Apple's always been ahead of the competition in terms of smartphones, they've always been the most popular, well-known and successful. In 2017, Apple took it one step further creating not only one of its most popular smartphones but one of the most industry revolutionising ones.
Let's take a look at the iPhone X, Apple's iconic smartphone that shaped the future of smartphones.
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- iPhone X - November 2017
- iPhone XR - September 2018
- iPhone XS - September 2018
Does iPhone X mean 10?
The iPhone X was released in 2017 and is technically Apple's 9th iPhone in their range. However, the iPhone X is also nicknamed the iPhone 10, and this is because it's classed as the company's 10th smartphone, not their 9th. Apple decided to completely cut out the 9th iPhone because it was introduced on the 10th anniversary of the iPhone line up. Apple wanted to go big with their design! And to do this, they needed a new name for the start of the next era of smartphones.
Did the iPhone X have a home button?
The iPhone X was very different to the previous phone. The main reason is that it had no home button! As technology has been progressing, many other smartphone companies have been maximising their touchscreens, and either minimising their home button or having fewer of them. Apple completely removed the home button from their phones! The main reason Apple did this was 1) to completely switch up their smartphones, and 2) to improve usability. A lack of a home button meant more screen space, meaning more use for the screen and additional features. Users also didn't need TouchID to access their phones as FaceID was now available, making it much more convenient for on-the-go use. Now, if users wanted to access the home screen, instead of tapping the button it was a simple swipe up on the screen. Much easier!
Besides this clear factor, the iPhone X did have some other changes to it. Including being the first iPhone to use an OLED screen known as a Super Retina HD Display. In 2017, this was one of the best phone displays possible making the phone even more advanced. And it wasn't only the front of the phone turning heads, the iPhone X used a glass and stainless-steel 'bezel-less' design which therefore shrunk the bezels on the phone.
Was the iPhone X a success?
When the iPhone X was released in the winter, it was immediately met with positivity and curiosity. So many people wanted to get their hands on this new tech. Within the first year of sales, over 60 million shipments were made causing the iPhone X to be one of the most successful revenue and profit-generating iPhones ever! It also managed to gain some attraction from other smartphone brands. Many others began to adopt this buttonless screen. The Pixel 2 by Google removed their home button in 2017 as well as the Samsung Galaxy S8 in the same year. It was clear this design choice was loved by all... which has been proven considering now (in 2025), all Apple's iPhone models are officially buttonless.
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Conclusion:
We loved the iPhone X and it's clear the iPhone has progressed significantly since its release almost 10 years ago! We can't wait to see what Apple do for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027... a new phone design? A new concept? We can't wait!
