I know it is quite a cheesy post title, but for this post it is 100% true. I recently got my hands on the newly launched iPhone X (“X”) after a year of waiting. My first ever iPhone and current one before the X was the 5S that was released in 2013. I still have it and while it remains in mint condition, its lack of storage, battery stability and operating system efficiency was not holding well in this current generation of technology. Thus, the update was more of a necessity because I could not operate my phone at times. Many of you have asked me where I purchased it, what the phone is like and whether it is worth it. Well, keep on reading as I reveal all of the answers below.
How it was purchased and other purchasing options:
I purchased my phone in the UK and had a friend that was visiting bring it over to South Africa. It was probably the most cost effective method for me, as my 5S had crashed one too many times and there was no way I was going to pay for a diagnostics repair when I could purchase a new phone. The pricing differs worldwide and the exchange rate plays a massive factor in this. If you are looking to find the cheapest way to purchase this with a once off cost from Apple, then the US is the place to buy. Apple US is possibly one of the cheapest Apple stores in the world compared to other Apple stores. For example, the authorised reseller iStore in South Africa (there is no Apple here) resells the 256GB at a price of R24 000 which totals to $1950, when the same phone can be purchased at $1149 in the US saving 800$. It is also important to note that the US only provides phones online that are attached to a mobile network. The best way to get an unlocked phone would be to purchase from their Chicago or New York stores and try hustle someone to bring it over.
Alternatively, there are phone contract options available. I would suggest visiting your mobile network provider and discussing the best contract options to suit your needs. Most networks tend to follow the same pattern; if you’re in the UK, some service providers tend to view your loyalty to the network as a bonus and provide additional perks when going with the iPhone X deal. If I was on a phone contract, this would have been my first option as the cost is spread out over a number of months and you still get to enjoy the perks of using the new phone. Most network providers work directly with Apple or the resellers to promote their deal so sometimes asking in store which contract they would recommend helps. Apple stores do not have to worry about gaining anything in particular as their products always sell or are sold out so their recommendations are usually impartial.
Personally, I prefer to pay to get my phones from the actual branded shop as there is more guarantee with the quality and warranty associated with the product. There are loads of resellers out there, but the risk associated with getting a unstable phone that fails to last a substantial amount of time is heightened. Apple guarantees the iPhone to last you approximately 2 years without any issues despite the software updates and all the other in-app purchases you choose. My 5S purchased from the Apple UK store in London lasted me 4 years and as my first iPhone, I looked after this phone better then I look after myself!
Unboxing the X
As with every standard iPhone, the same applies here; you receive the charger adaptor, the lightning cable, headphones jack, headphones and sim insert needle (that is what I call it) – oh, and a bunch of useless stickers! The phone is sealed in pristine condition so I would recommend having your case and screen protector ready before you start utilising the product. I waited until everything was correctly applied before I used mine just to be extra cautious.
In comparison to my 5S, the X is jam packed with amazing graphics and features that supersede any other gadget out there (yes, I know this is subjective). The size of the phone ranges between the standard iPhone and the wider version known as the “plus”; the screen is edge to edge which is a completely different dynamic to the other iPhones. There is no home button which is still an adjustment, but the facial recognition surpasses the standard finger print recognition (good job Android! Oops, I mean Apple!). I am sure you must have heard of the animated emojis and the incredible 12MP wide angled camera that it comes with. There are a range of lighting options accompanied with a telephoto apperture of 2.4 (which basically means you have more light coming in and better lighting = better selfies). The iPhone Plus camera has an option of using portrait mode, while the X allows this feature in both the inner facing and outer facing camera so the depth of field in your images is going to be insane from every angle!
Another incredible feature is the fact that the phone is dust, water and splash resistant. This does not mean you can swim in the ocean with it but it can tolerate a walk in rain or a drop in a puddle. It is obviously not a good life choice to directly place it in water but good to know your phone can handle it! As someone that religiously wipes my phone to remove the dust, this phone has been a dream so far. The X is rated IP67, which indicates the range of the phone’s ingress protection (IP). This refers to the water and dust resistance of the phone; more specifically, the number “6” refers to the dust protection rating which means that this phone is entirely dust proof and the “7” means that the iPhone X can be submerged into water that is 1 metre deep for approximately 30 minutes, which is a good rating if you ask me.
Is it worth it?
I have had this phone a week and it is still an adjustment but just from the current features I have experienced, I would already say the upgrade has proved nothing more than beneficial to me. I do think that the battery life should be tested over time as any new phone right now would be heaven in comparison to my old one so I may just do an updated review exploring cooler features of the X if you guys want to know more from my point of view. This phone has way more to offer then what I have experienced in a few days so I need to invest more time into it.
My old 5S alongside my new X
If you have the X, or looking to buy the X, feel free to leave any questions or comments below and let me know if you would like me to do a detailed review of the features I have found and learnt through the use of this phone. I love exploring gadgets so this is probably one of my favourite posts this month!
