Teardown

We tore down the iPhone XS Max! This time it's over here, with its smaller sibling.

Wallpapers

Want to see the inside of your phone without opening it up? Check out our HD X-Ray wallpapers here.

Background

The iPhone XS Max (and XS) was formally announced by Apple on September 12, 2018. New features include a larger 6.5-inch display, an updated A12 Bionic SoC with industry-leading 7nm production process and a next-generation Neural Engine, an updated camera featuring Smart HDR, and improved Portrait Mode with advanced bokeh and depth control.

The most often replaced iPhone XS Max parts include the battery, screen, and logic board.

Identification

You can identify the iPhone XS Max by finding one of the model numbers either on the inner edge of the SIM card tray or within the phone's Settings app:

  • A1921
  • A2101
  • A2102
  • A2103
  • A2104

You can find the model number through the phone's UI by going to the Settings app and navigating to General > About. Tap on the number listed in the Model Number section and it should change to a format that looks like the numbers above.

The iPhone XS Max features a 6.5 in (diagonal) glass screen with curved edges, thin black bezels, and a notch at the top of the screen to accommodate a speaker and selfie camera. The back cover is glass and the edge frame is made from curved stainless steel.

Volume controls can be found on the left edge while the power button and SIM card tray are situated on the right. A vertically-oriented double camera "bump" protrudes slightly from the back case. This model has no home button.

The iPhone XS Max can be differentiated from the iPhone XS by measuring the screen. The XS Max should have a diagonal screen measurement of 6.5 in relative to the 5.8 in of the XS.

Specifications

Announce date: September 12, 2018

Models: A1921, A2101, A2102, A2104

Developer: Apple Inc.

Processor: Apple A12 Bionic chip with next-generation Neural Engine

Operating System: iOS 12

Dimensions: 6.20 x 3.05 x 0.30 in (157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm)

Weight: 177 g (6.24 oz)

Storage: 64, 256, or 512 GB flash memory

Colors: Gold, Silver, or Space Gray

Display (Super Retina HD Display with 3D Touch):

  • 6.5-inch (diagonal) all-screen OLED Multi-Touch display
  • HDR display
  • 2688-by-1242-pixel resolution at 458 ppi
  • 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
  • True Tone display
  • Wide color display (P3)
  • 3D Touch
  • 625 cd/m2 max brightness (typical)
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
  • Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Camera:

  • Rear-facing iSight camera
    • 12-megapixel wide-angle camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture
    • 12-megapixel telephoto camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture
    • 2x optical zoom; digital zoom up to 10x
    • Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
    • Dual optical image stabilization
    • Six-element lens
    • Quad-LED True Tone flash with Slow Sync
    • Panorama (up to 63 megapixels)
    • Sapphire crystal lens cover
    • Backside illumination sensor
    • Hybrid IR Filter
    • Autofocus with Focus Pixels
    • Tap to focus with Focus Pixels
    • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
    • Improved local tone mapping
    • Exposure Control
    • Smart HDR for photos
    • Auto image stabilization
    • Burst mode
    • Timer mode
    • Photo geotagging
  • Front-facing TrueDepth camera
    • 7-megapixel photos
    • Portrait mode
    • 1080p HD video recording
    • Retina Flash
    • ƒ/2.2 aperture
    • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
    • Auto HDR
    • Backside illumination sensor
    • Body and Face detection
    • Auto image stabilization
    • Burst mode
    • Exposure control
    • Timer mode
  • Video Recording
    • 4K video recording at 60fps
    • 1080p HD video recording at 30fps or 60fps
    • 720p HD video recording at 30fps
    • Extended dynamic range for video up to 30fps
    • Optical image stabilization for video
    • Optical zoom at 2x
    • Quad-LED True Tone Flash
    • Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120fps or 240fps
    • Time-lapse video with stabilization
    • Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p)
    • Continuous autofocus video
    • Take 8-megapixel still photos while recording 4K video
    • Playback zoom
    • Video Geotagging
    • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
    • Stereo recording

Splash, Water, and Dust Resistance: Rated IP68 under IEC standard 60529

FaceID: Enabled by TrueDepth camera for facial recognition

Sensors:

  • Face ID
  • Barometer
  • Three-axis gyro
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Ambient light sensor

Wireless Connectivity:

  • Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi with MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • NFC
  • GSM, CDMA, 3G, EVDO, HSPA+, LTE
  • Digital Compass
  • Assisted GPS and GLONASS

Troubleshooting

Additional Information