Fall is a time for cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes and new iPhones. This year, we’re getting three new iPhones.
Apple’s annual September press conference kicked off on Wednesday at the Steve Jobs Theater on its circular Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.
Here’s what was announced:
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
The high-end iPhone X is getting an upgrade and new size options: a 5.8-inch iPhone XS ($999) and the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max ($1,099). The Max has a larger display than the usual Plus size phones but a similar body.
The devices don’t have a home button and feature Face ID in lieu of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
The cameras on the phones are, as usual, “better than ever before,” said Apple exec Phil Schiller, who has uttered the same words at previous events. The new 12 megapixel cameras have bigger sensors and an improved HDR mode.
The popular portrait mode, which de-focuses the background of a photo to emphasize the subject, has a new setting. Customers can adjust the depth of field after they take the picture.
The iPhone XR
Apple surprised with a third smartphone, the “lower-end” iPhone XR ($749). The 6.1-inch features a bright LCD screen and comes in a variety of colors, including white, black, blue, coral and red. It’s missing a home button and is activated by swiping up.
The device only has one camera — a 12 pixel wide-angle camera — but Apple added a similar portrait feature found in its dual camera devices, which blurs the background. The device kills the 3D touch feature but added some haptic feedback, so the screen vibrates a bit in response to touch.
