The iPhone X, pronounced “iPhone 10,” was introduced at Apple’s September 2017 event as a classic “One more thing…” addition to the iPhone family.
The iPhone X has since been replaced by the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, Apple has ceased the device to focus on the newer models. Still, replacement parts for iPhone X are available on the market.
iPhone X can do numerous things and some are downright amazing. You might not use these features every day, but they can be helpful at the right time.
Here are just 5 surprising superpowers of the Apple iPhone X.
Notch Display
Apple’s goal for the iPhone X was to create an iPhone with a full display, fading the line between physical objects and experience. The iPhone X Display screen dissolves into a highly glassy curved-edge stainless steel band surrounding a durable all-glass body.
Retina display acquires OLED technology for life-like colors, deep blacks, and a million-to-one contrast ratio.
The iPhone X display is larger than the previous generation. No bezels aside, the notch holds the camera and sensors. It fits comfortably in the hand. At 143.6mm tall by 70.9mm wide by 7.7mm deep.
The glass body of the iPhone X is IP67 water and dust-resistant.
Goodbye home Button
With an edge-to-edge design, there is space for a home button, so the iPhone X supports an updated user experience. Swiping up at the bottom of the screen brings up the home screen, while a swipe and a hold bring up App Switcher.
The new Tap to Wake feature is introduced for looking at notifications. The side button is pressed and held to activate Siri.
The Control Center is accessed by Scrolling downwards from the top status bar.
True Depth Camera
The rear camera of the iPhone X is a vertical 12-megapixel dual-lens camera arrangement with an f1.8 wide angle lens and an f/2.4 aperture telephoto lens. Both lenses feature optical image stabilization and have improvements like:
- Updated color filter
- Deeper pixels
- Better low-light zoom
- Improved video stabilization
- Between the two cameras, there’s a quad-LED True Note flash.
With individually scaled cameras, an advanced accelerometer, and the powerful A11 chip, the iPhone X has been designed for a better-augmented reality adventure. Developers can take advantage of both the rear camera and the TrueDepth camera to create unique AR apps with a singular face tracking capacity.
The same 7-megapixel True Depth camera that energies Face ID enables Animoji. Animoji is 3D emojis able to copy your facial looks. The True Depth camera tracks more than 50 facial muscle movements and renders them to the Animoji.
iPhone X True Depth camera introduces Portrait Mode for the front-facing camera and activates Portrait Lighting, a feature for adjusting the lighting in a portrait image taken by the front or rear camera.
No More Touch ID
Say Good Bye to the Touch Id this year. No Home button means no Touch ID. Unlocking the device is done with a Face ID facial recognition system. Face ID utilizes the True Depth front-facing camera to create a 3D portrait of your face that’s used for unlocking the iPhone.
It also plays an active role in the following activities:
- Authenticating Apple Pay purchases
- Making App Store purchases
- Accessing passcode-protected applications.
Face ID uses infrared camera technology so it works in the dark. It also uses machine learning and detects your face with hats, glasses, beards, and other objects obscuring your face. It takes a 3D scan of the face, Face ID cannot be tricked by photos or masks.
Increased Battery Life + Wireless Charging
Apple is able to squeeze a bigger battery (technically two, batteries into the X. It will last even longer away from the mains.
The X battery has impressive stamina and even better standby battery life.
It will easily last an entire day, even when clicking photos, playing games, and streaming video over cellular data. Go easy on the more intensive apps and you’ll still have backup left the next morning.
Wireless charging makes topping up a breeze, too. You will get a charging pad with the device, but thankfully Apple has maintained the Qi wireless charging standard. It’s not as quick as other wireless charges available on the market, but still perfect for overnight top-ups without reaching for a cable first.
If you do need to recharge in a hurry, the X supports fast charging too but only if you have a USB-C power adapter and Lightning cable. that supports USB power delivery. Apple’s own cable and plug combo will set you back a wallet-busting £75.
The iPhone’s wireless charging works by simply placing the device on a wireless mat, which contains an electromagnetic coil. That transfers energy via induction. The magnetic coils of the iPhone X and the pad need to be aligned and within close proximity to each other to work.
Increased mobility is the great benefit of wireless charging. It’s never been this easy to just place your phone on a wireless pad, let it charge, then grab it when you are ready to go. Making the iPhone X easier to charge.
Conclusion
By updating long-standing features such as a physical home button, Apple has brought its smartphone up to date. The X has the best screen of any iPhone ever even with that notch. And its Replacement Display is available in the market to deal with any kind of screen repairs.
FaceID works smarter than any other facial recognition system. The dual rear cameras take remarkable photos.
Beyond some cute face-tracking fun with emojis, though, the X doesn’t have many unique features you won’t also find on previous iOS devices. You get a long-lasting battery. You don’t need to worry while you are traveling or stuck in a traffic jam. Its powerful battery provides you with backup for the whole day.
iPhone X and its replacement parts are a hell of a lot cheaper. Paying a mild premium for these surprising features, not much else.