iPhone XR: Price, Design, and Specifications in 2018
we have the iPhone X, which
we met last year, was drawing the future of smartphones in Apple's words.
Apple, while proceeding that way with the top-class iPhone Xs and Xs Max
models, offered a brand new option such as the iPhone XR for those who want to
experience the iPhone experience with a slightly more affordable price, but
with a brand new device. At the end of 2018 the iPhone XR, which was on sale along with other 2018 iPhone
models is offered with features such as a 6.1-inch screen, aluminum body, Face
ID and A12 Bionic processor. We have been experiencing the 256 GB capacity and
white color version of the iPhone XR, which appeals to different tastes with various
color options. In this article, we will provide you with a
quick review regarding the iPhone XR.
Design and Display.
Apple prefers the combination of stainless steel and glass
for the iPhone X and its iPhone Xs and Xs Max, and for the iPhone XR, aluminum
is one of the basic materials used in iPhones for a long time. Honestly, it
wouldn't be wrong to say that the iPhone XR is a combination of last year's
iPhone X and iPhone 8 models. The front and outline of the iPhone X are taken,
while the sides and back are borrowed from the iPhone 8. At first glance, it is
striking that the corners are as curved as the iPhone X and the screen adapts
to it.
The resulting overall look may not be as elegant or
attractive as the iPhone Xs and Xs Max. However, the iPhone XR also carries the
air of a flagship smartphone. The aluminum surrounding the edges is a special
alloy in Apple's terms of aviation standards. At the same time, the anodized
aluminum surface appears in different tones in different color options. It is
stated that the strength of the glasses surrounding the front and back is
higher than that of the iPhone X. Indeed, during the month we've been using it,
we haven't noticed any scratches on either the glass or the aluminum surface of
the iPhone XR, even without a case. Of course, we have to give a footnote that
we have been very careful during use.
iPhone XR is also water and dust resistant. However, it has
IP67 certification, not IP68 like iPhone Xs and Xs Max. In other words, it can
stay in water at 1-meter depth for 30 minutes. However, nothing will happen to
your phone in the event of liquid spills, heavy water drips on the phone while
talking or using it in heavy rain, and the like.
There is a notch at the top of the screen that houses the
TrueDepth camera system and handset speaker. The area of the frame surrounding it is slightly more
than the iPhone Xs and Xs Max. Despite this, we have a phone that takes up less
space and is comfortable to use than the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus. With a body
thickness of 8.3 millimeters, it is slightly more than other iPhones of both
this year and last year. However, this has no noticeable effect neither in
appearance nor in use.
If we didn't see the front and back of the phone, we could
only think of it as an iPhone 8 Plus if we looked at the edges. Of course,
there is something from the iPhone X around the edges. For example, we see a
large power button on the right edge. This key is used for tasks such as
turning on the device, waking it up, and calling Siri. Again on this side, the
nano-SIM card tray is placed down. On the left side, there are mute and volume
keys. On the lower edge, we see the Lightning port and the grids on both sides
of it. The remainder on the right of these grilles is home to the speaker. The
second speaker is located on the front, inside the handset speaker. Two of the
built-in microphones are located on this lower edge. The upper edge is kept
clean. Let's also note that there are antenna lines on the upper and lower
parts on the right and left sides. These also match the color of the back of
each model.
The glass-covered back allows the use of the wireless
charging feature as in other iPhone models. Unlike the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, we
see a single rear camera on the back of the iPhone XR, like last year's iPhone
8. Below that is an additional microphone and a four-color True Tone flash.
Apple logo and iPhone script are other striking elements we see on the back.
As far as display is concerned, the screen of the iPhone XR is 6.1 inches diagonally across. The screen resolution is 1792 x 828 pixels, which is lower than the resolution of the screens of both the iPhone Xs and Xs Max and the iPhone 8 Plus. However, with a pixel density of 326 PPI, it meets the Retina display requirement set by Apple for smartphones from the very beginning.
Apple calls this screen Liquid Retina. The biggest reason
for this is the curvature in the corners and the special processes applied here
to achieve the same appearance as in the middle. Apple states that it is
possible for the screen to follow the curved lines of the corners of the
device, thanks to advanced pixel masking, sub-pixel sharpness smoothing, and
high-precision glass. In fact, the same operations are performed on the iPad
Pro's curved corner Liquid Retina display.
However, in iPhone XR, it is important to keep the surface
area of the device as small as possible
and to expand the screen area as much as possible. Moreover, the screen of the
iPhone XR is not OLED like the iPhone Xs and Xs Max but has LCD technology.
For this reason, the operations on the screens of other 2018 model iPhones
cannot be applied exactly. Apple has developed a new backlight design that
allows the screen to extend to the corners. This way, it gets the largest LCD
screen ever offered on an iPhone.
When you compare the iPhone XR with the iPhone Xs and Xs
Max, it is noteworthy that the bezel surrounding the screen is slightly
thicker. However, this does not bother the eyes. Trying to extend the LCD
screen to the limits of the device as much as possible, Apple, in addition to
using a different method also gives up 3D Touch, a feature we have seen
frequently on iPhones in recent years.
3D Touch first appeared on iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. The screen
with this feature can detect different pressure levels. In this way, different
functions are possible when you press your finger lightly or firmly on the
screen. How useful 3D Touch is has been discussed for a long time, but we have
been using this feature on all iPhones we have used so far.
Due to the absence of 3D Touch, when you lightly press the
app icons on the iPhone XR's home screen, the Quick Action menu does not open.
Instead, the interface that allows the applications to be uninstalled or
replaced. On the other hand, there is no Peek that lets you preview links in
Safari or Mail, or Pop that lets you open them completely.
We said that we have benefited greatly from 3D Touch, but in
fact, Apple indirectly offers many of the popular features of 3D Touch to
iPhone XR users. For example, when you lightly press the Flashlight icon on the
locked screen, you feel a slight vibration as on the 3D Touch screen and the
flashlight turns on. Or you can access more controls in Control Center by
lightly pressing the button of each control. One of the most popular
possibilities of 3D Touch, you can move the cursor by lightly pressing the
virtual keyboard, and you can access it by moving the cursor on the keyboard
without lifting your finger after lightly pressing the spacebar. As a result,
the absence of 3D Touch on the iPhone XR is not a huge loss.
The iPhone XR also has True Tone technology on its LCD
screen. If you keep this technology turned on, the white color level of the
screen is adjusted according to the beam color temperature in the environment.
This way, your eyes are more comfortable, especially when reading something on
the phone. On the other hand, the screen has a brightness above 600 nits and
supports DCI-P3 color range. With a contrast ratio of 1400: 1, the iPhone Xs
and Xs Max are lower than the screen.
Still, the sharpness of the screen, the vibrancy of the
colors and the details are advanced. At the same time, the black color depth is
high. When the screen is off, it is as difficult to distinguish the notch area
at the top from the screen as on the iPhone Xs and Xs Max. Moreover, you can
watch Dolby Vision supported content from Netflix or iTunes Store brightly and
vividly on the iPhone XR's screen. Indeed, the Dolby Vision supported content
we watch on Netflix and rented from the iTunes Store is as impressive as it is
on the iPhone Xs Max.
When we compare it with the OLED screen of the iPhone Xs
Max, we see that the iPhone XR's screen remains at a lower level. This is
proven both on paper and in practice. When we look closely at the screens of
both phones; The sharpness of text on the iPhone XR appears to be higher than
on the iPhone Xs Max. In addition, the colors appear more vivid on the iPhone
Xs Max's screen. However, if we put the iPhone Xs Max aside and compare the
iPhone XR with other products in the same segment, we see that the quality and
experience offered by the screen area at the top. As a result, iPhone XR owners
will be very pleased with the screen.
Its strength on the audio side complements the superior qualities offered by the display, making the iPhone XR a handy device for multimedia enthusiasts. Apple also offers advancements in the stereo speakers of the iPhone Xs and Xs Max on the iPhone XR. Stereo speakers on one lower edge and the other on the front handset speaker provide a powerful, bass, and treble-balanced sound output. Apple has increased the loudness of the speaker in the handset speaker compared to the previous generation models. So, especially when you hold the phone horizontally, an equal volume of sound is projected to both ears. The sound output is one level lower than that of the iPhone Xs Max, but above the smartphone average. As a result, you don't feel the need for an external speaker while listening to music or watching things on your own or with others.
Operating System and Processor.
The iPhone XR comes with the A12 Bionic.
According to the operating system, iPhone XR comes with iOS 12. Apple focuses on performance and enables even
older models to run quickly and smoothly. On a high-end phone like the iPhone
XR, iOS 12 runs very smoothly and quickly.
With iOS 12, it brings many innovations such as Screen Time,
Group FaceTime, Messages and FaceTime apps, useful improvements in Camera
Effects, Do Not Disturb, and Notifications. iPhone XR owners have the
opportunity to take advantage of all these opportunities.
The 6.1 screen of the iPhone XR offers enough viewing area
that Apple; It adjusts the screen according to this direction in horizontal use
in applications such as Settings, Mail, Messages. It does the same with the
iPhone Xs Max and previous "Plus" models.
There is a large library of apps and games in the App Store
for iPhone XR. For this reason, phone owners will not have any problems with
the applications and games they will install. The power of the Apple A12 Bionic
processor will also give you the opportunity to efficiently use augmented
reality-based apps and games that Apple is increasingly important. On the other
hand, the application called Measure and offered to all iPhones with iOS 12
will allow you to use your iPhone XR as a ruler or meter whenever you need it.
Storage, Price, and Available Colors.
iPhone XR price depends on the selected variant. The basic variant of
the XR with 3GB RAM and 64GB variant, it will cost you around 454.90USD on
Amazon or 529.99USD on eBay. The variant with 3GB RAM and 128GB variant, it
will cost 518.99USD on Amazon or 519.00 on eBay while the 3GB RAM and 256GB
variant will cost you around 916.71USD on Amazon. It supports either 2 SIM
cards but it doesn't support Micro SD card. It is available in Black, Red,
Yellow, Blue, Coral, and White colors.
Battery and Security.
iPhone XR holds a powerful Li-Ion battery with a
capacity of 2942mAh. And this phone offers fast charging
According to Apple, this phone offers 1.5 hours longer
working life than iPhone 8 Plus. On the other hand, it is possible to make phone
calls up to 25 hours, surf the internet for up to 15 hours, watch videos up to
16 hours, and listen to music for up to 65 hours.
We see that the iPhone XR offers a working life exceeding 24
hours in normal intensity use. Moreover, during this use, the screen brightness
is mostly above the middle level. So, the iPhone XR allows you to easily take
out a day from morning to night with a fully charged battery, and even find it
the morning of the next day. This phone also has fast charging support.
However, Apple puts the standard 5W charging adapter in the phone box and there
is no fast charging facility with it. With this adapter, it can take 2.5-3
hours to reach full charge.
To take advantage of fast charging support, you need an 18W
or 30W USB-C power adapter and USB-C to Lightning cable, which Apple sold
separately. We have the 29W USB-C power adapter we bought last year. In the
test we conducted with this, we saw that the battery of the iPhone XR reached
50 percent in 28 minutes, and reached full charge in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Apart from fast charging, there is also wireless charging support. Wireless
charging is slower than charging with a 5W adapter, but it is more advanced in
terms of practicality. The Qi wireless charging standard is supported by the iPhone
XR and is a common standard. You can take advantage of this possibility with
most of the wireless charging accessories you can buy in the market. However,
be careful to choose what Apple recommends.
According to security, Apple is rolling out Face ID, which is included only on the iPhone X last year, to its entire iPhone line this year, abandoning Touch ID completely. We also see the TrueDepth depth-sensing camera system in iPhone XR, which we saw in iPhone Xs and Xs Max. In this way, you can unlock your device without entering a password, just by looking at the phone. Face ID works very quickly on the iPhone XR. So much so that we can see that it has the same speed as Face ID on the iPhone Xs Max. It also supports the same classical unlocking methods which any other has such as pattern and passcode.
Camera.
iPhone XR goes with a 12-megapixel single camera on the rear as
clarified: 12MP( wide with f\1.8). On the front, iPhone XR has a 7MP standard
front-facing camera with an f\2.2 and SL 3D biometrics sensor.
In good light conditions, we can shoot pictures at 125 ISO
by the iPhone. However,compared to the iPhone XS shot there is a higher
electronic noise. However, the latter triggered slower than his friend (1/45 s
against 1/60 s for the XR). Note that the examples shown in this article were
all captured freehand.
The gap widens sharply in favor of the iPhone XR when the
light conditions get complicated. In the example below, electronic noise
becomes very annoying on the iPhone XS which triggers at 1/25 s and ISO 800.
The iPhone XR manages the increase in sensitivity much better (also ISO 800),
even if it triggers a little slower (1/17 s). The advantage on this point is
clearly on the side of the iPhone XR.
There remains one criterion on which the algorithms of the
iPhone XS are more efficient than those of the XR: the management of bokeh.
Indeed, the iPhone XS remains one of the best in its rendering of background
blur. He manages to better analyze the distance between the shots and applies a
more progressive blur than his competitors. Most devices tend to artificially
cut out the foreground subject and blur the background evenly. The iPhone XR isn't
as good as its big brother, but it still ranks among the top performers.
Finally, the iPhone XR only allows the use of portrait mode
in the event that we photograph a human being (or something that looks like it,
like our Barbie). The iPhone XS allows for its part to extend this
functionality to animals, objects or plants. The limitation of the iPhone XR is
that the algorithm used is only trained to recognize humans. The iPhone XS
relies on the presence of two photo modules to estimate distances, which
reduces the need to precisely recognize the type of subject photographed. On
this point, the algorithm used by Google on its Pixel 3 is more permissive. It
is indeed possible to use portrait mode on almost everything,
In the end, the portrait mode of the iPhone XR may well be
superior to that of the iPhone XS in terms of pure image quality, the
constraints related to wide-angle framing make it less attractive. The
inability to capture the portrait of a subject with tight framing, without
being distorted, makes the function lose its charm. Too bad also that Apple
does not allow the iPhone XR to magnify the portrait of our friends the animals
or objects.
Conclusion.
iPhone Xs and Xs Max are Apple's top-of-the-line smartphones
and naturally these phones come with superior qualities. However, this
situation is directly reflected in the price tag. Apple designed the iPhone XR
to offer a model that largely reflects the experience of more expensive iPhones
at a lower price. Moreover, although it has a lower price and one level lower
technical features than the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, the iPhone XR easily enters
the flagship phone class.
The use of an LCD screen instead of OLED, the absence of
Touch ID, the use of a single camera on the back, the use of aluminum instead
of stainless steel, the preference of a lower LTE class… These can create a
question mark in the heads on paper. However, the iPhone XR contains many
important elements of the Xs and Xs Max, such as the Apple A12 Bionic
processor, Face ID, wireless charging, fast charging, Smart HDR.
We have been using both iPhone Xs Max and iPhone XR for
about a month. Of course, the precious device feel of the iPhone Xs Max is
more, the big screen offers a more comfortable look, but it is also at the edge
of iPhones right now. However, most of the work we can do with the iPhone Xs
Max can be done with the iPhone XR. The photos and videos we took are not very
different from each other. Battery performance is also close to each other. In
terms of multimedia experience, the iPhone XR is not inferior. On the other
hand, it offers a more fun look with its color options.
As a result, by paying less with the iPhone XR, you can get performance that is not at all inferior to their iPhone Xs or Xs Max, but be satisfied. We can say that the iPhone XR is a phone with a high price-performance ratio. But the question here if you had the choice to choose to try it would you go with it? Tell us what you think.
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