Apple unveils iPhone XS and massive iPhone XS Max
Apple just made its two latest flagship iPhones official. After months of rumors, speculation, and leaks, the company revealed the iPhone XS (pronounced "ten-es"), and the iPhone XS Max.
Apple revealed the new phones at its annual iPhone event at the company's Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino, California.
The new pair of phones build on last year's iPhone X. Like the iPhone X, the 5.8-inch iPhone XS and 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max are equipped with a TrueDepth camera for Face ID (yes, there's still a notch) and dual rear cameras.
The iPhone XS will start at $999 and the iPhone XS Max starts at $1099. Both phones will be available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold finishes, in 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB variations. Both phones are available for pre-order beginning Friday, September 14, and will start to ship a week later.
Feature-wise, the two phone are nearly identical, except for the size. The massive 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max is the by far the largest iPhone Apple's ever made, and comes with a larger battery to match. Battery life on the iPhone XS Max will clock in at an half longer than last year's iPhone X, according to Apple. All that comes with a similarly massive price tag. Starting at $1099 for the 64 GB version, a 512 GB iPhone XS Max will cost $1449, while the 256 GB model will run $1249.
Both the front and rear-facing cameras on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have the same resolution as last year's iPhone X (7 MP for the front camera and 12 MP for the rear-facing shooter), but both come with upgraded sensors for sharper photos. Apple also introduced a new feature called Smart HDR, an improvement over the iPhone's existing HDR feature. Portrait mode has also been improved, photographers will be able to adjust the depth of field on portrait photos after the fact.
The glass and steel phones come with OLED Super Retina displays and are powered by Apple's new A12 Bionic processor, which the company says is its most advanced chip yet, processing up to 5 trillion operations per second. Practically, this will enable a range of new machine learning-driven experiences, like improved augmented reality apps, more advanced games, and better personalization.
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Apple also upgraded the phones' water resistance to IP68, meaning the phones can survive depths up to 2 meters for as long as 30 minutes. Apple says it also tested the phones against other liquids, like coffee, soda, and orange juice to ensure the new iPhones could survive spills.
The reveal also finally puts to rest the months of questions about what the phones will actually be called. While "iPhone XS" follows Apple's familiar naming conventions, if somewhat clumsily, the larger, 6.5-inch variant will be called iPhone XS Max, eschewing the typical "Plus" moniker. Confused? You're not alone, there was reportedly some agonizing internally at Apple over names for this year's iPhone lineup.
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
