What do people think of the new iPhone X?

5 posts were split to a new topic: Huawei cyber vulnerabilities

Ahhh Ohhh… Not just for the new iPhone 8 & X, but relevant.

1 Like

I wonder how many of the people that are worried about Google (as far as privacy and tracking goes), use facebook…lol, always gives me a giggle just how naive some people are!

Did you check why it failed, @BrendanMays? The reason was a time-out - not a security problem, but a security feature that meant if you went a serious length of time without facing your phone you would need to use the PIN to log in.

I suspect I may be swimming against the tide on this one, but I am seriously considering making my next phone an iPhone.

Surely you mean a Newton - or have they been totally forgotten?!

As a tech-nerd wannabe, I have tended to want the latest/greatest in phone technology - but this is not why I am considering Apple.

My mobile phone history has included (these may not be in precise order - or complete) an iPhone 3GS, Motorola Atrix, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy Note II, LG G3, Nexus 5, Asus Zenfone 2, uMi Super (not many here will have heard of it, but for the money it was pretty darn fine…), and currently I am using a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. I also have a Microsoft Lumia 640 XL that I have never got around to making my primary phone - and a few tablets.

In other words, I started with Apple but moved away. I like the flexibility of Android; the wider range of choices; the cheaper prices and lower mark-ups (Apple’s mark-up is typically 30%+). I like the ability to use an SD card to expand the storage, and the ability to put widgets on my home screen. I like fiddling.

So why would I move back to Apple?

Security.

As an example, there was a recent problem discovered in Bluetooth - the ability to hack a phone via the Bluetooth protocol. It was discovered by white hat researchers, who quietly notified the major tech companies and waited the standard 90 days before public disclosure. By the time the researchers announced what they decided to term the ‘Blueborne’ vulnerability to the world, Microsoft had patched it. Apple had patched it. Google had patched it on their own devices. Samsung - and many others - had not patched the vulnerability and Samsung could not say when it would! They are the largest vendor of Android phones, and they had not fixed this major problem!!!

In fact, this Fortune article shows that the problem is even worse. It contains the following quote from the people who discovered the bug, regarding Samsung:

Contact on three separate occasions in April, May, and June. No response was received back from any outreach.

That is irresponsible! It should be criminal, and places the company’s customers in harm’s way for no good reason.

In addition to a lack of ‘care factor’, phone insecurity is exacerbated by the fact that most phone manufacturers do not have control over their phones - the carriers do. So every time Samsung releases a new security patch, Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and thousands of other phone companies worldwide review that patch to make sure it works with whatever they have done to the phones and on their network. It can and does take months for basic patches to be released! During those months, phone users are vulnerable. (Note: this is not the case if you bought your phone outright.)

This is just one example of hundreds.

I know Microsoft patches most things reasonably fast. I also know that Apple and Google have retained control over their own patches - the phone carriers have to accept them no matter what. And so I can get security from either one of these companies.

In short, the only two companies I can trust with my mobile data are Apple, Google and Microsoft. The only three companies I can… you get the message.

So Apple’s phones are now very much on my shortlist. Microsoft has not yet decided that phones are important to the company, so they are off the shortlist. Google is the other option, with the Pixel.

No other Android company is yet able to guarantee my phone’s security - unless I wipe the phone’s shipped OS and go with something like Lineage OS - and while I am somewhat nerdy that starts getting too deep for me to go with.

Finally, I like big screens and I cannot lie. I am fairly large in body and hand, and so find even the 5.5" SGS7 Edge to be… limiting. I am tempted by the Samsung Note 8, but SECURITY! So, I will see what options are left to me - and the Apple 10 is one of them, with its big screen.

P.S. Many people will say that I and others should simply turn off Bluetooth - but for me this is not an option. I adopted Bluetooth headphones before the rest of the world, and track my dogs with Bluetooth tracking labels.

3 Likes

The latest release of iOS is running the batteries down very fast. Apple are fast tracking a patch but no one is really sure when it will be released and if it will work properly. Tests of the beta patch have shown the iPhones are still losing about 180 minutes of life.

The article linked HERE has some tips for improving the battery life but it is no cure all.

Also the Apple Keychain has yet unaddressed flaws:

3 Likes

Thanks for the detailed thoughts on your reasoning @postulative, I’m sure our phone testing will be interested in the comments. I’ve read the issue is fixed now but no doubt timely responses to security issues will be an an important factor for many others as well.

:smile::smile: We really should lean on early 90s tunes more often when we discuss these things.

Upon reading my comment to you, @BrendanMays, I realised that it seemed quite snappy; that was not my intent and I apologise if it came across thus-wise. I have myself been guilty of criticising presenters when their machines have failed to do what was intended, and in this case it was still quite a faux pas - just a faux pas due to a design decision that someone had overlooked in planning for their presentation (as opposed to some previous massive presentation mistakes by various companies that may not have involved Steve Ballmer and Microsoft).

On the phone testing and comparison front, I would like to add a brief (stops typing for a moment to permit commentary from the cheap seats) suggestion. Choice has been exhaustive in its review of mobile phones, and has made lots of useful information available to the reader. Two features I would love but that I cannot currently see are:

  1. An option to export the whole pile of data into Excel, so the user can ‘fiddle’ with it.
  2. The ability to filter based upon a specified set of criteria. So for example, I want a phone whose display is at least 1080p, 5.5" diagonal. I like… Android OS, and I want my phone to be able to accept external memory. Finally, I want something that came out in the last two years.

The ability to export would negate the need for filters; the provision of filters would reduce the need to export.

Finally, I should mention that if others are interested in being able to filter phone data down to this kind of level before you turn to Choice to make your final decision then I recommend GSM Arena’s ‘Phone finder’. This allows the user to filter on everything I mentioned above and more. Much, much more.

1 Like

A post was merged into an existing topic: Sorting and filtering CHOICE review comparison tables

No worries about the comment, I didn’t see it as an issue :slight_smile:

In regard to the mobile phone filters, the good news is our phone review pages do have the ability to filter by the criteria provided in the examples above. Just look for the navigation pane on the left.

Here’s a screen grab for reference:

So in your case, you would check the removable memory card box and use the slider bar to set your desired screen size parameters. You can also set many other parameters, including display resolution using the same navigation panel:

We use our display score rather than a specific pixel setting because to my understanding there is a limit to what the human eye can detect, and really we want to make it as simple as possible for consumers to get the information they need so we provide a score based on sharpness and clarity. On the contrary, we often get complaints that our tables are too complicated, so we try to make access to the review information as customisable and clear as possible to suit different needs.

The most detailed view can be obtained by clicking the purple ‘compare all details’ button at the top, which opens a large ‘side-by-side’ view. All this doesn’t mean that we can’t improve or that all functionality is clear and easy to find and we haven’t addressed the ability to export data, but I think the functionality discussion would best be continued in a thread in the site feedback category.

3 Likes

Every phone manufacturer ever will agree with you on this - but none will agree on the actual number ;).

1 Like

It’s an interesting one, and I wonder how the average consumer understands about the devices many of us are using all the time (I certainly don’t have a deeper level understanding, despite owning a plethora of the devices in question). If we had enough interest, it’s definitely something we could explore further here on the forum.

2 Likes

Our updated smartphone review (member content) includes the new iPhone X so you can compare the details side by side with other phones. If you want the most detailed view, click the purple ‘compare all products’ button.

2 Likes

I hear tulips are coming back into fashion in a big way. Apparently the new season’s flowers have been spectacular, and buyers are really looking to a boom in the tulip market.

/s

1 Like

… but we digress …

It appears that my comment about tulips was insufficiently descriptive.

I understand that there may be something of a mania for tulips. Or some similar market derangement.

2 Likes

It is interesting how many investors are not aware of the value of tulips. :wink:

3 Likes

… when surrounded by a mania, I feel it prudent to remain inconspicuous and ‘tiptoe’ …

3 Likes

Shock, horror!

3 Likes

Iphone X Belkin Invisiglass screen protector recall -

I went into the Apple store today and among other things, discussed our Belkin screen protectors. The one on my 6s has now been replaced the 3rd time, and I mentioned that the wife woman’s iPhone X Belkin Invisiglass screen protector had almost lifted off the phone.

The Apple lady advised that the Belkin Invisiglass screen protectors for the iPhone X had been recalled as they were known to have issues. As Apple had installed the Belkin protectors when we purchased our phones, I wondered why we had not been informed.

I had a look on Belkin’s site and only found mention of this occurring in the community section, where there were complaints and passing comments about the recall.

So if any of you have Belkin Invisiglass screen protectors on your iPhone X. Head off to the place of purchase for a replacement.

Good one Belkin! You’d think they would have learned from the life-time guarantee debacle.

1 Like

iPhone X at 4 yrs.
An earlier post referred to the iPhone X as a Lisa moment for Apple. Well said. I’d give it a 3/5. A recent software update has put all my photos in soft fuzzy focus. Thanks Apple; I guess you want me to upgrade.

I’ve had an iPhone X since 2018 and more recently an iPhone 8 work phone to compare. Both are in Lifeproof cases to protect from dust, water and bumps, which both have experienced without ill effects (I credit the excellent cases - I haven’t taken them swimming yet). Both have substantial memory (256 Gb and 64 Gb respectively - the original reason I upgraded from 5 to X - oh yes and Apple slowed down my older phone to help me choose).

iPhone X has a larger screen and loads of functional innovations, I have numerous apps and it has made my life easier however on balance it is an incomplete experiment and a bit of a booboo…a Lisa moment. The iPhone 8 has proved itself robust, resilient to glitches and just better all around.

So what is wrong with my iPhone X? Here are the most annoying flaws.

  1. Top of the list, it is pretty poor as a phone - for calls. In making that all-screen surface Apple designers neglected this fundamental function. The microphone is hidden on the lower edge and the speaker on the top. In standard call posture people on calls complain that I sound far away. Re-orient the phone to talk into the microphone and they can hear you fine, but you struggle to hear them. It is hard to have a quiet conversation in crowded places - most competing phones do this better. Calls are best on speaker. Oops.

  2. Incessant system glitches, crashes and patches. OK these devices are complicated, apps interfere with each other and updates can go wrong - but why does iPhone X seem so vulnerable?

  3. Recently all my photos have a sort of fuzzy blowout of highlights and edges. This is such a fundamental feature that along with the call function it makes this device a dud. I spent a lot of frustration following instructions to polish cases and lenses before realising that this is a software glitch. An insidious and suspect glitch given the quality of the iPhone12 camera. The iPhone 8 is unaffected.

My iPhone X has done good service but nowhere near what I would expect for the price. I feel locked into Apple with data, subscriptions and apps. But for my next phone I think I’ll look at Samsung and Google.

2 Likes