Apple presented their keynote event, which, for the first time, was held at the Steve Jobs Theater in their new campus. It also marked the 10th-anniversary of the first iPhone released and showcased several new products from the Cupertino tech giant. Of course, the star of the show that excited a lot of people was the annual hardware refresh. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were announced as expected then the stage presented their innovative iPhone X (the X stands for “ten).
iPhone X and the leaked Apple information
Apple’s keynote was intended to blow people out of their seats with a bevy of products and their debut.
However, the planned impact was obviously stolen by the prematurely leaked iOS 11 software last weekend. The information contained in the software listed everything the tech firm planned to reveal. The iPhone X was supposed to be the highlight of the show but lost some of it steam prior to its introduction. Nevertheless, the unveiling still managed to wow those in attendance and the stage demo of its features surely impressed most people.
Finally some innovation
It is intriguing to think that what was speculated to be the announcement of the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus along with the iPhone 8 turned out to be different. The manufacturer did something unexpected and shied away from their annual practice of a new model’s release followed by a slightly upgraded “S” iteration the following year.
Furthermore, even before its release, leaked renders allegedly taken from case manufacturers had given tech experts something to look forward to. It is the first model from the company that completely did away with the physical home button. They also shifted to an OLED display that covers the entire front of the handset save for a small strip on top.
Highlights of the presentation
The iPhone X also touted some new features like Apple’s remarkable Face ID technology, which is handled by several sensors and cameras tucked inside the small strip above its display. Unlike the face unlock security feature found on most smartphones, Face ID is apparently more advanced and secure than the competition.
Along with this new tech, the firm integrated other elements like Apple Pay and their new Animojis, which are animated emojis that copy the user’s facial expression. Their new True Depth camera system also flaunts new ways to take self-portraits (selfies) using its array of sensors. Likewise, the phone is equipped with dual 12-megapixel cameras both with OIS and a four-tone LED flash.
On the gaming side, the top-tier model showcased the company’s A11 “Bionic” chip. The new CPU claims to be more energy-efficient and offers better performance than its predecessors. ARkit also made an appearance and demoed an augmented reality game called “The Machines”.
Wireless charging finally arrives on all three models and was confirmed to use the Qi standard.
It was previously rumored that the company would integrate their own proprietary technology instead. The smartphones were all confirmed to be compatible with existing and upcoming wireless charging solutions already adopted by many companies.
Price and availability
The iPhone 8 will carry a price tag of $699 USD for the 64GB option, while the iPhone 8 Plus starts at $799 USD for the same storage size. Their 256GB versions cost $849 USD and $949 USD respectively. Apple’s flagship model the iPhone X will also come in a 64GB and 256GB model. Its prices start from $999 USD to $1,149 depending on the storage option. The release date for the first two phones will be on September 22, 2017, while the premium model ships much later by November 3, 2017.
