Meet the new iPhones
Facial recognition unlocks Apple’s new iPhone X.
Apple has announced three new iPhones, including a new, redesigned model that features a hefty price tag.
Chief executive Tim Cook revealed the new devices along with a new Apple Watch at an event in San Francisco yesterday.
Apple’s new iPhone X – pronounced ‘‘ten’’, not ‘‘x’’ – will have one version that will cost Kiwis more than $2000.
While it has a bigger screen than the iPhone Plus (5.8 inches versus 5.5 inches), it’s physically smaller.
As per most predictions, the new 10th-anniversary model has no home button. It does, however, have a glass front and back, allowing it to charge wirelessly and is available in grey or black.
There were few details about how the charging would work.
Questions on how long it will take to charge and whether it will work with phone covers were left hanging. ‘‘No information has been released on that’’ was the standard response.
But it really does look nice. The larger glass screen and stainlesssteel band team up to give iPhone X a clean and understated look. It’s shiny and lightweight.
One big new feature is 3D facial recognition, or Face ID as Apple has dubbed it. This will replace the fingerprint scanner and be used to unlock your phone.
It can also be used for a new animoji (animated emoji) feature that lets you control the animation of 12 emojis (fox, panda, cat, etc) by looking at the phone’s camera.
The X also features a dual lens camera that is better than other iPhones and new portrait lighting effects (also available on the newly announced iPhone 8 and 8 Plus) that can make a simple selfie look flash. You just take your snap and then apply the lighting effect that makes you look best.
In New Zealand, the iPhone X will cost $1799 (64GB) or $2099 (256GB). They will be available for pre-order on October 27 and on sale from November 3. Apple also announced the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus to replace the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Not much has changed physically except they now have a glass back to enable wireless charging. The sizes – 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch – are the same.
It comes in three colours – silver, grey and a new gold colour – and two storage sizes.
Most of the other changes are internal (faster processor) and incremental (improved cameras).
In New Zealand, the iPhone 8 will cost $1249 (64GB) or $1549 (256GB) and the 8 Plus will cost $1449 (64GB) or $1749 (256GB).
They will be available for preorder on September 15 and on sale from September 22.
The other main product announcement from the event was the Apple Watch version 3, though Kiwis will miss out on the best new feature – cellular connectivity. One version of the new Series 3 will have a built-in SIM card so you can stay connected online while you’re out and about.
It won’t be available in New Zealand but Kiwis will still be able to buy the non-cellular version for $529.