iPhone X - page 20

Massive iPhone X lines form at Apple Stores worldwide

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iPhone X line
Outside the Singapore Apple Store.
Photo: @R_Kami

Fans have begun lining up outside Apple Stores around the world to get their hands on iPhone X. The device makes its official debut tomorrow, and Apple has promised that units will be available for walk-in customers. However, they’re expected to disappear quickly (just like preorders did).

Some lines have already turned chaotic, while latecomers are offering money for precious spots near the front.

Apple’s earnings call will be the calm before iPhone X superstorm

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will give investors their first insight into iPhone 8 sales, right on the eve of the iPhone X launch.

The final Apple earnings call of 2017 takes place Thursday, November 2, at 2 p.m. Pacific. Apple’s fourth fiscal quarter ended right after the iPhone 8 started shipping. The results aren’t expected to be record-breaking, but this first glimpse should give us a better idea of how monstrous Apple’s holiday season will be.

This is what to watch for:

Listen to the iPhone X’s exclusive new ringtone

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iPhone X
Did you get lucky?
Photo: Apple

Apple fans that purchase the iPhone X will get an extra tree when devices finally start arriving later this week: an exclusive ringtone.

Bundled inside the software for the iPhone X is an all-new ringtone called “Reflection.” The song has a melody that is somewhat similar to the iconic “Marimba” ringtone that launched with the original iPhone.

Take a listen:

Face ID can be slower than Touch ID, but you can speed it up

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Face ID iPhone X
Ensure Face ID is as fast as it can be.
Photo: UrAvgConsumer

Face ID is the future, and it’s easy to see why. It’s significantly more secure than Touch ID, and it eliminates a number of big limitations. But it’s not quite perfect yet.

Those who are lucky enough to have received a unit early from Apple have discovered that Face ID is slower than its predecessor. There are some things you can do to speed it up, though.

These aggressive cases are futuristic armor for iPhone X

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Zizo's line of futuristic cases for iPhone X are designed to military specifications of toughness.
Zizo's line of futuristic cases for iPhone X are designed to military specifications of toughness.
Photo: Zizo Wireless

This post is brought to you by Zizo Wireless.

Buying a new iPhone means being being constantly vigilant about not dropping the thing. As nice as the naked phones feel in-hand, no amount of tactile pleasure can overcome the terrible feeling of cracking the screen or worse. Now, with the iPhone X commanding a bank-busting $1,000 per unit, the stakes are even higher.

How to buy an app on iPhone X using Face ID

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face id scan
Face ID still requires a button-tap to make an App Store purchase.
Photo: Aditya Doshi/Flickr CC

There’s one big conceptual difference between Face ID and its predecessor, Touch ID. With a fingerprint, you have to explicitly touch the home button to confirm an action. When unlocking a password-protected app, or unlocking the iPhone itself, it’s hard to do it unintentionally. But what about buying an app? The old Touch ID way is to tap the buy button, and then use your fingerprint to confirm the purchase. What happens with Face ID? How do you cancel a purchase after tapping buy? Do you look away? Close your eyes?

No. It’s much simpler than that, although much less discoverable than touching a fingerprint scanner.

Apple hypes good iPhone X reviews

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iPhoneX
Apple is clearly hoping for big things with the iPhone X.
Photo: Apple

Apple is following an unorthodox word-of-mouth marketing campaign for the iPhone X, and that has continued with a new press release issued by Apple — showing off the best review soundbites from the first reviews for its next-gen handset.

The press release is accompanied by a movie-style poster with quotes from outlets such as Mashable, TechCrunch, and others.

iPhone X price could hurt it in Greater China region

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iPhone sales
The iPhone X is even pricier in Greater China.
Illustration: Cult of Mac

Having experienced declining iPhone sales in the Asia Pacific region, Apple is confident that the iPhone X will help turn things around — although local retailers are still fearing the worst.

According to a new report, iPhone X pre-orders have exceeded one million units in China, representing more than 1/6 of the total 5.5 million+ units supposedly already demanded by customers. Those kind of brisk sales are good for Apple, but sources in the Taiwanese retail channels think that this kind of “phenomenal demand” could soon fade away.

Apple originally planned iPhone X for 2018

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iPhone X
Think you're having to wait to get an iPhone X? You could've been waiting even longer.
Photo: Apple

Does it seem strange that Apple would release two markedly different iPhone models, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and the radically different iPhone X, in the same year? If so, a new interview with Apple executives may help explain it: it wasn’t Apple’s original plan.

According to Dan Riccio, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, the company originally planned to deliver the iPhone X in 2018, a full twelve months later than it wound up introducing it. However, “with a lot of hard work, talent, grit, and determination we were able to deliver them this year.”

2018 iPhones won’t get rear-facing TrueDepth camera

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Face ID
These are the sensors that power Face ID.
Photo: Apple

The 2018 iPhone won’t come with a rear-facing TrueDepth camera, according to one of the most accurate Apple analysts in the business.

KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo sent investors a note today that the array of sensors that power Face ID and animoji will stay at the front of iPhones, for now.

Apple denies it tried to put Touch ID in iPhone X

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Touch ID
Rumors claimed Apple was trying to embed Touch ID into the iPhone's display.
Photo: Apple

Apple has denied that it ever considered embedding its Touch ID sensor into the display for its iPhone X, before running into problems and adopting Face ID instead.

In an interview with  Dan Riccio, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, Riccio “flatly counters the narrative” that Apple ever considered using Touch ID for its tenth anniversary iPhone.

iPhone X’s Face ID can’t be fooled by identical twins

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Face ID iPhone X
Ensure Face ID is as fast as it can be.
Photo: UrAvgConsumer

Face ID on the iPhone X is so accurate, not even identical twins can fool it.

Reviewers now have their hands on the device ahead of its launch on Friday, which means we’re finding out new things about its awesome new features. Its Touch ID replacement isn’t perfect, it seems, but it’s darn impressive.

iPhone X meta review: Setting Apple up for the next 10 years

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iPhone X first impressions
The iPhone X reviews are here!
Photo: Soldier Knows Best

The first wave of iPhone X impressions and reviews have started to emerge, offering a glimpse of what tech reviewers make of Apple’s next-gen smartphone.

The verdict? The 10th anniversary iPhone is a seriously impressive handset, and quite possibly Apple’s best ever — although one or two reservations remain. Check out our roundup of some of the most interesting observations below.

Tim Cook meets with president of China

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tim cook
Tim Cook during one of his last visits to Asia.
Photo: Tim Cook/Weibo

Apple CEO Tim Cook along with Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg met with Chinese President Xi Jinping today as Apple prepares to launch the iPhone X in the country this week.

The two tech CEOs were on hand at the annual gathering of advisers to Beijing’s Tsinghua University business school, where Xi spoke to business leaders and other officials.

YouTube stars show off iPhone X early

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iPhone X first impressions
$1000 for an iPhone isn't too pricey, right?
Photo: Soldier Knows Best

Apple’s embargo on iPhone X reviews isn’t expected to lift until Tuesday, but it seems the company has allowed YouTube stars to give their first impressions early.

A bunch of hands-on videos have been published today, giving us a closer look at the company’s most anticipated product in years.

Early iPhone X impressions: Face ID ‘pretty much’ works

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FaceID
Face ID requires a bit of getting used to.
Photo: Apple

The embargo hasn’t yet lifted on the official iPhone X reviews, but Steven Levy — a journalist who was also among the first people to get his hands on an original iPhone one decade ago — has published an article, revealing his initial thoughts.

The verdict? That, despite one or two minor quibbles, this could well be the iPhone that you’ve been dreaming of, although Face ID isn’t a totally seamless password system, and requires a bit of getting used to.

Next year’s iPhone will stick with the same Face ID sensor

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Michael Cohen Face ID
Apple apparently has sorted out Face ID sensor component troubles.
Photo: Apple

Respected Apple analyst KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo says that shipments of the 3D sensor components for the iPhone X are now stable, meaning that future shipments of the handset — along with next year’s iPhone refresh — should not be subject to delays.

Kuo says that shipments of the 2018 iPhone models will arrive on time and in stable supply this time next year. He also claims that there won’t be a “major spec upgrade” made to the sensor for next year’s iPhone launch.

Catch the best iPhone X deals plus our favorite gadgets on The CultCast

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CultCast iPhone X
We'll tell you how to save up to $500 on your iPhone X.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: We’ll tell you how to get the best deal on your iPhone X, saving yourself some serious cash money. Plus: Why Woz says the iPhone X will be the first iPhone he won’t buy on Day 1. And we discuss Amazon Key, the new service that lets your delivery man into your home when you’re not there. Then stay tuned to hear what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’re currently testing in an all-new Under Review!

Cult of Mac Magazine: Preordered iPhone X? Here’s what to do next, and more!

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cover
When your iPhone X arrives, you’re going to want to start using it as quickly as possible. But there are some things you’ll need to do first — like transferring all your data from your old phone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

You have one week to wait for your new iPhone X preorder to arrive (if you’re one of the lucky ones). There are some things you should be doing during that time to ensure you’re all set for delivery day. We’ll give you some great tips on how to prepare for the arrival of your new Precious.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Figure out whether to go for the iPhone X or the iPhone 8. Learn how to add audio files to iPhone’s Music app. Discover a beautiful and luxurious MacBook sleeve by Woolnut, and check out reviews of Zens Powerbank and Just Mobile’s Lounge Dock for Apple Watch, which are now in our Watch Store. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.