The iPhone X has been Apple's best iPhone till date (and its most expensive one too), but it's not without shortcomings. Like previous iPhones, or other smartphones for that matter, the iPhone X too is susceptible to certain issues.
With each passing day, we hear of a new issue with the iPhone X display or more importantly with its most publicised feature Face ID. Although only a handful of people have actually reported these issues, but these glitches do exist. So it's always wise to know what you might be in for before investing Rs 1 lakh on the iPhone X.
The "Green line of death"
Some Apple iPhone X users have posted images that show a nasty green line running along the right or left edges of the OLED panel on the iPhone X. The alleged "green line of death" is a hardware issue and is said to be caused by a problem in the phone's electrical system.
Restarting the phone or even restoring the device fully does not seem to remove the green line that typically runs along the side of the display. Moreover, the issue is not limited to specific units or locations as both the 64GB and 256GB variants have been reported with the green line in the US, Canada, Poland and Australia.
That being said, Apple has acknowledged the issue and is reportedly replacing the affected iPhone X units free of cost. Additionally, Apple is collecting data from the incident so that engineers can dig into the matter and work to prevent such events from happening in the future.
Unresponsive displays in Cold weather
There have also been complaints coming in from some iPhone X users living in the colder regions of the world. Apparently, the iPhone X screen stops responding in cold weather, but the problem is not that common and only a few users have reported it.
It is nothing the phone is literally "freezing" in the cold weather. Apple has found that there is a software bug that's causing the issue and is working on a fix via a software update which will be arriving soon, most probably in iOS 11.2, which is currently in beta testing stage.
Crackling and buzzing sound from the front-facing earpiece
Just when we thought that the issues with the iPhone X would stop with the display, some iPhone X users reported that they are experiencing a crackling or buzzing sound coming from the device's front-facing earpiece at maximum volume.
The crackling sound occurs on affected iPhones with any kind of audio playback, including phone calls, music, videos with sound, alarms and ringtones. Users have taken to Twitter and Reddit to complain about the sound issue on their devices. One user says the issue is so bad for him that the crackling occurs even around 50 percent volume.
The iPhone X comes with a double speaker front-facing earpiece which combines with the speakers at the bottom of the device to deliver stereo sound. So it is not yet clear whether the crackling and buzzing is a hardware fault or a software issue. If it is a hardware issue, like the green line issue, it's good to know that Apple has been replacing the affected iPhone X units free of cost.
iPhone X cost of repair (this is especially for those with slippery hands):
Apple claims to have used the most durable glass cover on the iPhone X, but a drop test by CNET showed us how the iPhone X's back glass cover cracked from a drop from just the hip height (3 feet), the usual place where pants pockets are.
Considering the fact that the iPhone X has a glass cover on both the back and the front, it's a slippery device and has a high chance of slipping out of the hand.
In case you happen to drop it and crack the back glass, it will cost you big bucks, especially if you didn't opt for the $199 (approx. Rs 13,000) Apple Care+ protection policy, without which you have to shell out a whopping $549 (approx. Rs 35,900) for back glass replacement, which could easily get you a new smartphone.
[Note: With Apple Care+, owners have to pay $99 + $29 as service charge + taxes for glass replacement of the iPhone X]
Our advice to prospective iPhone X buyers is simple: Get the screen guard along with the shell cover during purchase of the device. Otherwise, go to your nearest mobile shop and get the protection kit immediately.
And then, there's Face ID...
Apple claimed that the chances of the Face ID failing are one in a million, but recent reports and tests show otherwise. It may be the world's most advanced face recognition technology but it can be fooled easily.
A Reddit user has posted a video [HERE] on the social media platform showing his iPhone X's flawed FaceID feature and more recently researchers at a security firm called Bkav claimed to have "thwarted" Face ID by using a specially-built mask. Read here.
