Is the iPhone X worth it?

By Kyle Strubeck

Apple began as a startup in the garage of Steve Jobs. Steve Wozniak would go on to create the Apple 1, a computer whose primary objective was to optimize space. Ever since then, advancements in technology allowed engineers to shrink their products. From the Apple 1 to the Macintosh, to the first iPhone and iPods, it seemed like smaller was the future. However, after the invention of the iPhone, luxury took the place of convenience, and they began to grow in size again. The first iPhone measured at 4.5×2.4 inches. Today, Apple’s newest product, the iPhone Xs, measures at 6.2×3.1 inches. Along with the increase in size, there are a few more additions to the new version of the familiar product.

Apple prides itself on forcing the consumer to spend more money on unnecessary products. After the iPhone 6, the billion dollar company removed the headphone jack from future phones. This forced people into 3 scenarios; buy the new earbuds with the electrical cable instead of the mm Headphone jack, buy the “connector” cable, or keep their current phone. The iPhone X added components to the iPhone design, security, and its price. The new installment introduced the facial recognition software, and some water resistance for areas up to 1 meters deep. Supposedly, the facial recognition software is more efficient and faster. However, reports of people who cannot access their phones, due to the phones not recognizing them, are growing. Most controversially, the iPhone X was listed at $999.00 for the 64 gigabyte version, its lowest storage space. To upgrade to the 256GB version, it climbed another $150 to total $1,149.00. An important detail to keep in mind: this price is before tax, a case, and Apple Care. At the end of the purchase, the total can be upwards of $1,500.00. If the yearly upgrades in hardware and increases in size entice you: go ahead. However, if you are looking for a more affordable product, the iPhone 7 and 8 can be purchased from $300.00-700.00.

If you’re looking for the specific software additions to the new iPhone, Apple has a great feature on their website where they compare the new features to ones of previous models. The iPhone X updated their camera to incorporate a wider lense, allowing higher detailed pictures and panoramas. The iPhone X’s processor chip, the A11, is not an update, and would be the same speeds as the iPhone 7 and 8. Due to the screen/display growing from 4.7 to 5.8 inches, Apple got rid of the home button and the borders on the top and bottom of the screen and changed the lights from LCD to OLED to make the lights easier on the eyes. The main difference here is that the iPhone X has an insane pixel resolution at 2436-by-1125- at 458 pixels per inch (ppi), and contrast ratio at 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical). Basically, all these numbers say that the resolution of the image projected on the screen is much higher than the LCD display at 1334-by-750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. Every year Apple updates their phones, but you don’t have to; be sure you know all of the details before you buy your next phone.