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iPhone X Will the ‘iPhone XS/XS MAX’ get exclusive software features?

T

TinaBelcher

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Jul 23, 2017
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One of the “justifiable” reasons to upgrade your samsung phone each year is exclusive software features (no, I’m not talking about OS updates, but features specifically for the device).

It seems like the iPhone X, according to rumors will be software-wise identical to the 2017 model. Oh, yeah.. the MAX will be able to rotate the home screen icons... yaaaaay :rolleyes:

Honestly, an ‘improved’ camera lense or upgraded chip won’t make any legit difference. I still wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between pictures from an iPhone 7 and my iPhone X. Sometimes I wonder if they’re just lying and using the old material and stamping them as new.

I don’t know what the XS should have to compete against the 2017 model, but the XS MAX is the only one that’s going to stand out due to its size and large battery. if Apple were smart they’d give it exclusive content like split view, Apple Pencil support, icon grid settings + allows you to arrange apps closer to the bottom, room for more more data in between the notch as I assume the notch won’t get larger just because the phone itself gets larger. Always on-screen display for both the S and Max... I don’t know. What do you think the new models needs in order to not look internally identical?
 
Wait, hold on, what? Are you saying it's positive Samsung arbitrarily segregates software features? If Apple has an ingenius idea that doesn't require specific hardware, why not push it to all iPhones, so that the customer stays a loyal iPhone user going forward as a result of the excellent software support, rather than making customers feel like their 1 year old device is outdated because it's being limited to no-software-support, even though it has all the hardware required?
 
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The iPhone XS will surely have characteristics that distinguish it from iPhone X. We just need to find out (for example Siri only on iPhone 4S).
 
The iOS features that are exclusive to the new phones normally don't leak. I assume there will be some otherwise, as you say, why would anyone who didn't want a supersize phone upgrade from the X (or buy a second hand X if comming from an older phone)? The A12 is going to be a beast, but I don't think the A10 is really being pushed to it's limit yet, nevermind the A11.
 
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Max == much larger OLED screen of the same quality as the one in my current X.

That alone is enough. Some software will be able to take advantage of that larger real estate and support landscape mode. Also cool.

We haven’t yet seen what the extra processing power of the XS Max will open up.

But, keep in mind, iOS 12 was a ‘make things smoother and more stable’ release (and it’s been quite successful at that), so it’s not appropriate to expect a barn full of new features just for the XS models.
 
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The only thing we’ve heard of so far is landscape mode in apps. Which definitely is nice in e.g. Mail and Reminders, where the sidebar will always be visible.

Not much, and few apps takes advantage of this feature. Let’s hope Cook announces something more.
 
There usually is a software feature that is exclusive to the new phones every year, I suspect it will be the same for this year.
 
Honestly, if they do, I hope the new features come to both the XS and the XS Max – the XS Plus/Max shouldn't get any exclusive features over the XS except for things that are directly related and therefore justifiable through the larger size. I shouldn't get punished just for preferring the smaller form factor by having some awesome new features not be available to me.

For example I'd always like the best camera on my iPhone, but I also prefer the smaller form factor, so why should I have to choose between getting the best camera and the most suitable phone size for my needs? Previous to 2017 I would have to give either of the two up, even though a dual camera doesn't require the Plus/Max model, as the iPhone X demonstrated. Same goes for new software features – if there are any new software features to the new iPhone models that are not correlated to the larger screen, then bring them to both the XS and the XS Max. Don't arbitrarily lock some features away behind the larger model to force people into buying a form factor that they might not enjoy using as much. Don't make features exclusive if it's not for good reason.

Will the XS Max have landscape home screen and split-content views in certain apps (i.e. displaying the contact list and the contact info simultaneously in the Contacts app)? Yeah, most likely, as code fragments have shown – and that's fine by me, because these features make much more sense on the larger model and would probably make it look to crammed on the smaller one. But stuff like OP listed like more customization for the Home Screen, Apple Pencil support or a better camera – these sort of things should always come to all new models instead of being arbitrarily locked away on a specific model.
 
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afir93 said:
Honestly, if they do, I hope the new features come to both the XS and the XS Max – the XS Plus/Max shouldn't get any exclusive features over the XS except for things that are directly related and therefore justifiable through the larger size. I shouldn't get punished just for preferring the smaller form factor by having some awesome new features not be available to me.

For example I'd always like the best camera on my iPhone, but I also prefer the smaller form factor, so why should I have to choose between getting the best camera and the most suitable phone size for my needs? Previous to 2017 I would have to give either of the two up, even though a dual camera doesn't require the Plus/Max model, as the iPhone X demonstrated. Same goes for new software features – if there are any new software features to the new iPhone models that are not correlated to the larger screen, then bring them to both the XS and the XS Max. Don't arbitrarily lock some features away behind the larger model to force people into buying a form factor that they might not enjoy using as much. Don't make features exclusive if it's not for good reason.
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I understand what you say here but you can apply this reasoning to other scenarios e.g. people who can’t use OLED, why isn’t a flagship specification available with a LCD screen (obviously bezel/home button free design). Another scenario could be three flagship devices (LCD version same specs other than screen tech) and all people looking for lower cost options complaining. Apple have to make decisions and it will be impossible to please everyone no matter what.
 
TinaBelcher said:
One of the “justifiable” reasons to upgrade your samsung phone each year is exclusive software features (no, I’m not talking about OS updates, but features specifically for the device).

It seems like the iPhone X, according to rumors will be software-wise identical to the 2017 model. Oh, yeah.. the MAX will be able to rotate the home screen icons... yaaaaay :rolleyes:

Honestly, an ‘improved’ camera lense or upgraded processor won’t make any legit difference. I still wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between pictures from an iPhone 7 and my iPhone X. Sometimes I wonder if they’re just lying and using the old material and stamping them as new.

I don’t know what the XS should have to compete against the 2017 model, but the XS MAX is the only one that’s going to stand out due to its size and large battery. if Apple were smart they’d give it exclusive content like split view, Apple Pencil support, icon grid settings + allows you to arrange apps closer to the bottom, room for more more data in between the notch as I assume the notch won’t get larger just because the phone itself gets larger. Always on-screen display for both the S and Max... I don’t know. What do you think the new models needs in order to not look internally identical?
Click to expand...

I clearly understand what you are trying to say. Unless there are some features which distinguishes iPhone X and iPhone XS/+

But not considering A12 processor as a advancement would be wrong on a very serious note. A faster processor not only makes your iPhone fast. It's capable of handling 2-3 iOS major upcoming updates like iOS 13/iOS14 etc. I can give you an example. I recently sold my iPhone X which I used about 7 months. Currently I'm using iPhone 6 as my spare phone and it's really slow. iOS 12 and iPhone 6 are just not good together.

Secondly, faster processor has more capabilities to handle higher specification applications. Eg like AR apps. AR apps on iPhone X are breeze. They don't lag, they don't freeze and it's just flawless. And mind you AR apps have just begun, with time they will be more practical and heavy data in it. To handle all of that, you need faster processors. And AR apps are just 1 example, the fast the processor the better apps can be handled and thus you can see more refined apps with lots of data. Apps could be related to any field of work, medical, lifestyle etc.

The rest of the features that you are looking for are not really the advancement of a new iPhone. You may say I'm very happy with my iPhone X but that's today's story. After 1 year when there will be apps made for iPhone XS, may be you won't be happy with your iPhone X because definitely there will be performance difference. Unless you use only social apps like Instagram, Facebook etc it won't bother.

There are people who use apps for filming, editing, designing etc and those apps require a very fast processor. To really understand Apple's processors, I'll post a link here (https://www.androidauthority.com/why-are-apples-chips-faster-than-qualcomms-gary-explains-802738/)

Though you may not be very excited about A12 but that's exactly the answer to your question. You're not excited for A12 because A11 is FAST!
 
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Phone Junky said:
As was the A11,A10,A9 etc. As will be the A13, A14, A15 etc. Not picking at you personally. Just amuses me that I read these same "beast" comments every year regarding the newest processor.
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Actually, the A8 and A10 were a bit disappointing - yes, they were faster than their predecessors, but only by ~35-35%. My point here is that everyone will fawn over the speed of the new chip but nothing will actually arrive to harness the power (other than opening an app a second or two faster) for a long time (by which time the A13 will be setting the benchmarks record).
 
Johnluke91 said:
The iPhone XS will surely have characteristics that distinguish it from iPhone X. We just need to find out (for example Siri only on iPhone 4S).
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IPhone 4S was a massive hardware upgrade.

From upgraded HSPA+ radio that may have allowed lower latency, to the first dual core SOC, introducing multi-threading for the first time to iPhone/iOS which may have been necessary for processing audio recognition along with everything else iOS was doing. To possibly upgraded microphones. My bet is the multi threaded CPU.
Single threaded 4 was a dog.
 
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Menel said:
IPhone 4S was a massive hardware upgrade.

From upgraded HSPA+ radio that may have allowed lower latency, to the first dual core SOC, introducing multi-threading for the first time to iPhone/iOS which may have been necessary for processing audio recognition along with everything else iOS was doing. To possibly upgraded microphones. My bet is the multi threaded CPU.
Single threaded 4 was a dog.
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I still fondly think back to that phone. The jump from an iPod Touch 4G to the iPhone 4S was huge.
 
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