Apple is separating the new smartphones into its usual low-cost versus high-cost categories, with big differences between the two models coming down to the camera, display, and battery life.
iOS 13 & watchOS 6 Now Available
iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Hands-On: Much-Improved Cameras Within Unsightly Bump
Apple today introduced the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max at Steve Jobs Theater. The media had the chance to go hands-on with the devices after the keynote and have shared photos and first impressions.
iPhone 11 Pro via SlashGear
Most of the first impressions focused on the camera upgrades and slightly tweaked design of each new iPhone.
The Verge's Dieter Bohn said he prefers the matte finish and seamless camera bump of the iPhone 11 Pro:
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max via SlashGear
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max via The Verge
MacRumors will have our own hands-on video of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro in the days ahead and in-depth coverage of the new devices.
First Impressions
Most of the first impressions focused on the camera upgrades and slightly tweaked design of each new iPhone.
The Verge's Dieter Bohn said he prefers the matte finish and seamless camera bump of the iPhone 11 Pro:
From the outside, the phones look and feel slightly better than the iPhone XS, though quite a lot of that is the matte finish on the back, which I really prefer — though sometimes matte glass can be more slippy than glossy. Apple says the glass is more durable, and I really do like how it is one piece, with no seam on the camera bump.SlashGear's Chris Davies was not a big fan of the camera bump, but he does understand why it was designed the way it was:
So let's talk about the camera bump: it's big. But Apple has designed the lenses on it in such a way that it isn't trying to hide the giant square on the back. I don't love it, but everybody uses a case anyway, so that will help.
I have to confess, I wasn’t feeling Apple’s big square camera array when I saw the leaked images and renders. Even now, I’m not 100-percent a fan, particularly when you look at the iPhone 11 Pro next to the iPhone XS Max.TechRadar's Gareth Beavis on the lower-end iPhone 11's cameras:
Still, it’s easier to accept the aesthetic necessities when it’s constructed so expertly. Had the camera bulge been grafted on, it would’ve felt clumsy; by growing it out of the glass as a whole, it’s not necessarily pretty but it does feel intentional. Combined with the easier grip of the new texture, it feels far more changed than it looks.
But enough about how this bump looks - what does it actually do? Well, two sensors live in there, both 12MP. However, this time around it's the standard lens plus an ultra-wide angle lens, enabling you to pull back to see more of a scene, with an instant visual suggestion to do so. […]
The quality of the images we took was impressive, although we couldn't test the camera hard in low-light settings, which is a real test for today's high-end smartphones. Apple is touting the night mode versions, and the test options they had for us to see looked good indeed.
The front-facing camera has been improved too, with the sensor being upgraded to 12MP to facilitate wider-angle pics when you rotate the phone landscape, as well as being able to shoot slow motion selfies as well (which Apple is infuriatingly calling Slofies).
Photos
Videos
MacRumors will have our own hands-on video of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro in the days ahead and in-depth coverage of the new devices.
Related Roundups: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro
Tag: September 2019 event
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 11 (Buy Now), iPhone 11 Pro (Buy Now)
[ 294 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
2 weeks ago
Unsightly certainly is the word. It does look like somebody’s welded something to the back of the phone. The X camera was an acquired taste but extremely understated in comparison.
I’m not fond of the smartphone camera war as it wields these products which I really don’t think will age well.
I’m not fond of the smartphone camera war as it wields these products which I really don’t think will age well.
2 weeks ago
The camera bump makes the phone ugly. That is the ugliest design I can remember seeing from Apple. It makes the X and XS look even better.
2 weeks ago
I started getting used to the new camera bump, then I saw the picture of the new 11 Pro Max next to the XS Max camera bump. Wow, the new iPhones are really ugly.
2 weeks ago
I think the whole narrative of actual professional video creators using this toy as their go to camera was genuinely rediculous. Ok, let's toss out the RED camera and use an
iPhone instead.
iPhone instead.
2 weeks ago
Let's be clear here. That camera array is ugly as hell. The rest of it though, looks as sleak as ever.
2 weeks ago
Alternative keynote:
"Good morning! Don't bother folks!
Now I want to thank all of the retail team at Apple for making today possible..."
"Good morning! Don't bother folks!
Now I want to thank all of the retail team at Apple for making today possible..."
[ Read All Comments ]
Burst Mode refers to when the camera on your iPhone captures a series of photos in rapid succession, at a rate of ten frames per second. It's a great way to shoot an action scene or an unexpected...
Apple's Portrait Mode has become a popular way of taking impressive shots using a depth-of-field effect known as bokeh, allowing iPhone users to shoot a photo that keeps the subject sharp with a...
Apple has redesigned the native Camera app on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro to make space for the various additional shooting options available in its new flagship phones, and one particularly...
Apple's massive launch week has come to a close, with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and Apple Watch Series 5 all debuting on Friday. And as if that wasn't enough, Thursday...
With the arrival of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple has introduced an optional new camera feature in iOS 13 that's designed to allow you to correct the alignment of...
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with AnyTrans to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro Max devices and a lifetime AnyTrans license.
For...
Due to Apple seeding the iOS 13.1 beta prior to the public release of iOS 13, upgrading to a new iPhone may be a bit trickier this year.
In a support document, Apple has provided instructions...
Apple today the golden master version of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, one week after seeding the eleventh beta and more than three months after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the...
