Apple’s latest next entry-level phone, the iPhone XR, has been unveiled before the world
The new ‘cheap’ iPhone has arrived. Or at least it will do, before the end of October.
At Apple’s Special Event on 12 September, Apple unveiled three brand-new iPhones. First off were the premium iPhone Xs and Xs Max, the ultra-pricey upgrades to the iPhone X. After that, we were at last able to feast our eyes upon the iPhone XR, the iPhone 8 successor formerly known as the iPhone 9 – among other titles.
After months of speculation and anticipation, we now know what the iPhone XR will look like, and what it can do. Available in six different colours, the iPhone XR will be available to order by mid-October 2018, and has three price levels depending on how much storage you want.
Read on to find out everything we know about the iPhone XR in the wake of Apple’s Special Event.
iPhone XR: Everything you need to know
iPhone XR name: What does the ‘R’ stand for?
Nobody has a clue what the ‘R’ in iPhone XR stands for just yet. Neither does Apple, it would seem, since there was no mention of the letter’s purpose in its new handset. It could be ‘Radical’, it could be ‘Rubbish’ – it could mean anything and, indeed, it could mean nothing at all. Everyone had predicted it to be called the iPhone 9, which would be the logical thing to do after the iPhone 8. But no.
We did actually receive confirmation of the iPhone XR’s title mere hours before the Apple Event, when the Californian tech titan accidentally leaked the name in its own store’s website.
iPhone XR release date: When will you be able to buy one?
The iPhone XR’s release is slightly delayed compared to the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, which both launch on September 21, with pre-orders available on September 14. Meanwhile, the iPhone XR can be ordered on October 19 and will ship worldwide on October 26. To wait a whole extra month seems harsh, but Apple can be a cruel mistress.
iPhone XR design and features: The BEST iPhone design yet?
Apple has stepped up its game with the design of the iPhone XR. Despite having a larger 6.1in screen compared to the iPhone 8’s 5.8in display, the iPhone XR actually has a smaller overall build and, presumably, a lighter weight.
Along with the Xs and Xs Max, it boasts the ‘hardest glass’ ever seen on a smartphone. It will be available in six different colours and its case is made of aerospace-grade aluminium. Well, aren’t they all? It does look nice, although its ‘highest quality’ LCD screen, with a resolution of 1,792 x 828 and 326ppi, isn’t a major improvement on the iPhone 8. Apple has termed this display Liquid Retina. What does that mean? Genuinely, nothing.
iPhone XR camera: What camera does it have?
Apple has gone with a lone rear-facing 13-megapixel camera with f/1.8 wide-angle aperture, ‘Smart HDR’ and Bokeh effects. This is, in fact, identical hardware to the Apple iPhone Xs and Xs Max, and should deliver some pretty stunning results. As for video, it will shoot 1,080p at 60fps. The quality of the selfie camera is yet to be confirmed.
iPhone XR price: How much will it cost?
The cheapest iPhone XR will be £749/$749 (Apple has a habit of not bothering to convert the price for international consumers – the iPhone X was $999 in the US and £999 in the UK). And that’s just for the 64GB. We’re yet to find out how much the 128GB and 256GB models will cost.
iPhone XR specs: What’s it made of?
- Display: 6.1in LCD 1,792 x 828
- Processor: 7nm A12 bionic
- Storage: 64GB, 128GB or 256GB
- Camera: 13MP f/1.8
- Price: From £749
- Release Date: Preorders from 21 October 2018; Shipment 26 October 2018
Source: expertreviews.co.uk