Apple reveals iPhone XS and fall-detecting wristwatch

Apple has rationalized its iPhone X handset with three more dominant models, 2 of which are better than before.

The iPhone XS Max has a 6.5in (16.5cm) display. The iPhone XS has the similar 5.8in-sized component as the original. The iPhone XR's screen is 6.1in but is lesser quality.

A latest smartwatch was also launched with an added fall-detection function.

There had been concerns that the relatively high £999 entry price of iPhone X would limit its call.
But Apple said it had consistently proven more popular than either of the lower-priced iPhone 8 models. Market research firms suggest it also outsold rival companies' flagship devices.

That helped propel Apple to become the world's 1st corporation with a market capitalisation above $1tn (£768bn).

However, China's Huawei still managed to overtake it in terms of overall smartphone market share in the April-to-June quarter, putting Apple into 3rd place.

"Huawei was capable to overtake it because Apple is not playing in the mid and low ends of the market," commented Francisco Jeronimo from IDC.

"But Apple is very fine positioned in the premium segment, and we don't expect that to change over the next 18 months."

Bigger screen

Apple highlighted that the iPhone XS Max's display was considerably larger than the 5.5in display of the old iPhone 8 Plus despite the 2 handsets being similar in dimension.

"Even if the screen on the iPhone X last year was larger a few people who were on the Plus models missed the feel of a bigger device which is exactly what the Max is addressing," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at the consultancy Creative Strategies.

The iPhone XR also has a larger screen but uses LCD (liquid crystal display) rather than the OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology found in the more luxurious models. This will mean black appears less deep and its colours appear to have less contrast.

In addition, its skeleton is made from aluminium rather than steel, which means it is likely to be less damage-resistant. However, unlike the more luxurious models it comes in different colours.

Analysts recommend the wider range may help encourage iPhone owners who did not improve last year to do so this generation.

"Retention has become very towering for both Android and iOS - switching is largely a thing of the past," suggested analysts at UBS.

"Put simply, the replacement for iPhone is iPhone, the only question is when - and the when is driven in large part by form factor, namely the screen."

The latest phones feature a fresh processor - the firm's first to feature seven nanometre transistor technology, which should aid energy efficiency and computation speeds.

Apple said that its Face ID function would now work faster than before and it demoed several apps, showing off its augmented reality prowess.

Huawei newly announced it had developed a rival 7nm mobile chip of its own.

However, Apple did unveil a new feature that will allow users to alter the depth-of-field of their photos after they have been taken - effectively changing the degree to which the background is blurred.

"Apple will face some inevitable criticism that these products offer only small improvements on prior successes," said Ben Wood from the consultancy CCS Insight.

"However, the fact that Apple has sold almost two billion iOS devices to date is testament to the success of the iPhone recipe since 2007."

New Watch

Earlier at its California event, Apple unveiled a latest smartwatch whose display extends further towards its edges than earlier models.

The firm said the Watch Series 4's usable screen was more than 30% larger despite the device itself having similar dimensions to its predecessor.

It also gains the aptitude to notice if its wearer has fallen and to take electrocardiogram heartbeat readings.

Apple overtook Xiaomi and Fit bit to become the world's best selling wearable tech company in the second half of 2017 thanks to strong demand for the last generation of its smart watch. It has held on to the top spot ever since, according to IDC.

"The reason it performed so well is that many network operators are only willing to focus on smartwatches with their own [built-in cellular] connectivity," said Mr Jeronimo.

"That's why they are shipping about as many watches as the whole Swiss watch-making industry."

Health features

Several insurance firms and employers already offer the Apple Watch because of its health-tracking features and its new facilities should add to its appeal.

Apple said that the Watch would warn users if it detected abnormally fast and slow heart rhythms, and added that it had already been given "clearance" by the US Food and Drug Administration.