APPLE IPHONE XS AND XS MAX REVIEW: SMOOTHED OUT  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.09.19

#apple  #iphone xs  #iPhone xs max 
iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스
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Solid updates to a winning formula

 

Last year, Apple did something out of character: it introduced the usual update to the iPhone, the iPhone 8, while simultaneously introducing the iPhone X with a flurry of hype. The iPhone X was a total rethinking of the iPhone, with a new gesture system, Face ID unlocking, and an edge-to-edge screen that prompted a wave of app redesigns.

The iPhone X was meant to usher in the future of phones, and it succeeded; its influence (and its notch) are all over the industry now. Apple has gone from being an iPhone company to being an iPhone X company. This year, the iPhone X comes in one of two flavors: the updated, high-end iPhone XS and the midrange iPhone XR, which won’t arrive until next month.

APPLE HAS GONE FROM BEING AN IPHONE COMPANY TO BEING AN IPHONE X COMPANY

There are two iPhone XS models: the 5.8-inch XS and the new iPhone XS Max, which has a much larger 6.5-inch display and a frankly ridiculous name.

Really, both iPhone XS models are fundamentally just spec-bumped updates to the iPhone X. They have a new main camera sensor, a new processor, and a bunch of small updates that add up to a much nicer device than the X. One year after the notch, the arrival of the iPhone XS means we can look back at all the changes introduced by the iPhone X and see how they’ve gone, while looking at where Apple’s pushing the high end of phones next.

8.5VERGE SCORE

APPLE IPHONE XS

GOOD STUFF

• Terrific display
• Great speakers
• Long battery life

BAD STUFF

• Very good but not great camera
• Portrait Mode is extremely hit or miss
• Expensive

Buy for $999.00 from Apple

8.5VERGE SCORE

APPLE IPHONE XS MAX

GOOD STUFF

• Terrific display
• Great speakers
• Long battery life

 

BAD STUFF

• Very good but not great camera
• Portrait Mode is extremely hit or miss
• Expensive
• If you buy a XS Max, you might have to say “iPhone XS Max” out loud

 

 

Buy for $1,099.00 from Apple

XS MAXIMUM

Let’s start with the XS Max. Apart from the size, the XS and the XS Max are identical. They have the same A12 Bionic processor, same cameras, and the same OLED display tech with 458 pixels per inch. The XS Max also has a larger battery, which is nice. After a week of using it as my primary phone, the XS Max feels both bigger and smaller than I expected. Physically, it’s the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus and the Pixel 2 XL, and it definitely shares the same surfboard quality as Apple’s previous Plus-sized phones — at least when you look at it from the back.

 

But the edge-to-edge screen makes it seem much more reasonable from the front. The XS has the same OLED display as last year’s X, and the XS Max looks exactly like that display, just bigger. Because the screen fills the entire front of the phone, the XS Max doesn’t seem as huge as the Plus phones. It’s absolutely killer for watching videos or playing games on its huge, gorgeous display. I love it.

At the same time, the XS Max’s size gets away from it. The large bezels on the older Plus phones mean the top of the display is actually lower on the phone, making it easier to reach. To pull down notifications or Control Center on the XS Max, you have to reach the very top of the device. I have big hands, and I basically can’t do it without tipping the phone over in my hand; I ended up having to use two hands most of the time. You can use Apple’s reachability feature to pull down the UI and then swipe, but that’s two swipes for one thing, and it just makes me a little sad.

The XS Max also doesn’t really do a ton in software to take advantage of that big display: there’s no extra row of home screen icons or picture-in-picture for video. Some apps that haven’t been updated look a little broken right now, particularly Instagram. Everything else is mostly just bigger; apps like Slack, Gmail, and Twitter show you the exact same amount of information as the smaller XS. If you think big things are funny (they are) check out the size of the status bar when you pull Control Center down. AT&T WIFI, it bellows at you. THE TIME IS 4:12PM, AND YOU HAVE 68 PERCENT BATTERY. I giggle every time, just as I did with the original Plus phones.

EVERYTHING IS MOSTLY JUST BIGGER ON THE XS MAX

There are some software changes for the bigger display that are familiar from the Plus: in landscape mode, certain apps can switch to a sidebar view, and you’ll see tabs (with favicons if you turn them on) in Safari. But that’s really it. Apple told me that it doesn’t want to overstuff the display because it doesn’t want the interface elements to be too small to tap on, and most people really do just want a bigger interface on a large phone, which makes sense. I just wish I had the option to up the information density on the XS Max just a little.

 

So yes, if you want a huge screen, get a XS Max. It’s a gigantic, beautiful screen, and I have enjoyed looking at it a lot. But nothing about it is easier to handle than the old Plus phones, and in some cases, it’s harder.

DISPLAY AND FACE ID

The iPhone XS has the same OLED display as the X, with curved corners and the notch. After a year of looking at this display, I’m confident in saying that it’s one of the best displays available, with excellent color reproduction and brightness. And Apple’s TrueTone and Night Shift features are terrific; it’s easy to look at this screen all the time. (I also think Apple’s claim that this display supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision is a little silly. Sure, it gets brighter, but it’s nothing like HDR on a real TV.)

ONE OF THE BEST DISPLAYS AVAILABLE

Last year, we were wondering how Apple would handle burn-in on this new OLED display, and this year we know:there are basically no problems with burn-in on the iPhone X display. I would expect the XS to keep that up.

We’ve also learned that the iPhone X scratches way more easily than you’d expect. The glass on the front and back of the XS is supposed to be more durable, so we’ll see. My review units look pretty good so far, but that’s only after a week of use.

It’s also been a full year since Apple introduced Face ID, and we know that it works pretty well most of the time. Face ID on the XS is ever-so-slightly faster than the X. It’s noticeable side by side, but it’s not so much faster that you won’t find yourself pointedly staring at the phone to unlock it from time to time. iOS 12 lets you add a “secondary appearance,” which allows you to set up a second person if you want, which is nice.

A YEAR LATER, AND FACE ID SEEMS EASIER TO SET AND FORGET THAN TOUCH ID

Other than the minor speed increase and secondary appearance support, Face ID is still Face ID: it doesn’t work in landscape or upside down or anything like that. If you wear glasses like me, you’ll still have to enter your passcode every morning when you wake up because you’re holding the phone too close to your face for it to work. And sunglasses that block IR light will still prevent it from working. Apple says it’s working with sunglass makers to ship new kinds of sunglasses that support Face ID. (Only Apple can get another entirely different industry to adapt to its phone, instead of the other way around.)

A year later, and it’s pretty clear that Face ID is easier for people to set up and forget about than Touch ID, which means more people are securing their phones. That’s a good thing.

CAMERAS

The camera upgrades on the XS over the X are significant. The XS makes the X camera look terrible most of the time. But we’ve been saying the best smartphone camera on the market is Google’s Pixel 2 for a year now, so that’s the standard to beat. And… I think the Pixel 2 still has a better camera than the iPhone XS. Don’t get me wrong: most people are going to like the photos they get from the iPhone XS. It has a solid camera, and I prefer it to the Galaxy S9. But compared to the Pixel 2, the XS doesn’t really do it for me.

I THINK THE PIXEL 2 STILL HAS A BETTER CAMERA THAN THE IPHONE XS

The front camera on the iPhone XS is the same as the iPhone X: a 7-megapixel sensor with a f/2.2 lens that takes depth information from the TrueDepth system to support Portrait Mode. The rear telephoto camera is also the same as the iPhone X: an optically stabilized f/2.4 lens with the same 12-megapixel sensor.

But the rear wide angle camera (that you’ll use most often) has been updated: it’s still an optically stabilized f/1.8 lens with a 12-megapixel sensor, but each of those 12 megapixels is physically bigger now, which means they can collect more light. They are bigger, at 1.4µm pixels instead of 1.22µm, and deeper, at 3.5µm instead of 3.1µm. There’s also twice as many “focus pixels,” which is what Apple calls its phase-detect autofocus system.

Apple’s also revamped its image processing in a new system it’s calling Smart HDR, which runs photos through the A12 Bionic’s new integrated image signal processing subsystem and the Neural Engine. The basic idea is very similar to what Google’s doing on the Pixel 2: the iPhone XS takes a series of images at different exposures and combines them into a final photo. Like the Pixel 2, the iPhone XS starts a rolling buffer of four images the second you open the camera app, which allows for zero shutter lag. The image has already been captured the instant you push the shutter button.

THE IPHONE XS GENERALLY TAKES FAR BETTER PHOTOS THAN THE IPHONE X, BUT IT LOOKS MORE LIKE SAMSUNG’S CAMERAS THAN EVER

But while the Pixel 2 combines several underexposed frames, the iPhone XS also captures an additional overexposed image for each shot in the buffer, which picks up additional detail in the shadows of your image. Then, it looks at the other frames in the buffer to see if they can add additional detail, before merging several images together to create the final photo. It also detects faces and motion, so it knows what it’s looking at and adjusts the processing accordingly.

This whole concept is called “computational photography,” and it takes a lot of computing power. No DSLR or mirrorless camera to date can pull stuff like this off, especially not in real-time. That A12 Bionic does all of this capture and layering work in the instant it takes you to snap a photo.

The new Smart HDR feature lets the iPhone XS generally take far better photos than the iPhone X. They’re brighter, they’re better in low light, they have more detail, you name it. Over the past year, I’ve become less and less impressed with the iPhone X camera, and the iPhone XS is a solid improvement.

iPhone XS.

 

iPhone X.

But Smart HDR is extremely aggressive — overly so, to my eye. It flattens out contrast in images and consistently smooths detail out of photos. You can see it clearly when you zoom in to a 100 percent crop of the same photo taken on the Pixel 2 and the iPhone XS: the Pixel captures more detail, while the iPhone tends to smooth it out. This loss of detail is the thing that bothered me the most about the iPhone X camera, and while the iPhone XS is better, the smoothing still disappoints me every time I see it.

iPhone XS.

 

Pixel 2XL.

iPhone XS at 150% (left) | Pixel 2XL at 150% (right)

Apple used to talk a big game about having a more accurate camera than Samsung, which has done aggressive smoothing and saturation tricks for years, but images from the iPhone XS camera look more like Samsung’s cameras than ever. And that might be fine for most people — most of these photos will only ever be viewed on mobile displays, and XS photos look fine to great on smartphone screens — but I don’t think they hold up to scrutiny the way Pixel 2 photos do.

iPhone XS (left) | Samsung S9+ (right)

Loss of detail is one thing, but there are some subjective things I prefer about the Pixel 2 as well: the XS shoots extremely warm photos, while the Pixel is more true to life, if a little muddier in the reds. Pixel 2 photos are extremely contrasty and somewhat desaturated, which I like but some people find harsh. This is all part of an age-old battle between what’s accurate and what people like to look at, and there’s really no right answer.

I would never try to tell you what photos you should like better, but it seems obvious that Apple and Samsung are chasing a different overall look than Google. And I can definitely tell you that more detail in photos is better than less.

iPhone XS (left) | Pixel 2XL

Apple’s also updated Portrait Mode on the XS, which blurs out the background and adjusts the lighting on your face to make your phone photos look more like photos taken with big cameras and lenses. The iPhone XS has a big new trick: it lets you adjust the blur after you take the shot. Samsung’s phones have allowed you to change the blur like this for a while, but Apple’s portrait photos look a lot better to me because the phone is doing a lot more work. But that doesn’t mean they always look good.

The XS does a lot of things very quickly when you shoot a Portrait Mode photo: it identifies the faces in the scene and splits apart the background and foreground. Then it creates a depth map of the entire scene, particularly the subject in the foreground. Then it applies blur progressively to that depth map to model how a real lens on a real full-frame camera would smoothly transition the blur from foreground to background.

It’s pretty neat to adjust the blur after the fact and watch different parts of the image get blurrier at different rates. It’s definitely doing more than just cutting the background out and making it all blurry. It’s nicer than what phones like the Pixel 2 and S9 can do, although it still struggles around the edges and it has a tendency to cut off glasses.

Apple says it modeled the Portrait Mode blur against prime lenses on full-frame cameras, so we tested it against a 50mm lens on a Canon 5D Mark IV. As you’d expect, the Canon won running away. Apple’s software blur just isn’t there yet. But most people don’t have big cameras and expensive lenses, and Portrait Mode will do a lot for them. But it’s still a little gimmicky: I took close to 5,000 photos with my iPhone X over the past year, and just 207 of them were in Portrait Mode. I don’t think the new Portrait Mode on the XS is going to make me use it much more.

iPhone XS f2.2 (left) | Canon 5D Mark IV f2.2 (right)

On the video front, there are some new software stabilization algorithms on the rear cameras and entirely new stabilization for the front camera as well as the ability to record stereo audio. I didn’t take too many videos with the XS in my testing, but to me, it looks just as good as the X, which has been great over the past year.

Apple’s not wrong when it says the iPhone is the most popular camera in the world, and every improvement the company makes is welcome. It means more people are taking better photos. But I don’t think it’s the best smartphone camera out there anymore, and that’s even before the Pixel 3 comes out in just a few weeks.

PROCESSOR AND BATTERY LIFE

Last year’s iPhone X had an A11 Bionic chip, and this year’s iPhone XS has an A12 Bionic. In terms of CPU performance, the A12 really isn’t that much faster: Apple only quotes a 15 percent performance improvement, and I didn’t really see a noticeable speedup over my iPhone X.

The A12’s GPU is 50 percent faster, but, as usual, that feels like headroom for the future since these devices tend to stick around for so long. Last year’s A11 GPU was 30 percent faster than the A10, and it’s not like developers are maxing that out after a year. Apple has a huge performance lead over the entire smartphone industry, and I think it’s great that it’s using that lead to make its devices last as long as possible, instead of running them at the bleeding edge of power and performance all the time.

I GOT A FULL 12 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE OUT OF THE XS MAX WITHOUT USING LOW POWER MODE

The big change to the A12 is the new Neural Engine, which accelerates machine learning. Apple claims the Neural Engine on the A11 could perform 600 billion operations per second, while the A12 can do 5 trillion. That’s a huge increase — especially since the system also uses much less power — but in real-world use, the apps just aren’t really there yet. You’re basically just looking at a bunch of AR demos and the new camera features.

The A12 is also the industry’s first 7nm chip to ship at scale, which is a big deal for a variety of reasons, particularly battery life. I mostly tested the XS Max, and it did great — better than even Apple’s claim of 90 minutes more than the X. In fact, I got a full 12 hours of battery life out of the XS Max without low power mode, and that’s even under my heavy daily use of constant Slack and email, video watching, photo taking, and browsing. The smaller XS is rated to get 30 minutes more than the X, which has run for about eight hours for me this past year. It’s solid.

EVERYTHING ELSE

Apple made a big deal out of the “wide stereo” speakers on the XS during the keynote, which felt a little silly, but the speakers on the iPhone XS are definitely louder and clearer than the speakers on the X. Like the X, the XS boosts the volume of the earpiece speaker to serve as the other stereo channel. But this year, both the earpiece speaker and the bottom speaker are closely matched, which lets Apple do some processing on the audio for greater stereo separation. I don’t think it’s super noticeable, but any improvement to phone speakers is a good one, and this is a good one.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

IOS 12

I didn’t spend a lot of time on iOS 12 in this review since my colleague Chaim Gartenberg just published a detailed iOS 12 review. But here’s his bullet point version:

• Improved performance, especially on older devices (it’s worth updating for this alone)
• Screen Time is Apple’s attempt at time well spent — it’s a lot of information, but you’re mostly on your own to set it up and use it
• Notifications group by app (finally!) and are easier to mute
• Siri Shortcuts might make Siri way more useful, if developers get on board
• Memoji is a fun thing you’ll use once and forget about forever

The internal wireless charging coil of the iPhone XS has also been improved, so it’s more forgiving of placement, and Apple says it’ll get to a full charge 30 minutes faster using the same charging pads as before. AirPower, the wireless charging system Apple announced last year, seems to be dead for now; Apple wouldn’t say anything about it when I asked.

Yes, the iPhone XS still has 3D Touch; press on that screen while you still can. And not having a headphone jack or USB-C is still very sad, especially because the entirely Apple-controlled Lightning ecosystem is extremely weak: there are very few Lightning headphones, zero third-party headphone dongles, and exactly one certified iPhone X battery case… that isn’t yet certified for the XS. Apple wants you to buy AirPods, so AirPods you will buy.

Dust and water resistance has been improved to IP68 from IP67 on the X and the XR. That means you can keep the XS at a depth of two meters of water for 30 minutes at a time, which seems like a lot. When you’re done splashing around, Apple recommends letting it dry for five hours before plugging it in to charge. (There’s still no warranty against water damage, though.)

The XS also has dual-SIM support, but we weren’t able to test it yet. It arrives with a software update this fall. We’ll report back when it gets here.

So that’s the iPhone XS. Should you get one?

Well, these are still expensive phones: the iPhone XS starts at $999, and the top-of-the-line iPhone XS Max with 512GB of storage will cost you $1,449. That’s a lot of money. I am sure some people will find it ridiculous, while others will have already happily preordered.

IT’S WORTH WAITING TO CHECK OUT THE IPHONE XR BEFORE RUSHING INTO THE IPHONE XS

I would not rush out to spend another $999 on the XS if you have a X, but if you’re already deep into a preorder, don’t worry: you will love the iPhone XS. It is, indeed, more iPhone, and it will probably hold up for years to come. I definitely prefer the Pixel 2’s camera, but the iPhone XS isn’t that far behind, and it’s still a significant improvement over previous iPhones.

For everyone else, I think it’s worth waiting to see how the iPhone XR turns out before rushing in. It has the same processor and the same main camera for $750. The only major question is how good its 6.1-inch LCD will look in comparison to the OLED on the XS. But for that, we’ll just have to wait and see next month.

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New iPhone XS 2018 release date, price & specs  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.09.19

#iphone xs  #apple 
iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스
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Apple has launched its new iPhones, the XS and XS Max, and pre-orders have begun! Here's what you need to know about their release date, new features, design, price & tech specs

 

Apple has, after many rumours and some last-minute leaks, unveiled its iPhones for 2018, and pre-orders have begun. You have three upgrade choices this year: iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.

Here we'll talk about the first two, and you can find everything you need to know about the cheaper iPhone XR here.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Apple has built upon the iPhone X rather than updating the iPhone 8. So new and old models look the same at a glance. Check our iPhone XS Max versus iPhone X comparison so you can see just how much better the new phones are. We also have an iPhone 8 vs iPhone XS comparison.

You can consider the XS the direct upgrade from the X, but the XS Max adds a brand new option with the biggest screen yet seen on an iPhone at 6.5 inches.

Yes, you read that right: not XS Plus, but XS Max. We're into the second decade of iPhone now, so it's reasonable that Apple wants to change its naming strategy. It says it's because the screen is bigger than the 5.5 inch display on an iPhone Plus, but it's also because it is extending its vision of what the iPhone X started. Jonny Ive's words, those, not ours. Most people are likely to pronounce it "excess" rather than "ten ess", but the latter is the correct way of course.

Here are highlights of the new features:

• A12 Bionic processor
• IP68 rated
• Updated 12Mp cameras
• Adjustable depth of field in photos
• 512GB storage option
• Dual-SIM

iPhone XS and XS Max prices

What will they cost you? This table explains what you need to know about US and UK pricing.

	iPhone XS (5.8-inch)	iPhone XS Max (6.5-inch)
64GB	US$999 / £999	US$1099 / £1099
256GB	US$1149 / £1149	US$1249 / £1249
512GB	US$1349 / £1349	US$1449 / £1449
Colours	Gold, Silver, Space Grey	Gold, Silver, Space Grey

Release date and pre-orders

The new phones, both XS and XS Max, are available to pre-order now, and the first units will ship on 21 September.

You can pre-order on Apple's website, or via the networks and resellers listed below. Also check out our article rounding up the best iPhone XS deals. 

• Three
• Carphone Warehouse
• EE
• Mobiles.co.uk
• Mobile Phones Direct
• O2
• Vodafone

iPhone XS design and specifications

As this is an 'S' model, no-one will be surprised that the design is the same as the iPhone X. That means your existing cases will fit: buttons and ports are in the same places.

It's made from the same surgical-grade stainless steel, but the screen and rear glass has a new formulation of glass which Apple says is the toughest ever used in a phone.

 

Water-resistance has been improved to IP68, up from IP67, so you can leave it submerged at a depth of 2m for 30 minutes. And it won't just survive fresh water, Apple has also tested it in orange juice, tea, wine, beer and salt water.

• iPhone XS: 143.6x70.9x7.7mm, 177g
• iPhone XS Max: 157.5x77.4x7.7mm, 208g

Screen

The XS' screen is a minor upgrade to the iPhone X's. Resolution remains the same, as does the 5.8-inch diagonal, but contrast is improved to 1,000,000:1, which Apple says gives is a 60 percent greater dynamic range.

The iPhone XS Max is just.. bigger. It shares the same design but has a 6.5-inch screen in a body that's roughly the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus. That's a whole inch more, a real boon for those who can live with physically larger phone as this is now one of the biggest screens on any phone.

 

In order to maintain the same pixel density as the iPhone XS, resolution is higher at 2688x1242 pixels.

Both screens have the same list of features, though:

• 3D Touch
• Tap to wake
• True Tone
• Wide Colour
• 120Hz touch layer
• 625 nits max. brightness

Performance

The new A12 Bionic processor has a similar configuration to the A11 with a six-core CPU and a quad-core GPU. However, it's the first to be manufactured using a 7nm process and this is one of the reasons it's considerably faster than the A11.

Apple says the new Neural Engine is an octa-core chip that can process 5 trillion operations per second, considerably up from the 600 billion which the A11 could handle.

In practice this means apps launch up to 30 percent faster, but apps which use machine learning also benefit from this extra performance.

Trending Articles

 

The best iPhone XS and iPhone X screen protectors

The iPhone XS display shares a 5.8-inch screen size with the iPhone X but…

 

They can use real-time machine learning for better depth detection in Portrait mode and better mapping of Animojis in FaceTime.

FaceID is also quicker thanks to faster algorithms and it runs on a faster version of the secure enclave.

Cameras

On the surface, specs look the same as the iPhone X, as do the cameras themselves, but the main sensor in the wide-angle camera is bigger and houses larger pixels.

 

Smart HDR is one highlight of the new camera features.  With the extra power on tap, it takes 9 rather than a mere 4 photos simultaneously. The extra four "inter-frames" deliver even better HDR shots.

A more noticeable difference from the iPhone X's shots is that bokeh has also been improved to look more like the effect you get from a big-lens SLR camera. More importantly, you can now change the depth of field after the photo when you tap Edit.

Hardware

Keen to appeal to those who want a dual-SIM phone, Apple is at last offering an eSIM alongside the physical SIM tray. This is new technology for iPhone, but eSIMs have been in Apple Watch and iPad for some time.

What's an eSIM? All your questions answered.

Only in China will you be able to buy a true dual-SIM iPhone which takes two physical cards. Both the Chinese model and those using an eSIM work using the dual-standby tech that many dual-SIM phones already use, letting you seamlessly switch between two numbers at any time.

Battery life has been improved, and Apple says the iPhone XS and XS Max have biggest ever batteries in an iPhone. Expect 30 minutes longer runtime from the iPhone XS than an iPhone X. The XS Max will last 90 minutes longer than the iPhone X.

We'll bring you reviews of the new phones as soon as we can.

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애플 아이폰11 프로(Pro) 발표회 정리 - 스펙, 디자인, 가격 핵심만 콕!  

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iPhone - 2019.09.24

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iPhone - 2019.09.24

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아이폰XS 256 골드 장담점 개봉기  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.11.19

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아이폰 XR 장담점 및 가격 후기  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.11.19

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아이폰 XS 2주 사용기 및 가격 후기  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.11.19

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아이폰Xs vs 아이폰Xr 디자인, 비교기  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.11.12

#맥가이버  #테크플러스  #아이폰Xr  #아이폰Xr코럴  #아이폰Xr코랄  #아이폰XS  #아이폰XsMax  #아이폰Xs맥스  #아이폰Xs골드  #아이폰Xs맥스골드 
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아이폰 xr 코럴, 아이폰 xs 8가지 비교기  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.11.12

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아이폰xs 맥스 스펙 차이, 어느 정도일까?  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.10.25

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아이폰XS Max 후기, 약 3주간 사용해보니  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.10.22

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아이폰xs 가격, 에어팟은 덤?  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.10.22

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아이폰xs 가격, 색상 선택은?  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.10.16

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갤럭시노트9 가격이 아깝지 않은 이유 5가지 정리  

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갤럭시 노트9 - 2018.09.24

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애플 아이폰XS, XR, 애플워치 시리즈4 현장에서 만나보다!  

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iPhone XR, iPhone XS max | 아이폰XR, XS맥스 - 2018.09.21

#아이폰XS  #아이폰Xr  #아이폰Xs맥스  #애플워치4 
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APPLE WATCH SERIES 4 REVIEW: THE BEST GETS BETTER  

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Apple watch | 애플워치 - 2018.09.20

#applewatch4  #applewatch3  #2018applewatch  #apple 
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The greatest Apple product comeback story of the past few years has, without a doubt, been the Apple Watch. Launched with great fanfare four years ago, the initial version tried to do way too much with way too little, and it had confusing software to boot. Worst of all, it was unclear what the original Apple Watch was even for. No single thing stood out.

Then Apple did what Apple often does: iterated, refined, and fixed. But as much as there were software and hardware improvements to the Series 2 and Series 3, the most important refinements were to the Apple Watch’s purpose. It gained clarity. It was for fitness and notifications. Eventually, when it was ready, Apple added better connectivity.

Now, with the Series 4, Apple is iterating again. And, importantly, it’s learned how to iterate the product’s hardware and its purpose at the same time. The Series 4 has finally achieved something like the original goal of the Apple Watch. It’s not quite a do-anything computer on your wrist, but it can be different things to different people now.

 

With apologies to the new iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 4 was the most impressive thing Apple announced last week. After using it for the past week or so, I think it lives up to the hype.

8.5VERGE SCORE

APPLE WATCH SERIES 4

GOOD STUFF

• Great battery life
• Huge, beautiful screen
• Health-tracking features, not just fitness

BAD STUFF

• Siri is still unreliable
• No always-on screen option
• Complication options can be confusing

 

Buy for $399.00 from Apple

For the first time since the original Apple Watch, the hardware has been fully redesigned, with a new body and new sizes. But it’s not a major overhaul. These still look like the Apple Watches you’re used to: they have the same rounded-corner lozenge shape, the same glass that curves around to match the body, and the same digital crown and single-button layout.

Before we get too far, we should talk pricing. This Watch is not especially cheap. The smallest, least expensive model comes with GPS and Wi-Fi and costs $399. But if you start piling on the upgrades, you can quickly jack up the price to something that feels exorbitant, especially if you’re upgrading from a Series 2 or Series 3. It’s $29 more for the larger size, $100 for LTE compatibility (plus $10 per month or so from your carrier), and the stainless steel models are $200 more (and only come with LTE). Add in Apple Care, and you can end up spending a lot — though it’s nothing like the wild “Edition” prices of yore. (Don’t even get me started on the Hermès model.)

THE LARGER SIZES DON’T FEEL THAT MUCH BIGGER THAN THE OLDER MODELS

The two new sizes are 40mm and 44mm, but they really don’t feel that much bigger on your wrist than the old sizes. I was using the 42mm Series 3 and the 44mm size is only subtly bigger, but it’s also subtly thinner. To me, it feels about the same, but I think the trade-off of size for thinness is worth it. I suspect the same will be true for people who prefer the smaller size, but my recommendation is to go to a store and try one on before buying.

I’m really happy — and impressed — that Apple managed to make existing Watch bands fully compatible with the new sizes. Even my old third-party bands fit seamlessly into the new Watch body.

Things look different when the screen turns on. The screen on the Series 4 is just incredibly good. Apple says it’s 30 percent bigger, which is one of those specs that’s easy to just sort of pass over when you read it. But 30 percent is a lot, and you absolutely notice it right away.

 

It’s still OLED so the blacks are truly black and blend into the watchface glass. But if you pick a full-screen watchface, you’ll see that the screen also goes closer to the edges of the Watch than before, including the rounded corners.

The overall effect makes the square display on my Series 3 look dumpy and cramped by comparison — even though, until last week, it was arguably the best smartwatch screen on the market. As John Gruber writes, “The Series 4 displays take up so much more of the face of the watches that the new 40mm watch’s display is larger than the display on the old 42mm models — the new small watch has a larger display than the old large watch.”

Beyond the size and the screen, there are a few other subtle exterior differences to note about the hardware. The rear of the Watch is now ceramic instead of metal to allow for a better wireless signal. If you spring for the LTE model, the garish red dot on the digital crown has been replaced with a much more subtle red ring.

The microphone has been moved between the two buttons so that it’s further away from the speaker to help reduce echo in calls. The speaker has been boosted to provide more volume. It really is way louder, and I haven’t heard any distortion during phone calls.

Last year’s Apple Watch had some issues with LTE at launch, though Apple fixed it up fairly quickly. This year, I haven’t had any major problems with LTE. In fact, several people I called with the Watch simply didn’t believe I wasn’t on a phone. It sounds good, and the louder speaker means you can hear it without holding the thing next to your ear.

But it does take the Watch a minute (sometimes two) to switch on LTE and get connected. That’s not radically worse than what happens when you pull your phone out of airplane mode, but on the Watch, it’s always a little less clear what’s happening and why when data is not coming in.

On the inside, there’s a faster S4 processor, a W3 chip (which is just Apple’s W2 chip with Bluetooth 5.0 support), and an accelerometer and gyroscope that are able to take samples of your movements more often (which is how Apple was able to add the new fall detection feature). Apple’s also tied haptics to the digital crown, so when you spin it, you feel little ticks that precisely correlate to what’s happening on the screen. It’s completely unnecessary but pretty neat.

BATTERY LIFE HAS BEEN STUPENDOUS

Last but certainly not least: the battery size is about the same. Battery life on the Series 4 is as good or better than on the Series 3 Watch. Apple claims 18 hours of regular use or six hours of outdoor workouts. I haven’t done a six-hour outdoor workout (and I don’t plan to), but my testing shows the battery life far exceeds Apple’s own claims.

I took the Watch off the charger on Saturday morning and wandered around Oakland for four hours while disconnected from my phone. I used LTE for maps, a couple calls, and GPS for tracking my outdoor walk “workout.” I was still at 50 percent at the end of that day, and I didn’t get below 20 percent by the end of my lazy Sunday (which also involved an hour or so of GPS tracking and some LTE data).

 

The battery life is so good that I wish Apple gave me an option for an always-on ambient screen, maybe by turning off some radios. Alas, you still have to turn your wrist to see the time.

watchOS 5 is kind of a grab bag of new features, which sounds dismissive, but I don’t mean it to be. It’s a good sign that watchOS is ready to be laden with features instead of rethought from the ground up, as it was in years past. There’s support for podcasts, Walkie Talkie mode, slightly improved (and grouped!) notifications, and a bunch of fitness and health options.

But the thing people will probably pay the most attention to are the new watchfaces that are available on the Series 4 Watches. They’re designed to show off the new rounded-corner screen. Some are just sort of flashy animations, while others are chock-full of new complications in phantasmagoric colors.

Of the new watchfaces, I am most fond of the animated ones. Apple says that the fire, water, and vapor animations were all created with practical effects. As in: literal fire, vapor, and water were filmed with high-speed cameras as they flowed on custom-welded rigs. They look great; the animations naturally flow right up to the rounded corners.

The watchface that you’ll probably see the most in ads is called “infograph.” It takes the bigger screen of the Series 4 and fills it up with as many as eight complications. There’s a “modular” version as well that shows the digital time and six complications. Like many parts of watchOS 5, they use new, more rounded fonts, too.

The infograph watchface is polarizing. I don’t like it at all, though I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a “design crime.” There are just too many colors doing too many different kinds of work splashed all over the screen in a garish and show-offy way. Too many of Apple’s watchface options are like that. Call me boring, but I prefer a Watch look that’s a little more staid. It makes me a little sad that Apple still doesn’t allow third-party watchfaces.

Even if you like the new watchfaces, you probably won’t like what happens when you try to select a new complication. There are now “old”- and “new”-style complications, which are completely different and incompatible. The newer watchfaces need the new complications, so third-party developers will have to update their apps (and so will Apple). You can’t add the Home app to the new watchfaces, only the old ones. The most annoying part is that there’s no way to know what complications are available on any given watchface without scrolling through and looking for the one you want.

On the fitness front, the best new feature is automatic workout detection, which can tell if you’ve started or stopped a workout and ask you if that’s the case and if you want to log it. There are now options for yoga, hiking, setting a target pace, and tracking your pace. You can also see your cadence as you run and challenge somebody to a week-long exercise competition. (I didn’t extensively test these features; I’m still at the “fill your damn rings” stage of my exercise goals.)

Maybe the most interesting change, though, is how Apple is more clearly separating out health features from the fitness stuff. There are a few new features in watchOS 5 and the Series 4 that are designed to help you detect health problems, not just encourage you to close those activity rings or run a marathon.

 

That’s interesting because it more explicitly positions the Apple Watch as a device that can help detect health problems, making it something that people who can’t exercise that much might be more interested in. Apple, as always, is very careful to not cross the line into making actual health claims about its new features. It’s careful to say that the Watch can detect things like irregular heartbeats, not that it will.

THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “TRACKING YOUR FITNESS” AND “MONITORING YOUR HEALTH”

watchOS 5 is able to detect low heart rate now, in addition to high heart rate. Later this year, Apple will add detection for irregular rhythms and provide notifications for them. The big new feature on the Series 4 is that it can take an electrocardiogram (EKG) using electrodes built into the back of the Watch and the digital crown. It can then send a PDF of your results to your doctor. I wasn’t able to test that as it is coming later this year. Both irregular heartbeat detection and the EKG features have been granted “de novo” classification by the FDA, and that distinction is important, as Angela Chen explains:

It’s important to understand that the FDA has “cleared” both apps, but that’s not the same as “approving” them. There are usually three ways to get the FDA involved in a new project, according to Jon Speer, co-founder of Greenlight Guru, a company that makes quality management software for medical device companies. The most advanced is FDA approval, which is done only for Class III products, or technologies that might have higher risk but also a higher benefit. (Think: implantable pacemakers.) Approval is the gold standard, and companies need to do a lot of testing to receive this designation.

The Apple Watch is in Class II. For Class II and Class I, the FDA doesn’t give “approval,” it just gives clearance.

Another new feature exclusive to the Series 4 is hard fall detection, thanks to a new 800Hz accelerometer and gyroscope that can that can measure up to 32 G-forces. The Watch should be able to tell if you’ve had a spill and ask if you’d like to call emergency services. If you don’t move for a full minute after falling, it can do that automatically and also send a message to your emergency contact. Apple is turning it on automatically for users who tell the Watch they’re over age 65, and it’s making it an option for younger users as well.

I’ve tried to trigger it without hurting myself and I haven’t been able to, which I suppose is a point in the Watch’s favor. (My tests were far from scientific; I was just hurling myself at the couch.) Apple says that to build its fall detection algorithms, it used data from a study involving 2,500 participants over several years, and it also worked with assisted living facilities and movement disorder clinics.

So throwing yourself into bed after a long day shouldn’t trigger it, but a fall from a ladder or tripping over a curb and flailing your arms as you hit the ground might. Again, Apple’s health claims are not that the Watch will detect these falls, but simply that it could.

A lot of people were really excited about Walkie Talkie mode, but after testing it, I don’t think it’s especially compelling. Unlike those classic Nextel Push-to-Talk phones, Walkie Talkie mode on the Apple Watch is essentially just a FaceTime Audio call with a button you press to talk and little beeps and visual indicators to tell you if it’s your turn.

When you send the first message, you have to wait for a connection to be made, and then it’s just tapping the screen and talking. The connection stays active until a few minutes after the last person finishes speaking. It’s neat, but it doesn’t feel as instant as a true PTT system. I also had connectivity problems with it, but that may have just been OS launch-day overloading.

That said, it’s silly fun to push the big yellow button with your nose when it’s your turn to talk. I strongly recommended it. (If it becomes a thing, I want to make sure I get full credit for coining the term “nose calls.”)

Siri on watchOS 5 is still Siri. There’s a new feature that lets you simply lift your wrist and start taking instead of pushing a button or saying “Hey Siri,” and it works really well. The Siri shortcuts you set up on your iPhone should also work from your Watch, too. Siri still feels super unreliable, though.

Siri gets especially fussy when you have a spotty connection. Too often, when I wanted to ask a question, I’d be met with a “hang on…” message, followed by a “I’ll tap you when I’m ready” message, followed by an interminable wait during which I’d forget whatever it was I needed Siri for.

One last little watchOS 5 thing I must mention: you can open links to webpages now, too, which is kind of fun. Articles you click on get put into readability mode, so you don’t have to worry too much about ads or bad layouts on your Watch. Hooray for the web!

This year’s Apple Watch is incredibly good. If you use it just for notifications and step counting, it’s probably overkill, but it’s able to handle more advanced features better than any other smartwatch I’ve tested. Mapping, music, workouts, calls, texting, podcasts… most of the stuff I could imagine wanting from a smartwatch works better than ever before. The only real bummer is that I still don’t feel like I can trust Siri to do everything I’d like reliably, and that’s more of an intermittent hassle than a real killer.

If you’re looking at this Watch with an eye toward the health features, I have to admit that they’re difficult to test: the new features could be very compelling to a lot of people. Passive monitoring for heart problems and falls could literally be lifesavers, but they aren’t all available yet, and we’d need to see third-party lab testing to really make a call there.

THE APPLE WATCH HAS EARNED ITS PLACE AS THE BEST-SELLING WATCH

For people who are looking to upgrade an existing Apple Watch, that’s a harder question to answer than usual. Spending four to six hundred bucks for a bigger screen is a luxury I wouldn’t casually recommend to anybody, even though the screen is wonderful. Many of watchOS 5’s best features will work fine on more recent Apple Watches, too. Yes, there are exclusive watchfaces on the Series 4, but that’s also a silly thing to drop so much money for.

What I can tell you is this: the Apple Watch has earned its place as the best-selling watch. It’s at least an order of magnitude better than other smartwatches and fitness trackers. Nearly everything it is designed to do, it does very well. It’s not yet a general purpose computer for your wrist, but, thankfully, Apple isn’t aiming for that anymore. The Watch is for doing little bite-sized versions of phone things like texting and listening to music, it’s for fitness, and it’s for health monitoring.

Now that Apple has figured out what the Apple Watch is for, the Series 4 just makes it better.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S4  

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Samsung Galaxy Tab s4 | 갤럭시 탭 s4 - 2018.09.19

#samsung  #galaxytabs4  #galaxy tab s4 
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Pros

•  Stunning display
•  Dex mode is an improvement to the UI
•  S-Pen included

Cons

•  Would like more RAM
•  Glass back is slippery and delicate
•  Lingering issues with Android on tablets
•  Dex mode has a few annoying bugs

Key Features

• Review Price: £599
• 10.5-inch HDR Super AMOLED display
• Optional keyboard cover
• Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage
• Expandable via microSD
• 7300 mAh battery, USB-C, Fast Charge

 

What is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4?

If you’re on the hunt for an Android tablet with specs to match Apple’s iPad Pro 10.5 then options will have been thin on the ground recently. Huawei’s MediaPad M5 8.4 and Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro offer decent specs and features, while Amazon’s Fire HDrange have the mid-range covered. But high-end Android tablets are rare.

That’s where Samsung and its Tab S4 come in. This device is as high-end as you can get: a fast processor, a gorgeous HDR OLED and the S-Pen included. It even manages to swerve the normally quite poor Android interface with some smart software choices.

 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 price

Pricing starts at £599/$649 for the 64GB model, with an extra £50 netting you the LTE version. If you’re in the US, expect to see the LTE version later in the year. The keyboard ‘Book Cover’ costs an additional £119/$149. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 release date

UK pre-orders for the Tab S4 will begin on August 9. Get in early and you’ll bag the keyboard case for free. In the US, the tablet will be available from August 10.

Related: Best tablet 2018

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – Design

There’s a whole lot to like about the Tab S4. However, its design and build aren’t on that list. It’s a design that works exceptionally well for phones, but not so much for tablets.

My biggest concern is the glass rear. Not only do I fear that it will become damaged every time I put the device into my bag uncovered, but it’s super-slippery, even after only a few minutes of holding it. Any oily residue on your hands will instantly transfer onto the glass, leaving the device a smudge-covered mess. The cool feel of metal is far more reassuring on a tablet.

 

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At least the device is thin and light. Slipping it in a bag will result in no noticeable weight gain, and I could hold it in one hand whilst scribbling some notes without feeling any strain.

The rest of the rear is clean, with a camera and flash, Samsung branding and a ‘Tuned by AKG’ logo. My review unit was a glossy black, and there’s a whitey/grey version available too.

Around the metal sides you’ll find a volume rocker, standby switch and a set of POGO pins for connecting up the Book Keyboard Cover, which is sold separately. A USB-C port sits along the bottom edge, flanked by a 3.5mm headphone port.

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/DSCF1371-1024x683.jpg

Easily the biggest omission is the home button, which has been a mainstay of the Tab line. It’s been ditched here in favour of a larger screen with a thinner bezel, and it’s a good move. There’s very little need for a dedicated home key here and in my experience,  I haven’t found fingerprint sensors on tablets all that useful.

 

Those after extra protection will be pleased to learn that the Tab S4 features the same iris scanner as the Samsung Galaxy S9. It works fine, although in landscape orientation it sometimes struggles to accurately find your face.

The stretched-out 10.5-inch display covers the majority of the front of the Galaxy Tab S4. This larger display has resulted in a reduction in the bezel surrounding it compared to the outgoing Tab S3, although it isn’t quite as eye-catching as the Infinity Display on the Samsung Galaxy S9. There’s no curve to the panel – which is probably a good thing for a tablet of this size.

Also available with the Tab S4 is a keyboard folio case. It will come free with pre-orders in the UK, and cost £119/$149 thereafter. I’ve only played with the Book Keyboard briefly, so I’ll save my complete thoughts for an update to this review once I’ve spent more time with it.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – Screen and S-Pen

The screen on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is utterly gorgeous, and right up there with the iPad Pro 10.5 for having the finest display on any tablet you can buy right now.

Samsung’s big win over Apple is the use of OLED tech, opposed to IPS LCD. OLED is used in some of the best TVs we’ve reviewed this year, and it allows for perfect blacks and striking colours. The panel is HDR-enabled for apps such as Netflix and Prime Video, and it packs a high resolution of 2560 x 1600. Really, it ticks all the boxes.

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/Screenshot_20180808-113751_Netflix-1024x640.jpg

Netflix supports HDR

For watching movies on-the-go there’s simply nothing better. Colours are punchy and bright, viewing angles are wide enough for a couple of people to watch simultaneously, and there’s a good hit of brightness. I did find myself jacking up the brightness to 100% when in sunnier surroundings or on the train in the morning, but turning things down to about 60% will suffice indoors.

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/DSCF1384-1024x683.jpg

I’ve been switching between the Tab S4 and Apple’s iPad Pro 10.5 over the past few days to try to decide which is better, and it’s a tight call.

The Tab S4 is easily better for binge-watching on Netflix, not only because of the punchier panel, but because the 16:10 aspect ratio is better suited to widescreen video.

 

The iPad Pro, on the other hand, has a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes swiping and scrolling a lot smoother. I’d also say the iPad displays colours slightly more accurately – to my eye anyway – and editing the same photos on both devices in Adobe Lightroom CC was a better experience on the iPad as a result.

Really, it comes down to what you value more in a display.

Related: Best phone 2018

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/DSCF1375-1024x683.jpg

Included with the Tab S4 is an S-Pen: a Wacom-powered stylus for doodling and note-taking. Unlike the S-Pen that slides into the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the version here is chunkier and made completely from plastic – it feels a lot like a felt-tip pen.

Considering how thin this tablet is, there’s nowhere for the S-Pen to live. It would have been nice to see Samsung follow Microsoft’s lead and add in some magnets for sticking the S-Pen to the side. I love this feature on the Surface Pro, and it stops the pen getting lost in your bag.

Not being a particularly great artist myself, I gave the device and stylus to a team member who used to work as an artist to give it a whirl. They found that as a creative tool the Tab S4 is a significant step up on competing Android tablets, such as the 10-inch Huawei MateBook. The S Pen is one of the best tablet styluses around, offering a solid 4096 pressure sensitivity levels and pleasing 0.7 mm rubber tip. The tip gives the pen a degree of resistance when writing on the screen – something that is missing on competing styluses, including the Apple Pencil.

Scribbling in Samsung Notes, the pen was reactive and didn’t suffer any latency. Samsung hasn’t pre-installed any third-party apps for doodling, photo editing or vector work. Testing the pen in Autodesk Sketchbook, Adobe Sketch and Adobe Draw, the pen performed well. Pressure sensitivity levels were accurately read and good enough to comfortably sketch and ink pencils.

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/Screenshot_20180808-113721_Autodesk-SketchBook-1024x640.jpg

Multiple apps support S-Pen input

The only minor annoyance was that S Pen’s quick menu can easily be launched accidentally using the side shortcut button. It would better if you could customise the button’s function on an app-by-app basis. All in all, the combo works well enough to make up for the lack of customisability, however.

If you’re a creative after a mobile touch-up station or sketchpad that isn’t an iPad or Surface, then the Galaxy Tab S4 is a solid choice.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – Performance, audio and camera

There are four speakers on the Galaxy Tab S4: two along the bottom and two on the top. Each has been ‘tuned’ by AKG – a brand owned by Samsung – and they’re capable of pushing out Dolby Atmos audio.

Enabling the Atmos setting does result in a fairly decent faux-surround feel. However, it sounds a little fake and processed at loud volumes, tending to feel a bit tinny. At least a headphone jack is included.

Related: What is Dolby Atmos?

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/DSCF1351-1024x683.jpg

Inside the Galaxy Tab S4 there’s a Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM and, in the UK, 64GB of storage (some regions will get a 256GB option too). A microSD slot is included, so you can expand that further.

In 2017, this would have been a flagship setup. In 2018 it feels slightly limited, though. Especially for the £599 price. 4GB of RAM is tight, and leaves multi-tasking in Dex mode feeling unreliable. I’m less disappointed about the inclusion of the Snapdragon 835, however. Apps run fine, and even games such as Asphalt 9 are fast and smooth.

See below for a look at how the Tab S4 performs in Geekbench 4 tests, when compared to the Tab S4 and the two current iPads.

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/Single-core-and-Multi-core.png

Related: Best Android phone

Cameras are far from the most important part of a tablet, and Samsung hasn’t done much here to show it has focused any time or effort on them. There’s a single 13-megapixel f/1.9 camera on the back, and an 8-megapixel version on the front.

Pictures remind me of those taken with a mid-to-low-end phone, maybe the Galaxy A6 (2018). They’re colourful, with decent detail; they get the job done if the environment is bright. Low-light performance is poor and you’ll likely get better results from your phone. The front 8-megapixel sensor is good for video calls – I was using Google’s Duo app for this – with nice facial details and sufficient brightness.

My review unit came with LTE/4G support, which worked perfectly once I’d added a Three SIM-card inside. It works for phone calls and messages, too. For LTE connectivity you’ll have to pay an extra £50 (£649 as opposed to £599). That seems a fair price and I’d likely choose that option just for the extra freedom you get with 4G.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – Software

Android tablets have always felt hamstrung because of the software. Android is great on phones, but poor on anything larger. The lack of updates and support from Google has meant that it’s been up to third-party developers to try to get the job done. Considering there don’t appear to be any tablet-specific features in Android Pie, things look set to continue in this vein.

In an attempt to get around this, Samsung has plucked its Dex interface from the Galaxy S9. Dex is a completely separate UI, which was previously only available when you connected a compatible Samsung phone into a Dex dock and a monitor. It would then let you attach a mouse and keyboard and use the phone like a more traditional desktop PC.

The Dex UI’s strength lies in its windowed interface, which means you can have a few apps open at once. Being able to open Spotify and YouTube, along with Docs, Sheets and a calendar at once, with them all visible, is truly great for productivity.

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/Screenshot_20180806-164620_YouTube-1024x640.jpg

Apps can be windowed in Dex

Dex is enabled by a toggle in the quick-settings menu. Tap it and, after a couple of seconds, the Windows-esque desktop will appear. Along the bottom you’ll find the usual Android soft-keys plus a selection of running apps and a taskbar incorporating the date, time and other settings. Apps can be dragged anywhere on the desktop, but there’s no support for widgets.

When you open up an Android app in Dex, it appears as a phone-sized window. You can drag this around and open multiple windows at once, or switch to a full-screen view.

While all of Samsung’s own apps work perfectly well in either mode, I’ve come across others that struggle. Netflix, for example, refuses to fill the entire display and remains in a small window, which forces you to return to the standard Android view. I’d guess this is a problem with the app itself, rather than Dex, since other video-streaming apps – YouTube and Prime Video, for example – work fine.

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/Screenshot_20180806-164626_Samsung-DeX-home-1024x640.jpg

Main Dex launcher featuring apps

There are other bugs, too. I’ve found that having four or more apps on-screen at once causes slow-down, and if you add a playing video to that it can grind to halt.

There are issues with the keyboard forgetting which apps you want to input text into, and refusing to do anything. You also can’t use Screen-off Memo in Dex or any of the handy S-Pen tools that are normally available. The iris scanner, too, is less reliable in Dex.

Nevertheless, Dex is far better than the standard Android tablet view. Switching back to the regular homescreen shows how unproductive tablets are in general. Putting apps side-by-side is clunky, and having Android fill the whole display just feels a waste of space. Dex is far from perfect (yet), but it solves many of these issues.

I won’t bang on too much about app support on Android tablets, but it could be better. Even Google’s own apps, such as News, are blown-up phone versions with far too much wasted space. It’s a real shame.

 

image: https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/54/2018/08/Screenshot_20180806-164448_Samsung-DeX-home-1024x640.jpg

While Dex is the star of the show, there are a few other software additions here, too. Daily Board turns the Tab S4 into something akin to the Echo Show: a display that will display calendar appointments, weather and the time. This pops into life when the tablet is attached to a dock (£49.99), or when it’s charging. Bixby is here, too; we’re hoping the slightly dodgy voice assistant receives a substantial update soon.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – Battery life

Inside the Galaxy Tab S4 you’ll find a 7300mAh battery, which is a decent increase over the 6000mAh cell from the Tab S3. A fast charger is included in the box, via which you’ll be able to get from 0% to 100% in a couple of hours.

In our standard array of battery tests, the Tab S4 did well. Starting from a fully charged cell, it went from 100% to 91% after an hour of HDR streaming video from Netflix. It lost a further 8% after an hour of standard HD Netflix video, and then 5% playing a video stored on the device. These results are just about on a par with those achieved by the iPad Pro 10.5 running the same tests.

Where the Tab S4, and most Android tablets, fall down is in standby time. Leaving the Tab S4 unplugged overnight saw a 9% drop. The iPad Pro dropped just 3% in the same time. This means you’ll need to keep more of an eye on the battery if you tend to leave a tablet in your bag all the time.

Why buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is the best Android tablet you can buy. It’s pricey, but for the money you get a stunning screen, and as someone who watches a lot of videos on a tablet, I’d happily spend extra for a panel this colourful and sharp. I’m not sure this is a great buy for those wanting a tablet just for web-browsing, a bit of gaming and the odd Netflix watch on a train, however.

The S-Pen is good, Dex makes Android workable on a tablet, and battery life is on a par with the competition. I’d like more RAM and maybe a metal rear rather than glass – but those are my biggest issues.

The Tab S4’s most significant rival is the iPad Pro 10.5 (£619/$619), but you’ll have to buy the Apple Pencil (£89/$99) separately. It might also be worth waiting to see what the iPad Pro 3 has to offer.

Still, if you want a high-end Android tablet then the Tab S4 is the device to get.

 

 

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