With the iPhone X, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is attempting to simultaneously pay tribute to the success of its earlier models while steering the potential of the smartphone in a new direction. The iPhone X has lost a number of the now-traditional iPhone elements such as the home button, a port for headphone jacks, and the Tough ID fingerprint scanner. In place of a Touch ID, the new device grants access using facial recognition. Charging can now be done wirelessly. It is also slightly larger and heavier than its predecessors, and is therefore no longer a one-handed device for all consumers. Apple has gone so far as to call its new product the "future of the smartphone."
But how does the phone stand up to customer review? Is it worth the $999 (or $1,149, if one opts for the 256GB model over the 64GB) price tag? So far, consumers appear to be impressed by the phone's new functions, even if some mourn the loss of some of the line's tried-and-true features. One of the most commented-upon aspects of the iPhone X is its speed. One customer reviewer has stated, "Everything on this phone happens instantly...or somehow faster than instantly. It would be fun to use the first iPhone...just to compare how blazing this really is." The camera is likewise praised, especially for its mush-advertised portrait mode, which can generate photos and videos (recorded in 4K and in slow motion at up to 240 frames per second) that resemble those taken using more professional tech. The 5.8 inch OLED display has also inspired rave reviews: it is, according to TechRadar, "quite simply, by far the best thing Apple has ever crammed into an iPhone. It's leaps ahead of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus for so many reasons: the sharpness, the quality, the fact that it fills the whole front of the phone, and the color reproduction."
However, while few dispute the fact that the iPhone X is aesthetically pleasing, some are opting to call it a beautiful mess. Facial recognition, while intriguing in theory, can be quite annoying in practice. Individuals that change the way their hair falls over their face have reported having problems with the feature. It additionally will not recognize users' faces if they are at an angle (for instance, looking over the phone when the phone is resting on a surface). The iPhone X also comes with a glass panel on its back, which lends the device an elegant look at the expense of potentially expensive repairs-the panel, if cracked, costs $549 to replace. Yet despite these complaints, iPhone users have overall given the device a positive review. "After a week with the phone, I've grown to like it, flaws and all," writes Mike Murphy of Quartz Media. "I assume I'll eventually get used to all the user interface changes that Apple made somewhat arbitrarily, and I'll learn how to perfectly place the phone on wireless charging pads so it actually charges, and I'll remember to move my hand away from my face every time I want to unlock it." For those consumers accustomed to an iPhone, the iPhone X is an agreeable step forward.