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Apple unveiled the next generation of iPhones at the annual Apple Event CEO Tim Cook took the stage of the Steve Jobs Theater on... Apple Live Event: How Did They Improve The iPhone?

Apple unveiled the next generation of iPhones at the annual Apple Event

CEO Tim Cook took the stage of the Steve Jobs Theater on Wednesday to share a few innovations from the Cupertino tech company, and the iPhone got its own special segment. After expounding on the great features of the iPhone X, Cook upped its stakes by sharing what he calls “the most advanced iPhone we have ever created.”

iPhone XS (that’s “ten S,” not “excess”) is made of surgical-grade gold-finish stainless steel and glass, has a screen that goes top-to-bottom, edge-to-edge with the most advanced smash-proof glass in the industry. The handset’s best physical property is the new “splashable” protection, meaning it can withstand a significant dunk in a variety of liquids.

iPhone XS iPhone XR

Apple introduced three models of XS: the XS, XS Max, and XR

The display is the same size as the oversized 8 Plus, but in a smaller handset thanks to the edged screen. The display is 458 dpi, 2.7 million pixels in 5.8″ Super Retina, and the iPhone XS Max is a new 6.5″ Super Retina with over three million pixels. The focus here isn’t just watching a movie or video, but actually editing video or mixing music.

Music lovers may think so because the more powerful speakers are enhanced with software that provides wider stereo sound. Fans of Face ID (both a hot feature and hotly contested feature, criticized by security experts) in the X, and the XS has improved security and facial recognition. The interior components are powered by the A12 Bionic, “the smartest and most powerful chip ever in a smartphone.”

Hey Siri, what’s new?

Siri also got some attention with the introduction of Siri Shortcuts. Users can tap the screen to open their pre-created Shortcuts, an especially helpful feature on your busy days, when there’s a to-do list to tackle, or when you have recurring events that need to run smoothly.

But is it really better? Everything about the new iPhone XS revolves around the space-age A12 Bionic chip.

Augmented reality is a major component of the iPhone XS, providing users with a Blade Runner-esque ability to manipulate images from their surroundings. That’s fun, and all, but developers are going to have a field day with the enhanced AR, especially game developers who’ve brought living room-quality graphics and enhancements to a phone. Further demos from developers showed off the ability for multiple players to be IN the game, playing against each other thanks to the phone’s cameras and Directive Games’ AR Arcade series.

iPhone XS XR augmented reality

Take iPhone photography to the next level

Of course, smartphones do a lot of things, but one of the most common functions has got to be the camera. Apple announced that apart from being the world’s most popular smartphone, the camera in an iPhone is the world’s most popular camera. Upgrades to the hardware have made the best even better with a 12megapixel wide camera, 12megapixel telephoto camera, improved True Tone flash, an IR camera and dot projector, Smart HDR, and much more.

The XS and XS Max allows users to have a dual SIM, or DSDS for dual SIM, dual standby. That lets users have two phone numbers and two identities in their phones to use them in different locations and for different purposes. Home and business phone users will no longer carry two handsets, but can simply answer the same phone no matter which number has been called.

The best feature of all?

There’s a better battery than anything the industry has ever produced, adding more than an hour and a half of average battery life. The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR will be available for preorder on September 14th with delivery on the 21st.

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