First…we need to talk about how Apple just pulled a Beyonce by dropping multiples on us before we had time to get our coins in order…
BeyApple is coming for the coins…
Ok, not really. We had hunches for at least a year that Apple was working on a new iPhone for the 10th anniversary of its original release. We saw buzz weeks before that they would premiere three phones and include facial recognition, wireless charging, and (prayerfully) an upgraded camera.
We heard the rumors, but now it’s time to make the decision.
Apple is releasing a 3 new iPhones (well, actually two because the 8 and 8 plus are basically the same thing), an upgraded Apple TV and a new series 3 Apple Watch tomorrow. They debuted the features at their new corporate HQ of Apple Park in the Steve Jobs Theatre (which looks pretty stunning). You can watch the keynote on Apple’s website. Apple went into detail about the new redesign of Apple retail centers in forming a more open space for teaching and collaboration. They spoke about the new features of the Apple TV and premiered the series 3 Apple Watch, which now comes with cellular capabilities so you can make/receive calls/texts without having to be anywhere near your phone. And, of course, you can use this watch while swimming (not in deep submersion waters though).
You don’t need a completely different number, but you will have to add a service plan to use the cellular…bummer.
If you had any doubts of whether or not I plan to invest my hard earned coins into a watch and a phone…hopefully you know me well enough to find comfort in the fact that yes, I plan to buy them both.
The major decision that people are making now is ‘Which iPhone should I buy?’
Let’s break down the features on both.
iPhone 8/8-Plus (I refuse to acknowledge that these are two separate phones)
Key things to note:
- Glass frame that enables wireless charging
- In case you missed it…wireless charging…
- A11 chip which is supposed to be faster than the iPhone 7
- 12MP camera (an upgrade)
- Portrait mode on your camera so you can change backgrounds, lighting, etc…
- You can still use your finger to turn on the phone
- It comes in silver, black, and gold
- Same size as the plus versions of previous iPhones
iPhone X (iPhone 10)
Key things to note:
- 10th Anniversary edition and what Apple believes is the next generation of phones
- Edge-to-edge screen so you will not use fingerprint tech to turn the phone on
- Facial recognition and about 30,000 dots on your face now allow you to turn on the phone
- Sidenote: facial recognition works by looking at your phone. It recognizes you based on scanning your face and opens your phone. The same facial recognition can be used to make purchases in Apple Pay and security locks through your phone’s apps.
- OLED screen (a better way to view colors/images)
- Animoji – which is a fancy way of saying the new emoji feature will let you turn your texts into talking emojis (which I’m actually pretty fond of).
- Water resistant (same as iPhone 8)
- No more home button
- You’ll use swipes of your finger to navigate the screen and get back home
- A bit smaller than the plus version of iPhone 8
- It comes in silver and black
So there you have it…the wait will be over September 15th when you can preorder the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and the Apple Watch (they will be released September 22nd). You’ll have to wait until October 27th to preorder the iPhone X and it will be released on November 3rd.
I wouldn’t make a recommendation as to which one you should buy, but I am a nostalgic person at heart so I prefer things that hint back to the original or move a product forward with a nod to the past. Features like edge-to-edge displays, wireless charging, and better camera functions are not new in the tech world (let’s be honest). What is new is Apple’s risk of pushing facial recognition onto phones, something they also pushed forward with fingerprint access with the iPhone 6.
The iPhone X signals a new direction for Apple and tells us that they are shifting the way we use their technology, which is innovative for their company. Also, the iPhone X will likely carry a better resale value because it is an anniversary phone (as mentioned by a tech friend of mine).
I am, however, a bit hurt because they don’t offer iPhone X in gold…
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