Apple fans have been waiting for this – news about what will be on offer from the latest iPhones. Well, here it is: The soon-to-be-released new phones are the Budget iPhone X (which might be released under a different name) and the super-sized iPhone X Plus.
So what’s in store for us?
The iPhone X Plus
The big news is that this phone is likely to have a triple rear camera.
Huawei beat Apple on this technology with the P20 Pro. Apple’s triple lens setup is currently unknown, but perhaps Apple will emulate Huawei’s monochrome camera assisting the primary and telephoto modules, which created excellent low light photography, an area in which Apple did not do as well as its competitors. Apparently, the new iPhone X will still have two cameras so Apple will more than likely keep its three camera approach for this, its largest and most expensive phone.
One of the lenses is not likely to be the flash, which is expected to be to the right of the three cameras. However, one of the other rumours doing the rounds is that the iPhone Plus will stick with two cameras plus a flash. Only time will tell.
Apple is apparently planning a 6.5-inch display for the iPhone X Plus but the phone will still be smaller than the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus: 157.2 x 77.1 mm (6.18 x 3.03 inches) compared to 158.4 x 78.1 mm (6.24 x 3.07-inches).
The iPhone X Plus will apparently have second generation Face ID technology.
Bloomberg reports that Apple will source OLED panels for the iPhone X Plus from LG.
LG’s most recent works can be seen in Google’s Pixel 2 XL, a brilliant phone notoriouos for it poor display, and LG’s current V30 flagship which reportedly has a really bad screen.
Can Apple lift this underperformer to its high standards, or will customers accept a drop-off in the quality if the asking price is lower?
The ‘Budget’ iPhone X
Apple is reportedly going bigger in this new releae. The phone will measure 147.12 x 71.52 mm (5.79 x 2.81 inches). It is rumoured to be a 6.1 inch phone with a single rear camera.
It will also lose 3D Touch but will have first generation Face ID technology.
The real benefit of the Budget iPhone X will be its price, with Apple expected to cut the prices across the range by as much as $300.
At launch, the iPhone X was rightly praised for having the best smartphone display on the market but Bloomberg notes Samsung’s asking price for the component “is a key reason iPhone X pricing starts at $1,000 and sales haven’t met initial expectations”.
LG’s plastic OLED screens are considered as generations behind Samsung’s, but Apple might go with them because they are cheaper. Bloomberg says LG is likely to make only a portion of Apple’s new iPhone displays which could result in “good and bad” models and no way for a customer to know which one they are getting prior to purchase.
Some comfort for Apple fans could be Google. Leaks revealed Google will again go back to LG for its Pixel 3 XL displays. After being burned by the Pixel 2 XL controversy, LG must have impressed Google with its latest panels for Google to buy from it again.
Notes
Apple’s iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will be the last to use Qualcomm modems. Their competitor is Intel and independent testing has demonstrated that Qualcomm modems deliver better 3G and 4G performance.
So why move? The reason is Apple and Qualcomm are involved in an acrimonious legal battle over patent infringements and royalty disputes. Rather than resolve their issues the two companies have split.
This is a pity, especially with 5G on its way. Qualcomm is launching its first 5G smartphone modem, while Intel is a year behind. The modem problem looks unfixable. Maybe this is why Apple has made the phones so much cheaper.