Apple iPhone 11: the best Apple midtier iPhone

When you hear for the first time the names of Apple's new iPhones – the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max – You may have questions. Where is the iPhone X ($ 612 at Walmart)? So we went back to normal numbers now? And what makes the Pro … Pro? Last year awkwardly named XS, XS Max (1,100 USD at Amazon) and XR the phones have undergone name revisions. This year's new phones are a continuation of the previous three last year, that's what you really need to know. The names are largely for marketing purposes.

After a week with the three phones, I started to understand that they were all identical, with some key extras in the Pro. The difference between these phones is much less than, for example, the iPad and the iPad Pro ($ 800 at Walmart). In fact, you could say all of these phones are Pro phones.

My opinion on the iPhone 11 is therefore a review of the three phones, because they are all variants of a theme. And the theme is the daily function.

Phones have become polite products. What I really want is more battery life and better features of the camera. That's the basic story of the iPhone 11, and especially the iPhone 11 Pro.

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But if Apple's upgrades look modest, the rest of the phone landscape is currently undergoing a complete overhaul. There is Wild 5G at the horizon, more weird and expensive foldable phones. The new iPhones of Apple do not enter these new strange worlds. They are strangely familiar and we have already seen their best features. If the phones now look like laptops, what Apple did with the 11 models, added high quality upgrades without ruining what's already working. The formula has not changed, but the results are better.

Apple has done great work with these new features, including some serious improvements to the camera. But it is not for nothing that the company has named this year its most expensive and sophisticated phones: this is the price. Apple targets the iPhone 11 at $ 699 (£ 729, AU $ 1,199) as the phone for most of you, in the same mold as the iPhone XR (686 $ at Amazon) last year. And that's the right gesture. Both iPhone Pro models are not essential. Except that, I use a lot the 2x telephoto camera on the iPhone XS.

And guess what? Although the 11 has two cameras, none of them are at telephoto.

But I do not try to be a super pro. I just want to have a good phone and take great pictures of my life and my kids. This phone does it better than ever, and so much more.

(Editor's note: Product evaluations are tentative and require additional testing.)

Always starts at 64 GB

The iPhone 11 model at 699 USD has 64 GB of storage, which is probably suitable for many people. This is a price drop of 50 USD compared to the base model of the iPhone XR from last year. 128GB for $ 749 probably makes more sense if you're recording a video and 256GB for $ 849 should only be a factor to consider if you're recording a lot of video. Pro phones add a level of 512 GB that you would not need unless you shoot 4K for a living. Refer to the chart at the bottom of this review for full price details, including British and Australian prices.

Colors: The iPhone 11 is the fun phone

For whatever reason, Apple still offers the cheapest 11, one that can have fun with the colors. There are two new colors, green and purple, that look more like mint green and lavender. These new pastel colors replace the blue and coral options of last year.

I have the green iPhone 11. Its color is nice and the color of the aluminum case is much more transparent than the glass. The shiny glass back has the same effect as the XR from last year. The same goes for the rest of the phone, except for the double cameras, which are raised from the back and placed in a frosted glass photo square.

In contrast, the models of the iPhone 11 Pro all have metallic shades: silver, gray space, gold and minimalist military green. The three cameras seem more industrial (perhaps imposing). The back glass is matte, instead of glossy. They are steel instead of aluminum. And the Pro phones feel considerably denser. They pack bigger batteries and steel adds weight.

I like the fact that the iPhone 11 follows the footsteps of the iPhone XR and again represents the medium-sized phone with a 6.1-inch display – compared to both models of the iPhone. iPhone Pro at 5.8 inches and 6.5 inches. I came to promote the iPhone 11 Pro smaller size, like the iPhone XS last year.

Cameras

Apple has made impressive progress in camera quality just like many other phone manufacturers. Hard-working photographers are looking closely at the photographic arms race, but I would argue that it far exceeded the needs of most people.

I found that the photos on iPhone were really good for years, but not always as good as what a professional camera could offer. On the other hand, the video on iPhone has become so excellent that it could serve as a substitute for some professional cameras.

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But when it comes to camera upgrades, we are talking this year about a new wide angle camera and a night mode for low light photography, which are the two key improvements of the iPhone 11. The ultra-veil is the effect you have won 'Do not use it often – and if you own an older iPhone, you can always buy an ultra-thin ultra-flat lens instead. But the night mode is a key feature that allows Apple to become familiar with the similar features of Google, Huawei and Samsung. And until now, the version of Apple is impressive.

Night mode, how does it work and when does not work

As the Google Pixel 3 last year and Samsung Galaxy Note 10 This year, taking amazing low-light shots seems to be part of the wheelhouse of every phone manufacturer. The Apple version works automatically, taking an additional 1 to 3 seconds to capture more light and assemble an image that, until now in my tests, ended up almost surreal and richly colored.

The HDR feel of the photos retains some of the nighttime effects, but at other times, the photos may look like the day. The night mode can be disabled by pressing the icon and dragging the timer, but until now, this has been an improvement in almost all cases.

This is not a perfect tool: faces can become blurry, details can be lost. But still, I was seduced. The night mode effects work the same way on the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro, but the latter also has a telephoto lens that can use it.

However, you can not use the night mode in the very wide angle mode. This camera ends up looking a lot darker and does not have optical image stabilization either. That's true on all models this year.

Ultrawide angle = dramatic camera

I do not know how many times I'm going to use the lens at a very wide angle, because it's really large. You think you understand how far the ultravide is far behind, then you see your space through the lens of the camera and it's a strange and distorted universe.

Without a doubt, this can give superb shots. Ultrawide cameras are another new trend among phone cameras. Apple promises some additional benefits here. The iPhone 11 boasts an enhanced wide angle portrait mode that can work with close-ups of your pets and others. All phones feature an enlarged viewfinder that now lets you see what's going on outside of the shot, which can help you know when to use the ultra-wide lens.