But if you are planning to buy one, let me remind you that other than a few obvious facts, there are a number of reasons why you should wait this one out and we’ll illustrate our point in the following 10 reasons. Back in 2007, when Steve Jobs announced the iPhone, it revolutionized the way people spoke and changed their perception about mobile devices. Ten years later, we are still talking about a path-breaking phone made by Apple. But is it really that revolutionary or is it just evolutionary?
Apple did its best with the iPhone X and came up with a brand new design while keeping close to its core values and principles. Then there is also the brand new OLED display. We all get the hype about it but the real question still remains the same “is the iPhone X really worth $999”? Let’s find out why it’s not.
1. Over-the-top Pricing
We understand the part where the materials sourced by the company are expensive but are not enough to justify the nearly 4 digit, $999 tag, yet. The pricing policy that Apple follows has always been a point of concern and debate, and we have seen numerous teardowns where Apple products turn out to be way cheaper than what they actually are in terms of hardware. Similarly, the iPhone X also gets an exorbitant price tag and even with all the tech inside, the device simply cannot justify it. Compared to the iPhone 8, the device comes with a different display and the infamous Face ID, however, two things cannot justify a $300 leap compared to its preceding models. Hardware-wise, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X are almost identical and the iPhone 8 is priced at $699 while the iPhone X would cost you $999. Innovation is the key and the reason for such high pricing as well. Not good enough, Apple!
2. Some Flaws and Issues are Expected
With every first generation device, a number of flaws and glitches are expected and the iPhone X is no stranger to this. Yes, the iPhone X is a new product line-up in itself since it’s a new product for the company. Since the time it has launched in the US, many users have been pretty disappointed with Apple offering fast charge with a dedicated charger and not as a part of the standard kit, as we have seen with most Android devices. It’s simple science! The iPhone X, just like any new device, will require a few iterations to be perfect. But as of now, the product is far from being perfect.
3. More Storage is Pretty Expensive
The iPhone X comes with a pretty amazing camera setup at the back, complete with 4K/60 FPS video recording capability. Despite the fact that Apple has included all new video codecs that will allow users to capture more pictures and videos in the same storage, the 64GB storage on the base variant will run out pretty fast. If you look at the only other variant, which offers 256GB, there is an additional cost of $150. With Google offering unlimited storage with its flagship Pixel 2 devices, its high time Apple learns from the competitors and offers better solutions or some innovative storage solutions.
4. There Might be Issues Using the Face ID
Face ID is really an innovative security measure that Apple has included in the iPhone X. But ask yourself – how comfortable would you be to stare at your phone everytime you have to unlock it. One important aspect of the Face ID is that you would need to look directly at your phone in order to unlock it. That’s great but hugely inconvenient as well. How many times would you actually like to bring the phone up to your face, look at it and unlock it? This is where the Touch ID, which is still prevalent in the iPhone 8, iPhone 7 and older models, makes more sense.
5. The Display is Not Exactly a Seamless Visual Treat
The new seamless display on the iPhone X is great and takes the visual experience to a whole new level. Well, that’s what the company thinks. But the users have really disliked this approach and have criticised the brand a lot for this. The Face ID bar that resides on the top takes away a huge chunk of the display. Although Apple has tried to work around the problem, there are still a lot of issues with the new model. Although the display works and fills the entire front of the device, the ears or the topmost portion is rendered useless in most conditions. Applications that are available right now are not optimised for the iPhone X and, therefore, run on reduced size. If that was the idea behind the original product, what is the point behind offering a bigger display at all? When compared to the display on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the iPhone X, despite getting the brand new OLED screen, puts up a cold show. The display lacks brightness compared to similar displays offered by brands such as Samsung and LG. What’s more surprising is the brightness level is similar to that of the iPhone 8, which comes with an LCD display.
6. Apple iPhone 7 Still Makes More Sense
The iPhone X and the iPhone 8 come with Apple’s very own brand new A11 bionic chip, which is great for augmented reality. But hold on! Augmented reality is not mainstream as of now. So what is there for the average customer? As results have shown, the A10 fusion chip, when compared to the A11 bionic chip, shows only a marginal drop in performance. The point is – if you are not looking to be on the cutting edge of technology, the older iPhone 7, retailing at close to half the price of the iPhone 8, makes up for a very good smartphone even now. The Apple iOS 11 packs a lot of features that are available on the new iPhone 8 and the iPhone X. So, if you think you can do away with a bezel-less display or wireless charging, the older iPhone makes more sense as of now.
7. No Hardware Home Button Will be a Pain
Since inception, iPhone’s line of devices has quite literally stuck with the home button as the go-to solution for most tasks. But with the iPhone X, the home button has been removed. The reasons behind the removal of the home screen button are quite obvious as Apple wants to offer a seamless, bezel-less display. But with the home button gone, there is no Touch ID. Moreover, users will have to get used to a new way of working on the new iPhone X. Now, to enable home key actions, the users need to do is swipe up from the bottom of the display. We have to wait for people to get their hands on the new device and share their feedback for the same.
8. You Will Have to Invest in the New Ecosystem
The iPhone X does come with a number of interesting features such as fast charge and the widely-awaited wireless charging feature. But, these two come with an additional cost and to make the most of their new device, users will have to invest in these. The fast charge, for instance, does not work with the supplied charger and you will have to buy the 25-W charger to make it happen. Similarly, wireless charging is also available via Qi chargers that are sold separately. Whereas, Samsung offers a free wireless charger with its new Note 8, though through a promotional offer.
9. Apps Are Not Fully Compatible with the New Display
The seamless display, which is the key highlight of the new iPhone X, is also one of its biggest pain points. With the new display ratio and the Face Id sensor bar coming in between, Apple had to do away with some portion of the display. Not all apps on the App Store are compatible with this change and they work on a reduced screen area. Although several developers have started working on this and will be offering a workaround for the new screen shape, the iPhone X is far away from being a mass market product.
10. Production and Delivery is Still a Bit Iffy
Apple fans have poured in from all over the globe to witness the launch of its 10-year anniversary edition gadget. However, as compared to past years, this year the curiosity has gone down considerably. Despite everything, Apple is really struggling with the production of its flagship devices. Industry analysts have predicted that the company would only be able to meet the demand next year and more than half of the people, who want to buy the new device, will have to go empty-handed this year. However, Apple’s quality is really at question here and such is the case with the new iPhone 8 devices and their puffy batteries as well. All this is not good for the new brand and can seriously hamper the brand’s image in the long run. These are the reasons behind what we feel should be considered before buying the new Apple iPhone X. Apple, without any doubt, likes to stay on top of the innovation chain. However, there are more reasons for the users for not buying Apple’s new flagship, the iPhone X, than otherwise. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
