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What Apple Won't Tell You About iPhone X Apps

Many apps need to be updated to look good, or even to work at all, on the iPhone X.

By Sascha Segan
Updated November 3, 2017
iPhone X

The iPhone X is the most radically new iPhone since the iPhone 6. But if you're buying it on day one, you're going to feel like a beta tester, because many apps haven't been updated and don't work perfectly.

This is par for the course with a major API change. App developers actually need to get an iPhone X to see if their apps work, and make the appropriate changes, if necessary. It's already starting to happenGoogle Photos, for instance, was updated for the new screen size just today.

So far, we've seen three different kinds of app failures. From the least bothersome to the most, they are severe letterboxing, messy UIs, and app stability. We found all of these problems with the latest versions of these apps, this morning.

Severe Letterboxing

Riptide GP Renegade LetterboxingNeed for Speed No Limits Letterboxing

Some apps just really want to run in a 16:9 aspect ratio, not 19.5:9. You'll see this most commonly with highly graphical games. The result is a pair of very large virtual bezels, like in these screenshots from Riptide GP Renegade and Need for Speed: No Limits. Google Maps also letterboxes pretty severely.

This is a little bothersome, because you bought your iPhone X ($999.00 at Verizon) to use the whole screen. But it isn't outright offensive.

UI Overwriting

The lack of a home button is creating problems in other apps. Specifically, some apps assume you won't be able to see anything at the bottom of the screen. Now that you can, their UIs become messy. SmartNews (below left), is a good example of that problem.

Other apps can't deal with the horizontal bar indicating that you should swipe up to go home, or the status information in the "horns" of the phone. Take a look at the Citymapper shot below at right to see the problem there. Microsoft Excel also has a problem with the horizontal swipe-up indicator.

These problems are cosmetic, and they'll get fixed as apps get updated. For now, though, they're ugly.

SmartNews UI OverwritingCitymapper UI Overwriting

Crashing and Poor Performance

The most disturbing problems are in apps that use, display, or test Wi-Fi signal. I tried to download several of them while doing network testing on the iPhone X. They all work just fine on an iPhone 8 Plus ($699.99 at T-Mobile) with iOS 11.1. But on the iPhone X, OpenSignal crashes on launch (this screen shot shows how far you can get). And Dr. WiFi, ARSignalMaster, and RF Monitor all crash when asked to measure signal

Hopefully, app updates will help here, as well.

iPhone X Comparison
PCMag Logo iPhone X Comparison

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About Sascha Segan

Lead Analyst, Mobile

I'm that 5G guy. I've actually been here for every "G." I've reviewed well over a thousand products during 18 years working full-time at PCMag.com, including every generation of the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S. I also write a weekly newsletter, Fully Mobilized, where I obsess about phones and networks.

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