Apple on the cutting edge with announcement of futuristic iPhone X

Apple+on+the+cutting+edge+with+announcement+of+futuristic+iPhone+X

The annual September release of a new iPhone is a tradition for the tech-conscious consumer of the 21st century. Each year, a new and (slightly) improved iPhone is released, and potential buyers debate whether it is worth it to upgrade from their current device. Hype for a new device builds almost immediately after the  release of an iPhone.  However, recent generations have been very similar to the previous year, and we have not seen significant changes in an iPhone since the iPhone 6 in 2014.

This year the build-up for the annual iPhone has been different. The hype has been electrifying, with many analysts and tech insiders forewarning that this new device would not be a small upgrade, but rather a revolution in the smartphone market. Many sources also claimed that a more traditional and cheaper iPhone would be released alongside the new, more talked about device.  Consumers were left with more questions than answers. What would the device be called? What would it look like? How much would it cost to purchase? How many devices would be released?

These questions have finally been answered. After months of speculation about a new iPhone that was to be vastly different from Apple’s current iPhones, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the new device, called the iPhone X, at an official keynote address on Sept. 12. Apple also announced another two devices, the iPhone 8 and 8+ which will release slightly earlier than the iPhone X.

The iPhone X is packed with new features, such as a new OLED screen that takes up the whole front of the device. This bezel-less design makes the iPhone X appear like a phone out of the future, and is something unique for an Apple product. Another feature that has been very publicized has been the introduction of Face-ID, a replacement for Touch-ID. This feature allows you to unlock the phone by simply looking at it, and it will be able to recognize your face using very sophisticated technology that is very secure. Therefore, masks and other potential ways of bypassing the facial recognition software will not compromise the device security according to Apple.

Though these new features are exciting, some have reservations about Face-ID. “I need the home button, I enjoyed being able to just put my finger on there and having my phone unlocked,” Ibrahim Amin, junior said.

The iPhone 8 and 8+ on the other hand is very similar to the iPhone 7, with the most significant upgrades being an improved camera and the capability of wireless charging. The design is very much the same as the previous generations.

Much has been made of the iPhone X’s price, with the X retailing for $999, a $350 price jump from the iPhone 8. While some may be unwilling to pay the price, Apple CEO Tim Cook says the retail price is a “value” and that you are getting your money’s worth.

“Well, it’s a value price, actually, for the technology you’re getting. As it turns out most people are now paying for phones over long periods of time. And so very few people will pay the price tag of the phone initially. Also most people actually trade in their current phone, and so that reduces the price further, and some carriers even throw in subsidies and discounts,” Cook said in a recent interview on ABC’s Good Morning America.

The iPhone X will be available for preorder Oct. 27 and released Nov. 3, and will retail for $999. The iPhone 8 and 8+ have already been available for preorder and will release Sept. 22, and will retail for $650.

Photo Credits: Business Insider