The iPhone XS launched earlier last month to huge fanfare, as is usual for an iPhone launch, and to nobody's surprise it looks pretty much the same as the iPhone X (apart from one physical difference). I've been using the iPhone XS ( starts at Rs.

Great cameras; Stereo speakers are loud and amazing; Beautiful display with HDR10 and Dolby Vision; Powerful performance; Dual SIM; Excellent build quality

Extremely pricey at a starting price of Rs; 99,900, No fast charger in the box, and the bundled charger is an atrocity beyond words, Some apps are still not optimised for the notched bezel-less display, Beauty Gate, Notch (but that's subjective, I guess

Update, April 22: Read our iPhone SE 2020 review. Original story follows.

While we'd still recommend the iPhone XR first, the XS has some extras worth noting.

The iPhone XS has a markedly improved dual camera, delivering better photos than the iPhone X in both dark and high-contrast environments; It has a faster processor, faster face ID, adds dual-SIM support and it’s now available in gold and 512GB versions.

Its battery life is the shortest of the three new iPhones and only incrementally better than last year's; Despite its still-rich price tag, increased storage, USB-C fast chargers and headphone dongles will have you spending even more.

This is the iPhone XS – pronounced ‘10-S', not ‘excess' as you might think. It looks identical to last year's iPhone X , and you might think that not a lot has changed – but it's inside where the differences lie.

Smart HDR helps the camera; More powerful again; Fast operation in the hand

Battery life not world-beating; Design not altered in a year; Still very expensive

Apple's new iPhone XS is a modest step up from last year's iPhone X, but remains a major technological leap forward for anyone who hasn't yet made the jump to the edge-to-edge design with Face ID.

There are many great smartphones on the market and the iPhone XS is certainly one of them. Apple does a lot of things differently from Samsung, Huawei and co., but 'different' doesn't necessarily mean better.

Handy size; Perfect craftsmanship; Great display; Very good camera

Average battery; Performs slower than expected; Illogical UI

Announced in September 2018, the iPhone XS (and iPhone XS Max) made its debut roughly a year after the iPhone X. It represents a fairly modest update from its predecessor, but in terms of the camera there has been some interesting improvements.

The iPhone XS is the sweet spot in the 2018 iPhone line-up. As with the X, you get a big, bright, 3D Touch-equipped OLED screen within a superbly portable chassis - it's big but not too big - and a dual camera; you can now add a small speed bump, better future-proofing and a far smarter camera setup - we love being able to adjust the bokeh effect of Portrait Mode shots afterwards, and camera performance is demonstrably better under various types of difficult lighting. The XS is super-fast, looks wonderful, and is a pleasure to use. This is a terrific choice for those upgrading from a pre-X iPhone, and particularly (in our view) from one of the older Plus models like the 7 or 6s - provided you can find one in stock.

To be clear, the iPhone XS is every bit as good as the iPhone XS Max, save for battery life. It delivers on Apple's (now yearly) promise of being the best iPhone ever.

Smooth performance, Amazing camera

Mediocre battery life

If you didn't like the iPhone X and its notched face, there's very little about iPhone XS that'll change your mind. If you were interested in iPhone X but weren't ready to take the risk - or front the cost - on the first iteration, then the second generation has a lot to offer.

When Tim Cook revealed the iPhone X in 2017 , the Apple CEO announced that this was the new direction for iPhone, the foundation of the next 10 years. Fulfilling that promise, Apple's new iPhones build on what the iPhone X started.

Faster processor; New camera features; Tougher glass build

Design hasn't changed; Not a necessary upgrade for iPhone X users; No fast charger in the box