MacRumors

Samsung today posted a new video on its YouTube channel called "Samsung Galaxy: Growing Up," which follows the life of a young man as he purchases Apple devices over the course of ten years, and then decides to switch sides to Samsung on the eve of the iPhone X launch. The 1-minute commercial features the song "I'm Moving On" by Chyvonne Scott.

The video begins at the iPhone launch in 2007, and subsequent years show the main character facing storage issues when taking a photo and waiting in long lines under poor weather conditions for the latest iPhone. At one point, he drops his iPhone in water and has to place it in a bowl of rice, while his girlfriend's Samsung device continues to function.

Other points made in the ad center around the iPhone's lack of stylus support, as well as its need for dongles after the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack in the iPhone 7. The ad ends with the character's decision to turn off his iPhone and purchase a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, and he eventually walks past a line of people waiting for the iPhone X -- including a guy with a notch-like haircut -- without joining them.

The latest Samsung smartphone is the Galaxy Note 8, which launched in September with dual rear cameras, a 6.3-inch AMOLED 'Infinity Display', and a new and enhanced S Pen with improved pressure sensitivity. Many publications favorably reviewed the Note 8 prior to its launch, agreeing that the lack of an explosive battery made Samsung's newest device a step up from the Note 7.

There's a strange bug with the Apple Watch today that's causing resprings whenever Siri is questioned about the weather. Asking Siri something like "What's the temperature?" or "What's the weather?" or "Is it raining?" causes the Apple Watch to crash.

The issue has been documented in several threads on the MacRumors forums and on reddit, and we've also been able to replicate it on our own devices.

Complaints about the problem appear to have started this morning, and the bug is confirmed to be affecting both LTE and GPS Apple Watch Series 3 models as well as older Apple Watch models running watchOS 4.1. Not all Apple Watch owners in all countries are affected, but it appears to be impacting users in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

It's not yet clear what's causing the issue, but the weather app itself is working fine, and restarting and resetting the watch don't appear to fix the problem. From MacRumors forum member SRLMJ23:

It is not rebooting, it is spring-boarding. The App (Siri or Weather?) is crashing but not the entire watchOS. Just time how long it takes for a reboot vs. spring-boarding. Spring-boarding takes way less time than an entire reboot.

However, this bug appeared today because yesterday everything was working fine when I asked Siri "What is the forecast for today" or "What is the temperature right now."

I am sure Apple will fix this pretty quick!

I have an Apple Watch Series 3 + LTE/GPS. Very odd bug, cannot wait to see what Apple has to say about this.

Curiously, asking Siri about the weather tomorrow or next week doesn't cause a problem -- it's only questions about the current weather conditions that are resulting in errors. It's possible that this is an issue related to the upcoming time change, as one reddit user has discovered. Daylight Saving Time is set to end on Sunday, November 5 in many regions in the United States and Canada.

Okay, I think I've figured it out. It's a bug related to the end of Daylight Saving Time. If I ask for the weather in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, it works. If I ask for the weather in Winnipeg, Manitoba, it crashes. Saskatchewan doesn't observe DST. I think if a time change is set to occur within 24 hours in the city you're asking about, it will crash.

Apple will likely have this fixed shortly (or it'll clear up after Sunday), but for now, it's best to avoid using the watch to ask questions about the weather in order to prevent sudden resprings.

(Thanks, Shawn!)

An animated cat, fox, pig, and rooster singing Bohemian Rhapsody is the epitome of a new social media phenomenon dubbed Animoji Karaoke.

Over the past week, both reviewers and customers lucky enough to have the iPhone X in their hands have shared fun, humorous videos of Animoji in action, ranging from goofy voiceovers to full-out music videos.

Animoji, for those unaware, are custom animated characters that use your voice and mirror your facial expressions captured by the iPhone X's new TrueDepth camera system. You can even record yourself as a Pile of Poo.

iPhone X users can create Animoji recordings up to 10 seconds long in the Messages app, but the internet discovered that iOS 11's new screen recording feature allows for much lengthier clips. Enter Animoji Karaoke.

The idea was conceived by technology reporter Harry McCracken, who decided it might be fun to lip-sync a song and have an Animoji character mimic his performance. From there, similar videos have spread on social media.

To create your own Animoji Karaoke, play a song loudly enough for it to be picked up by the iPhone X's microphone while lip-syncing. After messaging the Animoji, tap on it, and tap on the iOS share sheet to save it as a video.

A few people have gone a few steps further by stitching together multiple Animoji clips and editing in some other post-production effects.

Animoji might end up being a gimmicky feature that fades over the coming months, but for now, Apple is certainly benefitting from a wave of free viral marketing. If you see a singing fox in your timeline, now you know why.

T-Mobile and Sprint today announced that plans for a merger have officially ended after the two companies were unable to find "mutually agreeable terms."

Rumors last week suggested the merger might be called off because Sprint parent company SoftBank was having doubts about the deal over the ownership terms. SoftBank was concerned about "losing control" of the combined company, as T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom wanted a controlling stake.

The two companies allegedly attempted to save the merger by negotiating new terms after Deutsche Telekom submitted a revised offer, but an agreement was not able to be reached.

In a statement, T-Mobile CEO John Legere said that while a deal with Sprint was "compelling," it would have needed to offer "significant benefits" for both consumers and shareholders.

"The prospect of combining with Sprint has been compelling for a variety of reasons, including the potential to create significant benefits for consumers and value for shareholders. However, we have been clear all along that a deal with anyone will have to result in superior long-term value for T-Mobile's shareholders compared to our outstanding stand-alone performance and track record. Going forward, T-Mobile will continue disrupting this industry and bringing our proven Un-carrier strategy to more customers and new categories - ultimately redefining the mobile Internet as we know it. We've been out-growing this industry for the last 15 quarters, delivering outstanding value for shareholders, and driving significant change across wireless. We won't stop now."

Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure said Sprint had decided that it would be best to move forward alone. Sprint will instead aim to "compete fiercely" in the wireless industry.

"While we couldn't reach an agreement to combine our companies, we certainly recognize the benefits of scale through a potential combination. However, we have agreed that it is best to move forward on our own. We know we have significant assets, including our rich spectrum holdings, and are accelerating significant investments in our network to ensure our continued growth. As convergence in the connectivity marketplace continues, we believe significant opportunities exist to establish strong partnerships across multiple industries. We are determined to continue our efforts to change the wireless industry and compete fiercely. We look forward to continuing to take the fight to the duopoly and newly emerging competitors."

This is the second time that T-Mobile and Sprint have failed to reach a merger agreement. Sprint parent company SoftBank attempted to purchase T-Mobile back in 2013 in a deal worth more than $20 billion, but ultimately abandoned its plans in 2014 amid regulatory scrutiny.

Even had the deal succeeded this time around, it's not clear if it would have gained regulatory approval. Back in 2014, U.S. antitrust regulators said having four national carriers in the United States was important for maintaining a competitive market.

Apple's website now lists iPhone X availability at its retail stores in the United States and several other countries around the world.

Simply visit the iPhone X purchase page for your country from the list below, select a carrier if required, choose a color, and then click on "Pickup: Check Availability" below your desired storage capacity.

• Australia
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• United States

A window will pop open with iPhone X availability—if any—at nearby Apple stores based on your ZIP or postal code.

At stores where the iPhone X is available, customers can complete the checkout process and reserve the device for same day in-store pickup. We recommend bringing at least one valid government-issued photo ID with you.

At the time this article is published, for example, the iPhone X is available for pickup today at several Apple stores in the Los Angeles area. However, many countries outside of the United States don't have any stock today.

The tool is also a good indicator of iPhone X availability for customers who are planning to walk into a store and purchase one, although in most cases it's more convenient and guaranteed to reserve one for in-store pickup.

In the handful of countries outside of the United States listed below, Apple also resumed its similar Reserve and Pickup system today.

• Belgium
• Canada
• Mexico
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom

Starting at 6:00 a.m. local time across Canada, for example, the page came online and allowed customers to reserve their desired iPhone X configuration at a nearby Apple retail store at full retail price, with payment completed in store.

iPhone X supplies were depleted within just minutes, and the Reserve and Pickup page now advises customers to check back again at 6:00 a.m. local time tomorrow. If you refresh periodically, however, sometimes a few models appear.

iPhone X pre-orders began October 27 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and within just minutes, shipping estimates slipped to 5-6 weeks around the world. The estimate has since improved to 3-4 weeks for orders placed today.

Given the long wait time for online orders, trying to purchase an iPhone X with in-store pickup or as a walk-in customer may be quicker options, and Apple's availability tool makes it easy to check supplies without leaving your home.

With the iPhone X now in the hands of thousands of customers around the world, many early adopters are putting Face ID to the test to see if Apple's facial authentication system is as secure as it advertises.

Apple says the probability that a random person in the population could look at someone else's iPhone X and unlock it using Face ID is approximately 1 in 1,000,000, compared to 1 in 50,000 for Touch ID, but it notes the probability of a false match is different for twins and siblings who look like you.

We've already seen that Face ID can be fooled by identical twins, and now a video shared on Reddit appears to confirm that Face ID can sometimes fail to distinguish between siblings who aren't twins but have similar appearances.

In the video, the sibling who set up Face ID on his iPhone X was able to unlock the device with his face as expected. Next, he handed the iPhone to his brother. Face ID didn't authenticate his brother's face upon first attempt, but once he put on a pair of black rim glasses, his face was able to unlock the iPhone X.

Apple has been very transparent that Face ID can be less reliable in these situations, so the video doesn't come across as a PR disaster in the making for the company. But, it does visualize that Face ID isn't 100 percent failproof.

For those concerned about the security of their iPhone X in these cases, Apple's only recommendation is to use a traditional passcode instead of Face ID for authentication. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, that means disabling one of the key new features of a smartphone that costs at least $1,000.

Update: A similar video has surfaced of two half-brothers unlocking the same iPhone X with Face ID. The younger brother is supposedly 14 years old.

Not only do the siblings look somewhat similar, but Apple said probability of a false match is also different among children under the age of 13, because their distinct facial features may not have fully developed. Perhaps the 14-year-old brother falls within that category, even if slightly older.

Update 2: In a follow-up video, the original brothers who posted on reddit reveal that Face ID initially failed to authenticate the second brother, but after inputting the passcode several times after failed attempts, it began to authenticate his face. The brothers' faces were close enough in appearance that Face ID worked as intended by "learning" that it should recognize both brothers as the same person.

The iPhone X is here! Apple Stores around the world opened up at 8:00 a.m. local time on November 3 and deliveries kicked off around the same time, getting the iPhone X into the hands of millions of customers today.

We got our hands on an iPhone X this morning and spent the day testing it out to get acquainted with all of the new features. Check out the video below to see a walkthrough of the unboxing process and Face ID setup.

Our video also covers the new Studio Lighting feature available on the iPhone X, plus it goes through all of the new gestures you're going to need to learn to navigate through the iOS 11 operating system. Without a Home button, there's a whole new workflow to learn that can take a couple of days to get used to. Once you've got it down, though, it seems to be a more intuitive navigation experience.

Face ID takes under 30 seconds to set up, so getting the iPhone X up, running, and ready to recognize your face is incredibly fast. Face ID also seems to work quite reliably, and the new Animoji feature that comes alongside Face ID is fun to use.

We're going to be taking a much closer look at the iPhone X and going over every new feature in detail both on MacRumors.com and on YouTube, so stay tuned and make sure to follow our YouTube channel if you don't already.

Apple this afternoon released a new beta of iOS 11.2 for iPhone X devices, allowing the latest flagship smartphone to be updated to the latest developer beta.

Registered developers can download the iOS 11.2 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

Apple first released iOS 11.2 to developers and public beta testers earlier this week, but did not provide an iPhone X version. That left customers who had installed the iOS 11.2 beta on their previous devices unable to restore from an existing backup on the new iPhone X.

With the iPhone X beta now available, an iOS 11.2 backup can be installed on the device after upgrading to the new version of the software.

iOS 11.2 addresses an animation bug in the Calculator app that caused some numbers and symbols to be ignored when entered in rapid succession. The update removes the animations from the calculator app so calculations can be done quickly with no need to pause between entering numbers to obtain the correct result.

In addition to the Calculator bug, iOS 11.2 introduces a new Now Playing option for controlling content on the Apple TV in Control Center, redesigned camera emoji, and a new loading animation for Live Photos effects.

As customers around the world begin to receive an iPhone X, several early adopters have turned to the MacRumors discussion forums to unbox and share their first impressions of Apple's all-new flagship smartphone.

We've already seen iPhone X reviews from the media, but opinions shared by regular customers can provide additional insight. We've rounded up some early opinions about the iPhone X below, with very minor editing for clarity.

MacRumors forum member pudcraft shared an overwhelmingly positive review of the iPhone X. He said the device has a "very comfortable" overall size and an "absolutely beautiful" display. He added that Face ID is "really fast," but takes some time to get used to after upgrading from an older iPhone model.

It's fast. Like, really fast. I felt this took more getting "used" to than the removal of the home button. I am not used to lifting my phone and just swiping up because it is already unlocked. When I lift the device, I'm sort of expecting something, but without notifications displayed. I don't notice the unlock icon appear right away. Once you get used to it, it's as simple as lift and swipe up.

MacRumors forum member eoblaed said he tested Face ID while wearing a pair of polarized Maui Jim sunglasses, in conditions such as bright sunlight and partial shade while moving, and said "it worked every time."

"Same here!" replied kingneptune117. "I have a pair of Maui Jim Freight Trains. Face ID has no problems working with these sunglasses."

MacRumors user tatsumi upgraded from an iPhone 7 Plus and feels the iPhone X has "more comfortable one-handed usage," without compromising on camera quality or battery life. He said the TrueDepth camera system's sensor housing, often called the "notch," is something he "won't notice" going forward.

He added that the iPhone X's narrower screen width, equivalent to the iPhone 8, is something that he will need to get used to. MacRumors forum member Prissy likewise wrote that the iPhone X screen feels narrow.

A handful of threads have surfaced that claim the iPhone X's display is warmer with a yellower hue than previous iPhone models, even with True Tone and Night Shift turned off, and it may be more noticeable at certain viewing angles.

Apple shared a support document today that says if you look at an OLED display from an off-angle, you might notice slight shifts in color and hue. Apple said this is a characteristic of OLED display technology and is normal behavior.

In addition, there are some reports of possible isolated manufacturing defects, including a green line on one iPhone X's display and a piece of hair stuck behind the rear-facing camera lens of another. These types of issues generally pop up during any new iPhone launch, and affected customers should contact Apple.

MacRumors reader nia820 said he is "impressed" with the iPhone X, ranging from its glass finish and cameras to its OLED display and Face ID.

I've only had it for three hours but I'm already impressed by it. So glad I waited for the iPhone X instead of buying the iPhone 8. […] Let me tell you the camera doesn't do it justice. The color is much prettier in person. The glass really gives it a nice finish. The OLED display is absolutely gorgeous. Wish apple went OLED sooner. The colors have a nice balance. I've learned the swipe gestures already. Very easy to use. Face ID exceeded my expectations. I was wary of it, but it is snappy and quick to unlock my phone.

More first impression threads on the MacRumors discussion forums:

• "My iPhone X impressions so far" by Kart
• "Very impressed by the fast charging on the iPhone X" by The Game 161
• "Finally got mine!" by SIVIOKY

Apple this morning shared a new support document explaining how OLED displays work and that it is normal to see some screen burn-in over time and shifts in color when looking at the iPhone display from an off-angle.

According to Apple, when you look at an OLED display from a side angle, you may see shifts in color and hue, something that's a "characteristic of OLED" and "normal behavior."

Apple says that with extended long-term use, OLED displays can show "slight visual changes," which is also considered normal. The iPhone X has been engineered to be the "best in industry" at reducing burn-in effects, but Apple's support document suggests burn-in is still a problem that some users could potentially see over time.

This is also expected behavior and can include "image persistence" or "burn-in," where the display shows a faint remnant of an image even after a new image appears on the screen. This can occur in more extreme cases such as when the same high contrast image is continuously displayed for prolonged periods of time. We've engineered the Super Retina display to be the best in the industry in reducing the effects of OLED "burn-in."

With Apple referring to burn-in as normal behavior, it's not clear how this issue will be treated should it occur in terms of the one-year iPhone X warranty or extended AppleCare+ coverage. Typically, issues that Apple considers normal are not covered.

Apple's wording suggests screen burn-in is going to be a rare occurrence, but Apple does suggest users avoid displaying static images at maximum brightness for long periods of time. If there's an app that keeps the display on when the iPhone X is not in active use, the brightness level should be temporarily reduced using Control Center.

Making sure the iPhone X's display is set to go to sleep after a short period of time will also help prevent any burn-in issues, as it generally happens when the same image is on the display for a long time. Apple recommends setting Auto Lock to "a shorter time."