iPhone Xs, Xs Max, and Xr. Let's Discuss

Archer1212

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First impressions for me:
I love the gold/black of the Xs and Max. So pretty.
the adjustable f-stop for portraits is slick.
I knew before they even said anything the Xs and Max would be out of any budget I would have.

The colors of the Xr are nice and look so much better than the 5c of 5 years ago.
It looked like there was no 3d Touch on the Xr?
Would pretty much be the perfect phone for me.
Disappointingly still too much money.

I will just have to keep my 6S Plus until next year it seems. Then the 8 will be low enough for me to get.
 
I posted over in the mobile thread, but same sentiment. I like what the XR offers in terms of features and looks, but having gotten used to the X over the last year, I think I'd prefer the stainless steel design with the XS, and c'mon, that gold is fantastic this time around (not a huge gold fan overall). I'm not sure I'd go with the bigger phone until I can get a chance to mess with it firsthand. No 3D touch on the XR, but I don't use it much on my X. I used it a bit on the 7 and 8 I had, but not so much these days.
 
Its a pass again for me. No touch ID and only Face ID is a deciding factor. Ill be keeping my 7+ for another year and just spending the $29 to replace the battery. Ill be getting the Apple Watch Series 4 though.
 
I'm more interested in seeing how the A12 performs in real life than I am the phones themselves.

Admittedly, because I want to see how close Apple is getting to Intel/AMD in what could be a laptop play -- not because I want (or need) a faster handheld device.
 
I posted over in the mobile thread, but same sentiment. I like what the XR offers in terms of features and looks, but having gotten used to the X over the last year, I think I'd prefer the stainless steel design with the XS, and c'mon, that gold is fantastic this time around (not a huge gold fan overall). I'm not sure I'd go with the bigger phone until I can get a chance to mess with it firsthand. No 3D touch on the XR, but I don't use it much on my X. I used it a bit on the 7 and 8 I had, but not so much these days.

The steel is durable as shit too, I ran over it (in a standard leather case) with my 4500lb minivan. Bent slightly but didn't break (small chip in the corner though) still fully functional a month later and doesn't affect usability at all.
I'm gonna keep the X until next year, the AR stuff, and siri commands looked neat as well as the camera upgrades, not enough to pay for my phone outright though (att next wont take a damaged for the program).
 
I don't see much to make me upgrade my X, but I'm also on the upgrade program so I might as well. I can't decide if I want a bigger phone again, though. I love the overall size of the X, but I've been consuming a lot more media on my phone recently, so the bigger screen would be nice.

The new watch looks nice, too. I may actually look into getting one finally.
 
Dat series 4 watch tho...

Will probably grab the XS max to replace my X...I decided I can’t live without a huge phone in my life lol
 
I didn't see anything to get me to jump back into the Apple camp. I really dislike Face ID. It worked only about 50% on the X I tried. I'm a fingerprint sensor guy. The next phone I buy will have the sensor embedded in the screen. (y)
 
I didn't see anything to get me to jump back into the Apple camp. I really dislike Face ID. It worked only about 50% on the X I tried. I'm a fingerprint sensor guy. The next phone I buy will have the sensor embedded in the screen. (y)

Exactly why I skipped the X and will skip this round too. They need the Touch ID back. Also the XS and Max just feels even more iterative than ever before. Seriously almost nothing new, the A12 isnt even that much better than before either.
 
I'd be in for an Xr if I had to buy one today. I am pretty annoyed that they've basically pushed the price of iPhone up market by $250+. Seems like last year everyone was freaking out at the $1000 pricetag of the iPhone X. Now the top spec iPhone Xs Max costs almost $1500.

At this point, I'm curious to see how much longer I can push my iPhone 6. Currently on it's 3rd battery. iOS 12 helped the overall performance and user experience tremendously.
 
I'm not impressed with their phones, I think the fact that the A12 bionic chip is 7nm is cool. I'm liking the new apple watch and I might pick one of those up (non cellular) but I'm expecting to use my 7+ another year.
 
I don't see much to make me upgrade my X, but I'm also on the upgrade program so I might as well. I can't decide if I want a bigger phone again, though. I love the overall size of the X, but I've been consuming a lot more media on my phone recently, so the bigger screen would be nice.

The new watch looks nice, too. I may actually look into getting one finally.
The Max has a longer battery life too according to the specs.
 
My 6+ is getting long in the tooth. With only a gig of RAM, certain web sites just plain crash the browser. The battery's only lasting a day now instead of a week, too. It's about time to upgrade IMO. Lookin' at the XS Max personally. Bigger screen and better battery life are the big things for me. Of course, given how often I use my phone's camera, I should probably be excited for that as well. Wireless charging could be nice too. Lately I have to unlock my phone to charge it, even if it's plugged in. Don't really get that. The dynamic DoF looks pretty cool. Gonna see how they fit in my hand before I make a final decision.

As for the watch, I don't really see any reason to upgrade from the Series 3 I bought a few months back. EKG's cool I guess, but I was expecting it to be passive, not active. I don't want to have to hold the crown for 30 seconds for the reading. Bigger screen? Meh. More widgets per face? OK, could be useful. But I'll probably get that on the current watch with a watchOS upgrade. No battery life improvement was the major downer for me. I went from a Fitbit Blaze that lasted a little under a week to an Apple watch that lasted a little under a day. Major downgrade. Besides, I love my mechanical watches for everyday wear.
 
Its a pass again for me. No touch ID and only Face ID is a deciding factor. Ill be keeping my 7+ for another year and just spending the $29 to replace the battery. Ill be getting the Apple Watch Series 4 though.
Exactly why I skipped the X and will skip this round too. They need the Touch ID back. Also the XS and Max just feels even more iterative than ever before. Seriously almost nothing new, the A12 isnt even that much better than before either.

TouchID isn't coming back though. So, I assume at some point you'll either be forced into FaceID, or onto another platform. Which is fair enough, if Apple isn't making a device that suits you that's why the free market is there. But Apple isn't ever going to walk it back, and I doubt they'll adopt any screen based TouchID in favor of what they consider the single "best solution".
 
Im 100% getting the XS Max and a series 4 apple watch


Currently have an iPhone X and Series 1
 
TouchID isn't coming back though. So, I assume at some point you'll either be forced into FaceID, or onto another platform. Which is fair enough, if Apple isn't making a device that suits you that's why the free market is there. But Apple isn't ever going to walk it back, and I doubt they'll adopt any screen based TouchID in favor of what they consider the single "best solution".

If they don't bring it back with the optical under the screen fingerprint reader than I'll just use my 7 until it breaks or buy the 8. They haven't exactly stated Touch ID was gone forever though. If they continue with the Face ID eventually I'll move all of my family to android. I like iOS and simplicity and I just didn't want to rebuy the whole ecosystem but if Touch ID never comes back they will just lose 8 customers. I'll wait until the next one and see how all of us are doing with our iPhones, we all have the 7/7+ and all of us have ipads of some sorts, lots of apple watches etc. I doubt they care but I think android is good enough now for all of us to switch without major pains.
 
well I do want to eat my words a bit. Looking back, since I got a 6S+ 128GB I ended up spending $950 before applecare. Now I didnt want the 128gb, I wanted the 64gb, but the store only had the 128gb in stock. So looking back. the Xr price is something that I cant balk at anymore. But I still wont be getting it since my wife and I are already spread thin right now.
 
The X is the perfect sized mobile for me; fits perfect in my shirt pocket.

I like the Xr RED quite bit. But then my X is still working well

What I really don't like is the ECG function only on US models; I want to monitor my heart too where I live.

Eventually I will get 10" iPad Pro with LTE later in October.
 
Forgot to mention, I also have a Apple Watch Series 1 and an iPad Mini 3. Don't plan on replacing the watch until it's not supported anymore and depending on how much spend on a new phone I won't be getting another iPad.
 
If they don't bring it back with the optical under the screen fingerprint reader than I'll just use my 7 until it breaks or buy the 8. They haven't exactly stated Touch ID was gone forever though. If they continue with the Face ID eventually I'll move all of my family to android. I like iOS and simplicity and I just didn't want to rebuy the whole ecosystem but if Touch ID never comes back they will just lose 8 customers. I'll wait until the next one and see how all of us are doing with our iPhones, we all have the 7/7+ and all of us have ipads of some sorts, lots of apple watches etc. I doubt they care but I think android is good enough now for all of us to switch without major pains.

They have not explicitly stated it's not coming back, however Apple's track record isn't ever to go back (whether talking about optical media, usb-c, Face ID, Firewire, or anything that they've given the axe to). It's possible for them to do some level of screen Touch ID, they do have a listed patent for it. I'm not holding my breath. And I wouldn't either if I were you.


well I do want to eat my words a bit. Looking back, since I got a 6S+ 128GB I ended up spending $950 before applecare. Now I didnt want the 128gb, I wanted the 64gb, but the store only had the 128gb in stock. So looking back. the Xr price is something that I cant balk at anymore. But I still wont be getting it since my wife and I are already spread thin right now.

Cost is still a major concern for smartphones in general in my opinion. I more or less will never buy a new smartphone ever again. I like Apple's products, but I don't like their cost. I don't need the latest and greatest when it comes to phones, so I'm willing to wait another couple years before moving to a used X or Xs Max or something when I can get one for maybe $500. My 6S Plus will likely carry me for at least another 2 years (which for reference, I also bought used). And the only reason to upgrade is for my ego and not for any level of functionality. Which at this point in my life isn't a good enough reason to drop $1500 on a piece of tech that isn't a general computing device (I have a custom machine in pcpartpicker, and shockingly it's roughly $1500 for an 8700k system with a Vega 64... at this point I know which I'd buy first).
 
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It's possible for them to do some level of screen Touch ID, they do have a listed patent for it. I'm not holding my breath. And I wouldn't either if I were you.

Screen touch-ID has required hardware development- Android phones are shipping with it now, which means that Apple could likely get it up to their usability standards for their next release.

You know, if they wanted to.
 
Screen touch-ID has required hardware development- Android phones are shipping with it now, which means that Apple could likely get it up to their usability standards for their next release.

You know, if they wanted to.

It's true. But then in the case of ///AMG, it would come down to implementation. Some theorize that the reason for Apple to adapt screen Touch ID would be to have two factor authentication on their phones making them even more secure. So in that case it is yet to be seen whether or not single factor authentication will be allowed (perhaps requiring Face ID + Touch ID, Face ID + password, Touch ID + password). If that were to be the case, then ///AMG would be just as dissatisfied, because obviously the point is that he wants to unlock his phone without having to mess about in a protracted way.
Once again, yes, this is theorizing. So Apple could do anything. It's just as likely or possible that they'll allow one or the other. However, it's generally not like them to allow users to not use "superior tech" (in quotes because obviously people have their differences in opinion). It is also unlikely that they would force password usage either, as that is kludgey and inelegant. Very against the Apple ethos.
 
I'm just looking forward to not having to carry 2 phones around anymore but am waiting to hear how well their implementation works.
 
Hmmm, Face ID works perfectly for me with very few false readings (like when the sun is behind me shining on the sensor). Curious if the people having issues know that the machine learning algorithm improves recognition over time as you use it? For example if it doesn’t recognize you, type in your pin and that triggers the algorithm to add the last facial data into its database. After a few days of doing that you will stop having these issues.
 
all I wanna know is if Work is going to upgrade all our iPhone 7(+)'s this year or not... it still works great for me but hey new and shiny is new and shiny
 
If I wanted a huge phone I'd go with a Max, but alas I like my phone being able to actually fit in my pocket - the X to XS upgrade is absolutely not worth the money in any way, shape or form.

Tim Cook sucks. Show me something halfway interesting.
 
The X is the perfect sized mobile for me; fits perfect in my shirt pocket.

I like the Xr RED quite bit. But then my X is still working well

What I really don't like is the ECG function only on US models; I want to monitor my heart too where I live.

Eventually I will get 10" iPad Pro with LTE later in October.

I think I agree as well. The X is such a good size, it feels great in the hand and with the screen being edge to edge essentially, you get a lot of real estate that you didn't with the borders of the prior releases. I'm really drawn to the XR Blue, I'd love to try it and see the LCD panel at least, but for now, it'll be the XS Gold for me.

They have not explicitly stated it's not coming back, however Apple's track record isn't ever to go back (whether talking about optical media, usb-c, Face ID, Firewire, or anything that they've given the axe to). It's possible for them to do some level of screen Touch ID, they do have a listed patent for it. I'm not holding my breath. And I wouldn't either if I were you.

Cost is still a major concern for smartphones in general in my opinion. I more or less will never buy a new smartphone ever again. I like Apple's products, but I don't like their cost. I don't need the latest and greatest when it comes to phones, so I'm willing to wait another couple years before moving to a used X or Xs Max or something when I can get one for maybe $500. My 6S Plus will likely carry me for at least another 2 years (which for reference, I also bought used). And the only reason to upgrade is for my ego and not for any level of functionality. Which at this point in my life isn't a good enough reason to drop $1500 on a piece of tech that isn't a general computing device (I have a custom machine in pcpartpicker, and shockingly it's roughly $1500 for an 8700k system with a Vega 64... at this point I know which I'd buy first).

Correct, they never (at least not in recent memory) go back a step in terms of radical changes. In part, I'd say this is due to wanting to ensure that adoption increases and remains steady. I've personally happily adopted FaceID, and it works flawlessly to the point that I'm completely fine not having to look for a button anywhere on the phone to unlock it.

You're absolutely right in about prices. I was pretty convinced they'd price the XS at $849 or $899, but that didn't seem to be the case. They can of course charge what they want, and they do. The X sold quite well despite it's ludicrous price tag, and I'm sure these new S variants will sell just as well, especially the Max, as people do want that massive phone at their disposal. Of course, the 8/8+ did outsell it, but there are a few obvious reasons why (cost being a big one).

In regards to a speed comment I saw earlier, the A12 is indeed quite a bit faster, but then again, speed can only be increased by x amount year over year. It's not going to be a 120% increase from the A11 to the A12, it just isn't realistic.
 
I'm looking forward to the XS Max. I'm not the one paying for it luckily, work pays for our phones. Even then I couldn't justify the 512gb model. I checked my 256gb Iphone X and I'm only using 103gb with movies and my entire mp3 music collection on it.
 
Coming from my current iPhone 5S the XS would be a huge upgrade, but I'm not paying over $1,000 for a phone. I was getting excited hearing about the rumors of a cheaper iPhone X styled device but what we got instead was the XR, and the actual product is very disappointing in my opinion. Single-lens camera, horrible looking bezels, terrible resolution for a 6.1" screen, no 3D Touch and the damn thing still costs $800.
 
In regards to a speed comment I saw earlier, the A12 is indeed quite a bit faster, but then again, speed can only be increased by x amount year over year. It's not going to be a 120% increase from the A11 to the A12, it just isn't realistic.

I stated the A12 wasnt a big upgrade over the A11. I wasn't expecting anywhere near 100% increase but more like 30-40% like the usual. So far leaked benchmarks show it is indeed faster in the single core but its about the same or slower in multi core. Also the single core scores are only about 12-15% faster which is what was advertised. They only added one more GPU core, 1GB more ram and a slight increase in clock speed. They made it more power efficient but honestly the X already last nearly a day and a half so overall I feel the A12 was just a spec bump/refresh. But the A12 is the least of the XS' issues for me. I was ready to buy my family new iPhones for christmas but I vote with my wallet and no Touch ID is a no go for me. I will probably buy all of us the new Watch Series 4 though.
 
I stated the A12 wasnt a big upgrade over the A11. I wasn't expecting anywhere near 100% increase but more like 30-40% like the usual. So far leaked benchmarks show it is indeed faster in the single core but its about the same or slower in multi core. Also the single core scores are only about 12-15% faster which is what was advertised. They only added one more GPU core, 1GB more ram and a slight increase in clock speed. They made it more power efficient but honestly the X already last nearly a day and a half so overall I feel the A12 was just a spec bump/refresh. But the A12 is the least of the XS' issues for me. I was ready to buy my family new iPhones for christmas but I vote with my wallet and no Touch ID is a no go for me. I will probably buy all of us the new Watch Series 4 though.

Unfortunately you may be waiting quite a while. Rumors point to the fact that they may at some point figure out a way to add touch verification to the screen but it’s a ways down the road. Any reasons you’re not wanting to adopt faceid? Just curious, I may have missed it. My folks are far from anything in the realm of tech people, but they’ve all adopted faceid once I got them X’s last year, makes things quite a bit simpler for them in fact. I suppose it’s how you use the phone but they’re just general users, so nothing out of the ordinary.

Pretty excited for the watch as well, we (dad, gf, and I) have been rocking the 3 for the last year and it’s tough to leave home without, could almost survive on it and the AirPods alone if I didn’t need my email access (bit tough to send emails with the watch).
 
Absolutely lame refresh cycle. Getting the Xs max though because I want the bigger phone.
 
I was getting excited hearing about the rumors of a cheaper iPhone X styled device but what we got instead was the XR, and the actual product is very disappointing in my opinion. ... terrible resolution for a 6.1" screen
Wait, what? It's 326ppi. That's not enough for you? That's three times the pixel density of your standard monitor. Just how crisp do you need that half-inch icon to be?
 
Unfortunately you may be waiting quite a while. Rumors point to the fact that they may at some point figure out a way to add touch verification to the screen but it’s a ways down the road. Any reasons you’re not wanting to adopt faceid? Just curious, I may have missed it. My folks are far from anything in the realm of tech people, but they’ve all adopted faceid once I got them X’s last year, makes things quite a bit simpler for them in fact. I suppose it’s how you use the phone but they’re just general users, so nothing out of the ordinary.

Pretty excited for the watch as well, we (dad, gf, and I) have been rocking the 3 for the last year and it’s tough to leave home without, could almost survive on it and the AirPods alone if I didn’t need my email access (bit tough to send emails with the watch).

I can't use things like Face ID at work especially in the labs for various reasons. Also the way I use my phone sometimes makes Face ID cumbersome, not that it doesnt work. So that means I'll end up reverting to a pin code for a lot of the day which is worse off for me.
 
I can't use things like Face ID at work especially in the labs for various reasons. Also the way I use my phone sometimes makes Face ID cumbersome, not that it doesnt work. So that means I'll end up reverting to a pin code for a lot of the day which is worse off for me.

iOS 12 supports 2 faces for authentication now, so you could try to set it up to work with your face and your masked face if that's the issue in the labs.
 
Grabbed a Xs Max 256 in gray. Should be here next Friday. First time I've ever bought a flagship phone and first time I've done release date. Still rocking an iPhone 6 Plus non-s with the stylish bend from my pocket.
 
I switched to the X 3 months ago from an 8 plus. LCD screens, computer or phone, hurt my eyes ever since the first monitors came out. The X was instant relief. Also, the screen size is larger while having a smaller profile which in my opinion is perfect. I have big hands but the 6-8 plus were just too big for everyday work life for me. The X is just right.

I don't think I am a fan of face ID. I have been off with injury so weight gained happened and the phone is a bitch to unlock using Face ID. Even after re-calibrating, it just doesn't work like it did out of box. I just end up punching the code in. I do miss Touch ID. I am overall happy with the X and don't see a reason for another payment or buyout of a new phone for another 3 years. Unless this craps out early, which I doubt.
 
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I signed up for the Apple upgrade program (if nothing else 24 months of 0% financing is worth it). Decided on the Xs Max, 256 in silver (though now I'm kicking myself for not picking space grey). All in the bill is nearly $1500. Which, without context, is a sizeable chunk of change. However, in the past couple years I'm finding that I do 70-80% of my work on my phone. When I need to hammer out some documents and go all out on productivity I use my desktop at home. But when I'm out and about, calling clients, sending e-mails, researching, etc. I do it all on my phone. Not to mention all the use I get out of it at home. With two kiddos I take hundreds of photos and videos a week. All my shopping (amazon) is done on mobile, my video consumption habits have shifted towards nearly entirely on my phone (granted still not very much). Streaming spotify at the gym... Carplay... and on and on... In the end, this device gets a lot of use and is integral to my life as a professional and a dad. Apple products work well (my iPhone 7+ has had zero issues) and retain value. So all things considered it's worth it to me.

Let's just hope face ID lives up to the hype...
 
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