Apple Announces 'iPhone XS' and 'iPhone XS Max' With Gold Color, Faster Face ID, and More

Apple today in California officially announced the "iPhone XS" and "iPhone XS Max," the latest iPhone models coming this year. The company confirmed that both models will come in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold color options, with Gold being the new addition to the iPhone XS lineup this year.

The iPhone XS models have the same design as the iPhone X from 2017, with an edge-to-edge OLED display, greatly reduced bezels, and a "notch" that houses the front-facing TrueDepth Camera system. The iPhone XS is the direct iPhone X successor and measures in at 5.8 inches, while the XS Max is Apple's biggest iPhone yet at 6.5 inches.

main iphone xs pic
Apple says that the XS lineup has the most advanced iPhone features ever seen, thanks to a new A12 Bionic chip, which is the industry's first 7-nanometer chip. A12 Bionic includes a next-generation Neural Engine, powering a new and improved Face ID on the iPhone XS and XS Max, making the biometric security feature faster than iPhone X.

The new iPhones have the highest pixel density of any Apple device, coming in 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch sizes. The Super Retina displays have a custom OLED design and support Dolby Vision and HDR10, meaning that you can watch 4K content on the devices. On iPhone XS Max, you'll be able to see over 3 million pixels in videos, movies, and games.

iphone xs arkit
As Apple points out, the iPhone XS Max is the largest display it has ever built in an iPhone, but the overall size of the device is similar to the iPhone 8 Plus. The screen includes the most durable glass ever in a smartphone with improved scratch resistance, the band around the side retains the iPhone X's stainless steel finish, and the back is made out of glass as well to enable wireless charging.

Both models are rated to IP68 water resistance for up to 2 meters for 30 minutes of submergence, meaning that the devices are protected against everyday spills and dips.

In terms of the processor, Apple's A12 Bionic features a six-core fusion architecture with two performance cores and four efficiency cores, as well as a four-core GPU, video encoder, Signal Processor, and more. All of this is as much as 50 percent faster and more efficient than last year's iPhone X, enabling new experiences in games, photography, video editing, and more.

iphone xs selfies
Battery life is 30 minutes longer than the iPhone X on the iPhone XS, while the XS Max offers battery life that lasts an hour and a half longer than iPhone X.

The camera on the iPhone XS includes advanced depth segmentation, Smart HDR, advanced bokeh quality in Portrait mode photos, and dynamic depth of field that you can adjust after you take a photo. The 12-megapixel dual camera system features dual optical image stabilization with 2x optical zoom, while a new sensor is twice as fast.

In videos, the XS family features larger pixels and a faster sensor to enable improved low-light performance and video stabilization. With the four built-in mics, you can also record stereo sound to get the most out of video recordings.

iphone xs maps
The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be available in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, and in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold. The iPhone XS will start at $999 in 64GB, while the iPhone XS Max will start at $1,099 in 64GB. You'll be able to pre-order the smartphones on Friday, September 14, ahead of launch on Friday, September 21 in more than 30 countries and territories.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
maxresdefault

New iPad Pro With M5 Chip Leaked in Unboxing Video

Tuesday September 30, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
An apparent unboxing video for an unannounced iPad Pro with the M5 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so this is likely a legitimate leak. Based on the box shown in the video, this appears to be a 13-inch iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 256GB of...
fcc vision pro leak

FCC Accidentally Leaks Apple's Next Vision Pro

Tuesday September 30, 2025 3:48 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has seemingly confirmed Apple's work on an updated version of the Vision Pro headset. One of several documents the FCC shared today references an Apple-designed "Head Mounted Device" with a model number of A3416. An included image confirms the device is a Vision Pro. The FCC's uploads are transmission tests, SAR test reports, and...
macbook pro prime day 2025

FCC Leaks Upcoming MacBook Pro and More

Tuesday September 30, 2025 1:58 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission has confirmed Apple's work on a new version of the MacBook Pro and several other products, leaking details on the devices ahead of launch. The FCC published documents that reference model numbers that do not correspond with existing devices. A3434, for example, references an unreleased MacBook Pro, while other numbers are likely for...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
iPhone 17 vs Air and Pros Feature

New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception

Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain. There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Apple's 2025 Product Roadmap: What's Still Coming

Wednesday October 1, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple's two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we're expecting to see before the end of the year. Apple TV The Apple TV hasn't been updated since 2022, so it's due for a refresh. It doesn't look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip Apple code suggests...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...

Top Rated Comments

GooBoyGle Avatar
92 months ago
I can't believe they haven't added a single new feature to the phone LMAO...
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Niklas_nick Avatar
92 months ago
So for some reason half of the keynote is a recap of what iPhone X can do; things they already showed us last year but which they now promote as features.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GooBoyGle Avatar
92 months ago
I'll skip this year, they added nothing new, this is really another 'S' year that I love to skip.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zimmy68 Avatar
92 months ago
I get the new phone every year. I can't think of a single reason to buy this year except the larger size.
I'm actually in shock at the lack of new features.
Maybe we hit a plateau, who knows.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1050792 Avatar
92 months ago
iPhone Excess Max. Hope it launches Instagram a 0.1 second faster now.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calstanford Avatar
92 months ago
I have never seen an iPhone release with literally ZERO new features. None. Same camera resolution. Same speed. Oh wait, no, sorry it's an (unnoticeable up to) 15% faster! Nothing.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)