# IPhone X

The **iPhone X** is a smartphone designed and marketed by [Apple Inc.](https://www.edgepedia.org/apple-inc), announced on September 12, 2017 as the tenth-anniversary iPhone and released on November 3, 2017. It was the first iPhone with an OLED display and the first without a home button, replacing [Touch ID](https://www.edgepedia.org/touch-id) with the [Face ID](https://www.edgepedia.org/face-id) facial-recognition system, and it carried a starting price of $999, the highest for an iPhone to that point.<sup>[1](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://time.com/5025887/apple-jony-ive-iphone-x/)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced / released | September 12, 2017; pre-orders October 27; in stores November 3, 2017 in more than 55 countries and territories<sup>[1](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/)</sup> |
| Display | 5.8-inch Super Retina HD OLED, 2436 × 1125 pixels at 458 ppi, 1,000,000:1 typical contrast, 625 cd/m² typical max brightness<sup>[3](https://support.apple.com/en-al/111864)</sup> |
| Chip | A11 Bionic with neural engine, six CPU cores (two performance, four efficiency), Apple's first in-house three-core GPU<sup>[4](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)</sup> |
| Authentication | Face ID via the TrueDepth camera system, projecting more than 30,000 infrared dots; false-match probability about 1 in 1,000,000 versus 1 in 50,000 for Touch ID<sup>[5](https://9to5mac.com/2017/09/27/face-id-iphone-x-white-paper/)</sup> |
| Cameras | Dual 12 MP rear cameras (wide ƒ/1.8, telephoto ƒ/2.4) with dual optical image stabilization; 7 MP ƒ/2.2 TrueDepth front camera<sup>[3](https://support.apple.com/en-al/111864)</sup> |
| Size and weight | 143.6 × 70.9 × 7.7 mm, 174 g; IP67 splash, water, and dust resistance<sup>[3](https://support.apple.com/en-al/111864)</sup> |
| Sales | 29 million units shipped in Q4 2017, the world's top-shipping smartphone model that quarter by Canalys estimate<sup>[6](https://canalys-prod-public.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/static/press_release/2018/media-alert-230118-apple-ships-29-million-iphone-xs-q4-2017.pdf)</sup> |
| Discontinuation | Removed from Apple's lineup when the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR were announced in September 2018<sup>[7](https://time.com/5394337/apple-iphone-xs-xr-watch/)</sup> |

## Design and display

Apple positioned the iPhone X as an all-screen device. To maximize the display, the company removed the home button that had defined every previous iPhone; Apple's chief design officer Jonathan Ive said there were "extraordinarily complex problems that needed to be solved" in integrating the display into the stainless steel and glass body.<sup>[2](https://time.com/5025887/apple-jony-ive-iphone-x/)</sup> The 5.8-inch OLED panel, marketed as Super Retina, was the first OLED screen on an iPhone, with a 2436 × 1125 resolution at 458 ppi, HDR support, True Tone, and a P3 wide color gamut.<sup>[1](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://support.apple.com/en-al/111864)</sup> A notch at the top of the screen housed the TrueDepth camera system, so the phone was not literally all screen.<sup>[4](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)</sup>

The compact body was a central part of the pitch. The 5.8-inch display fit into a phone smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus, which had a 5.5-inch screen, because the border around the display was much slimmer.<sup>[8](https://www.macworld.com/article/230697/iphone-x-review.html)</sup> At 6.14 ounces (174 g) it weighed less than any previous Plus model while carrying a larger screen.<sup>[4](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)</sup>

## Face ID and the TrueDepth camera

Face ID replaced the fingerprint-based Touch ID as the phone's biometric authentication. The TrueDepth system combines a flood illuminator that bathes the face in infrared light, a front camera that confirms a face is present, a dot projector that casts a grid of more than 30,000 invisible IR dots to build a three-dimensional map, and an infrared camera that reads the map.<sup>[9](https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone%2BX%2BTeardown/98975)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/)</sup> Neural networks convert the dot pattern into a mathematical model of the face, and matching runs on the secure enclave on the device rather than in the cloud. Apple's security paper put the probability that a random person could unlock the phone at approximately 1 in 1,000,000, compared with 1 in 50,000 for Touch ID, while noting that twins, similarly looking siblings, and children under 13 have higher false-match probabilities. A passcode fallback is required after restart, after 48 hours without an unlock, after five failed face attempts, and in several other cases.<sup>[5](https://9to5mac.com/2017/09/27/face-id-iphone-x-white-paper/)</sup>

The same depth camera enabled Animoji, animated emoji that mirror the user's facial expressions, which reviewers at launch treated as the clearest early demonstration of the hardware.<sup>[10](https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/axios-review-iphone-x-is-worth-the-wait-at-least-for-some-1513306548)</sup>

Face ID hardware is tightly paired to the logic board. iFixit's repair guidance states that a do-it-yourself repairer cannot replace any of the three main TrueDepth components individually and keep Face ID working; only a matched set salvaged from an original phone, or service through Apple, restores the feature.<sup>[11](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone%2BX%2BFace%2BID%2BReplacement/151174)</sup>

## Hardware and performance

The A11 Bionic chip, shared with the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, has six CPU cores, two high-performance and four efficiency, all of which can run simultaneously; the previous A10 could use only two at a time. The A11 also marked the first GPU designed in-house by Apple, a three-core design replacing [Imagination Technologies](https://www.edgepedia.org/imagination-technologies) parts. [Ars Technica](https://www.edgepedia.org/ars-technica)'s testing found the iPhone X the fastest phone it had measured at the time.<sup>[4](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)</sup>

Teardowns revealed a stacked, double-sided logic board connected through dozens of through-hole vias, a design that freed space for a larger battery. The board carries 3 GB of LPDDR4x RAM from [SK Hynix](https://www.edgepedia.org/sk-hynix), 64 GB of Toshiba flash storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, and a Cirrus Logic audio amplifier; the battery is rated 2,716 mAh.<sup>[12](https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/03/iphone-x-teardown-ifixit/)</sup> Apple claimed battery life up to 2 hours longer than the iPhone 7, and the phone supports fast charging and Qi wireless charging, a standard also used by Samsung that works with third-party chargers.<sup>[13](https://www.consumerreports.org/smartphones/iphone-x-review-test-results/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-unveils-iphone-x-major-193816016.html)</sup>

The rear camera pair moved to a vertical arrangement, which Apple said improves depth sensing for augmented-reality applications, and optical image stabilization was added to the telephoto lens, which the iPhone 8 Plus lacked.<sup>[4](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)</sup>

## Supply chain and production

[Samsung Display](https://www.edgepedia.org/samsung-display) was the sole supplier of the OLED panels, a dependence that contributed to production delays and the high price, and [LG Display](https://www.edgepedia.org/lg-display) stated in a December 2017 regulatory filing that it had supplied no iPhone X panels that year and had made no decision on future supply.<sup>[15](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/lg-display-denies-supplying-oled-panels-for-iphone-x-1036489)</sup> Early yield rates on the Samsung-made screens were reported as low as 60 percent in August 2017 because of Apple's quality standards, rising past 80 percent and approaching 90 percent by December.<sup>[16](https://9to5mac.com/2017/12/20/apple-oled-suppliers-2018-samsung/)</sup> An IHS Markit teardown estimated the TrueDepth sensor set, a new component, at $16.70 in cost.<sup>[17](https://phys.org/news/2017-11-iphone-teardown-apple-deluxe.pdf)</sup>

[Tim Cook](https://www.edgepedia.org/tim-cook) told analysts in November 2017 that the manufacturing ramp was going well and that supply was increasing week by week, though he could not say when supply would meet demand.<sup>[18](https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/apple-ceo-manufacturing-of-iphone-x-going-well-1513306640)</sup>

## Sales and reception

Canalys estimated 29 million iPhone X units shipped in the fourth quarter of 2017, making it the world's top-shipping smartphone model that quarter.<sup>[6](https://canalys-prod-public.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/static/press_release/2018/media-alert-230118-apple-ships-29-million-iphone-xs-q4-2017.pdf)</sup> In the December quarter Apple sold 77.3 million iPhones, down 1 percent from a year earlier, but record revenue of $88.3 billion, with the higher-priced X lifting the average selling price to nearly $800. Cook said the iPhone X had been Apple's top-selling iPhone every week since it shipped in November.<sup>[19](https://www.axios.com/2018/02/01/apple-record-earnings-but-outlook-disappoints)</sup> In May 2018 he told investors the X was the best-selling iPhone each week of the previous quarter, the first time a high-end model held that position since the Plus line was introduced with the iPhone 6.<sup>[20](https://www.axios.com/2018/05/01/tim-cook-iphone-x-is-no-dud)</sup>

Reviewers generally praised the display and camera. Ars Technica called its OLED panel the best smartphone display the reviewer had seen by both objective and subjective measures, and [Consumer Reports](https://www.edgepedia.org/consumer-reports) gave the camera and display top scores while noting flaws.<sup>[4](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.consumerreports.org/smartphones/iphone-x-review-test-results/)</sup> WIRED's verdict was that it was a very good phone but not a pioneer, since Android makers had shipped OLED screens and edge-to-edge designs earlier.<sup>[21](https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-x-review/)</sup> The $999 price drew wide comment; Time noted it made the phone as expensive as a [MacBook Air](https://www.edgepedia.org/macbook-air), and Ive defended it by saying better technology carries a financial consequence.<sup>[2](https://time.com/5025887/apple-jony-ive-iphone-x/)</sup>

## Repairability and software support

iFixit gave the iPhone X a repairability score of 6 out of 10, noting that display and battery repairs remained a design priority, that a cracked display can be replaced without removing the Face ID hardware, and that liberal use of screws offsets the waterproofing adhesive.<sup>[12](https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/03/iphone-x-teardown-ifixit/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone%2BX%2BTeardown/98975)</sup>

The phone shipped with iOS 11 and was supported through iOS 16, the last version compatible with it; Apple's iOS 26 compatibility list no longer includes the iPhone X.<sup>[22](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/103267)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[23](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-models-compatible-with-ios-26-iphe3fa5df43/26/ios/26)</sup> Apple discontinued the model in September 2018 when the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, all of which share its all-screen design and Face ID, took its place.<sup>[7](https://time.com/5394337/apple-iphone-xs-xr-watch/)</sup>

## Legacy

The iPhone X established the design template its successors still follow: an edge-to-edge OLED display with a notch housing the TrueDepth system, Face ID in place of Touch ID, and gesture-based navigation without a home button. Apple's 2018 press materials describe the XS and XS Max as building directly on the all-screen design of the iPhone X.<sup>[24](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/09/iphone-xs-and-iphone-xs-max-bring-the-best-and-biggest-displays-to-iphone/)</sup> The TrueDepth sensor introduced with the phone also found uses beyond authentication, supplying depth data for computer-vision tasks such as segmentation and 3D reconstruction.<sup>[25](https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.10865)</sup>

## References

1. [The future is here: iPhone X, Apple Newsroom (September 12, 2017)](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/)
2. [Apple Design Chief Jonathan Ive on the iPhone X, Time](https://time.com/5025887/apple-jony-ive-iphone-x/)
3. [iPhone X – Technical Specifications, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-al/111864)
4. [iPhone X review: Early adopting the future, Ars Technica (2017)](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/iphone-x-review-early-adopting-the-future/)
5. [Apple explains how iPhone X facial recognition with Face ID works (and fails) in security paper, 9to5Mac (2017)](https://9to5mac.com/2017/09/27/face-id-iphone-x-white-paper/)
6. [Media alert: Apple ships 29 million iPhone Xs in Q4 2017, Canalys](https://canalys-prod-public.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/static/press_release/2018/media-alert-230118-apple-ships-29-million-iphone-xs-q4-2017.pdf)
7. [New iPhones and More: Here's Everything Apple Just Announced, Time (2018)](https://time.com/5394337/apple-iphone-xs-xr-watch/)
8. [iPhone X (2017) Review: Revolutionary Evolutionary Phone, Macworld](https://www.macworld.com/article/230697/iphone-x-review.html)
9. [iPhone X Teardown, iFixit](https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone%2BX%2BTeardown/98975)
10. [Axios Review: iPhone X is worth the wait, at least for some (2017)](https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/axios-review-iphone-x-is-worth-the-wait-at-least-for-some-1513306548)
11. [iPhone X Face ID Replacement, iFixit Repair Guide](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone%2BX%2BFace%2BID%2BReplacement/151174)
12. [iPhone X Teardown: TrueDepth Camera System, Stacked Logic Board With 3GB RAM, and 2,716 mAh Battery, MacRumors (2017)](https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/03/iphone-x-teardown-ifixit/)
13. [CR's Final iPhone X Test Results, Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/smartphones/iphone-x-review-test-results/)
14. [Apple launches $999 iPhone X in bid to regain innovation lead, Reuters via Yahoo Finance (2017)](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-unveils-iphone-x-major-193816016.html)
15. [LG Display denies supplying OLED panels for iPhone X, Reuters via Investing.com (2017)](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/lg-display-denies-supplying-oled-panels-for-iphone-x-1036489)
16. [Samsung reportedly hits 90% yield with iPhone X displays, 9to5Mac (2017)](https://9to5mac.com/2017/12/20/apple-oled-suppliers-2018-samsung/)
17. [New iPhone X teardown study estimates cost to build Apple's deluxe phone, Phys.org / IHS Markit](https://phys.org/news/2017-11-iphone-teardown-apple-deluxe.pdf)
18. [Apple CEO: Manufacturing of iPhone X going well, Axios (2017)](https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/apple-ceo-manufacturing-of-iphone-x-going-well-1513306640)
19. [Apple earnings top estimates, but outlook disappoints, Axios (2018)](https://www.axios.com/2018/02/01/apple-record-earnings-but-outlook-disappoints)
20. [Tim Cook: iPhone X is no dud, Axios (2018)](https://www.axios.com/2018/05/01/tim-cook-iphone-x-is-no-dud)
21. [iPhone X review: it's a damn fine phone but not a pioneer, WIRED (2017)](https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-x-review/)
22. [iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 are compatible with these devices, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/103267)
23. [iPhone models compatible with iOS 26, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-models-compatible-with-ios-26-iphe3fa5df43/26/ios/26)
24. [iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max bring the best and biggest displays to iPhone, Apple Newsroom (2018)](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/09/iphone-xs-and-iphone-xs-max-bring-the-best-and-biggest-displays-to-iphone/)
25. [On the Issues of TrueDepth Sensor Data for Computer Vision Tasks Across Different iPad Generations, arXiv (2022)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.10865)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Communications and everyday technology › Telephony systems and services › Telephone devices and subscriber equipment › Telephone handsets and instruments › Handset and desk telephones*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license