Just recently Apple announced three new phones, the iPhone 8, 8+, and the iPhone X. The 8 and 8+ are not really anything special, but the X is one of a kind. It contains an edge to edge display measuring 5.8 inches, while still remaining smaller than the 5.5 inch 8+. Because of this edge to edge display, the home button had to be removed. This also gets rid of Touch ID. Because of that, a new alternative had to be created, leading to Face ID.

Face ID has the same idea as Samsung’s Retina ID feature. Face ID scans your face and if it matches what it has on file, your phone will unlock. This is supposed to happen within seconds. Samsung’s Retina ID does essentially the same thing but with the eyes. Both features seem very futuristic. While Samsung’s feature has been tested and proven to work, Face ID is still a mystery. It could be very accurate, or cause problems. But either way, it seems like a great idea.

The iPhone X has to have an ‘adjusted’ software because of the loss of the home button. In order to exit an app, a user must swipe up. Because the control center used to be accessed like this, swiping down from the right is the new way to find it. This forces the notifications bar to only be accessed by swiping down from the left. In order to change or exit apps fully, one must swipe up and hold. This may irk some users used to the home button, and could have issues with games and apps that require swiping. Most people expected Apple to add an on-screen home button like most android phones, but Apple must have found this swiping method to be a better idea. It seems complex, but I think most users could get used to it.

While all of these features seem great, a $999 price point seems a bit high. Not everyone wants to pay that much for a phone. And just so people know, the iPhone is not the only bezel-less phone. Samsung and LG started the trend, with the Essential Phone following them. While these phones are not using iOS, I for sure do not want to buy an iPhone 8 when I know that there are better options out for the same price.

Both the Essential Phone and the Samsung Galaxy S8 contain bezel-less displays and are much cheaper than the iPhone X. The Essential Phone retails at $700 with pure android. It contains a sleek display with a dual lens camera on the back. The Samsung Galaxy S8 costs $756 with a fingerprint sensor and a beautiful Infinity Display. Both of these products are much cheaper than the iPhone X with the same bezel-less display, but they do not use iOS. People that could part with the software would not be disappointed with how great these phones are.

In the end, it all comes down to perspective. If you care about iOS, than go ahead and buy it. If you don’t want to pay so much and could care less about the software, than switch to Android and survey the options.