Apple Limits Lengthy iPhone X Testing for Most Reviewers (wsj.com)

Tripp Mickle, reporting for the Wall Street Journal: Apple departed from its traditional preview strategy for what it bills as its most important new iPhone in years, prioritizing early access to the iPhone X for YouTube personalities and celebrities over most technology columnists who traditionally review its new products. Apple provided the iPhone X to a small number of traditional testers for about a week, while limiting most others, The Wall Street Journal included, to a single day with the device before reviews could be published (alternative source). About a half-dozen personalities on Alphabet's YouTube video service were granted time with the device before its release. The change in strategy meant the iPhone X, which hits stores Friday, got less testing than most of its predecessors before reviews could be published. Crash reviewers largely echoed those sentiments, adding the caveat that they could discover issues after they spend more time with the device. Most pledged full reviews for later in the week. The review strategy is "unusual," said Jan Dawson, an analyst with Jackdaw Research. "It's possible Apple wanted some reviews out early and those would be the more enthusiastic ones." He said YouTube reviewers tend to be more positive when given early access to devices, and that most reviews aren't overly negative. "Unless Apple felt like there would be some bad elements in the reviews, why would you hold back?" Mr. Dawson asked. "Why would you be selective about who gets it first?"

Comments

Re:Compromising their review process

[Anonymous Coward]

Early reviews are confirming that Face ID is AWFUL

They are?

• "We've now had 24 hours with this, and it's far, far better than we were expecting, working flawlessly most of the time."
• "Having spent time with Face ID in a variety of scenarios, we can confirm that it'll work with a simple glance on the go, in the pitch black, when you wake up and pretty much any time you look at your phone."
• "Face ID worked perfectly in an almost completely dark room, too, lit only by the iPhone's screen."
• "Face ID works so fast that if you're looking at the phone and swipe to unlock it, you might not even notice it's even active."
• "When I was ready to buy a movie, I just tapped the right button on the phone twice, looked at it, and it verified my face and made the purchase. Easy."
• "The good news is that Face ID mostly works great."
• "Face ID is so fast I’m forgetting I have a passcode. Attention aware interactivity is the bomb."
• "Face ID properly recognized my face when I wore a funky hat, sunglasses or both simultaneously. It also worked in the dark"
• "Face ID’s accuracy is truly impressive. While you need to look at it squarely (it wouldn’t unlock when I held it up at an angle to the sides of my face), it’s swift and reliable, and I couldn’t trick it with a photograph of me."

Re:Earned Credit

[SuperKendall]

5-6 week shipping delays for an iPhoneX disagree with you.

Even if they are supply constrained (which they are), that is still a LOT of people taking Apple's word for what the iPhone X will do.