iPhone X Review: Closing Thoughts
Throughout my iPhone X Review series, many topics have been covered including the screen, wireless charging, the camera and sensors, the processor, Face ID, Animoji, and even some developer concerns. In this final article for my iPhone X review, we will look at my overall thoughts on the iPhone X.
I do not think that I had as much delight in using a product as I have with the iPhone X. The delight that I feel is the same as it was with the original iPhone, and that was a whole new product category at the time. Do not get me wrong, I was excited to get a new phone every year, and probably will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Yet the iPhone X had a different feel to it. Each iPhone brings its own features to the product and the iPhone X is no different in this manner.
There have been four iPhones that I have been extra excited to use. They are, in order of release, the original iPhone, the iPhone 4, the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 Plus, and the iPhone X. Each of these had their own significance. The original iPhone, because it was the basis for all future iPhones and it was a wholly new product that had not been seen before. The iPhone 4 because it was the first Retina iPhone and seeing just how sharp an iPhone screen could be was a real treat. The iPhone 5s due to ToucH ID, which would become instrumental and a fundamental interaction point with that and future iPhones. The iPhone 6 Plus due to the all new form factor and possibilities with the landscape view. Finally, the iPhone X because of its radical rethinking of an iPhone.
As much as I have enjoyed each iPhone that I have owned, which is all but the 5c and the 8 Plus, the iPhone X is wholly different. The iPhone X is one of the more exciting phones that I have owned. The physical size of the iPhone X allows it to fit more comfortably into a pocket and Face ID is a fundamental change in biometric authentication and works in almost all situations. There have been a few where it has not.
The actual design of the iPhone X is fantastic. After I get an iPhone, I do the initial setup and the immediately put the case, which invariably arrives days before the iPhone, onto the iPhone. I do this not only for protection, but also to keep my phones in really condition. When I take the case off, the actual design of the iPhone X feels great in the hands. The all glass front and back, along with the corners, makes it a nice and smooth band around the edge. It is not only reminiscent of the original iPhone, but also more akin to the iPhone 4 with its glass front and back and the chamfered edges.
Face ID works a lot better, faster, and in many more situations than most might anticipate. The limitation of registering only face for Face ID will be a limiting factor for many individuals, but it is merely a first generation release.
When you use the iPhone X on a day-to-day basis, the notch becomes a non-issue. Sure, you will notice it at first but since your eyes are elsewhere, I know I do not even really notice it, unless I am purposely looking at it. s is because you are generally looking at the screen and with the iPhone X, it is all screen. The OLED screen really does make a difference when you are viewing anything with a black background on it. I did a brief comparison between my old iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone X and when both were at full brightness, and not using night shift mode, I looked at the same picture on both phones. When I did this, you could see the black area to the sides. On the iPhone 7 Plus it appears a blueish gray, whereas on the iPhone X, it is a true black.
If there is an application that has not yet been updated with either a dark mode, or to support the iPhone X, be sure to contact the developer and request that they include a dark mode and update their app to support the iPhone X. Ultimately, it will be a better experience once most applications are updated.
The Future
No one knows 100% sure what the future of the iPhone will hold, nor how long it will be the dominate smartphone on the market. One day the iPhone will be supplanted by another device. Whether it is a smart phone, or another device time will tell.
The iPhone X resets the baseline for all future iPhones. As Apple has stated, the iPhone X is "Tomorrow's iPhone, today". It is not easy to put into words, just how going back to an iPhone 7 Plus feels like it is the wrong direction for phones to go. I get that not everyone can afford an iPhone X right now, but Apple's introduction iPhone X is nearly indicating that this form factor is the way of the future for iPhones. While it will certainly take time for this form factor to trickle down the line, it will eventually be the primary form factor for phones. It will be interesting to see whether Apple releases an even larger version of the iPhone X, with an even larger screen at some point in the future.
Final Thoughts
The iPhone X is Apple's flagship phone and a luxury to boot. The iPhone X is the direction that Apple is taking its most profitable and most popular product. Even with its $999 price tag, it does pack in a significant amount of technology in a small package. The iPhone X is much closer in size to the iPhone 8 than the iPhone 8 Plus. Hence, if you thought a "Plus" sized phone was just too big, the size of the iPhone X may be a good fit.
The iPhone X has the best set of cameras on any iPhone. The wide-angle lens on the iPhone X is the same as the one on the iPhone 8, but the telephoto lens is just a bit better due to the optical image stabilization on both lenses. This allows better videos and pictures, because the pictures and videos will not shake as much.
The inclusion of safe areas also opens up the opportunity for Apple to create other distinct interface designs in the future without having to worry about developers being able to support these new interface designs. It may not be likely that this will occur, but it is a possibility to be aware of.
Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Dan Riccio, indicated that the iPhone X was originally slated for release 2018. Yet, releasing the iPhone X in 2017 really does mean that we have tomorrow's technology in our hands today. The iPhone X seems to take all of the best physical features of the previous iPhones and puts them all into one package and yet it brings its own flair and style to the iPhone Line. To be honest the it really is a delight to use the iPhone X. If you are due for an upgrade, and have the monetary means, it really is worth looking at getting the iPhone X. I do not think that you will be disappointed.