By Joanna Stern 

Dear reader,

I write to you with a serious iPhone review predicament.

Imagine Goldilocks only tested the cold and hot porridges and never found the one that was "just right." Her life might have been entirely different. That's how I feel about testing the iPhone XS and XS Max -- without the iPhone XR -- for the past week.

In case you missed it or just forgot, here are the basic differences:

-- iPhone XS: An upgrade to the 5.8-inch iPhone X from last year. It still starts at $1,000 and begins shipping Friday, Sept. 21. (The original X is gone. RIP.)

-- iPhone XS Max: A giant version of the XS with a 6.5-inch screen -- Apple Inc.'s biggest-ever phone display. It starts at $1,100 and also ships Friday.

-- iPhone XR: A new model that doesn't have the two-camera system and vibrant OLED screen, but does have a slightly larger 6.1-inch LCD screen and apparently better battery life. It starts at $750 and ships on Oct. 26.

Sure, Apple's monthlong shipping gap might be a result of manufacturing timelines, or it might be a psychological trick to get you to buy the more expensive models out right now. Whatever the case, after in-depth testing of the new XS and XS Max models, I do have some direction for you.

With subtle but strong improvements over last year's X, (subtle, that's what the S stands for, right?) the XS and XS Max are fabulous phones. But we've hit a point where every smartphone is great -- it comes down to what you want and what you want to spend.

With that, I present a choose-your-own-adventure iPhone XS and XS Max review. Choose which iPhone features matter to you most, ignore Apple's time frame and make your decision from there.

Big Screen

If you want a ginormous screen on an iPhone, the XS Max's beautiful 6.5-inch OLED display is here for you. Surprisingly, the XS Max is about as large as the older iPhone Plus models -- its screen just covers more of the phone's face. The only way I could make the Max look small was to put it in the hand of Gheorghe Mure an, who shares the record for tallest basketball player in NBA history. (See my video review above.)

Taking photos, watching videos, FaceTiming, Fortniting, even writing emails felt more immersive on the big phone. But two things hold me back from going to the Max.

1. Apple isn't doing enough to take advantage of all the extra space. The Max just feels like a blown-up iPhone, when it could be a new sort of computer. Unlike Samsung's Galaxy Note or even Apple's iPad, you can't place apps side by side or float a video in the corner.

2. One-handed use is a struggle at times with smaller hands, especially typing -- even with Apple's "reachability" trick that lets you shift the screen down when needed. The XS is more of a "just right" fit for my hand and pocket. Even the XR felt much smaller than the Max.

Both the XS and XS Max have what Apple says is "the most durable glass in the world." That said, my XS Max review unit cracked after a minor fall onto wood. All these glass slabs still need protection.

Big Battery Life

The XS Max's battery life also makes it tempting. It generally lasted one to two hours longer during the day than my X. (As a heavy smartphone user -- yes, I'm working on it -- I typically charge my X midafternoon to carry me till bedtime.) In my video streaming tests, the XS Max streamed Netflix for nearly 13 hours; the XS lasted 10.5 hours and the older X went just 9.5 hours.

But the XR might outlast them all. According to claims on Apple's website, the XR will last 1.5 hours longer than the 8 Plus model -- and it's rated to have longer battery life than the XS Max when it comes to internet and video usage.

I would also like to note that all these iPhones come with the same dinky 5W charger that's come with iPhones for the last 10 years. Use a faster charger, or else you'll wait hours for your fancy iPhone to juice up.

Big Camera

If you are upgrading from any of the smaller iPhones of the past few years, the XS and XS Max cameras will be a big leap. (Both XS models have the new dual cameras.) If you're considering going from the X or the iPhone 8 Plus to the XS because of cameras, though, it's more of a mini hop.

The neatest trick is the new advanced depth control in portrait mode. With this effect, you can simulate the artistic blur around your subject that photographers call bokeh. But I found that the phone still can't always get the blurring right around the edges of certain objects. The smart HDR feature and new sensors did make for a more even and clear photo when shooting almost directly into brighter lights -- plus crisper, more colorful low-light shots -- but overall my photos looked similar to the ones I've taken with the X. In many cases, they were not as good as shots I've taken with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 or Google Pixel 2.

What is noticeable? Autofocus and launching the camera on the XS models are speedier than on the X. Apple's new A12 Bionic processor also made augmented-reality apps on the XS feel less jittery. Everyday actions are faster, too -- even just pressing the reply button in the Gmail app. The XR will have the same processor.

The Face ID system on the front of the phone was also faster and worked better in tough situations, like when I'm lying in bed, but it still struggles with one pair of my sunglasses. (Luckily, iOS 12 lets you add a second face or look.)

Newest iPhone

Oh, you'd upgrade to the newest iPhone even if Apple only changed the color of the volume button? Don't worry, this is a judge-free zone.

Still, unless you are in an iPhone upgrade program or absolutely dying for that Max screen, don't jump from the X to the XS. Going back to last year's model, I missed the speed boost a bit, but not enough to drop another grand or more. (That said, upgrading to iOS 12 will also speed up certain things, especially on older phones.)

I realize this review may not have answered all your questions. Don't blame me, blame Apple...and keep your wallet closed. See you in a month with the XR review.

All the best,

Joanna

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 18, 2018 06:14 ET (10:14 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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