In addition to the iPhone XS Max and the more affordable iPhone XR, Apple unveiled its latest flagship iPhone XS phone Wednesday at a keynote event in Cupertino, California.
The new phone (pronounced "10-S", not "excess") features a 5.8-inch OLED HDR display, a faster and more efficient A12 Bionic chip along with improved photos and video technology. Preorders start Friday and the phone goes on sale Sept. 21.
While its new hardware may be tempting, it's also not the only powerful phone available on the market. Apple's biggest rival, Samsung, has the generously sized Note 9, with an embedded S-Pen stylus and lots of internal storage.
The LG V30 is another top-tier phone with a headphone jack (something the iPhone doesn't have anymore) and an AI-powered dual-rear camera setup that includes a wide-angle lens.
Finally, there's the OnePlus 6, which has comparable specs to its heavyweight rivals, but a much cheaper price tag. (Its successor, the rumored OnePlus 6T, is expected in October.)
To see how these premium phones compare, check out our spec chart below.
iPhone XS vs. Note 9, LG V30 and OnePlus 6 specs
| iPhone XS | Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | LG V30 | OnePlus 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED; 2,436x1,125 pixels | 6.4-inch Super AMOLED; 2,960x1,440 pixels | 6-inch; 2,880x1,440 pixels | 6.28-inch OLED; 2,280x1,080 pixels |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi | 516 ppi | 538 ppi | 402 ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 5.7x2.8x0.3 in | 6.37x3.01x0.35 in | 6x3x0.29 in | 6.13x2.97x0.31 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 143.6x70.9x7.7mm | 161.9x76.4x8.8mm | 151.7x75.4x7.3mm | 155.7x75.4x7.75mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 6.24 oz; 177g | 7.09 oz.; 201g | 5.57 oz; 158g | 6.2 oz; 177g |
| Mobile software | iOS 12 | Android 8.1 Oreo | Android 7.1.2 Nougat | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| Camera | Dual 12-megapixel | Dual 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto) | 16-megapixel (standard), 13-megapixel (wide) | 16-megapixel standard, 20-megapixel telephoto |
| Front-facing camera | 7-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 16-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Apple A12 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor or Samsung Exynos 9810 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| RAM | N/A | 6GB, 8GB | 4GB | 6GB, 8GB |
| Expandable storage | None | 512GB | Up to 2TB | None |
| Battery | N/A | 4,000mAh | 3,300mAh | 3,300mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | None (Face ID) | Back of phone | Back of phone | Back of phone |
| Connector | Lightning | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special features | Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji | Water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; S-Pen with Bluetooth connectivity; Iris and facial scanning | Water resistant (IP68), wireless charging, wide-angle camera, Floating Bar tab, Gigabit LTE-ready | Portrait mode, notifications toggle, dual-SIM, Dash Charging |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB), $1,349 (512GB) | $1,000 (128GB), $1,250 (512GB) | Unlocked: $830; AT&T: $810; Verizon: $840: T-Mobile: $800; Sprint: $912 | $529 (64GB), $579 (128GB), $629 (256GB) |
| Price (GBP) | £999 (64GB), £1,149 (256GB); £1,349 (512GB) | £899 (128GB), £1,099 (512GB) | £800 | £469 (64GB), £519 (128GB), £569 (256GB) |
| Price (AUD) | AU$1,629 (64GB), AU$1,879 (256GB), AU$2,199 (512GB) | AU$1499 (128GB), AU$1,799 (512GB) | AU$1,199 | AU$702 (64GB), AU$769 (128GB), AU$835 (256GB) |
See also
Everything Apple announced at its Sept. 12 event: Our exhaustive roundup.
iPhone XR, XS, XS Max: Apple's three new iPhones start at $749.