The neXt smart phone is coming

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Story by John Morgan, sports editor

Ever since its original release in 2007, the iPhone has transformed the world of technology. From face-to-face communication to music streaming services, smartphones over time have taken many pages from Apple’s book in order to adapt to the growing demand for the newest gear and gadgetry. This device has forever changed the way that the world now distributes information and communicates with each other.

On Sept. 12, Apple announced the iPhone X, its tenth-anniversary iPhone model and newest innovation at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. The new product, as Apple CEO Tim Cook put it is, “the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone.”

There is plenty to be said about the next generation of the iPhone, but some features pose major differences from past models. Here are the five most notable components that make this iPhone unique:

Where is the home button?

When first taking a glance at the iPhone X, you might notice a certain Apple staple missing. Touch ID, which was introduced in the iPhone 5S, was a revolutionary new way of keeping your device secure. Now, only four years later, Apple has moved on to a new protective measure – Face ID.

With the iPhone X, facial mapping technology integrated into the front-facing camera will scan your face to unlock your phone. According to Apple, this method makes your device 20 times safer than with Touch ID. If this is the phone for you, don’t plan on getting a makeover any time soon.

This looks different

Another reason for the absence of the home button on the iPhone X is for the addition of an edge-to-edge OLED display. Samsung had been using the brighter and more efficient screens for a while, and finally, Apple followed suit, claiming for this version of OLED screens to be “the first OLED screen that rises to the standards of iPhone.”

The new 5.8-inch Super Retina screen uses the space to its full advantage, offering vibrant colors and darker blacks while spanning from curve to curve. The notch at the top of the iPhone X can be a tiny nuisance, but many developers are finding ways to blend it into their content.

Selfies on deck

Portrait photos was a valuable feature added to the iPhone 7 Plus last year. The technology would bring the foreground into focus while blurring the background to create nice contrast.

Apple added this technique to the new TrueDepth front-facing camera in the iPhone X. This will allow for you to make your selfies look more professional and artistic. Just when you think that selfies have fallen off, innovations like these prove us all wrong.

Bring your emojis to life

Speaking of the TrueDepth camera, perhaps what will be the most used new feature in the iPhone X revolves around emojis. With the help of its various sensors, the camera can now analyze your facial movements and transform them into Animojis.

What is an Animoji, you might ask? These 12 characters can reflect your voice and expressions and project them in hilarious ways for you to share with your friends. Whether it be a chicken, dog or unicorn, have a blast animating yourself to your heart’s content.    

Don’t worry about wires

Ever since the iPhone 5, recent models typically consisted of a glass front and a metal back, limiting the ways in which you could charge your device. The IPhone X, however, reintroduces a glass back which will allow for a new method of rejuvenating your battery with wireless charging.

While Apple’s AirPower, which can charge multiple devices simultaneously, won’t be available until next year, the iPhone X will be compatible with various charging pads that can be found in a plentiful number of hotels, cars and restaurants. Companies Belkin and Mophie also will provide wireless chargers exclusive to iPhone X. It definitely will be nice to set your phone down on a surface rather than turning rooms upside down to find cables.

Get your wallets out

All of these new features are great, but they’re going to cost you. The starting price for the iPhone X is an astonishing $999. Throw in a case and other accessories and you’re looking to spend over $1,000 on a device that will become outdated in two years. If this scares you away, there is always the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Enjoy the smirks that befall you from those who can afford it.