Apples to oranges: the new iPhone cometh

Really, are the new crop of iphones necessary?

Remember last year when the iPhone hype was so loud it nearly gave us tinnitus? Remember how we were all waiting to see if they could really pull off a phone design without a bezel? Remember how our minds raced as we wondered what other technological advancements they could pack into a shrinking device? And remember how we were disappointed.

Now realize how quiet the hype machine was for the follow-up this year. For some of you, this article might be the very first time hearing about the newest devices coming straight outta Cupertino.

This past twelfth of September, Apple did its yearly unveiling of the brand new iPhone. Going off their self-established beaten path of numbering convention, the iPhone XS (with a starting selling price of $999), XS Max ($1099), and XR ($749) mimic the bezelless, notchful design of the previous iPhone X on all three price tiers. The rollout is set to begin on September 21. The XS and Max come with a dual 12MP camera, while the XR rocks the single-lens setup (though all now boast advanced shooting features such as smart HDR and adjustable bokeh).

Other interesting developments contain the inclusion of the dual SIM card — or rather, the inclusion of one SIM slot along with the built in SIM card. Either way, it means Apple has finally joined the rest of the smartphone world in supporting travellers and digital nomads who need that extra slot for continuous local access to data and airtime. The new A12 Bionic chip means that speed of operations expands nearly tenfold. And the smallest phone, the XR, is taller and has bigger screen real estate than last year’s middle-tier release, the iPhone 8 Plus. What does it lack?