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> These are solid year-over-year updates — at least as impressive as the iPhone 7 was over the iPhone 6S. If they hadn’t debuted alongside the iPhone X we’d be

> These are solid year-over-year updates — at least as impressive as the iPhone 7 was over the iPhone 6S. If they hadn’t debuted alongside the iPhone X we’d be arguing about whether these are the most impressive new iPhone models since the iPhone 6. There’s a lot to love about them and nothing to dislike. People who buy the iPhone 8 won't feel the satisfaction of owning the latest and greatest iPhone. That's what makes this update boring. It's already out of date.

Geee 9y ago
People who want a great phone buy the 8. People who are Apple fanatics and/or too rich and/or need a status symbol buy the X.
- ceejayoz 9y ago
  I'm personally considering the X because I suspect folks will do cool stuff with the new sensors. The dot projector, in particular, seems like it may be useful for 3D mapping of objects - would be pretty cool to wave your phone at something and be able to send the scan straight to a printer.
  - izacus 9y ago
    I didn't find any APIs for the new sensors - are those even exposed to the developers?
    - ropiku 9y ago
      Not directly but ARKit exposes face tracking, expressions and other info: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/fall2017/601/ https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/fall2017/601/ https://developer.apple.com/documentation/arkit/creating_face_based_ar_experiences https://developer.apple.com/documentation/arkit/creating_fac...
  - problems 9y ago
    Unfortunately, Apple being Apple - doesn't expose those new sensors in any APIs.
    - wlesieutre 9y ago
      And thank god for that. The face recognition data goes in the secure enclave and stays there. The last thing I need is Snapchat to say "We need access to the facial scan for new video filters!" and then using it to measure microexpressions in response to ad displays.
      - ceejayoz 9y ago
        They could conceivably provide APIs that refuse to give detailed scans when a face is detected.
        wlesieutre 9y ago
        Can't you do that with the regular camera? The only reason you need the grid projector is for getting a detailed 3D model. Haven't checked, but I assume that (like TouchID) they do provide APIs to use it for authentication, but they refuse to give any more data than that.
        ceejayoz 9y ago
        > The only reason you need the grid projector is for getting a detailed 3D model. That's what I want it for. TouchID isn't very useful outside of fingerprinting. The dot projector I could see a wide variety of really neat, innovative uses by third-party devs if it can be made accessible.
        wlesieutre 9y ago
        Given how explicit Federighi has been about the FaceID data staying on-device in the secure enclave, with not even Apple having access to it, I think it's very unlikely they'll change their stance on that. The moment 3rd party devs have access to the scanner, it'd be siphoned off by somebody's ad framework and then sold for biometric ad targeting in nearby stores or god knows what else.
- bradenb 9y ago
  This comes across as extremely petty. As someone that owns a 6S and no desire to get an X, I see why it might appeal to people. It's a huge UX shift which is enough to intrigue and excite a lot of people. Ultimately what it offers may not work, but you can't dismiss it immediately as being for "fanboys" or "rich people" (especially given there are other $1000 phones on the market).
  - matwood 9y ago
    > It's a huge UX shift which is enough to intrigue and excite a lot of people This is why I'm debating it. Still not sure though, and may just stick with my 7+.
- FilterSweep 9y ago
  Your smartphone opulence can come from Lamborghini's $2450 Alpha-One instead ;) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4815538/Lamborghini-launches-luxury-Alpha-One-Android-phone.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4815538/Lambo...
  - antihero 9y ago
    Holy shit that is cringey as all hell. What an awful mentality you must have to feel the need to buy one of these.
antidaily 9y ago
I ordered one. I have a 6 and predict it will be tremendously satisfying in comparison. Like the Touchbar, I just couldn't get over the Notch. But I realize I might be an outlier.
strict9 9y ago
Will reserve judgment until I use it for myself, but suspect the notch will elicit same visceral effect as the touchbar. Now primarily use an iMac, likewise suspect I'll get the 8 over the X.
snuxoll 9y ago
I'm personally not too interested in the iPhone X, it's a first-generation product that needs time for the software to catch up with the hardware. And with the starting price for a 64GB model being just $50 over a 256GB iPhone 8+ it's really hard for me to justify a $1149 phone, as spiffy as it looks. Honestly, I think a lot of people are going to end up deciding based on how old their current device is and how regularly they upgrade devices. If you're an annual upgrader you'll probably go with the iPhone X, if you upgrade every 2-3 years and just bought an iPhone 7 there's little reason to switch, if you have an iPhone 6s it's up to preference, if you still have an iPhone 6 then it's a very enticing device.

Geee 9y ago

People who want a great phone buy the 8. People who are Apple fanatics and/or too rich and/or need a status symbol buy the X.

ceejayoz 9y ago
I'm personally considering the X because I suspect folks will do cool stuff with the new sensors. The dot projector, in particular, seems like it may be useful for 3D mapping of objects - would be pretty cool to wave your phone at something and be able to send the scan straight to a printer.
- izacus 9y ago
  I didn't find any APIs for the new sensors - are those even exposed to the developers?
  - ropiku 9y ago
    Not directly but ARKit exposes face tracking, expressions and other info: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/fall2017/601/ https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/fall2017/601/ https://developer.apple.com/documentation/arkit/creating_face_based_ar_experiences https://developer.apple.com/documentation/arkit/creating_fac...
- problems 9y ago
  Unfortunately, Apple being Apple - doesn't expose those new sensors in any APIs.
  - wlesieutre 9y ago
    And thank god for that. The face recognition data goes in the secure enclave and stays there. The last thing I need is Snapchat to say "We need access to the facial scan for new video filters!" and then using it to measure microexpressions in response to ad displays.
    - ceejayoz 9y ago
      They could conceivably provide APIs that refuse to give detailed scans when a face is detected.
      - wlesieutre 9y ago
        Can't you do that with the regular camera? The only reason you need the grid projector is for getting a detailed 3D model. Haven't checked, but I assume that (like TouchID) they do provide APIs to use it for authentication, but they refuse to give any more data than that.
        ceejayoz 9y ago
        > The only reason you need the grid projector is for getting a detailed 3D model. That's what I want it for. TouchID isn't very useful outside of fingerprinting. The dot projector I could see a wide variety of really neat, innovative uses by third-party devs if it can be made accessible.
        wlesieutre 9y ago
        Given how explicit Federighi has been about the FaceID data staying on-device in the secure enclave, with not even Apple having access to it, I think it's very unlikely they'll change their stance on that. The moment 3rd party devs have access to the scanner, it'd be siphoned off by somebody's ad framework and then sold for biometric ad targeting in nearby stores or god knows what else.
bradenb 9y ago
This comes across as extremely petty. As someone that owns a 6S and no desire to get an X, I see why it might appeal to people. It's a huge UX shift which is enough to intrigue and excite a lot of people. Ultimately what it offers may not work, but you can't dismiss it immediately as being for "fanboys" or "rich people" (especially given there are other $1000 phones on the market).
- matwood 9y ago
  > It's a huge UX shift which is enough to intrigue and excite a lot of people This is why I'm debating it. Still not sure though, and may just stick with my 7+.
FilterSweep 9y ago
Your smartphone opulence can come from Lamborghini's $2450 Alpha-One instead ;) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4815538/Lamborghini-launches-luxury-Alpha-One-Android-phone.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4815538/Lambo...
- antihero 9y ago
  Holy shit that is cringey as all hell. What an awful mentality you must have to feel the need to buy one of these.

antidaily 9y ago

I ordered one. I have a 6 and predict it will be tremendously satisfying in comparison. Like the Touchbar, I just couldn't get over the Notch. But I realize I might be an outlier.

strict9 9y ago

Will reserve judgment until I use it for myself, but suspect the notch will elicit same visceral effect as the touchbar. Now primarily use an iMac, likewise suspect I'll get the 8 over the X.

snuxoll 9y ago

I'm personally not too interested in the iPhone X, it's a first-generation product that needs time for the software to catch up with the hardware. And with the starting price for a 64GB model being just $50 over a 256GB iPhone 8+ it's really hard for me to justify a $1149 phone, as spiffy as it looks. Honestly, I think a lot of people are going to end up deciding based on how old their current device is and how regularly they upgrade devices. If you're an annual upgrader you'll probably go with the iPhone X, if you upgrade every 2-3 years and just bought an iPhone 7 there's little reason to switch, if you have an iPhone 6s it's up to preference, if you still have an iPhone 6 then it's a very enticing device.