iPhone reveal: Features of the future
Will you be getting the iPhone 8 or will you be holding out for the iPhone X?
By Nathan Woolridge, Staff Writer
“I think it’s clear, seven ate nine,” said popular talk show host Ellen Degeneres about Apple’s unveiling of the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X, which seemed to forget about an iPhone 9.
The tech giant released it’s designs for the iPhone X on Sept. 12, 2017 at a massive Apple convention. The unveiling came not long before the release of the iPhone 8, which is available now.
According to CNN, the newest member to the smartphone family, the iPhone 8 is a cheaper, more scaled back version of what the X will be. It does have some similar features that will be in the X. The iPhone 8 will be one of the first phones with wireless charging; to charge the phone will require a special surface and the glass back of the iPhone. It is available in three colours: grey, gold and silver.
The iPhone 8 will also be more advanced in taking photos, giving people a reason to take better selfies. Inside the phone is an improved camera sensor. The phone also contains new camera modes: expanded Portrait Mode and the ability to change lighting effects after you take the shot.
On Apple’s website they stated, “Our vision has always been to create an iPhone that is entirely screen. One so immersive the device itself disappears into the experience. And so intelligent it can respond to a tap, your voice and even a glance. With iPhone X, that vision is now a reality. Say hello to the future.”
The iPhone X will have the same features, but with a large stride forward introduces a phone with no home button and facial recognition to get into your phone. Getting rid of the home button allows for extra screen without having to increase the overall size of the fun. The technology will be able to learn more and more about your face each time you use it. The phone features a small light to be able to recognize your face in the dark.
USA Today reported that not everyone is excited about the facial recognition, stating that “Georgetown Law found that face recognition has been less accurate on African Americans, women and young people.”
People have also been worried about companies like Apple storing too much information about users. USA Today wrote that “Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking him to explain how consumers will be protected by the technology and whether or not law enforcement will be able to access the Face ID database.”
A few things definitely seem to be unclear about the application of face recognition. It’s a big concern every time new technology is released, but with facial recognition being relatively new, consumers and other parties are raising concerns about the use of the data collected from the process.
A new application called Animoji has also been developed to recognize facial movements and incorporate that into everyone’s beloved emojis, allowing different emojis to recognize your facial expressions and mouth movements.
Users will be excited to hear that Apple insists that iPhone X battery life will be improved upon older models. The iPhone X charging mat will also be able to charge a number of other Apple products.
Apple claims that the glass on both the front and back of the phone is, “The most durable glass ever in a smartphone.”
Without the iPhone X in hand, it’s hard to compare it to other competitive phones. According to Business Insider. Looking past that, iPhone X will be a whopping $1000 and its new features are still “catching up with premium Android phones.” The same goes for the iPhone 8, which will be providing wireless charging, and will definitely enhance the smartphone industry.
While concerns have been raised about the iPhone X, there’s no denying both phones have interesting new features that will surely keep people coming back for more.
The iPhone 8 is currently available on the market since Sept. 22, 2017. The iPhone X will follow a few months after with a release date of Nov. 3, 2017.