iPhone X Review in Progress: Your Biggest Questions Answered

[Mark Spoonauer]

The iPhone X is a bold step forward in terms of design and capabilities with its edge-to-edge display, TrueDepth camera and Face ID, but there's also a learning curve.

iPhone X Review in Progress: Your Biggest Questions Answered : Read more

 

[mocsabkcid]

I can see that the Iphone X has made some major improvements over previous IPHONES - and has tried to catch up with Samsung 's display and infinity screens - but regardless of how good the IPHONE is, I am stuck on Android. I just never liked the IPHONE experience. I don't like the ap drawer, I don't like the fact that it can't be rooted, I don't like so many things about it that regardless of how good it gets, I personally think that Samsung's Note 8 or the Pixel XL2 are far better in many ways. Apple will make their fans happy but I don't see it converting a lot of android users. Too many good things happening on Android to convince that many to switch.

 

[whistlepunk]

27533 emails, my god

 

[tkjunkmail]

You should evaluate the new phone the way most people will use it – with a screen protector and a protective case. I read these reviews about the beauty, thinness, screen look, etc. But how about a foray in to reality when a $1,000 phone is protected from even the most simple drops. So update your final review with a case and screen protector.

 

[Mark Spoonauer]

Hi and thanks for the comment. I agree that most Android fans will stay put, and the Note 8 in particular remains the best big-screen phone. However, the iPhone X's cameras are better, and I do like having a big-screen I can easily use in one hand. For that crowd, the Galaxy S8 is an awesome alternative and a cheaper one.

I can see that the Iphone X has made some major improvements over previous IPHONES - and has tried to catch up with Samsung 's display and infinity screens - but regardless of how good the IPHONE is, I am stuck on Android. I just never liked the IPHONE experience. I don't like the ap drawer, I don't like the fact that it can't be rooted, I don't like so many things about it that regardless of how good it gets, I personally think that Samsung's Note 8 or the Pixel XL2 are far better in many ways. Apple will make their fans happy but I don't see it converting a lot of android users. Too many good things happening on Android to convince that many to switch.

 

[daniel.hammerberg]

"But because you have to look at your phone anyway to use it, the only real step you need to take is swipe up on the phone" - not true. I often have to peek at my phone to see who is texting me, i.e. at a movie theater. I have kids and dont want to get up and leave every time someone texts me. I'm also not going to pull my phone all the way out of my pocket and hold it up to my face. This also applies to other situations such as work meetings or classrooms.

 

[daniel.hammerberg]

" But because you have to look at your phone anyway to use it, the only real step you need to take is swipe up on the phone" - that is not true. Ever been in a meeting or somewhere where you can't just pull up your phone to your face to look at notifications. I have kids and when I go to the movies and my phone starts buzzing, I usually peek to see if its an emergency or not.

This is one thing I haven't been able to find out from anybody yet. Can you unlock the phone without FaceID - ie. a passcode or pattern?

 

[daniel.hammerberg]

I found the answer:

You can always use your passcode instead of Face ID, and it’s still required
under the following circumstances:
• The device has just been turned on or restarted.
• The device hasn’t been unlocked for more than 48 hours.
• The passcode hasn’t been used to unlock the device in the last 156 hours
(six and a half days) and Face ID has not unlocked the device in the last
4 hours.
• The device has received a remote lock command.
• After five unsuccessful attempts to match a face.
• After initiating power off/Emergency SOS by pressing and holding either
volume button and the side button simultaneously for 2 seconds.

 

[franki.hauptle]

I don't understand why the arm companies Qualcomm and even Samsung, who have been doing it for ages can't make a cpu that can compete with Apples. They go on about the 835's speed, but compared to the A11 it's like it's a couple of generations old. Other than the CPU, they really just copied and in some places improved on what android was offering already. (The first no bezel android is over a year old now)
Qualcomm and co need to get their act together on the SOC, but other than that I think the pen on the note 8 would push me to that. The next generation of flagships will be very interesting.

 

[grumpigramp]

When I can buy a big screen smart TV for less than the iPhone X, its too expensive.

 

[varase]

I'm also not going to pull my phone all the way out of my pocket and hold it up to my face. This also applies to other situations such as work meetings or classrooms.

The iPhone X is certainly more difficult to use surreptitiously.

You could use a simple passcode which would be easier to enter under the table, but that would compromise your security.

 

[carl_diaz]

Mark, does the IPhone X recognize more than one face ? I am a senior and my wife and I share an iPhone 7 Plus and it recognizes both our finger prints as well as the numeric code ? Your answer would be greatly appreciated...

 

[varase]

I don't understand why the arm companies Qualcomm and even Samsung, who have been doing it for ages can't make a cpu that can compete with Apples. They go on about the 835's speed, but compared to the A11 it's like it's a couple of generations old.

Apple's chip design team is on par with or possibly exceeds that of Intel.

Other than the CPU, they really just copied and in some places improved on what android was offering already. (The first no bezel android is over a year old now)

Qualcomm and co need to get their act together on the SOC, but other than that I think the pen on the note 8 would push me to that. The next generation of flagships will be very interesting.

Apple is rarely the first to market with anything - they like to think that they fix what's broken in other products.

The original iPhone was their answer to what they though was broken in the smartphone market.

Curiously though, the no bezel smartphone was mentioned eons ago by Ming-Chi Kuo when he revealed how Apple's next phone would be a bezel less design which would be a window into Augmented Reality.

When Apple puts out a product, they're like a lumbering beast and it takes time to put together supply chains, engineering teams, and software teams to build the next iPhone to scale - and more agile players take things like that statement as their future design spec and rush to beat Apple to the punch.

So Apple always nowadays with all the leaks looks like they're copying things, even when they came up with the original concept.

As for facial recognition: yes, it existed before, but not in the reliable way Face ID implemented it. Samsung and most other companies would be horrified to be told what it would cost to implement that one feature by their engineering team, and that plan would be scuttled faster than plans for a militarized version of the Note 7 grenade phone .

 

[varase]

Mark, does the IPhone X recognize more than one face ? I am a senior and my wife and I share an iPhone 7 Plus and it recognizes both our finger prints as well as the numeric code ? Your answer would be greatly appreciated...

Nope, one face per customer.

Of course, anyone can enter the passcode.

 

[varase]

You should evaluate the new phone the way most people will use it – with a screen protector and a protective case. I read these reviews about the beauty, thinness, screen look, etc. But how about a foray in to reality when a $1,000 phone is protected from even the most simple drops. So update your final review with a case and screen protector.

Spoken like a true Handicapper General.

Read much Vonnegut, do you?