Let’s Talk About the iPhone XS (and XS Max) (Premium)

Apple's newest flagships arrive on Friday and the first reviews are already out. How does the iPhone XS evolve the platform?

Evolve being the key word, of course: The iPhone XS and its larger but otherwise identical XS Max sibling are the epitome of an "S" year for the iPhone. That is, they offer tons of minor refinements over last year's iPhone X, but no major new features. Looked at more broadly, they are to hardware what iOS 12 is to software.

And, yes, that is a good thing. If you can get past Apple's marketing hyperbole---which, granted, I have trouble with---you will find that the XS is about an obvious an upgrade as any product Apple has ever released. It takes everything that was right about the iPhone X and improves it, just a little. And it is the totality of those minor changes that result, I think, in a worthy upgrade.

No, not from an iPhone X: If you own last year's flagship, there is literally no scenario where spending another $1000 to $1450 a year later makes any sense at all. (OK, one caveat to that: If you partake in the iPhone Upgrade Program or a similar carrier-based plan where you can move forward to a new phone every year, going from the iPhone X to the XS may make some sense.)

Those using an older or lesser iPhone---basically, iPhone 6 through iPhone 8 Plus---will have a different things to consider.

First, there's some math to consider. As always, the older your device, the more attractive that this year's upgrade will look. But it's not just the price: Apple's tag-line for last year's iPhone X was "welcome to the future." This year, it's just the present, with the iPhone X design moving forward intact and unchanged. This is what an iPhone looks like now.

And it's a sea change for those still using an older-style iPhone, with their prominent "forehead" and "chin" upper and lower bezels and their physical Home buttons. That "tons of minor refinements" bit only applies if you are literally upgrading from an iPhone X, and you're not. You're upgrading from an older, less modern looking iPhone. The differences you will see will be more dramatic and, hopefully, mostly positive.

Looked at a different way, that may be a step too far for many. Fortunately, you can take baby steps into this new era simply by upgrading to iOS 12 (for free) on your existing device: This system brings the iPhone X gesture navigation scheme to all iOS-based devices, including older iPhones. And I think that's a good thing: As I found with my iPads, having a single navigation system across each device is consistent and helps with muscle memory. It will also prepare you for the future.

You could also save some money and buy downwards in the iPhone lineup. I previously described the iPhone XR as the sweet spot in the new iPhone lineup. And if you like the iPhone Home button and are not ready for Face ID, there's a case to be made for iPhone 8 too. This is a beautiful, elegant phone.

But here, I'll simply assume that you u...