Technology - Google News

iPhone XS review: Everything Apple has to offer, but in a smaller package
Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL: Rumored specs, features, leaks, price, launches today
The many annoying ways Google forced users onto Google+

iPhone XS review: Everything Apple has to offer, but in a smaller package

Posted: 09 Oct 2018 06:00 AM PDT

Pros

✓Smooth performance
✓Amazing camera

Cons

✕Mediocre battery life

Apple iPhone XS event

Reports indicate Apple's iPhone XS Max is by far the most popular of the iPhone XS line. The Max is the bigger of the two, with a massive 6.5-inch display. The smaller, more familiar-sized iPhone XS looks nearly identical to last year's iPhone X, in terms of design and size.

With the release of the 6.1-inch iPhone XR just around the corner, the iPhone XS is the smallest iPhone Apple announced this year despite its price tag.

In nearly every aspect, the iPhone XS is identical to the iPhone XS Max. Both devices use the same processor, display tech, and camera setup. The only differences are the screen and battery size.

Also: The 10 best smartphones of 2018

Because the two devices are virtually identical, make sure to read my review of the iPhone XS Max for a more nuanced look at the iPhone XS.

After using an iPhone XS for a week, I found it to be every bit as good as the iPhone XS Max, with one exception.

iPhone XS: Design

Top ZDNET Reviews

Outside of the new gold color, you'd be hard pressed to tell the iPhone X and iPhone XS apart. The only visually identifiable difference I can find is a single new antenna line on the bottom left corner for the phone.

The iPhone XS measures 5.65 x 2.79 x 0.3-inches, which means cases for the iPhone X should fit the XS without issue. I say should, because there is a slight variation with the camera bump on the back of the XS, meaning iPhone X cases may not fit the iPhone XS.

What makes the iPhone XS so appealing is its size. It fits comfortably in the palm of my hand, and the entire screen is easily reachable when using the phone with one hand.

Also: Best smartphones for 2018 CNET

I've adjusted to the sometimes awkwardness that comes with using the Max with one hand, thanks in part to Reachability, and the rest of the time perfecting how to adjust the position of the Max in my hand.

The iPhone XS just feels like the ideal size for a phone to rest comfortably in your hand, without sacrificing a decently sized display.

The right side of the iPhone XS is where the Side button is found. It's used to lock, wake, or summon Siri. The left side houses the mute switch, along with the volume up and down buttons. A stainless steel band wraps the perimeter of the phone, holding the glass front and back in place.

The headphone jack is still gone, as is the home button, replaced instead with navigation that's made up entirely of gestures. A minimal design that forces you to focus on what's on the screen, with minimal buttons and distractions is clearly the future of the iPhone.

iPhone XS: Performance

The iPhone XS uses Apple's A12 Bionic six-core processor, with updated Neural Engine, Face ID, and 4x4 MIMO wireless tech (thus the added antenna band). According to iFixit's teardown, the XS has 4GB of memory and a 2,658mAh hour battery. Apple is selling the iPhone XS with storage options of 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

The rear-facing camera features a dual 12-megapixel setup, along with a 7-megapixel front-facing camera used for selfies and Face ID.

For the past two weeks, I've used either the iPhone XS or XS Max, and the longer I use either phone, the more impressed I am with the camera. I've noticed the improvements, not in Instagram worthy photos, but instead in the everyday mundane photos we've come to rely on our phones to capture. For example, during a recent visit to IKEA, I snapped a photo of the location tag for a shelf I wanted to buy. When it came time to find the item in the warehouse, I opened the Photos app and opened the photo. Embarrassing as it is, the clarity in the photo was something that caught me off guard.

Also: iPhone XS: 7 things the pros need TechRepublic

In my review of the XS Max, I went into detail about reported issues with connectivity. I didn't have a chance to run the same tests on the standard XS, because I no longer have access to an iPhone X, but in my experience with the XS, its reception and throughput have been without issue. I ran a few random speed tests in the same location as I conducted the XS Max testing, and found it to average right around the same speed as I experienced with the XS Max. However, that experience can't be taken as gospel -- there are simply too many variables involved.

In addition to display size, one trade-off users who opt for the XS instead of the XS Max will make is battery life. At the end of each day when using the iPhone XS, I was close to killing the battery. On a couple occasions, with heavier use, I had to top off the battery around 7pm. That's about in line with my experience on the iPhone X. With the iPhone XS Max, however, I typically didn't have to charge after a day and a half of use.

iPhone XS: Conclusion

Featured stories

To be clear, the iPhone XS is every bit as good as the iPhone XS Max, save for battery life. It delivers on Apple's (now yearly) promise of being the best iPhone ever.

But as was the case with the iPhone XS Max, the biggest hurdle potential customers will have to overcome is the cost. The XS starts at $999 for the 64GB model and tops out at $1,349 for the 512GB model.

With the iPhone XR, that starts at $749, just a couple of weeks away, the iPhone XS is a perhaps the most confusing iPhone of 2018. Its display is top-notch, the camera is impeccable, and performance is as fast as you could hope from a tiny handheld computer. Yet, it's the smallest iPhone out of the new crop, while simultaneously being the second most expensive model.

Also: iPhone XS: A cheat sheet for professionals TechRepublic

It's hard not to look at the XS and see it as the middle child, with most of the attention going to less expensive -- and more colorful -- iPhone XR, all the while the iPhone XS Max is setting the example. Or, I could be looking at this way too deep and it simply boils down to your budget, or maybe what size of screen you want.

Either way, if you're on the fence of whether or not you should upgrade to the iPhone XS, I'd wait until the iPhone XR is available and then make a decision.

Previous and related coverage:

Apple vs Samsung phones: We compare the Galaxy S series and the iPhone XS

Should you buy the latest Apple or Samsung device? And which size? This guide breaks down the factors that matter most to business buyers and consumers alike.

Six months with Apple Watch 3: I'm sold

I hadn't worn a watch for 20 years when I bought an Apple Watch Series 3 six months ago. Now I wear it every day. Here's why -- and what I don't like.

iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9: We compare the big phones

Apple and Samsung recently released large flagship smartphones priced at $1,000+. They are close to the same size and have the latest specs, but there are also some significant differences that will lead you to one over the other for your business needs.

Will there be an October Apple event? Signs point to yes

Once again, David Gewirtz puts on his mystical prognostication hat (okay, fine, he launches Excel) to delve into Apple announcement history. Will we see new Macs, iPads, and whatnot in October? There's a pretty good chance, and we'll even tell you what dates to write in your calendar.

Rumor: Google will introduce the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL on Oct. 9

According to Bloomberg, Google plans to unveil new Pixel phones in New York on Oct. 9. The general timeframe follows precedent: The company introduced the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL on Oct. 4, 2017 and the original Pixel phones exactly one year earlier on Oct. 4, 2016.

Rumor: New camera feature

According to the leak by Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, via Twitter, the Pixel 3 will include a camera feature called "Top Shot" that captures photos of people at the exact right moment.

Rumor: New UI tricks

A purported Google marketing video, first posted by MySmartPrice and embedded below, shows several new features that may be coming to the Pixel 3. The video shows familiar Pixel navigational elements -- swiping down for notifications and squeezing the sides to launch Google Assistant -- and new ones, like long-pressing the power button to take a screenshot. And there are other new tricks: someone uses the Pixel's camera to recognize and draft an email from a business card. Another instance shows the phone recognizing a restaurant name in an email, and offers the option to make a reservation.

Rumor: Google to unveil new Pixel Stand charger

In addition to the new phones, Google is said to have developed a new wireless charger called the "Pixel Stand," according to MySmartPrice. A purported image shows a white dock with an orange bottom and a small "G" logo that's connected, ostensibly, to a USB-C cable. MySmartPrice says that the Stand will turn your Pixel into a smart display with access to shortcuts for music apps, the Google Assistant and notifications.

MySmartPrice

That noted, XDA Developers found evidence in an Android Pie beta release that points to support for wireless charging. And if the new Pixel ends up with a glass back -- that's another rumor -- it would be more conducive to wireless charging. Google has made wireless charging phones before (like the Google Nexus 6 and Nexus 5), but stopped in 2015 with the launch of the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.

Rumor: Pixel 3 XL gets a notch, Pixel 3 does not

Traditionally, the Pixel and Pixel XL have been nearly identical -- except for the size difference. That may change this time around.

Google is rumored to have bestowed the Pixel 3 XL with an iPhone-like notch to accommodate an updated camera system. The first leaked photos gave us our first look at the larger model, after which an anonymous Reddit user delivered purported images of the smaller Pixel 3, via 9to5Google. And now we have a pic of what leaker Evan Blass says is both handsets, side-by-side.

The images are consistent with earlier leaks, showing a Pixel 3 XL that has a notched display -- and not just any notch, but a big, deep notch -- and a Pixel 3 with a more traditional layout. We know that Android Pie supports phones with notches, so, conceptually at least, this checks out.

Now playing: Watch this: The non-XL Pixel 3 may have leaked

5:12

Rumor: Pixel Bud-like earbuds included

Those Russian bloggers supposedly got their hands on the Pixel 3 XL from a Ukrainian black market dealer. And the unboxing videos they posted showed a pair of earbuds with a meaty, Pixel Buds design. If the package is real, this would be new; the Pixel 2 didn't come with any headphones.

The images of the headphones did also have misspelled "@googel.com" email address on the label, which is a little sketch. Our email bounced when we tried emailing that address, so keep in mind this all might be a clever fake.

Separately, a Telegram user @LuchkovCH also "leaked" photos of the Pixel 3 XL and dropped a YouTube video here. In it, they walk through the Settings menu, launcher and running benchmarks. There's a look at the (notched) front, familiar-looking back and what looks like a single USB-C charging port.

Confirmed: It won't be the first Android Pie device

Countering speculation that Google would introduce its latest operating system on the Pixel 3, the company released Android Pie to the existing generation of Pixel phones on Aug. 6. The Pixel 3 is likely, however, to be the first phone running Pie right out of the box, if that matters in any way.

Android Pie mostly focuses on behind-the-scenes improvements designed to make Android phones work faster while saving battery life, but it also paves the way for the Pixel XL's notch.

Now playing: Watch this: Android P: A slice of 'Pie'

1:19

Rumor: Pixel 3 XL will have front-facing speakers

According to a recent case leak from Gizmo China, the Pixel 3 XL has two front-facing cameras. The leaked images also show that the speaker will be located on the front bottom bezel and the fingerprint reader will remain positioned on the back below the camera.

Now playing: Watch this: New Pixel 3 XL and Note 9 leaks

5:53

Rumor: Two front-facing cameras and a new display for the Pixel 3 XL

In addition to the notch, Bloomberg posited that the Pixel 3 XL will have an edge-to-edge display and two front-facing cameras. The smaller Pixel 3, however, will have neither of these things apparently.

The German news site WinFuture, which has a pretty reliable record with tech rumors, also reported that Google will partner with Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn (the same company that makes iPhones) to build "new display hardware."

Rumor: A premium Pixel will battle 2018 iPhones

Tech blog Droid Life reported that Google has three new Pixel phones in the pipeline for 2018. This trio could include a mysterious higher-end version -- perhaps intended to compete with the $1,000 iPhone XS -- in addition to the standard and XL models. As a reminder, the 64GB Pixel 2 starts at $649 and the Pixel 2 XL starts at $849 (£799 or AU$1,399).

Now playing: Watch this: iPhone XS vs. iPhone XR vs. iPhone XS Max: How to choose

3:51

That noted, frequent tipster Evan Blass tweeted that, according to a "reliable source," Google will deliver a Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL -- as well as the next generation of Pixel Buds and a Pixel-branded watch. If he's right, we're back to looking at two phones, not three. The Pixel 3 XL might have to take on the $1,099 iPhone XS Max on its own.

Rumor: Google has a cheaper Pixel

Google is said to be developing an inexpensive "midrange" Pixel for emerging markets that could debut this summer, according to Economic Times. It's not clear whether Google would bring this budget model to the US; the timing doesn't sync up with the Pixel's usual October debut. But, depending on the price, such a phone could make an interesting foil to Apple's new $749 iPhone XR.

Now playing: Watch this: iPhone XR: A cheaper iPhone X

2:59

Other rumored Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL specs

Octacore Qualcomm CPU (perhaps Snapdragon 845)
Adreno 630 GPU
2,960x1,440-pixel resolution
Wired version of Google Pixel Buds connecting via USB-C
Confirmed: Support for Android Pie
4GB RAM
2,915mAh battery that supports wireless charging
Multiple colors including black, white and the new pinkish "sand"

Now playing: Watch this: Images of Pixel 3 XL might be out, Google Lens gets new...

5:58

Pixel 2 review: It still has an amazing camera, but its followup is expected soon.

iPhone XR hands-on: Apple's most colorful iPhone is also its cheapest.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

The many annoying ways Google forced users onto Google+

Posted: 09 Oct 2018 07:41 AM PDT

Yesterday, Google announced plans to shut down the consumer version of Google+ after a previously undisclosed security flaw was brought to light. Launched in June 2011, Google+ was Google's most ambitious attempt at creating a social networking platform. It rapidly gained millions of users, but as usage slowed, Google wedged Google+ into countless services, pushing people to join and use the network — whether they wanted to or not.

It never quite took off, and in 2015, the company said it had plans to drop Google+ as a requirement across its products. Today, even Google admits Google+ has "low usage and engagement" and that 90 percent of Google+ user sessions last less than five seconds. But there was a time when Google desperately wanted to improve that figure by building Google+ into everything it could. Now that the social network is dying, here's a look back at many of the ways that Google tried to force people to use Google+.

YouTube

This is perhaps the most well-known example of forced Google+ use. In 2013, YouTube announced that users would be required to use their Google+ account in order to leave comments on the platform. Going one step further, the comments section would also mirror some details from Google+, like privacy settings and whose posts you might care to see.

In addition, comments posted on a YouTube video would, by default, also be posted to your Google+ profile, unless the option was manually unchecked. People... were not happy. Two years later, in 2015, the company untied Google+ from YouTube, saying, "a Google Account will be all you'll need to share content, communicate with contacts, create a YouTube channel and more, all across Google."

Gmail

In late 2011, Google changed the sign-up process for Gmail, making it nearly impossible to register for a Google account without opening a Google+ profile. The new sign-up screen didn't provide a "skip Google+" option, so the only way to make a Google account without a Google+ profile was to close the browser tab midway through the sign-up process, then open up another Google page and log in. "Making it quick and easy to create a Google Account and a Google profile enables new users to take advantage of everything Google can offer," a company rep told Ars Technica in 2012.

Shortly after, it let brands and businesses highlight their Google+ pages and content right in Gmail inboxes. Then, in 2014, Google integrated "Email via Google+" into Gmail, allowing anyone on the social network to send messages to your Gmail inbox. That same year, it decoupled Google+ from Gmail, making Google+ an optional step when creating a Google Account.

Google Maps

Google launched the Google+ Local app in 2012, which integrated reviews and photos from your Google+ friends directly into individual business pages. While it expanded Google's ability to deliver local business information, it also attempted to push the Google+ platform. Google+ Local as a standalone app was killed just a year later, in 2013, with many of the functions rolled into Google Maps. In 2014, Google tried again by making some public Google+ photos with location information visible in Google Maps.

Search

Google used Google+ to personalize search with an integration called "Search plus Your World" in 2012. The feature lent a social context to search results. So, if you were logged into your Google+ account while using it, then photos and posts from a user's account and the people in their Circles would be injected into the results. According to Search Engine Land, Google no longer personalizes search results outside of a "user's location or immediate context from a prior search."

Google Play

Google launched Google Play Games in 2013, a service that let people view leaderboards, engage in multiplayer gaming, and unlock achievements. It also required a Google+ profile in order to use it. The Google+ requirement was removed in 2016 as part of "steps to reduce sign-in friction."

Google Calendar

During it's I/O keynote in 2012, Google announced the addition of a new Google+ feature called Events, which was integrated into Google Calendar. The rollout was rough. Google didn't provide users with control over what invites appeared on their calendars, which led to immense amounts of spam. Anything a Google+ user was invited to populated to their Google+ Events page and was added to their calendar. Some reported hundreds of events spontaneously appearing on their calendar. Fixes were pushed, but the issues with Event spam automatically adding to calendars persisted for years in various forms.

Google+ Bar

In 2011, the Google Bar was a black strip that ran across the top of the screen on all of Google's web properties. That quickly shifted into a more clean integration with a drop-down menu attached to Google's logo that let you switch between things like Maps, YouTube, and search. No matter how it looked though, one thing remained the same: it prioritized sharing content with Google+ and came with a notifications icon that let you know whenever there was new activity on your Google+ account.

Google Hangouts

In 2011, Google+ unveiled Hangouts, a messaging app that allowed for group text and video chats. It required a Google+ account in order to sign up. Google+ Hangouts were integrated into Gmail in 2012, but just two years later, Hangouts was untethered from Google+, letting anyone with a Google Apps account use the service. "Google Apps customers have been taking advantage of both Google+ and Hangouts for long enough that we recognize the separate use cases for both," a Google spokesperson told TechCrunch at the time.

Google Photos

Google+ Photos shut down in 2015 when it was replaced by spin-off product Google Photos. Photos could still be sent to Google+, but it was no longer seen as core to the service. And, having Google Photos exist on its own made the Google+ version redundant. "The reality is that maintaining both Google+ Photos (the private photo management component of Google+) and Google Photos poses several challenges," said Anil Sabharwal, director of Google Photos in 2015. "Most notably, it is confusing to users why we have two offerings that virtually do the same thing."

Let's block ads! (Why?)