iPhone XR specs, price, features, and release date

The XR iPhone represents what may be a change of heart for Apple. In the past, buying Apple's "budget" alternative to its flagship phones is usually part of the world. This is an extreme in 2017, as the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus looked wildly different than the iPhone X, with its fancy Face ID, notch, and tiny bezels.

With the iPhone XR, though, Apple is actually letting users pick up the same phone as the flagship model with a savings of $ 250. It still supports wireless charging and Face ID. It's got the same processor. It even looks much the same. The only real difference is the type of display that is used and the lack of a telephoto rear view. Are those deal-breakers? We've made this guide to help you decide.

What are the specs of the iPhone XR?

• size: 5.94 inches by 2.98 inches by 0.33 inches
• Weight: 6.24 ounces
• Display: 6.2-inch "Liquid Retina" LCD, 1792 x 828, 326 pixels per inch, DCI-P3 color gamut
• Other display features: HDR, True Tone, 120Hz touch input
• Waterproofing: IP67 (up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of water)
• Battery capacity: 2,942mAh
• Rear camera: 12MP wide-angle f / 1.8 camera with OIS and 1.4 micron pixels
• Front camera: Second-generation TrueDepth module with 7MP camera, f / 2.2, up to 1080p recording at 60 fps
• System-on-Chip: Apple A12 Bionic
• Pricing and storage: $ 749 (64GB), $ 799 (128GB), $ 899 (256GB)
• Colors: White, Black, Blue, Yellow, Coral, (Product) Red

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How does the iPhone XR compare to the iPhone XS?

We've already written about the differences between the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS, and the iPhone XS Max, but for the sake of convenience. We will also focus on the regular iPhone XS here it is the more likely alternative if you're looking for something in the XR's price range.

1. The iPhone XR starts at $ 749, while the iPhone XS starts at $ 999. Saving money is cool.
2. At 6.1 inches, iPhone XR has a technically larger display than the iPhone 5.8-inch XS.
3. We say "technically" because you're also sacrificing resolution with the XR. The iPhone XR has a resolution of 1792×828 at 326 ppi, while the XS has a resolution of 2436×1125 at 458 ppi. That's good enough to avoid jagged edges, but the XS's display is in a different class entirely.
4. That's mainly because the iPhone XS has an OLED display while the iPhone XR has a "Liquid Retina" LCD display. With OLED displays, you get true blacks and more accurate coloring in general.
5. Both phones house Apple's powerful new A12 Bionic chip, so you should not see much difference in app performance between the two.
6. If there is a difference, it's likely to the RAM, the iPhone XR only has 3GB while the iPhone XS has 4GB.
7. At 6.84 ounces, the iPhone XR is ever so slightly as iPhone XS (which weighs 6.24 ounces). This is a tiny difference and one you'll barely notice.
8. The iPhone XR comes in seven different colors, while the iPhone XS is only available in three.
9. The iPhone XR's battery should deliver around 15 hours of internet use, while the iPhone XS will deliver only around 12.

Am I making too many sacrifices with the iPhone XR's camera?

It depends on what you want. The iPhone XS and the XR iPhone share the same primary rear-facing cameras, but the iPhone XR lacks the second telephoto lens that you find on the XS.

You'll notice these differences when using Portrait Mode. As the iPhone XS does not have a second lens, achieving similar effects to what iPhone XS users see with Portrait Mode requires some tricky parallax calculations with the autofocus. Partly as a result, Portrait Mode only XR rather than shots of, say, food or pets. Just to emphasize: The XR iPhone will not be triggered Portrait Mode's depth effect unless it detects a human face.

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This arrangement comes with some unexpected bonuses. For one, since machine learning is behind the iPhone XR's depth effect, you will not have to struggle to find the "sweet spot" to trigger the depth effect of the iPhone XS and its separate lens. Even better, since it is not necessary to use the lens, the iPhone XR can apply the depth effect in dimmer lighting.

Am I missing out on a lot by sticking with an LCD display?

Have you ever owned a phone with an OLED display before? If you never have, there's a good chance you'll be fine with the LCD display. Apple's so-called "Liquid Retina" screen on the iPhone XR is likely the best LCD display on the market right now, and Apple's many previous Retina devices prove that you will not disappointed with its quality.

But gosh, OLED displays are pretty. The ones on the iPhone XS XS are a little bit more than just the one on the iPhone XS, and they register colors and blacks LCD displays struggle to match. That makes a big difference when viewing everything from digital books to movies, and when you've gotten used to it, it's hard to go back.

OLED displays are also more efficient than LCD displays as they do not rely on a traditional backlight. Instead, each pixel produces light directly.

Can I use Animoji and Memoji with the iPhone XR?

Yes! The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max all use the same front-facing TrueDepth sensor, so your experience with Face ID. Animoji, and Memoji should be identical on every device.

When and where can I buy an iPhone XR?

Preorders for the iPhone XR began on Friday, October 19 and the first units started shipping on October 25. At the moment, there are no shortage of supply.

Now that it's out in the wild, we've compiled a list of all the places where you can buy one for yourself, along with the pros and cons of each.

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Can I use any older iPhone cases with the iPhone XR?

Unfortunately, no. Largely because of its single rear camera, the iPhone XR's form factor does not match any of the recent iPhones.

On the bright side, you can already find plenty of good for the iPhone XR itself, and we've assembled a list of some of our favorites.