Why do people keep saying X is beta?

[44267547]

I do not make my claim of this being a beta product because it is a new design. I actually make the claim because I think this device was rushed to market due to everyone wanting to really see something from apple for the first time in a while

When I read someone insinuating that this is a "rushed device" or Face ID was rushed, it just shows me how glib some really are. Do you think this company truly rushed this iPhone and Face ID? When they spent millions of dollars of research and development ensuring millions of consumer security? Do you even have any idea how long it took Apple to fully develop this technology and implement it? I mean, what do you think Apple did? Just purchase a few sensors and put them under the display and say "Well, that's good enough." You have to think outside beyond your own disapproval to understand what this Company developed for this new iPhone. But I'm not saying you have to approve of it.

 

[x-evil-x]

People dont realize the iPhone 4 was a beta. The iPhone 5 was a beta. The iPhone 6 was a beta.
Basically is in the reasoning these people think the X is a beta.
Increase in screen size had issues with all these phones.
How long did developers take to adjust to the 5 taller display? Almost a year.
I personally think the software can be a bit more polished in relation to the screen but I dont feel like it hurts it right now to the point that im not benefiting from the best performance enhancements with the gestures.
Seriously not having the home button and the way the gestures are setup makes the phone a ton faster to switch back and forth and jump into other apps and just use the phone quicker.
I dont feel like the phone is a beta product besides other apps not being optimized yet. But that doesn't make things any slower. Which is the main reason to get this phone. Screen, gestures(speed, no home button), camera's, form factor, faceid.
I think faceId is better when using your phone actually. It feels just as fast if you swipe right when the screen pops up and having faceid scan your face for passwords instead of touch is a bonus. Dont have to move your hands and it works by just staring at your phone.
Theres many benefits that people dont realize until they start getting used to this phone. Not using one for a few days you won't understand why its just better.

 

[jamin00]

People have their reasons for not getting the X which is fair enough but the phone is certainly not a beta product. I dont believe for a second that the device they launched to mark its 10th anniversary was rushed at all.

The iPhone X is the best iPhone they have ever launched imo, some will agree with that and some wont but hey, the world would be a boring place if we all had the same taste.

 

[AppleZombie]

Its a Beta to all App developers trying to figure out how to optimize their apps to the notch. It’s a Beta because the notch will eventually disappear for those same apps to work. Its a Beta because Apple will eventually design and make its own OLED Screens.

Does it really matter if it’s a Beta or not?

 

[OllyW]

It's almost as bad as the people who use 7S to describe the iPhone 8.

 

[kasakka]

I do not make my claim of this being a beta product because it is a new design. I actually make the claim because I think this device was rushed to market due to everyone wanting to really see something from apple for the first time in a while, and their devices were getting so long in the tooth people were going crazy.

I'm gonna go against almost everyone else opinion, and say this phone is really nothing special. Yes face ID is a good concept, and this phone will always be remembered for that alone, but they gave us something we really didn't need. There will be more neat uses for it in the future and I actually applaud apple for it. Other than that there is nothing special about this phone and I do not think it's a big deal.

Congrats, Apple finally gave you things that many other phones have had for years. They didn't give them to you earlier, because it would cut too much into their profits and all the Apple fan boys didn't demand much and vote with their wallets. They finally relented because people were about to die of boredom and gave you a phone that is still not ahead of anything else out there with the exception of Face ID and processor benchmarks.

I agree with you partially. I can't really say that the hardware is some sort of beta design but at the same time it does not do anything the competition like Samsung hasn't been doing for a few years already. Releasing the iPhone 8 with the same several years old hardware design is bollocks - the very least they could have done is get rid of those big bezels. Not having fast charging out of the box on the iPhone X is another load of ********.

Face ID is the only truly new tech in play and while face recognition has been around for a while, only Apple has managed to make a version that is not **** in use. That's a feat in itself.

To me the iPhone X is a test in a few ways: whether they can get people behind Face ID and if they can sell a phone for a very high price. The answer seems to be yes for both. I just can't see myself buying an Apple phone anytime soon because to me the value proposition is way out of whack. They are too expensive for what they are and offer no real advantages over just using a much cheaper Android phone. That said Android flagships kind of have the same issues but most aren't nearly 1200€ over here for a base model.

 

[576316]

Well, I think you could kinda consider it a beta iPhone, considering it's Apple's concept of the future of iPhone. But it itself is not a beta product.

 

[dexterie]

people tend to consider Apple's first generation products as beta.
it's true that some of their products were released with issues that were polished at a later release. but..it's technology, consumer products, we're talking about. it's normal that things are released with minor bugs.

if apple would be releasing completely new design every year (like other companies do), what would happen? all of their phones would be in beta?

just buy whatever you want/can afford and enjoy. it'll be your device, so...don't give a damn about what people think about it.

and it's just a damn phone. it's a tool. it's supposed to serve us, not the other way around. people are going nuts with scratches and so on.. so what it scratches? lol. "it'll put in a case right away!" and then what? you'll never use it as it was designed to.

 

[Tec972]

To me the iPhone X is a test in a few ways: whether they can get people behind Face ID and if they can sell a phone for a very high price. The answer seems to be yes for both. I just can't see myself buying an Apple phone anytime soon because to me the value proposition is way out of whack. They are too expensive for what they are and offer no real advantages over just using a much cheaper Android phone. That said Android flagships kind of have the same issues but most aren't nearly 1200€ over here for a base model.

Totally agree here

 

[Diorama]

Becuase da X is WAY beta than other phones.

 

[iphonenewuser]

That is non-sense. Apple took 5 years for developing iPhone X. They does everything best for it. Don't tell it is beta!

 

[Tec972]

When I read someone insinuating that this is a "rushed device" or Face ID was rushed, it just shows me how glib some really are. Do you think this company truly rushed this iPhone and Face ID? When they spent millions of dollars of research and development ensuring millions of consumer security? Do you even have any idea how long it took Apple to fully develop this technology and implement it? I mean, what do you think Apple did? Just purchase a few sensors and out them under the display and say "Well, that's good enough." You have to think outside beyond your own disapproval to understand what this Company developed for this new iPhone. But I'm not saying you have to approve of it.

One argument could be why didn't it release when the other phone released. Granted, they may have wanted the extra time to generate buzz and hype. Why are the supply of the phones so limited? If they had it planned as well as you give them credit for, don't you think they would have worked out production issues earlier and had enough manufactured to where pre orders didn't sell out after 20 minutes.

I'm not sure if they developed face ID completely in house or bought another company for the technology. Other than Face ID there's not much different, and it wouldn't take that much more development. Most of the things for gesture is simply software. Oh yeah it has an OLED screen, that probably took a bit of time for Apple too because it's the first time they felt generous enough to give us one. It's not like that is new technology. The only innovative thing in the phone is Face ID. Everything else considered, its still a boring iphone. So yes, consider me somewhat underwhelmed, i was hoping for more. I still don't understand how everyone thinks this is such a big deal. I'm not willing to spend a $1000 to unlock my phone differently. If i wanted to use different gestures I could always buy a different phone.

 

[maflynn]

Because people do that for any new product, especially if they don't like it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I just try to ignore those type of comments, but that's just me

 

[ssls6]

From an engineering standpoint, the X has more "challenges" and in time we will learn if those "challenges" were successfully met.

I can say that the high density folded logic board is one that I'll be watching. Maybe column driver connections for the display.

 

[geta]

Its completely new design that share few internal parts with iP 8\8+. So yes, i said it before and will say it again - you’re all paying beta users.

About the software, every new iOS they release is not finished\polished, only around mid life its starts to function as it should be. With iOS11 many options didn’t work smooth or wasn’t existing on release day and slowly slowly they adding them…

Don’t get me wrong, i like the new design (minus the FaceID), but i’ll wait another couple or years till it works without any issues before i think of getting one, and hopefully by then they’ll make a smaller version as well…

 

[KingslayerG5]

It's polished for what it is now but beta where Apple plans on taking it in a few years. It's like being a freshman but making varsity. You're still a freshman but just precocious. Like Kobe Bryant at 19 against 35-year old MJ.

Where I see it beta is AirPower. If that can charge much faster, I expect in four years for a port-less iPhone. The phone itself is quite polished but doesn't have standout features and its unique ones like Face ID and Animoji aren't must-haves.

 

[ZipZap]

When I read someone insinuating that this is a "rushed device" or Face ID was rushed, it just shows me how glib some really are. Do you think this company truly rushed this iPhone and Face ID? When they spent millions of dollars of research and development ensuring millions of consumer security? Do you even have any idea how long it took Apple to fully develop this technology and implement it? I mean, what do you think Apple did? Just purchase a few sensors and out them under the display and say "Well, that's good enough." You have to think outside beyond your own disapproval to understand what this Company developed for this new iPhone. But I'm not saying you have to approve of it.

Yet, what you are saying is supposition as well. Who knows what Apple spent, or what their motivation really was. This phone feels rushed in my opinion. The notch is not distinctive, its a compromise due to technical limitations. Face ID in actual use appears less reliable than expected. OLED strangeness not communicated. The glass seems less oleophobic to me. Scratching seems much more prevalent (glass and case).

Jony Ive said the X is a work in progress. To me, that means "Beta". And this approach of late seems to be Apple's mantra for its customers.

 

[Tec972]

People have their reasons for not getting the X which is fair enough but the phone is certainly not a beta product. I dont believe for a second that the device they launched to mark its 10th anniversary was rushed at all.

The iPhone X is the best iPhone they have ever launched imo, some will agree with that and some wont but hey, the world would be a boring place if we all had the same taste.

Case in point is the notch. Im sure in the design room it didn't start out with one. They will get rid of it eventually i think when they have MORE TIME.

Every new phone they come out with every year is "THE BEST PHONE THEY'VE EVER CREATED". Thats really a dumb statement when you think about it, and a moot point. They said the iphone 8 and 8+ was the greatest phone they've created too. Yeah for a month till the X came out.
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Yet, what you are saying is supposition as well. Who knows what Apple spent, or what their motivation really was. This phone feels rushed in my opinion. The notch is not distinctive, its a compromise due to technical limitations. Face ID in actual use appears less reliable than expected. OLED strangeness not communicated. The glass seems less oleophobic to me. Scratching seems much more prevalent (glass and case).

Jony Ive said the X is a work in progress. To me, that means "Beta". And this approach of late seems to be Apple's mantra for its customers.

Thank you ZipZap. I totally agree too.

 

[44267547]

Yet, what you are saying is supposition as well. Who knows what Apple spent, or what their motivation really was. This phone feels rushed in my opinion. The notch is not distinctive, its a compromise due to technical limitations. Face ID in actual use appears less reliable than expected. OLED strangeness not communicated. The glass seems less oleophobic to me. Scratching seems much more prevalent (glass and case).

Bolded above in your post, which is False. It is not a compromise due to technical limitations. Touch ID was always Plan B under the display for Apple. Face ID was always there goal to be executed and once they had Face ID operating as intended, they abounded touch ID altogether. That's already been reiterated by Craig Federighi in an interview.

But the fact stands, Face ID still a security implementation that works fairly well and will continue to improve and become more refined as the iPhone involves. But for what it's worth now, it works perfectly fine for many, aside from what you're reading on a tech forum for any known concerns. But it's also not perfect, but neither technology as a whole, nor Was Touch ID either when it first started.

And as far as the glass scratching on the iPhone X, highly subjective statement. Many have stated they have no scratches on their displays with or without a case. So the argument goes both ways.

Contrary to what you believe, the notch is distinctive. Apple knows it, everybody else knows it that purchased this phone and it's here to stay for a while at least. It gives the iPhone a new look that will distinguish it from other smart phones. It's not just about the look, it's about the technology behind it. And I think there's a lot of potential for Face ID in the future.

 

[Seth Matthews]

I've read several people on this forum call it a beta. It is just a way for them to justify not buying one.

 

[KingslayerG5]

Another reason is Apple reuses the same design over and over. Apple isn't like LG where they want to change it up every year.

We know next year's iPhone will look like the X with just minor internal upgrades. Then in 2019, it will look a little more different and with more features. Apple is very predictable and also conservative with design. Look at their Macs and iPads.

iPhone 4 -> 5
iPhone 6 -> 7
iPhone X -> XI?

S models are there to correct certain issues with the first gen revamp. I think Apple does a tick-tick tock-tock cycle but most think it works tick-tock. X is a tick and the stronger and more refined twin next year becomes the tock.

 

[Sean76]

I think what OP is saying is why are so many people saying the iPhone X is for guinna pigs who are going to test things out that aren't perfected and ready for prime time yet?

I've read this a few times in the forums and have seen it said from a few journalists. That was mostly more for Face ID, again people assuming, and people talking about something they haven't really used yet.

The iPhone X in all honesty is I guess for guinna pigs (us) But why shouldn't it be! We are the best ones, they will hear exactly how we feel with zero punches held back, and whatever short comings are within the X, apple will address with the iPhone Xs next year.

I am used to the X by now after a week and actually think Touch ID is just fine. I miss more things that were attached to using a plus model, which is a non event, because I'm in a smaller bracket of people I'd assume.

 

[joeblow7777]

What? Who is calling it that?

I’m not aware of anyone saying that. The X is a very mature product.

People on this forum, other forums, and in YouTube comment sections have definitely been saying it. In other words, no one whose opinions actually matter, and almost certainly people who have never actually used it. Most were saying it before it even launched.

It's as ridiculous as people who say that the 8/8+ are "obsolete". People just like to make up crap and use words that they clearly don't know the meaning of in order to justify their purchasing decisions.

 

[DiveKitty]

If beta is used to signify something “new and untested”, well tech is always evolving so really every new generation is “beta”. Even the 8/8+ because it is the first time Apple offered wireless charging. And every phone at every release (not just Apple) has some issues, so it cannot be that something new had issues.

But around here it seems “beta” is an insult used by some who need to put down others to justify their own choices, or have a very minimal understanding of R&D. I just can’t give them much credit when they keep saying “Face ID was rushed because they could not get Touch ID to work”. Usually the same people eager to find a “-gate” every time someone posts an issue. The funny thing is most of them have not even spent any time with an X and imagine up all sorts of issues - I just can’t anymore with those who say Face ID is regressive and oh-so-complicated over Touch ID. I bet children can figure it out within seconds, so it is just reeks of spite.

There are people who harped on Apple for four years about using the same “form” and when they do something new they are “rushing it”, or just copying Android. Again, there are people who just can’t let others enjoy without taking opportunity to try and exercise some superiority.

Whatever, I suppose. I have never had so much pleasure using a phone/tech - not even with the 4 which I though was fantastic. If it others need to justify their decision or inability to get the X by calling it beta, it does not matter a lick to me. I will be over here enjoying how fantastic my X is.

 

[KONVICTED]

When I read someone insinuating that this is a "rushed device" or Face ID was rushed, it just shows me how glib some really are. Do you think this company truly rushed this iPhone and Face ID? When they spent millions of dollars of research and development ensuring millions of consumer security? Do you even have any idea how long it took Apple to fully develop this technology and implement it? I mean, what do you think Apple did? Just purchase a few sensors and out them under the display and say "Well, that's good enough." You have to think outside beyond your own disapproval to understand what this Company developed for this new iPhone. But I'm not saying you have to approve of it.

Totally agree. Apple have put alot of effort in iPhone X. it's not a rushed product

"The technology behind the iPhone X was in development for five years, as far back as 2012." - Wikipedia