5 Best iPhone XS, XS Max Features Nobody’s Talking About

While this is an “S” year for Apple, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are still significant upgrades to the Cupertino-designed series of handsets.

They sport a wide range of improved features and capabilities, many of which you’ve probably already heard about. But the 2018 smartphones also have a suite of other awesome features that haven’t gotten nearly as much attention. Continue reading to learn more about the 5 Best iPhone XS, XS Max Features Nobody's Talking About.

5 They Pump Out Excellent Sound

You may not have heard about it, but the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have significantly improved speakers! As a result, they sound a lot better when you’re jamming to music, streaming video, or listening to other audio without headphones. And the audio is now much, much louder when playing from the speakers. That comes in handy when you’re playing music for friends. But even if you’re watching video content on YouTube or Netflix, you’ll notice a significant increase in loudness and clarity.

4 Face ID Is Much Faster

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max both pack Apple’s latest first-party chip: the A12 Bionic. Overall, that means faster performance across the board — but one particular speed boost may be especially well-appreciated. Face ID is now quite a bit faster than on the iPhone X. While that’s true for actually unlocking your device, you’ll probably notice it more when authenticating in an app. Suffice to say, it makes a big difference when making purchases or performing other in-app activities.

3 They Can Take a Beating

Compared to battery life and processor upgrades, better durability often doesn’t get much of the spotlight. And while Apple did cover the increased toughness of its 2018 handsets, it hasn’t gotten the publicity it deserves.

For one, Apple wasn’t lying about the new super-durable front and back glass — one drop tester was unable to get an iPhone XS to crack after multiple realistic drop tests. And let’s not forget that the iPhone XS lineup has an IP68 rating, which was recently demonstrated when iFixit tried and failed to drown a device in beer.

2 Massive Storage Tier

Smartphone storage space doesn’t exactly come cheap, but options are much appreciated. And the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are Apple’s first devices to offer a massive 512GB storage tier. That, of course, is a lot of storage for an iPhone. And sure, most people probably won’t need that much. But if you can afford it, it might just be a surefire way to “future proof” an iPhone. It also comes in handy if you work with a lot of photo or video.

1 Wider Camera Field-of-View

When it comes to the camera on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the majority of the attention has been on Smart HDR and computational photography. But there are other grades that haven’t gotten as much press. For one, the iPhone XS lineup sports a larger sensor, which Apple did cover. But as YouTuber Sam Sheffer pointed out in a recent video, Apple has actually changed the focal length on the XS and XS Max, too. That’s a significant upgrade and results in a wider field-of-view for photos snapped on the new devices.