MacRumors

Best Buy is no longer selling iPhone X and iPhone 8/8 Plus models outright following criticism of the $100 premium it was charging over Apple's retail prices, reports Bloomberg.

When pre-orders kicked off for the iPhone X on Friday, Best Buy was selling the full-priced 64GB model for $1,099 and the 256GB model for $1,249, $100 more than Apple asks for the two devices. Similar price increases were applied to iPhone 8 and 8 Plus orders.

Best Buy confusingly said it was charging a premium because flexibility sometimes has a cost, and that by offering full-price iPhones, customers can "get a phone the way they want." The statement made little sense as the same full-price commitment-free iPhones are available from Apple and other retailers.

Rather than dropping its prices, Best Buy has decided it will no longer offer iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus models for outright purchase, instead only selling them via carrier installment plans from Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. The payment plans feature no extra charge, with the monthly device payments going directly to carriers.

"Although there was clearly demand for the un-activated iPhone X, selling it that way cost more money, causing some confusion with our customers and noise in the media," Best Buy spokeswoman Danielle Schumann said. "That's why we decided a few days ago to only sell the phone the traditional way, through installment billing plans."

When a customer purchases an iPhone via a carrier installment plan, Best Buy receives a payment from the carrier in question, but that payment is not received for iPhones at full price, which seems to be why Best Buy was charging an additional $100. No other retailer charges an additional $100 for the iPhone, though.

While Best Buy has stopped offering the latest iPhone models as an outright purchase sans installments, it is continuing to sell older models and charging a $50 premium on those devices when purchased without a carrier payment plan. The iPhone 7, for example, is priced at $599, $50 more than Apple charges.

Apple today released watchOS 4.1, the first major update to the watchOS 4 operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 4.1 comes more than a month after Apple released the new watchOS 4 to the public and it follows several weeks of developer beta testing.

watchOS 4.1 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.

The watchOS 4.1 update introduces support for streaming Apple Music content directly to LTE-equipped Apple Watch Series 3 models, allowing Apple Watch owners to listen to Apple Music even when an iPhone isn't nearby. A new Radio app that offers access to Beats 1 and other Apple Music radio stations is also included.

The Music app on the Apple Watch looks largely unchanged, offering up access to the Music Library, recently played songs, playlists, and Apple Music mixes, but now all Apple Music content can be streamed over an LTE connection and doesn't need to be downloaded to the device.

watchOS 4.1 also introduces a new Wi-Fi toggle for turning off Wi-Fi to force the Apple Watch to use an LTE connection and it displays the Wi-Fi SSID when connected to Wi-Fi os users can see which network the watch is using. The update also brings GymKit, allowing the Apple Watch to pair with supported gym equipment for information sharing purposes.

Along with these features, today's update introduces a range of new Unicode 10 emoji characters that include vomiting face, head exploding, mermaid, zombie, hedgehog, fairy, broccoli, and more. The new emoji are also available on iOS 11.1 and macOS High Sierra 10.13.1.

There are also several bug fixes and security improvements, including a fix for a serious vulnerability in the WPA2 Wi-Fi standard that protects many modern Wi-Fi networks. Full release notes for the update were released early and are below:

New features, improvements, and bug fixes include:

- Stream music on Apple Watch Series 3 with Apple Music or iCloud Music Library
- Listen to live radio on Beats 1, custom stations, and expert-curated stations with the new Radio app on Apple Watch Series 3
- Use Siri to find, discover, and play songs, playlists, or albums
- Sync fitness data with GymKit-enabled treadmills, ellipticals, stair steppers, and indoor bikes for more accurate distance, pace, and energy burn metrics
- Ability to disconnect from a WiFi network in Control Center for Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular)
- Fixes an issue for Apple Watch Series 1 and later where Heart Rate notifications were delivered when the feature was not enabled
- Fixes an issue where some users did not receive Stand Reminders
- Resolves an issue where the current stand hour indicator did not appear for some users
- Resolves an issue that caused haptics to not be delivered for silent alarms
- Addresses an issue that prevented Apple Watch (1st generation) from charging for some users
- Resolves an issue where the Sunrise and Sunset complication would sometimes not appear
- Restores Mandarin as the default dictation language for China

For more information on watchOS, including the new watchOS 4.1 update, make sure to check out our dedicated watchOS 4 roundup.

Apple today released iOS 11.1, the first major update to the iOS 11 operating system available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 11.1 comes more than a month after iOS 11 was first released to the public and its launch comes after several rounds of beta testing.

The update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings --> General --> Software Update. Eligible devices include the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad Air and later, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.

A range of new Unicode 10 emoji like crazy face, pie, pretzel, t-rex, vampire, exploding head, face vomiting, shushing face, love you gesture, brain, scarf, zebra, giraffe, fortune cookie, pie, hedgehog, and more have been introduced in the iOS 11 update, expanding the number of emoji available to iOS users.

Several emoji also feature some small design changes in iOS 11.1, including the dolphin, bee, snail, and whale characters, among others. The new designs are more detailed and realistic than existing designs.

Along with these major features, iOS 11 introduces a fix for a Reachability bug that's been present since the release of iOS 11 and it brings back the popular 3D Touch App Switcher gesture that lets iPhone users perform a 3D Touch gesture at the left edge of the display to bring up the multitasking App Switcher interface.

The built-in keyboard in iOS 11.1 now offers up multiple emoji symbols when using an emoji-related word, there's a new camera icon under Restrictions, a new animation when tapping the status bar to scroll upwards, and a faster unlock animation.

There are also many bug fixes and security improvements in iOS 11.1. Most notably, the update addresses a major vulnerability in the WPA2 Wi-Fi standard that is used to protect many modern Wi-Fi networks. The exploit, which is now fixed, let attackers use a key reinstallation attack or "KRACK" to decrypt network traffic to sniff out sensitive information. Full release notes for the update, including all of the bug fixes, are available below:

Emoji
- Over 70 new emoji characters including new food types, animals, mythical creatures, clothing options, more expressive smiley faces, gender-neutral characters and more

Photos
- Resolves an issue that could cause some photos to appear blurry
- Addresses an issue that could cause Live Photo effects to playback slowly
- Fixes an issue that could cause some photos to not display in the People album when restoring from an iCloud Backup
- Fixes an issue that could impact performance when swiping between screenshots

Accessibility
- Improves braille support for Grade 2 input
- Improves VoiceOver access to multi-page PDFs
- Improves VoiceOver rotor actions for announcing incoming notifications
- Improves VoiceOver rotor actions menu when removing an app from the App Switcher
- Fixes an issue for some users where alternative keys would not display when using VoiceOver with Touch Typing
- Fixes an issue where VoiceOver rotor would always return to default action in Mail
- Fixes an issue where VoiceOver rotor would not delete messages

Other improvements and fixes
- Adds back support for accessing the app switcher by pressing on edge of display with 3D Touch
- Fixes an issue that caused cleared Mail notifications to reappear on Lock screen
- Fixes an issue in enterprise environments that prevented data from being moved between managed apps
- Fixes an issue with some 3rd-party GPS accessories that caused inaccuracies in location data
- Resolves an issue where settings for Heart Rate notifications were appearing in Apple Watch app (1st generation)
- Fixes an issue where app icons were not appearing in notifications on Apple Watch

For more on what's included in iOS 11.1 and the iOS 11 operating system in general, make sure to check out our iOS 11 roundup.

Apple is unlikely to expand its front-facing TrueDepth system for Face ID and Animoji to the rear-facing camera module on iPhones released in 2018, according to oft-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the iPhone X's 3D sensing capabilities are already at least one year ahead of Android smartphones. For that reason, he thinks Apple's focus with next year's iPhone models will be ensuring an on-time launch with adequate supply.

Based on aforementioned assumptions, we do not expect 2H18F iPhones to come with rear TrueDepth Camera/3D sensing, contrary to market expectations. While we agree that a rear TrueDepth Camera/3D sensing can potentially provide more augmented reality (AR) applications, we note that Apple needs to quickly resolve two issues if it wants 2H18F iPhones to have a rear TrueDepth Camera/3D sensing, namely: (1) the development of AI and ARKit software and an ecosystem, which takes time; and (2) achieving stable shipments and on-time shipping, which are challenging due to the higher spec requirements of rear TrueDepth camera.

Even without rear TrueDepth, Kuo believes 2018 iPhone models will unsurprisingly come with other tech spec upgrades to attract consumers. He has a positive view on the prospects of the new iPhone models.

Apple has determined that some Apple Watch Series 3 models have an issue causing "edge stripes" to appear on the display after time.

In an internal memo distributed to Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers, Apple said the issue is to be treated like any other Apple Watch repair. Since the issue appears to be a manufacturing defect, the repair should be free under Apple's standard one-year limited warranty policy.

Apple's memo, obtained by MacRumors, identifies GPS models as being affected and not cellular models. The difference could be the result of LTE models having a different display assembly with an integrated antenna.

To verify the issue, a Genius Bar or Apple Authorized Service Provider employee will ask the customer to rub their finger on the display to allow smearing to appear. If no edge stripes are found, Apple's instructions are to clean the display and have the customer breathe on the display edge to create humidity.

Apple's memo doesn't confirm the underlying reason for the issue. Given the steps to reproduce the issue, however, it sounds like the edge stripes may appear as a result of moisture collecting under the display.

While we can verify this information is accurate, Apple doesn't always acknowledge its internal service policies when a customer brings it up. We don't know exactly why this is the case, but be aware that your mileage may vary.

For over a year leading up to the iPhone X, rumors ran rampant about Touch ID being placed under the display, or on the back or side of the device, but Apple's hardware engineering chief Dan Riccio says the reports were never true.

In an interview with TechCrunch's editor-in-chief Matthew Panzarino, Riccio said Apple "spent no time" looking at implementing fingerprint authentication in these ways because it was already focused on perfecting Face ID.

"I heard some rumor [that] we couldn't get Touch ID to work through the glass so we had to remove that," Riccio says, answering a question about whether there were late design changes. "When we hit early line of sight on getting Face ID to be [as] good as it was, we knew that if we could be successful we could enable the product that we wanted to go off and do and if that's true it could be something that we could burn the bridges and be all in with. This is assuming it was a better solution. And that's what we did. So we spent no time looking at fingerprints on the back or through the glass or on the side because if we did those things, which would be a last-minute change, they would be a distraction relative to enabling the more important thing that we were trying to achieve, which was Face ID done in a high-quality way."

Rumors about Apple embedding Touch ID into the iPhone X's display surfaced as early as May 2016, so it remains possible that the company at least explored the idea, but never proceeded with it after moving forward with Face ID.

Several reports corroborated the rumors as recently as this past summer, which usually means they are true.

Many reports even made it sound like Apple was under pressure. In July, KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves said Apple was still struggling to embed Touch ID under the display, to the point the iPhone X could have been delayed.

Sebastian Hou and Brian Chen, analysts at Hong Kong-based equity research firm CLSA, in May said there was a "high chance" that Touch ID would be placed on the back of the iPhone X like Samsung's Galaxy S8.

It's worth noting that one Apple analyst, the oft-reliable Ming-Chi Kuo, predicted the iPhone X wouldn't have Touch ID back in July.

Kuo's latest prediction is that Apple will remove Touch ID on all iPhones launched in 2018 in favor of Face ID. He thinks the TrueDepth camera and 3D facial recognition system won't be significantly upgraded next year.

Face ID has proved to be reliable in early iPhone X reviews and first impressions, and it's also considered easy to set up and use.

Apple has lifted its embargo for iPhone X reviews today, but many of the articles and videos are more like early impressions, given that it provided many media outlets with less than 24 hours of lead time with the device.

We've rounded up some notable excerpts from iPhone X reviews below. The general consensus is that the smartphone has a gorgeous design and that Face ID works well. However, the smartphone definitely isn't for everyone, and using an iPhone without a Home button seemingly takes some time before feeling natural.

The Verge's Nilay Patel said Face ID "mostly works great," but he noted authentication was inconsistent in certain lighting conditions.

I took a walk outside our NYC office in bright sunlight, and Face ID definitely had issues recognizing my face consistently while I was moving until I went into shade or brought the phone much closer to my face than usual. I also went to the deli across the street, which has a wide variety of lights inside, including a bunch of overhead florescent strips, and Face ID also got significantly more inconsistent.

Patel added that apps that haven't been updated for the iPhone X's display have "ugly" black borders along the top and bottom.

Apps that haven't been updated for the iPhone X run in what you might call "software bezel" mode: huge black borders at the top and bottom that basically mimic the iPhone 8. And a lot of apps aren't updated yet: Google Maps and Calendar, Slack, the Delta app, Spotify, and more all run with software bezels. Games like CSR Racing and Sonic The Hedgehog looked particularly silly. It's fine, but it's ugly, especially since the home bar at the bottom of the screen glows white in this mode.

Wired's David Pierce took the iPhone X for a test drive while bouncing on a trampoline in the video below.

TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino took his iPhone X to Disneyland in California to test the device in a real-world scenario.

Panzarino also noted that Face ID "works really well" and was "incredibly easy to set up."

You choose to enable it and then rotate your nose around the points of a clock twice. That's it. Second, it worked the vast majority of times I tried it, it never once unlocked using a picture of myself or another person's face and the failure rate seemed to be about the same as Touch ID — aka almost never. As hoped, it's definitely faster than the first generation of Touch ID, though perhaps slightly slower than the second gen.

Panzarino shared some photos shot with iPhone X. In good lighting conditions, he said there is almost zero difference between the cameras on the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, given the devices have the same sensors and image signal processors.

Panzarino said he hasn't seen any screen burn-in on the iPhone X yet, a problem Google's new Pixel 2 XL has faced, but he hasn't been using the device long enough to say it's "burn-in proof" with confidence.

I haven't been using the phone long enough to determine whether it is "burn-in proof" or whatever you want to call it, but Apple insists that it has done a ton of work to mitigate the problem. And I do use Twitter, with a static menu bar, a whole heck of a lot and see no burn in so far. That's the best info I can give you besides that the Pixel 2's burn-in started showing up pretty quickly.

The Washington Post's Geoffrey A. Fowler said Face ID worked "nine times out of 10" in his initial testing, but not with a fake beard.

In my initial tests, it worked nine times out of 10. You really have to hold it in front of your face like you're taking a selfie. Too close, in particular, and it won't work. It recognized me in the dark, and when I put on sunglasses — but not when, in the interest of science, I put on a fake beard. (Apple says it adapts to handle beards when they come on more slowly.)

CNET's Scott Stein said it takes time to get used to the iPhone X's new gestures and button combinations for returning to the Home screen, multitasking, and invoking Siri and Apple Pay.

A number of new gestures take the place of the old home button. I kept reaching for the phantom button over the first few hours, feeling like I'd lost a thumb. […]

Meanwhile, there's a new, large side button that brings up Siri and Apple Pay. I instinctively pressed and held it to shut down my phone, then I realized that is not what that button does. (To turn off the phone, you now hold that same side button *and* the lower volume button at the same time, which feels far from intuitive.)

Those gestures added up to some difficult maneuvers as I walked Manhattan streets in the Flatiron between my office and a local barber shop. At the end of the first day, I admit: sometimes I missed the simple home button.

Since many reviewers were provided with less than 24 hours of time with the iPhone X before Apple lifted its publishing embargo, we'll have to wait for a truly in-depth look at performance, cameras, and other features.

We've rounded up a list of many other iPhone X reviews, first impressions, and videos, and we'll be sharing more tidbits throughout the day.

Yesterday, low-quality unboxing videos and images of the iPhone X began to emerge online as the device arrived at shipment facilities and mobile retailers around the world. Today, Apple has lifted the embargo on reviews and handed the smartphone over to the media, leading to a wealth of detailed and high-quality unboxing videos from the usual YouTubers and review outlets.

Similar to the package for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the box for the iPhone X simply says "iPhone" on the side. There are unique details to the front of the box with raised, shiny areas that represent the stainless steel band encircling the iPhone X, and inside you'll find the expected assortment of items including the power adapter, Lightning cable, EarPods, and of course a set of Apple stickers. Check out more unboxing details in the videos below:

Marques Brownlee, MKBHD:

Jonathan Morrison, TLD:

Michael Josh, Gadget Match:

Scott Stein, CNET:

Here are a few more unboxing videos that came out today:
- iJustine
- Gadgets 360
- TechRadar
- Tom's Guide

Pre-orders for the iPhone X went up on October 27 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and quickly slipped to a 5-6 week shipping estimate minutes later. As of writing, the smartphone still remains in that December shipping window. The iPhone X will launch worldwide in three days on Friday, November 3.

Apple has lifted its embargo for iPhone X reviews today after providing many media outlets with the device less than 24 hours ago.

MacRumors is combing through the first impressions published so far to find interesting tidbits about the iPhone X, and in the meantime, we've compiled a list of both text and video reviews of the device in one convenient place.

Videos

Reviews

• The Verge
• Gizmodo
• Engadget
• The Wall Street Journal
• Digital Trends
• Forbes
• The Washington Post
• Financial Post
• Business Insider
• Mashable
• CNBC
• TechCrunch
• iMore
• CNET
• Above Avalon
• The Independent
• BuzzFeed News
• The Loop
• The Telegraph
• SlashGear
• The Economic Times of India
• Tom's Guide