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I’d been waiting forever for my iPhone X. It finally arrived, I unboxed it on camera… and then I pressed the side button.
This one’s a little bit of fun. Here’s my unboxing of a white iPhone X, everything that looked great about it, and the moment I realized what I actually had in my hands. If you want one for a store display, a prop or a prank, the button goes to a current non-working dummy display phone on Amazon.
- Solid and weighty in the hand
- Edge-to-edge front glass and chrome-like edges
- Stacked camera lenses with a raised bevel
- Buttons, speaker and port details look right
- Plain box with no markings at all
- No charger, cable or accessories
- The side button does nothing
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
The unboxing
The box is significantly different from previous iPhones: plain white, no markings. I figured that was just Apple minimalism. The end opens right up, and the phone sits inside in a nice translucent, foam-like sleeve.
There was protective plastic on it, which I peeled off. You know, ensuring you get it in pristine condition.
First impressions
Solid construction, kind of weighty. It feels much smaller than my iPhone 7 Plus, and yet it has this giant edge-to-edge screen. With the screen off you can’t see the notch.
Mine is white, with that beautiful chrome-like rounded edge and the buttons and switch on the side.
Ports and cameras
On the bottom there’s the speaker, microphone and Lightning port, and of course no headphone jack. On the back, the stacked camera lenses sit in a slightly raised bevel, and the glass back has the Apple logo.
The moment of truth
Then I tried the side button. It wouldn’t power up. Maybe no charge? It didn’t come with any plugs or accessories, so I’d have to use my old ones. I kept pressing and holding. Nothing.
And then it hit me: this is one of those dummy phones that cell phone stores put out on display so you can hold it and feel it. It’s not real. I hope I didn’t spend much on it.
What dummy phones are actually good for
Stores use them so you can feel the size and weight without a real phone walking off. They’re also handy as props in videos and photos, for testing cases or mounts, and of course for pranks. Just know what you’re buying: it won’t turn on.
FAQ
Was it a real iPhone X?
No. It was a non-working dummy display phone, the kind cell phone stores put out to handle.
How could you tell?
It came in a plain box with no accessories, and the side button did nothing.
What are dummy phones used for?
Store displays, video and photo props, testing cases, and pranks.
Does a dummy phone turn on?
No. It’s just a non-working model.
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