iPhone X IPhone X ... the good, bad and ugly

[Ermir444]

Space gray 64GB. Had it for a month.

The good:
1. Screen is beautiful. Vibran colors but not overblown like Samsung. Can get plenty bright and no iseues with flickering for me. A joy to look at.

2. Form factor is almost perfect. Slightly larger than 8 but almost the same viewing area as the much larger 8+. I say “almost perfect” because it can be hard to reach the top one handed. Fits in all pockets including the inner blazer small one.

3. Battery life is very strong. Easily lasts through the day with moderate use and im left with 40% by bedtime. Ive seen it enter low power mode just once. Charges fast enough with iPad’s 12w charger.

4. Build quality is 2nd to none. Has a reasuring heft and the stainless steel gives it another lvl of sofiatication. If you pair it with Apple leather case, its not far from a Vertu. Screen is very resistant to scratches despite me using it wout a screen protector.

5. Speed. This thing is fast. Animations run smooth and moving through apps is a breaze. Does not get warm under gaming. Very consistent performer.

6. Cameras are very solid. Good quality shots under almost all conditions. 4k60 fps and slow mo mode are fantastic. Hard to believe how fare we have come in mobile photography.

The bad:
1. FaceID works very well when you hold the phone at a certain distance and angle but thats a fairly narrow range. It wont work in bed, or on a table, or ladscape, or when you wake up, or wearing shades and the sun behind you. Its not as consisten as TouchID gen 1 and defenetly not as consisten or as fast as TouchID gen 2. Should be labeled a Beta feature.

2. Price is about 200$/€300 more than it should be. Well reflected in lack of demand.

3. Portrait mode never manages to get it right. Always softens the eges.

4. iOS 11. Enough said... but not a shortcoming of iPX in particular.

The ugly:
1. The notch is awful to look at especially at night, when reading or watching videos/movies. Its not a feature but rather a compromise and takes away from the gorgeus display.



In conclusion, the iPhone X feels a lot like first Gen 2008 MBA. The form factor is definitely the future but the inconsistent FaceID coupled with the ugly notch and sold at a stiff premium give it the 1. Gen/beta feel.

 

[44267547]

Fair points. The only one point that is highly subjective of course is the notch, which I personally don’t have an issue with, but obviously others do. I think the Notch will be something that will slowly reduce once technology matures over the years. And of course the price point for the iPhone X is not very attractive to most iPhone consumers, but I guess it all depends on how one value’s the iPhone and what you want from it.

 

[Kram Sacul]

These joke threads are getting out of hand.

 

[Shirasaki]

These joke threads are getting out of hand.

I would say most of them are actually on points.

 

[GalaDaliGirl]

The Notch will be looked back on as an epic fail in 3 years

 

[Kram Sacul]

I would say most of them are actually on points.

I agree. It starts off promising then turns into nonsense at the end. A shame.

 

[fred98tj]

Yeah silly.
Regarding “the bad” #1: FaceID works for me in bed, on a table, when I wake up, with sunglasses and with the sun behind me.

 

[The Game 161]

Face ID works fine in bed and not sure why not working in landscape should matter. Nobody uses their phone in landscape. That’s not how phones should be used.

If you use your phone on a stand it by your bed it works fine. Yeah on a table it won’t but if a phone is on your bedside your going to need to pick it up anyway.

Personally there’s nothing beta about Face ID. It’s better than Touch ID for me.

The notch isn’t noticeable at all for users who have had the phone a while and to be honest I kind of like the design of it now. Certainly doesn’t bother me

 

[Phone Junky]

Yeah silly.
Regarding “the bad” #1: FaceID works for me in bed, on a table, when I wake up, with sunglasses and with the sun behind me.

Same here. I have no problem with any of those situations. User error.

 

[mtneer]

I think the OP makes fair and well thought out arguments for the Pros and the Cons as he sees it. Its a shame that many people on MR are so fragile that they can only hear good things about Apple.

 

[Phone Junky]

I think the OP makes fair and well thought out arguments for the Pros and the Cons as he sees it. Its a shame that many people on MR are so fragile that they can only hear good things about Apple.

I don’t think that’s it at all. There’s so many complaints about how awful FaceID is and that it fails half the time, that someone that reads these would think it is useless.
Well there are also those of us that have no problem with it so we voice that side of it. Equal time for both sides. Nothing more nothing less.
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The Notch will be looked back on as an epic fail in 3 years

Yep, you’re right. It epically failed to give me an iPhone that is almost all screen and the best iPhone I’ve ever had. I’ll take this fail any day.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Face ID works fine in bed and not sure why not working in landscape should matter. Nobody uses their phone in landscape. That’s not how phones should be used.

But Apple literally advertised watching video in landscape mode. They even designed a software keyboard to be used in landscape mode. Did you forget a /s?

 

[The Game 161]

But Apple literally advertised watching video in landscape mode. They even designed a software keyboard to be used in landscape mode. Did you forget a /s?

Why are you comparing watching video to using a device? Completely different usage.

You use an iPad in landscape pretty much all the time if you choose to. That’s not how a phone should be used.

 

[eyeseeyou]

3. Portrait mode never manages to get it right. Always softens the eges.

There are a couple threads in this forum with amazing portrait mode pics that have been taken with not only the x but also the 7 and 8 +. Maybe your phone is defective or you have extremely high expectations for portrait mode pics.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I think the OP makes fair and well thought out arguments for the Pros and the Cons as he sees it. Its a shame that many people on MR are so fragile that they can only hear good things about Apple.

Spot on. Any opinion on the Internet is instantly flagged as a joke or false if responded to by those who disagree with it. iPhone mega fans can be quite a defensive bunch though as I’ve found out on a few occasions.

I think it’s about time we realised that no user experience is the same and issues for some are real even if we are not experiencing them ourselves.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Why are you comparing watching video to using a device? Completely different usage.

Nobody uses their phone in landscape. That’s not how phones should be used.

Not sure how to interpret your original post. If not for watching video(youtube is the number one free app in the App Store), you’ve never seen people use safari in landscape mode? Take pictures in landscape mode? Play games in landscape mode?

What exactly do you mean “nobody uses their phone in landscape?”.

 

[The Game 161]

Not sure how to interpret your original post. If not for watching video(youtube is the number one free app in the App Store), you’ve never seen people use safari in landscape mode? Take pictures in landscape mode? Play games in landscape mode?

What exactly do you mean “nobody uses their phone in landscape?”.

I’m talking

Generally handling the device from going into

Messages
Phone calls
Apps that aren’t games
Settings
Scrolling through home screen

YouTube and video are the same thing

You don’t handle a phone when you pick your device up in landscape mode so why would you unlock your phone in landscape? When has this ever happened? It simply doesn’t. So why it’s even a question why you should be able to u lock in landscape is odd.

 

[mthomas184]

Same here. I have no problem with any of those situations. User error.

Definitely not user error. When I had my X, i could never unlock it first thing in the morning and could very rarely unlock it while its sitting on my desk right in front of me. I always had to pick it up unless i stop practically right above it.

 

[eyeseeyou]

to u lock in landscape is odd.

The only reason I could think of this being a con is that it’s not an issue with the fingerprint scanner in previous iPhones.

You only have to touch your phone with your finger to unlock previous iPhones. Don’t have to look at it or if you wanted to just unlock it in your pocket.

 

[Phone Junky]

Definitely not user error. When I had my X, i could never unlock it first thing in the morning and could very rarely unlock it while its sitting on my desk right in front of me. I always had to pick it up unless i stop practically right above it.

I don't understand the first thing in the morning thing. I have the same face in the morning and my phone unlocks just fine. Are you saying your phone doesn't recognize you in the morning vs any other time of the day?

 

[eyeseeyou]

Definitely not user error. When I had my X, i could never unlock it first thing in the morning and could very rarely unlock it while its sitting on my desk right in front of me. I always had to pick it up unless i stop practically right above it.

This is my experience also. Consistently fails in bed with the lights off.

 

[saltd]

My experience with Touch ID has been that it unlocks in the dark, in the morning, and everywhere else. I never have to put my code in. Doesn’t feel beta at all. Nobody I’ve talked to has had these issues either. Perhaps you have a faulty sensor?

I would like to see the option to unlock in landscape mode though.

 

[psac]

Why are you comparing watching video to using a device? Completely different usage.

You use an iPad in landscape pretty much all the time if you choose to. That’s not how a phone should be used.

So you're saying he's holding it wrong. Where have I heard that before?

 

[mthomas184]

I don't understand the first thing in the morning thing. I have the same face in the morning and my phone unlocks just fine. Are you saying your phone doesn't recognize you in the morning vs any other time of the day?

A few minutes after I would wake up, if I grabbed it and looked at it, Face ID would fail constantly. The 4 months I had it, it maybe worked 6x first thing in the morning.

 

[Ermir444]

Face ID works fine in bed and not sure why not working in landscape should matter. Nobody uses their phone in landscape. That’s not how phones should be used.

If you use your phone on a stand it by your bed it works fine. Yeah on a table it won’t but if a phone is on your bedside your going to need to pick it up anyway.

Personally there’s nothing beta about Face ID. It’s better than Touch ID for me.

The notch isn’t noticeable at all for users who have had the phone a while and to be honest I kind of like the design of it now. Certainly doesn’t bother me

When you wake up and pick the phone from nightstand when both head and phone are tilted 90 degrees it does not work. Also does not work when you just wake up.

In regards to the notch, it will always be there not matter how long you have the phone. The iPhone X will realise its full potential once the sensors/earpiece are hidden under the screen and faceID works from wider andgles and with better consistency aka touch ID 2.
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I don't understand the first thing in the morning thing. I have the same face in the morning and my phone unlocks just fine. Are you saying your phone doesn't recognize you in the morning vs any other time of the day?

Yes, im saying just that and im not alone