iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are splash, water, and dust resistant and were tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 2 meters up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage not covered under warranty.

It’s a more complex decision, so we ran the iPhone XR color quandry by professional color consultant Katy Kelleher when the XR debuted, and she pointed to the both “fun and neutral” Blue XR as not only the color she’d choose for herself, but as the most “diplomatic” selection anyone could make with respect to the six. On the front, the XS has a sharp 7-megapixel camera that also allows you to adjust bokeh after the fact, thanks to the infrared depth sensors used for Face ID. A Unique OS Arabic, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish It used to be that I reviewed iPhones in cooperation with Tim Gideon, our audio analyst. The iPhone was a phone, plus a handheld computer, plus an iPod, after all. I don't think that's really the case anymore. The iPhone is now a handheld computer, plus a camera, so I turned it over to our senior camera analyst, Jim Fisher, to test it. English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, TurkishHowever, even those slower cores are still more powerful than any of those found in the iPhone 6, a handset that's only four years old, showing just how rapidly smartphone technology is progressing in terms of power and efficiency. The iPhone XS, of course, runs iOS 12. We have a full review of iOS 12 that's long and in depth. In short, some of the big advances over iOS 11 are useful content controls and screen-time monitoring for parents and to prevent device overuse; in general, faster performance in almost everything; and (perpetually) improved augmented reality capabilities. The biggest disappointment is Siri, which really falls down in capabilities and comprehension compared with Google Assistant. One might question whether this much power is really needed – and sure, if you're just browsing the web and sending messages it's utterly wasted. The AMOLED screen is the same size as the iPhone X's, but it's both brighter and has better color accuracy. We're currently waiting for test results from Dr. Ray Soneira at DisplayMate Labs, and we'll update this review when we get them. But initial looks have the XS in the running with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for the brightest, most accurate, and least reflective screen available.

That's not to say it isn't impressive, and useful, new hardware in the iPhone XS, but most of the benefits won't be instantly discernible to the average user. For the first time in years, there is one iPhone model for North America. That means any iPhone bought will work on any US or Canadian carrier, unlike with previous models, where AT&T and T-Mobile phones often had trouble with Sprint and Verizon. It's worth noting that this is the first iPhone to support T-Mobile's new Band 71, for rural coverage, and the first iPhone to support LAA, for additional speed in dense urban settings on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.Testing conducted by Apple in August 2017 using pre-production iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus units and software, and in August 2018 using pre-production iPhone X S, iPhone X S Max and iPhone X R units and software, with accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapters (18W Model A1720, 29W Model A1540, 30W Model A1882, 61W Model A1718 and 87W Model A1719). Testing conducted by Apple in August 2019 using pre-production iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapters (18W Model A1720, 29W Model A1540, 30W Model A1882, 61W Model A1947 and 87W Model A1719). Testing conducted by Apple in February 2020 using pre-production iPhone SE (2nd generation) units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapters (18W Model A1720 and 30W Model A1882). Testing conducted by Apple in September 2020 using pre-production iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapter (20W Model A2305). Testing conducted by Apple in August 2021 using pre-production iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapter (20W Model A2305). Testing conducted by Apple in February 2022 using pre-production iPhone SE (3rd generation) units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapter (20W Model A2305). Testing conducted by Apple in August 2022 using pre-production iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapter (20W Model A2305). Testing conducted by Apple in August 2023 using pre-production iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max units and software and accessory Apple USB‑C Power Adapter (20W Model A2305). Fast-charge testing conducted with drained iPhone units. Charge time varies with settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary. The iPhone XS has a markedly improved dual camera, delivering better photos than the iPhone X in both dark and high-contrast environments. It has a faster processor, faster face ID, adds dual-SIM support.

That speed improvement is easy to feel within the phone, as the iPhone XS is one of the snappiest handsets we've ever tapped our way through. The question on everyone's mind is the same as it is with every phone: Is the iPhone XS better in low light? The sensor is, without question. It manages to capture images with crisp detail and little noise through ISO 100. That's not a high number if you're talking about a full-frame camera, but for a phone? It's up there with the best we've tested, negating the one-stop advantage the Galaxy S9+ showed over last year's iPhones in our testing. This is a weird situation for a review; usually, when looking at an ‘S’ variant of an iPhone we’re asking the question of whether it’s better than the now-cheaper model from the previous year.Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test. Fast-charge capable: Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes 9with 18W adapter or higher (available separately) AAC-LC, HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) and Audible (Formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX and AAX+)

Yes, there will be moments when it's cool, but they'll be as rare as deciding to play board games of an evening – so it depends if that’s what you’re into. I'm that 5G guy. I've actually been here for every "G." I've reviewed well over a thousand products during 18 years working full-time at PCMag.com, including every generation of the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S. I also write a weekly newsletter, Fully Mobilized, where I obsess about phones and networks. Apple's new A12 processor is, CPU-wise, the fastest handheld device processor available. It scores about 15 percent better than the A11 did on Geekbench benchmarks, which measure hard-core CPU math. It just crushes the Snapdragon 845 on Geekbench, although on the more realistic Antutu benchmark, which tests UI elements too, it's only about 6 percent faster than the Galaxy Note 9.Like the iPhone 8 and X, but unlike previous iPhones, the XS supports the EVS voice encoding system for higher-quality calls. (For more on that, see our feature here.) If you're upgrading from an iPhone 7 or below, and you primarily call other EVS-capable phones on the same carrier, you'll get very noticeably better sound quality than previously. It adds a 'smart layer' to proceedings, allowing the handset to recognize things on the screen, whether that's appending an Animoji to your head in real time during a FaceTime call, or working out what's needed to improve the quality of a photo as you're taking it. Update: iOS 15 has been announced at WWDC 2021 and it will come to the iPhone XS "this fall" (likely meaning September). Features of the software include spatial audio and voice isolation for FaceTime (plus the ability to have Android users on calls!), image collages in group Messages chats, a new Notification Summary, a redesigned weather app, and much more. Read our Product Environmental Reports for detailed information on the environmental performance of every Apple product.