Recently, my iPhone 7, which I had been using for about two years, started repeatedly restarting indefinitely, so I decided to buy a new one.
I wanted to choose something as close as possible in size and other specifications to my current iPhone 7, so I bought the iPhone XS.
I'll share my opinion on my experience using it, and whether or not it's worth replacing.
My thoughts and conclusions after replacing it
Overall, I'd say I'm "somewhat satisfied."
However, given the current situation where people are using iPhone 7, 8, or X without any problems, I feel that it's not worth the effort to upgrade, especially considering the high cost.
The reasons for this will be explained below.
New features and improvements
Large screen
The home button has been removed, resulting in a larger screen.
This undoubtedly increased the amount of information displayed, making it easier to read.
Furthermore, the resolution has been increased, and depending on the source data being displayed, you can view it more clearly.
I never had any particular complaints about the graphics when I was using the iPhone 7, so I think it's a bit weak if that's your only reason for buying it.
Face ID
Touch ID, which used fingerprint authentication, has been discontinued and replaced with Face ID, which uses facial recognition.
Once you've registered, you can unlock it smoothly with almost no time lag, so it's much less stressful.
However, recognition is not possible when you have just woken up and your eyes are not fully open, or when the front camera is not positioned to capture your face.
In that case, you will unlock it using a passcode, as before.
Even with Touch ID fingerprint authentication, after using it for a while, it would gradually stop recognizing my fingerprint, requiring me to re-register it.
If that doesn't happen with Face ID, then I think Face ID is better because it responds faster.
Dual camera
I don't take many photos, so it's not something that bothers me that much.
However, there's no doubt that the image quality has improved considerably.
Thanks to the dual cameras, the image quality has improved dramatically, and shooting in low light conditions, which was previously a weakness, has also improved.
The front camera's performance has also improved, making it useful for people who take a lot of photos.
Page browsing speed
Page loading speeds and other performance metrics have improved due to enhancements in various basic specifications, such as CPU performance and memory.
It's definitely faster, so you can watch things much more smoothly than before.
The improved memory means you don't need to open many tabs and reload them as often, which is something you can easily notice.
However, if you ask whether it's dramatically faster, the answer is no.
While this is an advantage, I think it's a bit weak on its own.
Points of concern
weight
The weight has increased from 138g for my previous iPhone 7 to 177g.
This is a noticeable increase in weight, so those who already felt it was heavy should take note.
Especially for women, considering the slightly larger size of the device, using both hands might be unavoidable.
When I first picked it up, I also thought it was quite heavy.
I'm not sure if I'll get used to it, but I do feel a fair amount of strain on my wrists.
Elimination of the home button
The home button has actually been a pressure-sensitive, pseudo-switch since the iPhone 7.
Therefore, I didn't feel any discomfort about the home button being removed.
However, the operation to return to the home screen has changed to swiping upwards from the bottom of the screen, so it may take some getting used to.
I believe that any discomfort caused by this point can be overcome with time and getting used to it.
Price
Price is likely to be a major obstacle.
Even the cheapest 64GB model costs over 120,000 yen.
Since it costs about the same as a decent computer, I don't think it's something you can easily buy.
This particular model doesn't have any dramatic overall changes, so unless you have a compelling reason to upgrade, you'll probably hesitate to buy it.
Considering that the battery will wear out in 2-3 years with normal use, you should carefully consider whether you're willing to pay this price.
In my case, my current iPhone 7 broke down, and I like iPhones in general, so even though I thought it was expensive, I went ahead and bought it this time.
If you're still undecided about whether to buy it or not, this is a point you should consider.
summary
Now, I've written about whether or not you should upgrade from an iPhone 7 to an XS.
Those of you reading this article are probably wondering whether or not to buy it.
As I stated in the conclusion at the beginning, if you ask whether you should upgrade from an iPhone 7, the answer is "you don't need to upgrade," mainly for financial reasons.
(This is especially true if you're upgrading from an iPhone 8 or later model.)
However, if you're someone who doesn't care about the cost, then that's a different story.
If you're someone who simply wants to try out an iPhone XS, I would wholeheartedly recommend this fantastic device.
If you still want it after reading this article, you won't regret buying it.