“If you’re in the market for a new, big-screen iPhone, deciding which to buy — and debating between the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 Plus — you’re probably not alone,” Lynn La writes for CNET. “True, the iPhone X is the slightly ‘better’ of the two on paper. It has a sharper, larger screen and a depth-sensing front-facing camera. But while it may be the obvious pick simply because of its extra hardware goodies, that doesn’t exactly mean it’s the right one for you and your needs.”
“The funny thing about the iPhone 8 Plus is that it has a smaller screen and thicker bezels than the iPhone X, but it’s bigger overall. That means it’s wider in the hand and heavier to hold,” La writes. “However, it also has a physical home button that you can easily tap to return home and double-tap to call up recent apps.”
MacDailyNews Take: The Home button is an anachronism. The Home button is a flow-interrupter. It adds unnecessary and unwanted staccato to iOS operation. We can’t want to dump it from our iPads. To return home or call up recent apps, nothing is easier than flicking up or flicking up and holding for a moment, respectively.
The only people who like Home buttons are those who haven’t used an iPhone X for more than 5 minutes.
“If you prioritize taking fantastic pictures on your phone and you want the best of the best, the iPhone X has it,” La writes. “I’d recommend the iPhone 8 Plus to anyone who wants a big-screen iPhone with a familiar design. But keep in mind that sticking to features like the home button and the fingerprint reader for now may just be delaying the inevitable.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: To anyone who’s used both, the answer to the headline is blatantly obvious: iPhone X.
Once you adjust to the X, it’s awkward going back. But I do miss the Plus size- so, for the first time, I may be upgrading my phone sooner rather than later…
Indeed. The reason I didn’t go for a X is the loss of the perfect 16:9 aspect ration – and the notch!
*RATIO! Damn autocorrect!🙄
Disagree… Face-ID is okay but it fails too many times. It works if yu are staring at the screen. However, if you are looking away it fails. It’s awkward when checking the device in bed. I had had many embarrassing situations in stores because the inflexible UI. To use a store payment machine, you often need to change orientation twice. You Need to hold the phone in your face to start and then move it near the machine to engage. Too many times when I start to the payment process the clerk or server asks a question and even the slightest glace to them to answer and Face-ID fails.
I’d rather stick to the home key for authorization. It works in all circumstances.
That’s so funny! Face ID is DESIGNED to require you to look at it. It’s not failing at all. AND you can turn that off if you spend a minute or two in settings. Good luck!
It’s failing if it makes things awkward. It doesn’t matter that it is “supposed” to fail that way.
That’s just it, it’s not failing. There are two modes of Face ID.
Attention Mode: Potentially more secure as it requires you to be paying attention when using Face ID. This prevents someone from taking your iPhone and holding it up to your face to unlock.
No Attention Required Mode: Look away if you want. This works well in all kinds of situations the OP was describing. It works while driving. It works when looking at the cashier. It just works.
And it doesn’t take a minute or two to switch, it takes less than 20 seconds to figure out where this is and change it in Settings.
The OP’s complaint is like saying Touch ID sucks because if you use the wrong finger, it doesn’t work.
Face id is a God sent gift.
Fingerer id is jurassic and unreliable… one smudge and it stops working.
Plus faceid is so much more transparent and fluid .
The real answer is wait til September and buy the A12 X Plus with 6.5” diagonal screen the size of the 8 Plus’ full body.
That’s what I’m going to do. However people should realize that if the current Plus sized iPhones are a bit too much of a stretch, the X Plus iPhones will be even tougher since you’ll need to be reaching/touching in areas that were otherwise bezels before.
I’ve been playing around with my old 7 Plus, and I don’t think I’ll have any issue, but it’s something for people to be aware of.
Using rh iPhone X from day, one I knew this was the future. The technology will get small and sophisticated enough not to involve a notch eventually.
Trust Cnet to write this article 9 months after it was needed and 3 months before no-one cares because the friggin’ iPhone XI plus is gonna solve the problem.
Frak I hate morons, thanks for being a bunch of morons Cnet
I am so sick and tired of people telling me I don’t need things that I use every day.
iPhone X user since day one, and the fingerprint is so much easier and more reliable than Face ID. Plus when the phone freezes or crashes (ie you’re using the beta software) swiping often doesn’t work, and I can’t even force a restart. The fingerprint was a simple, reliable solution and the single button made the iPhone pretty idiot proof – I think Steve Jobs would have agreed.
Face id is a God sent gift.
Fingerer id is jurassic and unreliable… one smudge and it stops working.
Plus faceid is so much more transparent and fluid .
Horses are much more familiar than those new fangled cars. If you’re in a huge impatient rush, fine buy one of those car things but if you want safety in something you know, always go with a horse
The millennial way, no one may be comfortable with their preference, everyone much acknowledge the one truth, the one that bests all others. Coping with your constant need to be right is exhausting, and continually yields results contrary to your objective.