After a huge flub-up by FedEx, I wasn’t able to get my iPhone X on launch day like I was supposed to 😭 .
After finally getting my iPhone X a few days later, here are a few of my thoughts after using it for 24 hours.
- I fell victim to a carrier activation error during setup and was then prompted to connect to iTunes. Fail!
- When I connected to iTunes (like an animal), I got a new error that the new iPhone software is too old and can’t restore from a backup. It was disappointing to see iPhone X didn’t ship with iOS 11.1.
- iTunes prompted me to setup as a new phone, update iOS and try restoring from backup again.
- I ended up restoring from iCloud and that was seamless and smooth with no surprises.
- The hardware of this device is truly stunning. I love the physical features of the old iPhone 5 but this is probably my new favorite iPhone design.
- I really missed having a glass back on an iPhone. The glass back feels far more grippy than even the Apple Leather Case that I got. It just screams to be used without a case.
- Despite being crazy expensive, I bought AppleCare+ since the glass repairs seem to be more expensive as well. Thankfully, you don’t have to go to an Apple Store to get AppleCare+ – you can do it online instead.
- The new OLED display is beautiful. Apps with predominantly white background (Notes, Mail, Music) all look as if the content is sitting on top of the glass and very close to the surface.
- TrueTone on an iPhone is wonderful.
- Trying to use it on a flat surface without a case is infuriating thanks to the camera bump; although this isn’t a new issue exclusive to the X.
- Set up of Face ID was simpler than with Touch ID. It almost felt a little too simple.
- Face ID is the real deal. I did have it fail when I first woke up in the morning but it’s entirely possible I didn’t have both eyes open for it to recognize me. Since then, it’s worked very well.
- Face ID works fine when I put on glasses, a hat, and a winter jacket with the hood up.
- The notch at the top totally doens’t bother me. In fact, I kind of like it. It’s one of those defining features of the device to help differentiate it from other smartphones.
- The lack of a home button was strange at first but after about 12 hours or so, my brain quickly learned that swiping up was the new method to get back to home.
- iPhone X - A Guided Tour video was helpful as a reminder to see the gestures.
- Animoji is neat and a lot of fun to play with. We’ll see if it sticks in the long term. I really hope someone at Apple is working to expand the number of Animoji characters.
- The camera is definitely an improvement, even over my old 7 Plus. I'm excited for the ability to take selfie portraits and play around with some of the other lighting settings.
Overall, I love this phone. I’m excited to be a part of the early adopters to use a futuristic-feeling phone and I look forward to seeing how this phone affects the future of iPhone.
