Now that we're just three days away from the launch of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, Apple has given the green light for publications and YouTubers to publish full reviews and unboxing videos of its latest smartphones. In this post, we've rounded up a few unboxing videos that were shared early this morning, most of which focus on the all-new gold color of the iPhone XS and XS Max.

If you've ever owned an iPhone, it appears that the contents of the box for the iPhone XS and XS Max won't be too surprising. The box art showcases the edge-to-edge OLED display of each device and simply says "iPhone" on the sides. If you buy the gold color, the iPhone and Apple logos are also subtly tinted with gold coloring.

iphonexsdesign 1
Inside the box for both the iPhone XS and XS Max you'll find paperwork, Apple stickers, the iPhone itself, the EarPods (with no Lightning-to-3.5mm dongle), an AC adapter, and a Lightning cable.

YouTuber Jonathan Morrison notes that one difference is that in the box for the iPhone XS the AC adapter sits above the EarPods, but for the iPhone XS Max Apple has swapped this positioning. Morrison also gave a quick impression of the faster Face ID in iPhone XS, stating that while it won't make an iPhone X feel slow in comparison it is noticeably zippy and worked perfectly even in low light.


Marques Brownlee unboxed the 512GB iPhone XS Max and iPhone XS in Gold, sharing a quick glimpse at three live wallpapers that are exclusive to the new iPhones. The wallpapers are all a play on the planetoid imagery seen since the first iPhone XS leak, with different colors including a green and purple planet, all subtly hiding the iPhone XS' notch.


iJustine compared the various gold colors that Apple has introduced over the years, showcasing the noticable difference between the yellow tones of the gold on the iPhone 6s and the darker gold on the iPhone XS. The iPhone 8's gold is closer to that of the iPhone XS, but appears to be slightly lighter. iJustine also showed off a few of Apple's leather cases, including Saddle Brown and Cape Cod Blue.


For full impressions on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, you can check out a few reviews which we've rounded up right here. The overall consensus appears to be that the iPhone XS is a worthy upgrade for users on older model iPhones, but numerous publications mention that waiting for the cheaper iPhone XR to launch in October might make more sense for many customers.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

NetMage Avatar
66 months ago
How many times must it be mentioned - the wallpapers are soap bubble images. Apple even released a behind the scenes video showing how they were taken.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GrumpyMom Avatar
66 months ago
Oh good, iJustine has a new video up. It’s one of those horrible grey mornings where my coffee has failed me. If iJustine’s inexhaustible enthusiasm can’t wake me up, nothing can.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
66 months ago
Spoiler: It is the exact same as last year's X unboxing but gold.
Wrong. No lightning-jack adapter.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GrumpyMom Avatar
66 months ago
Okay this is freaky. I made the post about iJustine’s video. Went to my YouTube app to watch it and as I was watching it the heavy cloud cover over my house parted and some sun is finally peeking through. :eek: Behold the power of perky! Thank you iJustine. I have enough energy and enthusiasm to fold the laundry now and wait patiently for my Maximum Excess phone.

Edit: whoa, apparently my husband had already folded the laundry last night when I was babying a pinched nerve! :eek::DGreat man! Great Day.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iTom17 Avatar
66 months ago
The phones are the same, period. The only reasonable upgrade would be going from 5S to X. Everything in between is just pure bollocks.. are you now saying that it’s worth upgrading from the X? For what? For a split second difference in Face ID unlocking? And trust me, that’s just the brain justifying the fact that you’ve just spent 1000$. I’m an Apple fan but that’s just idiotic.
I stand with GrumpyMom. You may find it impossible to justify upgrading to an iPhone Xs (and considering its ridiculous price I can totally understand that), but to ignore the actual changes that the new device brings is just not fair.

The problem is that people tend to consider the features that Apple mentioned during their keynote, or whatever reviewers name. And generally there's plenty of other features that don't get any mention. When you take those features into account, you'll see that the complete set of new things is definitely more than you'd think.

It's still the most marginal 's' upgrade ever, that I cannot refuse to acknowledge. But I can see people upgrading to the iPhone Xs. Even if they're coming from an iPhone X, be it for the bigger screen if the iPhone Xs Max.

And by the way, I agree with GrumpyMom on iJustine as well: she may be a bit too enthusiastic when it comes to Apple products, but damn do I love that enthusiasm of hers. I do follow many other YouTubers obviously (like Marques Brownlee, Jonathan Morrison, Austin Evans and SuperSaf) and look very much forward to their extensive reviews.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Superhappytree Avatar
66 months ago
Spoiler: It is the exact same as last year's X unboxing but gold.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Concerns Highlighted in Two More Reports

Thursday September 28, 2023 6:25 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max overheating concerns continue to make headlines this week, with the topic highlighted by The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. Both of the reports document anecdotal complaints from customers, and outline potential causes, but it's unclear how many devices are actually affected. Bloomberg said the overheating could be caused or compounded by the iPhone's setup...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote

Some USB-C Power Banks Fail to Work With iPhone 15

Thursday September 28, 2023 2:06 pm PDT by
Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup this year, allowing it to work with USB-C cables, USB-C power banks, and more. It turns out that some USB-C battery packs are not working properly with Apple's iPhone 15, resulting in charging issues. As highlighted on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, not all existing USB-C power banks can be used with the iPhone 15 models, perhaps due to the...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...