The iPhone 11
On September 10, Apple announced its latest gem: the iPhone 11. As usual, it comes in several versions: the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Pre-orders began on September 13 on the official Apple Store website, but let us explain the device’s performance and the changes Apple has made.
One of the main reasons for the surge in sales is the device’s lower price; Apple is facing competition, particularly from the Chinese giant Huawei. Gone are the days of four-digit-priced iPhones—at least for the “standard” models—and major carriers are offering discounts. The iPhone 11 will start at 809 euros in France, the iPhone 11 Pro at 1,159 euros, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max at 1,259 euros.
On the technical front, there are no major changes. The only significant change in the iPhone 11 is in the camera: aimed at a high-end audience, the camera sensors on Apple’s new smartphone have received unanimous praise.
As a reminder, the iPhone 11 Pro is equipped with a triple-camera system:
• Ultra-wide-angle: 12 MP with an f/2.4 aperture and a 120° field of view
• Wide-angle: 12 MP with an f/1.8 aperture, optical stabilization, and a 26 mm focal length
• Telephoto: 12 MP with an f/2.0 aperture, optical stabilization, and 2x optical zoom
For those unfamiliar with the details, it’s safe to say that the iPhone 11’s camera is professional-grade, with impeccable image quality.
Apple has also made an effort to improve its battery life, as iPhone batteries are often the subject of ridicule for their poor performance: While the iPhone XR managed to deliver satisfactory battery life, the iPhone 11 features an improved battery with a more balanced and energy-efficient system—enough to last a full day without needing to charge your smartphone! The iPhone Pro Max, meanwhile, offers over 24 hours of use even under heavy use, providing a more than satisfactory battery life and giving the competition a run for its money.
The iPhone 11 is set to launch on September 20—just a few more days for us to wait, but surely not for you, the readers of this article!
If you’re interested in the base iPhone 11 or its variants, feel free to check out our online store, discountmymobile!
Harmony OS, the Chinese company’s Android competitor
A few years ago, Huawei announced its intention to break away from Android and develop its own operating system to be as independent as possible. The issue hadn’t really made much of a splash until a few weeks ago, when Trump, the current president of the United States, announced his intention to ban Huawei from the U.S. market and for Google to ban the use of Google services (such as YouTube and the Play Store)—a move that would have completely destroyed Huawei, one of the world’s leaders in the smartphone market.
That is why Huawei, to avoid further pressure from Google, developed its own OS, Harmony.
Harmony OS is divided into several layers: one layer is dedicated to security and therefore cannot be modified by any app; however, the design layer can be modified by apps that have the necessary permissions to make changes to that layer.
Thus, there will be a sealed, secure block and another block containing system aspects that can be modified because they are secondary.
This will also greatly facilitate and speed up updates, as each part can be updated individually. Consequently, a fix can be applied to the power-management layer quickly and easily, which prevents a great many problems.
Harmony OS is also designed to simplify synchronization and communication between the brand’s various devices, such as for remote file sharing. No matter the device—whether it’s a watch, a TV, or even a smartphone—a given app will be able to display and adapt to the device, much like the iOS system, without costing millions.
As for Android apps, they’ll be easy to develop for Huawei’s system, since the company is providing the tools for porting from one OS to another for free—so there’s no need to worry about the app store, a concern that had previously deterred people from buying Windows Phones.
For now, the Honor Vision TV will run on HarmonyOS, and the P40 is likely to make the transition—in other words, the Chinese company is all set!
