applications open in the background being displayed. Now to close the applications you will have to press and hold on an application until the close button appears, then press the red button next to each one, or swipe from bottom to top on them to close them immediately.
Even the Reachability function has not disappeared from the iPhone X, it must be activated from the accessibility menu, and a simple swipe from top to bottom on the permanent bar will lower the screen interface.
All applications from the AppStore can be installed on the iPhone X, but very few of them are really ready for the new phone, most of them being displayed in a border on the screen. You can see in the images that the applications are not displayed on the entire surface of the screen, including under the cutout, but in a normal border, standard for the resolution of old phones, the experience itself being strange.
Apps need to be updated for iPhone X by app developers for iOS 11, and that will happen over time, but it remains to be seen how long it will take for that to happen. In the meantime, we will have to use the applications in the format in which they are available now, because there is no other solution.
Unfortunately, the iPhone X will not be able to display some video clips or photos very well either, these being displayed with side edges, because displaying them on the whole screen will hide portions of them. Even the games will not be displayed in their entirety, but with portions under the cutout, but this is the compromise we have to make to have a phone whose screen is so large in relation to the front panel.
Battery autonomy - a lot of energy used quickly
The iPhone X has, for the first time for an Apple phone, an integrated two-cell battery to allow the implementation of such a large screen in such a small case. This two-cell battery can store 2715 mAh of energy, a few tens of mAh more than the battery in the iPhone 8 Plus, but the battery autonomy is less than that offered by the larger phone.
When using the iPhone X, I obtained a maximum period of use of approximately 8 hours and 72 hours of standby time, but here I am talking about the maximum value. The minimum value was 6 and a half hours of use, so you can make an average between the two to figure out what kind of autonomy you will get from the phone in daily use compared to iPhone 8 or iPhone 7.
Apple promised that the iPhone X will have an autonomy of 2 hours better than the iPhone 7, but unfortunately I cannot say that I have achieved this and no one has managed to obtain such a good autonomy for the phone. In daily use, the iPhone X will have a better battery life than the iPhone 7, but not as much as Apple promises and certainly less than the iPhone 8 Plus, so it's good to know that.
Wireless and fast charging
The iPhone X, like the iPhone 8, has wireless charging and fast charging, which are offered as standard by Apple, but of course without accessories available for free. Fast charging allows iPhone X to be charged up to 50% in just 30 minutes, while full charging takes almost 2 hours, wireless charging only uses 5W, so it takes much longer, as if charging with a standard charger.
I recommend you to use the fast charging system because it saves you a lot of time waiting by the phone and does not affect the battery in the case of long-term use. To do fast charging for iPhone X you need this charger si this cable, and to do wireless charging you need these charging pads.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G connectivity, stereo speakers and water resistance
On the Wi-Fi side, Apple has not implemented any changes, iPhone X obtaining the same speeds limited by our routers, so you can get a few hundred Mbps without problems. On the Bluetooth side, we have implemented Bluetooth 5, so all compatible devices will allow use at greater distances and at better speeds, while battery autonomy is less affected, so there are only good points.
4G connectivity is limited to LTE-A, i.e. 600 Mbps, but in Romania an LTE-A network has just been announced by Vodafone, so you still have to wait for high speeds. On average you will get up to 200 Mbps, but you will be able to make 4G voice calls from your phones and you will be able to use the Wi-Fi call function, but for now it is disabled on Orange.
In the iPhone X, Apple has also implemented new stereo speakers, which are up to 25% stronger and have a deeper bass, but in everyday life it is unlikely that you will notice any differences compared to the previous models.
iPhone X is still resistant to water and dust with IP67 certification, so a maximum of 30 minutes at a maximum of 1 meter under water, but if water happens to enter the case, the warranty is void.
Conclusions - is it worth buying?
For me, the iPhone X is partially the phone I've been waiting for for more than 2 years, and here I'm referring to the large screen and the gestures offered by Apple in iOS. The cutout is one of the disadvantages, and Face ID is not perfect, but overall I wouldn't go back to another iPhone model, especially since I can finally use a normal-sized phone that has a larger screen than a standard one.
The choice of iPhone X over other iPhone models mainly depends on the acceptance of Face ID, cutouts and the shortcomings of the OLED screen. If I had to choose again between buying iPhone 8 Plus, I never even thought about iPhone 8, and iPhone X, I would choose the second model because the shortcomings are covered by the good functions that the phone has and the recommendation I would do that to anyone.
If you don't want Face ID, although I can't really imagine why anyone would avoid it, or if you don't like the cutout, here I would perfectly understand anyone, then iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus are the best choice. If it's not about money and you don't care about the two disadvantages, I recommend iPhone X without restrictions for anyone, but otherwise, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are the best choice.
Any other models are already old, they do not have all the new functions of iOS 11 and they have a year less support offered by the Apple company, next year they will become even slower, with fewer functions.
The iPhone X is an expensive phone, no one can contradict that, but it is part of a category of premium smartphones that are expensive even from manufacturers like Samsung. In Romania you can buy from here iPhone X, but if you find it in stock.
