Everything to Know About the Apple iPhone X

The iPhone X (pronounced "ten") was the 10th-anniversary edition of Apple's flagship smartphone. When it was released in 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook called it "a product that will set the tone for the next decade." However, it was discontinued in September 2018 when three upgrades to the iPhone X—the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR—were released.

With its edge-to-edge OLED screen, glass frame, and new technology such as Face ID, the iPhone X looked little like previous versions of the iPhone. Add the huge 5.8-inch screen—the largest of any iPhone to that point—and the specs made it a stand-out device.

Is the iPhone X Discontinued?

Apple no longer makes the iPhone X, but the company still supports it. iPhone X runs iOS 15 and should be compatible with iOS 16 when released. The iPhone was immensely popular and beautifully designed, so the demand for the phone was higher than usual. However, it will no longer support iOS upgrades at some point.

New Features Introduced in iPhone X

In addition to its slim design, the iPhone X, which shipped with iOS 11, introduced four new features.

• Face ID: This facial recognition system replaced Touch ID for unlocking the phone and authorizing Apple Pay transactions. It uses a series of sensors located near the user-facing camera that project 30,000 invisible infrared dots onto your face to map its structure in minute detail. The facial mapping data is stored in the iPhone's Secure Enclave, the same place Touch ID fingerprints are stored, so it is extremely secure.
• Animoji: One of the most entertaining features of the iPhone X is the addition of Animoji, or "moving emoji." Animojis only work on devices running iOS 11 and higher. Regular emojis are also available on the iPhone X.
• Super Retina Display: The most obvious change to the iPhone X is the screen, which was the largest to date at the time of release. It's a full edge-to-edge screen, meaning the edge of the phone ends at the same place as the screen. The Super Retina HD display aids the enhanced look. This hi-res version of Apple's gorgeous Retina Display delivers 458 pixels per inch—a big step up from the 326 pixels per inch on earlier phones.
• Wireless Charging: The iPhone X has built-in wireless charging, which is also available in the iPhone 8 series phones released at the same time. You can place the iPhone on a charging mat and the battery charges wirelessly. The iPhone X uses the Qi (pronounced "chee") wireless charging standard that was already available on other smartphones. When Apple adopted this standard, all major smartphone brands supported it.

How the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Series Differ

Even though they were introduced at the same time, the iPhone X and iPhone 8 series phones differ in several areas:

• Screen
• Facial recognition
• Camera
• Size and Weight

While the dual-camera system on the back of the iPhone X is essentially the same camera as the one on the iPhone 8 Plus, the X's user-facing camera is better. It supports improved lighting features, a portrait mode, and animated emojis that mimic your facial expressions.

When it was released, the X boasted the largest screen of any iPhone to date, at 5.8 inches diagonally. The iPhone X's size and weight are closer to that of the iPhone 8 than the 8 Plus. By using a new OLED screen and a body made mostly of glass, Apple was able to get the X's weight down to just 6.1 ounces—more than an ounce lighter than the iPhone 8 Plus.