iPhone X: You have questions, we have answers
We asked for your iPhone X questions on Twitter -- and you asked some great ones. Here are the answers, based on our time with the phone so far.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
I was fortunate enough to receive a review sample of the iPhone X on Monday, and I've been putting it through its paces ever since.
Just minutes after posting my initial impressions, I asked what you wanted to know:
So now: I’d love questions from you. Anything you’re curious about on the #iphonex, ask away. I’ll be working to answer questions over time
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) October 31, 2017
And not surprisingly, I got plenty of questions. Here are some of the notable ones, along with my responses.
How durable is the glass? Better than iPhone 8? Or similar?
— Ming Mu (@Rich_Cub) October 31, 2017
We haven't done drop tests yet -- we're hoping to do that as soon as Friday. But Apple is making similar claims, as far as we can tell, about the iPhone X glass versus the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus . We tried dropping those at CNET: the front glass shattered at about 5 feet. TL;DR: Buy a case, as always.
As someone coming from samsung world looking for a change, is this a better buy than iphone 8 or pixel 2 xl?
— Kizito Katawonga (@katawonga) October 31, 2017
The iPhone 8 has greater value as a pure performance-and-camera-quality phone, in my opinion. But it'll feel a step behind the premium design of the iPhone X. In my opinion, the X beats the Pixel 2 XL -- the iPhone X OLED display is just far and away better than the P-OLED one on the 2 XL. But I would note the best iPhone X competitor is really the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 .
Nice review. I do theatre. If I have latex, monster makeup, etc, can I unlock without face ID or out of luck backstage? #iPhoneX
— William Le Sante (@WillyLeSante) October 31, 2017
Good question! I didn't have luck with Face ID and costumes. But yes, regular passcodes are always a backup option instead of Face ID. Or, you could try retraining Face ID to work with your costume and see what happens -- but then it might not work when you're prosthetic-free.
how is the keyboard? does it start at the bottom or is it moved up a little?
— Eric Leino (@ericleino) October 31, 2017
The positioning is similar: The keys are similar in size to the iPhone 8's, but the keyboard is moved up off the bottom to match the level of the 8 and 8 Plus. Two changes: The emoji and dictation buttons now live below the keyboard on the left and right.
Is there a options in the setting so that when the phone unlocks it automatically opens instead of waiting for the swipe up?
— Scott Wilding (@wildingcrusader) October 31, 2017
No. You need to swipe up after face unlocking, which is annoying if you're dreaming of a fully hands-free iPhone X.
@jetscott can set more than one face in Face ID? The same way you can set more than one finger with Touch ID. cc @johnhmeyer
— Juan B (@MaxP82) October 31, 2017
Nope. That trick some people use of scanning in their partner's thumb as "finger No. 2" won't work. Just one face per phone, at least for now.
@jetscott how does the X’s keyboard size compare to the 8+
— J O D Y K A R R (@JodyKarr) November 1, 2017
I've been testing this out and, simple answer is it's smaller. The keys feel more compressed like the iPhone 8 and 7. The weirdest thing is that there's a lot of unused space below the keyboard. The keyboard's position feels ergonomically sound for my thumbs, though. The emoji and dictation buttons now live below the keyboard all on their own. Maybe this keyboard could have been better laid out to add more features or leave more space above it for the document you're working in?
@jetscott which color of the #iPhoneX looks nicer and you prefer? Space Grey looks seemless while Silver looks unique. #Apple
— SebastianKirito (@sebastiannatsu) November 1, 2017
My review unit is silver, which has a white glossy back and bright silver steel sides. Space grey has a black glossy back and more of a hematite-colored metal finish on the sides. Both silver and space grey have the same front: almost all screen, with black accents. The space grey feels more like a seamless slab. I like silver, though: it feels more like a futuristic throwback to the original iPhone or the iPhone 4.
@jetscott is there an option for the iPhone X to display battery percentage on the top bar?
— MiGuEL FeLix (@miguelml17) October 31, 2017
No, weirdly enough. It's annoying, because I love checking battery percentage. If you swipe down to the Control Center, however, battery percentage levels are shown. There isn't even a toggle for it in Settings anymore.
How do you take a screenshot shot ( photo ) with no home button? Thank you
— Benj (@RomeosGhost1) October 31, 2017
There are a lot of new gestures and shortcuts to learn on iPhone X (guide coming soon!). Screenshots are one of them. On the iPhone 8, screenshots happen when you hold the power button and home button. On the X, you have to press the side Siri/screen lock button and the top volume button together. New moves everywhere!
Good question. Hard to tell how the future will be for games on X. Games right now that aren't X optimized for that new differently-shaped screen end up being cropped to something close to iPhone 8-size. The Witness currently does this. Other games, like Mini Metro, cut off part of the interface at the moment. Apps are all being updated to work with X, but your favorites might not necessarily make the cut. The Plus, I think, will stay the best universal option for flawless screen optimization for games. You might want to wait it out.
I'll be adding more questions and answers in the days ahead of the Nov. 3 launch of the iPhone X. Check back here soon, and follow my live tweets as I continue to document my experience with the phone.
This piece originally published Oct. 31 and will be consistently updated with new questions and answers all week.
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