Apple’s keynote event on the 12th was quite a shocker as many were expecting something special but perhaps not quite as special as the early release of the iPhone 8 and 8 plus as well as the iPhone X.

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The first iPhone revolutionized a decade of technology and change the world in the process. Now 10 years later, it is only fitting that we are here in this place on this day to reveal a product that will set the path for the next decade.

— Tim Cook

In better news wireless charging is now possible for these new releases and they will be compatible with most wireless chargers on the market. Along with that there are now new or updated sensors which include the signature Face ID, a Barometer, a Three-axis gyroscope, an Accelerometer, a Proximity sensor, and an Ambient light sensor. The downside to having these great sensors is that they take up space on the all-display screen, so going full screen might be a little annoying.

Apple also talked about their new six core processor, the A11 Bionic, which is supposed to run faster per core than the previous A10 Fusion. With an OLED HDR display this is Apple’s best mobile screen yet, and while it still doesn’t meet the specifications of a standard 1440p display its ppi (pixels per inch) sits at 458. Most flagship phones have way higher pixel densities nowadays with typically higher resolutions and screen sizes which makes the screen kind of a let down. The TrueDepth Camera provides visible depth with the new dual camera setup that will surely please amateur photographers to professionals everywhere.

Just like no one asked for The Emoji Movie you can now be your own emoji with a recording of your voice too if you want that. There is also the scary premise of unlocking your phone with a scan of your face. While there has been all sorts of discussion over the variation in a persons face in day to day life like “what about my makeup?”, and “what if i shave and cut my hair?” No need to worry, the A11 chip in the phone uses machine learning to adapt to changes in day to day life. Phil Schiller also has addressed this stating that, “it can’t be easily spoofed”. Your eyes have to be open and facing the phone and even professional makeup artists Apple hired could not Your FaceID is encrypted and kept in the phone; not sent to the cloud like many might believe.

https://youtu.be/K4wEI5zhHB0

All in all the 8 and 8 plus are somewhat underwhelming in terms of compute power and innovation. The X is definitely where Apple’s season this fall will bring in the money even with its heavy price tag starting at $999. With a definite homage to the 4, old fans that have left for other brands may look on in interest. Sadly, while an all glass surface is very nice looking it is unwise as iPhones are notorious for being easy to break and this surely won’t help. Perhaps waiting on the Pixel 2 or a new Samsung phone would be better than purchasing the new hot item from Apple; the specs are just not that great besides the initial shock factor of faceID. All information can be found on Apple’s website here.