First Impressions From New iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Users

[Flojomojo]

... As we all know, this is a ‘S’ release, so we are likely to see a more substantial upgrade in 2019. The thing is, when go back to my usage pattern and the fact that Apple is finding less and less meaningful technology to get users to upgrade, I feel even more justified in changing my upgrade strategy.

As someone said a few pages back, "they're all S years now," as the improvements become more incremental. Your X should be fine for at least another year.

The S years are the ones for me ... by now, most apps I care about should be updated for the new screen sizes, FaceID is more mature, and the no-button gestures have been embraced by most if not all. The 3GS, 4S, 5S, and 6S were my favorites ... I'm on an 8 now which is really a 7S. I'm eagerly awaiting my Xs now that things seem to have settled in. I intend to make it last at least thru the payment cycle, as replacing a $1300 phone every year seems like the sucker's choice, Apple enthusiast or not.

 

[max.ine]

View attachment 785691

What app is this?

 

[Flojomojo]

CARROT weather
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/carrot-weather/id961390574?mt=8

I couldn't remember the name and had to go hunting for it ... I'm buying it now

 

[5105973]

Got my iPhone XS 512 GB (plus leather case) three hours ago. I picked it up in the shiny new (okay… since Feb 2018) local Apple Store here in Vienna, Austria. The service was excellent. There was quite a crowd, the most intensive event since opening according to a salesman. I was 15 min early to the appointment but that was no problem, I got my pre-ordered device immediately.

Could make some video shots right outside the shop. It is a windy day so you'll hear some wind noises. But it's stereo! The case doesn't affect the sound quality although the genius couldn't tell me where exactly the microphones are located (so they don't get covered). The fcp stereo indicator shows well balanced (l/r) sound anyway.

Shot and uploaded all in a hurry:

Thank you so much for making and posting this video. I see it just fine on my iPhone 8 Plus display.

The main reason I decided to trade in a silver iPhone 8 Plus I love very much was to finally have the ability to record videos with stereo sound. I had to either attach an external mic or rely on my trusty Samsung phones for the last couple of years to get the best sound for my videos. The mic was not the ideal solution for many reasons. The Samsung phones do beautiful immersive stereo audio recording but I think the iPhone might be doing a better job of filtering out background noise and wind noise. It’s hard to be certain without a true side by side comparison of the same tour. But I know what quality I’m looking for from the iPhone and I have heard it, much to my delight!

Now thanks to your video I can hear for myself I made a good upgrade. I’m just now hoping the improved modems in the XS phones as well as the extra mics and boosted speakers work together to make voice calls more pleasant.

It was also such a pleasure to see this beautiful city in your video. The architecture is breathtaking. I wish I could be there for a month to see it all for myself but this was the next best thing and a great treat for my morning. Congratulations on your new iPhone. I hope it serves you well!

 

[Habakuk]

Thank you so much for making and posting this video. I see it just fine on my iPhone 8 Plus display.

The main reason I decided to trade in a silver iPhone 8 Plus I love very much was to finally have the ability to record videos with stereo sound. I had to either attach an external mic or rely on my trusty Samsung phones for the last couple of years to get the best sound for my videos. The mic was not the ideal solution for many reasons. The Samsung phones do beautiful immersive stereo audio recording but I think the iPhone might be doing a better job of filtering out background noise and wind noise. It’s hard to be certain without a true side by side comparison of the same tour. But I know what quality I’m looking for from the iPhone and I have heard it, much to my delight!

Now thanks to your video I can hear for myself I made a good upgrade. I’m just now hoping the improved modems in the XS phones as well as the extra mics and boosted speakers work together to make voice calls more pleasant.

It was also such a pleasure to see this beautiful city in your video. The architecture is breathtaking. I wish I could be there for a month to see it all for myself but this was the next best thing and a great treat for my morning. Congratulations on your new iPhone. I hope it serves you well!

You're welcome GrumpyMom. Thank you for the kind words. Yes absolutely. The stereo sound adds a lot to the ambient atmosphere of video recordings. (Therefore I let the sound untouched on editing, no music or other overlay.) And the iPhone XS is doing pretty well despite of the windy day and my riding a bicycle. But I really would like to know where exactly the four microphones are located.

 

[rugmankc]

I looked at an XS Max this morning at an Apple Store. Very nice and great display. Watched a movie on it. Very good sound in a noisy store. But, not compelling enough to trade in my X. Am not sure I can get use to or need the larger phone anymore. Since it is taller and not much wider, felt it to be a little top heavy. Something that one would get accustomed to, I guess. I think my X felt that way at first.

 

[michial]

I’m glad the XS doesn’t have landscape mode. I had all the Plus phones and never liked the feature. It would go into the mode when I didn’t want to and was hard to get out sometimes. I won’t miss it.

Actually, if you watch this video, it doesn't rotate.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

How long until Apple buys up this company? Even the tagline sounds Apple.

Steve Jobs was interested in another computational photography company called Lytro, NO way their tech would fit into a phone, though, and now they’ve been bought by Google.

When I imagine Apple doing a camera on their own, it’s something like the L16.

 

[Mydel]

A famous economist once said if something can’t continue, it won’t.

Pleading with folks in any forum about any topic to change their behavior because you think it’s bad for society is a fools errand. Only millions of people acting in their own self interest changes anything.

Their are tons of alternatives to Apple products in all categories they serve. In the end people will make the cost benefit analysis re any purchase using their own list of criteria.

Yes I understand the futile effort Im putting here. Thats why I called it rant
The problem is that there is no cost-benefit analysis. Its pure marketing and the social pressure in overwhelming majority of the cases. And that is sad part.

 

[Pipper99]

Picked up!

 

[cocky jeremy]

Correct, but the thing is the iPhone is adding fake blur and it doesn't know what objects are at what distance apart from the focal plane. What I was thinking was that that object looked to me to be slightly behind the dog but was still almost in focus like it was tricking my mind. But the photographer said it was close to the dog like you say.

I get what you're saying. I'm sure the software still judges focal distance to blur though. That would be my guess anyway.

 

[BvizioN]

For starters, the depth of an optical zoom camera lens plus the fragility of the zoom mechanism makes your desire impracticable in the banged-up life of a skinny phone.. More importantly, using fixed lenses is actually better, and can yield better results. In professional cameras and lenses, a fixed focal length lens is normally preferred and typically has better optical quality across the image. The fixed focal length lens is referred to as a “prime” lens. A zoom is just a more affordable option to have multiple focal lengths in one lens - especially if shooting in various locations. Any professional photographer will have a couple of “prime” lenses in his bag, especially for portraiture photography, and swap lenses depending on his needs. It is incorrect (or at least not well informed) to consider 2 lenses to be “mediocre” compared to a single zoom that covers the same focal lengths.

I know all that. The number of lenses you have on a smart phone does not make the quality better due to the fact they are more then one since thy all are limited to their size, the amount of light they pass through and more importantly the size of the image sensor. My point here is why? Why bother creating frankinstain smartphone with many cameras that pretends to do a lot of stuff at a mediocre level? Mediocre level because they will never be as good as dedicated cameras, no matter how hard they try.

 

[roncron]

What app is this?

Carrot weather, famous for snarky commentary with your forecast! (Also a *really* good weather app.)

 

[iMi]

Meh, unimpressed. I am holding out for the 2028 iPhone XXI (S) Super Ultra Max.

 

[Return Zero]

I just picked up my 256 gold Max from Verizon since the Apple store only had 64GB left. Lots of wow so far. I love how the gold looks in a solid black case, though if I was going nude I'd probably have chosen the white (mainly because the gold still has more of a red/pink hue than a traditional/yellow one, which is what I would have preferred).

The screen is simply perfect. Size-wise, it fills my large-ish hands much more comfortably than my X. Typing, for one, feels so much better. The speakers are noticeably better, not that I'll ever use them much. The speed improvement on Face ID is very noticeable and welcomed. There is definitely some work to be done on landscape mode in many apps, but video and games are completely beautiful. The camera is as advertised, but I still wouldn't compare it to a proper full-frame with real lens effects. Very nice iterative improvements all around. If you're on the fence between sizes, I would definitely recommend the Max. It's incredibly nice and really doesn't feel as large as you'd expect.

One thing that kinda surprised me is that the bottom has an extra antenna band and no longer is symmetric as to the number of speaker/mic holes on either side of the lightning port. It certainly doesn't look bad, but given how they went out of their way to achieve symmetry before, even with some of the holes on the mic side actually being plugged from behind, it wasn't expected to see form follow function this time around. My engineering brain is happy about it though.

 

[The Game 161]

Loving the size..missed the bigger phones

Very quick as expected and camera is certainly better for me. Portrait is useable for me now with the new features

 

[macguru212]

We've seen dozens of iPhone XS and XS Max reviews from media sites that Apple invited to test the new smartphones ahead of their release, but now that the new iPhones have officially launched in the United States and other countries around the world, iPhone XS and XS Max first impressions from regular Apple customers are now available.

New iPhone XS and XS Max users on reddit, Twitter, and the MacRumors forums have been sharing their opinions on the two new devices, and for those awaiting their own new iPhone or considering a purchase, the impressions from average consumers provide interesting insight.

MacRumors reader shooter03 said that the larger display of the iPhone XS Max is "amazing" and exactly what he's after. "I'm like WOW!!" he wrote.

Image via shooter03​

shooter03 shared some iPhone XS Max photos he took of his dogs using Portrait Mode and the new Depth Control feature that lets you adjust the depth of field after taking a photo, which came out great.

Image via shooter03​

Reddit user jtx660 who upgraded from an iPhone 7 said the display of the new iPhone is incomparable to the display of the iPhone 7, with vibrant, bright colors.

Image via reddit user jtx660​

jtx660 also put together a video of his iPhone and shared a photo gallery to show it off.

MacRumors reader sjperformance said he didn't notice a huge weight difference between the iPhone X and the iPhone XS Max, and that it didn't seem much bigger either. He also shared a photo of the iPhone XS Max next to the iPhone X.

Image via MacRumors reader sjperformance​

Have an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max? Feel free to share your first impressions and your photos in the comments below. We'll be sharing a hands-on video later today when the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max launch in the United States, so stay tuned to MacRumors.com.

Article Link: First Impressions From New iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Users

The camera bump looks so pronounced, but I gather it's just the photo. Plus with a case on it's probably not noticeable at all.

 

[DJLAXL]

Fortnite is taking forever to download.....but in all seriousness, I lucked out at a T-Mobile store this morning at my local mall here in UT. There were about 5 people in line. I got a gold 64 Max. All they had was gold in both XS and Max and all sizes, and like a previous poster said, its beautiful in a black case. I got the Incipio feather and it feels great. Waiting on my black camo DBrand and a black Apple leather case now though. So far I'm liking the screen size. Feels exactly like a Plus model. Happy Launch Day everyone!

 

[Jmarziano]

anyone know if the xs or max camera with flash will fix the alien eyes on all my x photos taken with flash?

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

In another thread, someone said, "no.", which is ok with me. I always hated that my Plus phones would go into landscape when I rotated them just a bit to far.

Go to the Control Panel. You can Enable/Disable Auto-Rotation from there on iPhone.

 

[nviz22]

The photos do not do the Gold due justice. It's actually more aesthetically pleasing in person. Especially, the stainless steel frame.

Don't really notice a speed difference with the XS Max, but I think it won't matter anyways since the X/8/8+ are still powerful phones.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

I’m not sure we’re talking about the same thing.

They do. It's in the Control Panel on the iPhone. Looks like a Padlock with a arrow circling around it.
[doublepost=1537550017][/doublepost]

Interesting, had to look that one up

Yes, you CAN do that on a DSLR with a wide-angle lens and a LOT of skill. Not the sort of thing you can do "on the fly" with a DSLR. However, with the pseudo-Bokeh effect, you can do it after the fact on ANY shot!

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

I’m still pinching myself. Never thought I would see the day that Apple would make a 6.5 inch iPhone.

I actually love it. I love the size of the screen. To me it’s not too big. And the weight is relatively light. I got this cause I have bad eyes. And boy what a difference it makes. Also the keyboard doesn’t feel as cramped like the X. Still in awe of it!

For those of you wondering. There is a zoomed display function on the Max.

 

[ctyrider]

Right.. From now on, I be checking with you everyone I purchase a personal electronics item, to make sure you approve of its model and pricing.

Here comes my plea that Im sure its not gonna change anything! Guys! Stop buying these phones! If you need a new phone go iPhone 8 or wait for XR. Buying the phones in the 1200-1500 EUR range is insane. That is not good for anyone!

 

[sundog925]

The XS offers quite a few upgrades over last year’s X, with no increase in price: 4GB RAM (increased from 3GB), better camera with a new sensor, new image signal processor, various improved picture and video modes, better display, improved sound, IP68 water resistance, dual SIM capability, faster FaceID, faster wireless charging, up to 15% faster CPU, up to 50% faster GPU and the machine learning neural engine co-processor goes from 2-core/600 billion operations per second to an amazing 8-core/5 trillion ops per sec—over 7x faster.

Also: stronger glass, better battery life, stereo video recording via four microphones, more frequency bands, including T-Mobile's 600 MHz LTE Band 71, and a faster “gigabit class” cellular radio. (In recent tests on US cellular carriers, the average download speeds more than doubled and upload speeds increased by 50%.)

Some will upgrade just for the gold color lol, and a $200 upgrade to 512GB is now available as well, for those who need half a terabyte of storage on their phone. For those who miss the Plus size, for an extra $100 a 6.5” display is also available.

Seems like a great S year upgrade to me.

BRO, i get ALL OF THAT. trust me. I'm no novice.
Im speaking in terms of the REGULAR idiot customer, theres no KILLER FEATURE to sell. Even my co-workers and friends said the same. they don't know about under the hood, just a new color.

so please save your typing for something for substantive. WE ALREADY FEEL U lol!!!!