The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, Apple’s new iPhones for 2018, are officially here. While the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have virtually the same guts, just in two different sizes, the iPhone XR introduces a profound shift in Apple’s strategy by folding its “bargain” phone into the premium iPhone mix.
iPhone XS vs iPhone X: Features and specs
The iPhone XS is Apple’s follow up to the drastically different iPhone X. As the name suggests, this time is more of an evolution than revolution. The XS bears a similar notched design but with new internal upgrades that make it technically better than but quite similar to the older iPhone X. This is not as big a jump in tech as the iPhone X was last year.But with a faster processor and, Apple says, better battery life, is the iPhone Xs worth the extra spend?
| iPhone XS | iPhone X | |
| iOS | iOS 12 | iOS 11 or 12 |
| Colours | Gold, Silver, Space Grey | Silver, Space Grey |
| Display | 5.8in Super Retina Display (2436×1125, 458ppi) OLED | 5.8in Super Retina Display (2436×1125, 458ppi) OLED |
| Processor | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A11 Bionic |
| Storage | 64GB/256GB/512GB | 64GB/256GB |
| Rear camera | 12Mp wide-angle, f/1.8, OIS + 12Mp telephoto, f/2.4, OIS, optical zoom, 10x digital zoom, Portrait Lighting, Portrait Mode, quad-LED flash | 12Mp wide-angle, f/1.8, OIS + 12Mp telephoto, f/2.4, OIS, optical zoom, 10x digital zoom, Portrait Lighting, Portrait Mode, quad-LED flash |
| Front camera | 7Mp FaceTime HD, f/2.2, 1080p video | 7Mp FaceTime HD, f/2.2, 1080p video |
| Video recording | 4K at 24/30/60fps, 1080p slo-mo at 240fps | 4K at 24/30/60fps, 1080p slo-mo at 240fps |
| Biometric security | Face ID | Face ID |
| Wireless charging? | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproofing | IP68 | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 70.9 x 143.6 x 7.7mm | 70.9 x 143.6 x 7.7mm |
| Weight | 174g | 174g |
| Price | £999/£1,149/£1,349 | £999/£1,149 ($999/$1,149) |
| Buy SIM-free | Pre-order 14 September | From Carphone Warehouse |
These phones are basically identical. They both have 5.8in notched OLED displays, dual cameras with a small bump and glass backs that allows wireless charging. They also both have stainless steel rims that house speakers, mic, Lightning port and buttons. There’s no headphone jack, as we are now all used to from Apple. This design is a big departure from older iPhones as there is no home button, with the front facing camera and sensors unlocking the phones with Face ID.
iPhone XS and XS Max quick specs
- Two sizes: 5.8-inch (458 ppi) and 6.5-inch (458 ppi), with OLED HDR screen (Super Retina displays)
- Colors: Gold, silver and space gray finishes
- Dual camera: 12-megapixel wide and telephoto lenses
- Front-facing cameras: 7-megapixel camera will bring depth to portrait mode photos
- A12 Bionic chip: 7-nanometer processor promises to launch apps 30 percent faster than 2017 iPhones
- Storage options: 64GB, 128GB, 512GB
- IP68 water-resistance rating (2 meters depth; up to 30 minutes in water)
- Battery life: iPhone XS should last 30 minutes longer than iPhone X; iPhone XS Max claims 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone X
- Dual-SIM card support through eSIM technology
- Face ID promises to work faster at unlocking the phones
- 3D Touch pressure-sensitivite screen
- Stereo sound with a wider stereo field than 2017 iPhones
- iOS 12 software
- Pricing: Starts at $999 (£999, AU$1,629) for 64GB iPhone XS
iPhone XR specs: Apple’s cheaper iPhone
- 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792×828-pixel resolution and 326ppi (Retina display)
- Aluminum body with glass back
- Single camera: 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, with OIS (same as iPhone XS)
- Storage options: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
- Portrait mode photos through software
- FaceID with same True-Depth camera system as iPhone XS
- A12 Bionic chip
- Battery life claim: 1.5 hours more per day than the iPhone 8 Plus
- IP67 water resistance
- No 3D Touch on iPhone XR. Instead, you get haptic touch, like a trackpad
- iOS 12 software
- Colors: Blue, coral (pink), yellow, white, black, Product Red
- Price: Starts at $749 (£749, AU$1,229)
iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max and iPhone X Specs
| iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | iPhone XR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED; 2,436×1,125 pixels | 6.5-inch Super Retina OLED; 2,688×1,242 pixels | 6.1-inch LCD Retina Display; 1,792×828 pixels |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi | 458 ppi | 326ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 5.7×2.8×0.3 in | 6.2×3.0x.3 in | 5.9×3.0x0.33 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 143.6×70.9×7.7 mm | 157.5×77.4×7.7 mm | 150.9×75.7×8.3 |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 6.24 oz; 177g | 7.3; 208g | 6.8oz; 194g |
| Mobile software | iOS 12 | iOS 12 | iOS 12 |
| Camera | Dual 12-megapixel | Dual 12-megapixel | Single 12-megapixel |
| Front-facing camera | 7-megapixel with Face ID | 7-megapixel with Face ID | 7-megapixel with Face ID |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A12 Bionic |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| RAM | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Expandable storage | None | None | None |
| Battery | N/A, but Apple claims it will last 30 min. longer than iPhone X | N/A, but Apple claims it will last 90 min. longer than iPhone X | N/A, but Apple claims it will last 90 min. longer than iPhone 8 Plus |
| Fingerprint sensor | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning | Lightning |
| Headphone jack | No | No | No |
| Special features | Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji | Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji | Water-resistant: IP67, dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB), $1,349 (512GB) | $1,099 (64GB), $1,249 (256GB), $1,449 (512GB) | $749 (64GB), $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB) |
You can’t buy the iPhone X direct from Apple now, so the iPhone XS is a decent upgrade for the same RRP. But if you don’t care about the gold colour, larger XS Max or the promise of a tiny battery life improvement, you might want to seek out the iPhone X on a cheaper contract from a reseller.
