Apple Reveals 'Leap Forward' iPhone X

CALIFORNIA - Apple has revealed a high-end smartphone with an "edge-to-edge" screen that has no physical home button. The iPhone X - which is referred to as "ten" - uses a facial recognition system to recognise its owner rather than a fingerprint-based one.

Apple said FaceID can work in the dark by using 30,000 infra-red dots to check an identity, and was harder to fool than its old TouchID system. It is Apple's most expensive phone yet.

A 64 gigabyte capacity model will cost $999 (£999 in the UK) when it goes on sale on 3 November. A 256GB version will be priced at $1,149 (£1,149 in the UK). By contrast, Samsung is charging $930 (£869 in the UK) for its new Note 8 phone, which has 64GB of storage.

"The iPhone X is a long-term investment by Apple that sets a template for the next generation of iPhone hardware," commented Geoff Blaber from the CCS Insight consultancy.

"An OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display and the new design is likely to be standard on future iPhone models, but Apple must first tackle the challenge of obtaining sufficient supplies," he said.

Apple said the switch to an OLED display would help the phone produce "true blacks" and more accurate colours than before. LG and Samsung already use similar tech on their handsets.

“The iPhone X is the blueprint for the iPhone’s new hardware direction. An OLED display and the new design is likely to standard on future iPhone models, but Apple must first tackle the challenge of obtaining sufficient supply," Ben Wood, chief of research for CCS Insight said.

“A staggered introduction of OLED technology and the new design enables Apple to steadily ramp up scale in its supply chain and maximise profits. The relatively high prices of the iPhone X are a necessary and important mechanism to control demand in the near term,” he added.

Prior to the launch, Apple's most expensive phone was an iPhone 7 Plus that cost $969 (£919 in the UK).