It’s finally time. Apple’s annual iPhone launch event kicks off at 10:30 pm IST and team Tech2 is here to bring you the juiciest highlights and analysis, as and when it happens at Apple’s Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino, California. If you are here early, we still do have a ton of content for you to munch on, ensuring you’re up to speed with the latest leaks, rumours and trivia before the event begins. [caption id=“attachment_5173241” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”]
The IPhone XS and XS Max feature Apple’s brand new A12 Bionic chip and larger OLED displays.[/caption] From what we know so far (and there’s a lot), Apple’s going to be unveiling three new variants of the eleventh iteration of the iPhone, two variants of the 4th generation Apple Watch and just maybe, a new iPad Pro with the brand new iOS 12 powering it all. Also, make sure you read through our thorough piece on spending a year with the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus right
here
. To keep up with all the latest updates regarding the Apple launch, head to our
Apple 2018 page
.
Apple iPhone Launch Event highlights: iPhone XR, XS and XS Max launched starting for Rs 76,000 onwards
Apple is expected to unveil three new variants of the eleventh iteration of the iPhone and much more.
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Cases are expensive as well
Silicone cases for iPhone XS and XS Max will sell for Rs 3,500.
The Leather Folio case will retail at Rs 9,990.
India pricing is, frankly, ridiculous
iPhone XS 64 GB: Rs 99,900, available from 28 September
iPhone XS Max 64 GB: Rs 1,09,000, available from 28 September
iPhone XR 64 GB: Rs 76,900, available from 26 October
Obviously, the variants will be even more expensive.
At these prices, the iPhones are more expensive than the MacBook Pro and are selling at a Rs 30,000 premium over US pricing.
Wrapping up
iOS 12 is coming on 17th, macOS Mojave on 24th.
HomePod will get a few new features and will get Dolby Atmos support by 17 September.
Where’re the new AirPods, the AirPower mat? Where’re the new chargers?
MacOS Mojave will be available on 24 September
Prices and storage options
iPhone XR: 64/128/256 GB from $749 onwards
iPhone XS: 64/256/512 GB from $999 onwards
iPhone XS Max: 64/256/512 GB from $1099 onwards
The phone can be pre-ordered from 14 September, deliveries will start on 21 September.
Shipments in India will start on 28 September.
Prices of older iPhones have also been slashed.
iPhone 7 now starts at $449 and iPhone 8 at $599.
Here’s a video of Jony explaining the Watch Series 4
Jony Ive’s dulcet tones again
This is what we come for. Jony Ive’s voice and Apple’s gorgeous ads.
iPhone XR battery life
1.5 hrs more than iPhone 8 Plus.
iPhone XR specs
It’s got the A12 Bionic chip (phew).
The rear camera is a 12 MP unit, the same wide angle one as on the XS.
Better yet, the single camera unit also does portrait lighting using a technique introduced by the Pixel about 2 years ago.
Basically, you’re getting all iPhone XS features minus the OLED display and telephoto camera.
iPhone Xr has a single 12 MP camera system
the same 12 MP wide-angle lens as in the iPhone Xs
6.1-inch LCD display for iPhone XR
It’s bigger than an 8 but smaller than an 8 Plus.
The resolution is a bit low, though. It’s a little over HD.
The display does support OLED features like tap-to-wake.
Classic Apple
We want to reach as many people as possible.
IPhone XR: It looks like the iPhone 8 from the back, the X from the front, and the bezels are relatively massive.
It’s available in White, Black, Blue, Yellow and Coral. A Product RED variant is also available.
It’s rated for IP67, meaning it’s dust and splash-proof.
ONE MORE iPHONE (ﾉﾟ0ﾟ**)**ﾉ
The iPhone Xr, with liquid retina display.
One more thing…at last
One more iPhone. As expected.
“iOS 12 will make your devices faster and better”
Yes, Apple. We know.
Where’s the “one more thing”?
Apple’s now talking about how they’re renewable energy, etc. Yay for the environment of course, but where’s the iPhone XR, iPad, AirPower Charger?
At long last…Dual SIM on an iPhone
Apple has finally heard our prayers! The new iPhones will support DSDS (Dual SIM Dual Standby).
You use a traditional SIM and an eSIM for this.
In China, you get a traditional dual SIM phone. Why isn’t this coming to India? Ask Apple.
Airtel, Vodafone and Jio appear to support eSIM, though, so lack of traditional dual SIM might not be an issue here.
Dual Sim! Finally!
But DSDS? Ok then! (ಠ_ಠ)
Improved battery life
The phones will last about 1-1.5 hrs longer.
Video is still incredible
Apple’s video chops were never in question and with the iPhone XS, nothing has changed. Video still looks amazing.
As a bonus, the new phones can now record stereo audio.
The iPhone XS camera features Smart HDR, with zero shutter lag.
You can also edit the aperture after having shot the photograph.
Better bokeh… finally!
Apple is finally doing what Google did in 2016. The bokeh mode appears to have improved significantly. Apple’s AI chip is certainly helping here.
Depth-of-field can now be adjusted in real-time (just as Huawei has been doing for three years).
Smart HDR
The new HDR mode with the A12 Bionic takes even more photos and combines them to create images. AI makes sure that the images are aligned and matched.
Apple is showing image samples where moving hair and water drops are also captured perfectly, even with HDR enabled.
As with last year’s phones, the images are captured in wide gamut.
Why a 7 MP selfie cam though?
Apple needs to really up its selfie game. The likes of Google and Vivo have long since surpassed anything that Apple has to offer.
The iPhone Xs has a dual 12 MP + 12 MP dual camera at the back
One 12 MP wide-angle lens and a 12 MP telephone lens, along with an improved two-tone flash.
The ISP works in tandem with the Neural engine for better photos
It’s camera time!
The rear camera features 2x 12 MP cameras with a better true tone flash.
The front camera is a 7 MP unit but is apparently twice as fast.
Image quality? No idea. If Apple can match the original Pixel for image quality, we’ll be impressed.
Yaawn**!**
This is getting boring. Apple’s spent more time talking about potential AI capabilities and gaming than on the phones.
It’s powerful, we get it, but what else is new?
Fortnite players watching Galaga be like**..**
Real-time shot science
The app tracks a player’s posture, the ball’s trajectory, the position of the basket, etc.
Tracking basketball shots with your camera
Using CoreML, this next developer, HomeCourt, is using the Neural Engine and the iPhone’s cameras to track basketball shots in real-time.
Blades is coming “this fall”
Tod says it’s up for pre-order right now.
Elder Scrolls: Blades on iPhone XS
A massive first-person RPG, Blades will bring the essential, and never-ending, Elder Scrolls experience to the iPhone.
The demo video looks amazing. We’re seeing real-time lighting effects, stereo audio, God rays and more.
I can’t stress this enough, the game really does look stunning.
When’s it coming, Tod?
Augmented Reality on the iPhone XS and XS Max
Next-generation of apps, courtesy of A12 Bionic
Bethesda’s Tod Howard is on stage. Woot woot!
You know what’s coming, right? Elder Scrolls!
Core ML gets 9 times faster!
It will, however, consume 1/10th the energy!
Opening up Neural Engine
Apple’s AI framework, Core ML, will gain access to the Neural Engine. It’ll apparently be 9 times more powerful while consuming a tenth of the energy.
This should have a large impact on AR Kit apps.
Real-time machine learning
The Neural Engine will support real-time machine learning. Big words, but this means that portrait lighting, Animoji, etc. will work much better.
It’s fast, really fast
The iPhone was already fast, but with iOS 12, iPhone XS and XS Max will be even faster. Apps will apparently open 30% faster.