Apple’s new line-up of iPhones have been given the seal of approval by industry experts, despite some admitting only minor improvements had been made on last year’s iPhone X.
Ben Wood, chief of research at analyst firm CCS Insight, said the iPhone XS Max was the pick of the announcements, the largest and most expensive iPhone Apple has ever made.
Say hello to the $2,000 Apple bundle. iPhone X S Max 512GB + Apple Watch Series 4 GPS + Cellular. Apple continues to break the rules on consumer electronics pricing. Confirms the premium that people are prepared to pay for Apple products. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/j3hYtGof8H
— Ben Wood (@benwood) September 12, 2018
“The iPhone X S Max is undoubtedly the star of the show,” he said.
“It builds on the success of the iPhone X and offers one of the biggest displays on the market, but in a design that doesn’t look as though you have a giant 6.5-inch screen in your hand.
“Apple will face some inevitable criticism that these products offer only small improvements on prior successes. However, the fact that Apple has sold almost two billion iOS devices to date is testament to the success of the iPhone recipe since 2007.”
Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at uSwitch, said Apple was clearly trying to expand its horizons by offering more choice to consumers.
“In this year’s bumper launch, its trio of iPhone handsets builds on the success of the iPhone X by branching out to the enthusiasts with the XS Max while also experimenting with new colours in the XR to reach a more cost-conscious crowd,” he said.
“As expected, there are no Hail Marys here – just a batch of solid improvements aimed at refining user experience, such as longer battery life and cameras that can cope with low light.”
James Brown, director of gadget insurance provider Protect Your Bubble, added: “While Apple isn’t reinventing the wheel with these handsets, they have taken the most innovative and exciting aspects of the original iPhone X and made them accessible to Apple enthusiasts at all ends of the spectrum.
“The home button is now firmly a thing of the past. All three handsets now make use of Face ID, though it will be interesting to see if Apple has guaranteed the same level of sophistication – and usability – across all devices.”
