Dan Pražák It is cheaper, more colorful and lacks some features. For ordinary users, it may be difficult, but for Apple fans, it is a relatively simple puzzle, to which they immediately know the answer - the iPhone XR. The last of this year's trio of iPhones finally went on sale today, more than six weeks after the introduction. The Czech Republic is also among the more than fifty countries where the new product is now available. We also managed to capture two pieces of the iPhone XR for the editorial office, so let's summarize the first impressions we got after several hours of testing.
Unboxing the phone basically brings no major surprises. The contents of the package are exactly the same as the more expensive iPhone XS and XS Max. Compared to last year, Apple has stopped including a reduction from Lightning to 3,5 mm jack with its phones this year, which, if necessary, must be purchased separately for 290 crowns. Unfortunately, the charging accessories have not changed either. Apple still only bundles a 5W adapter and a USB-A/Lightning cable with its phones. At the same time, MacBooks have had USB-C ports for more than three years, and iPhones have supported fast charging for the second year.
Of course, the most interesting thing is the phone itself. We were lucky enough to get the classic white and the less traditional yellow. While the iPhone XR looks really good in white, the yellow looks a bit cheap to me personally and kind of detracts from the value of the phone. However, the phone is very well made and the aluminum frame in particular evokes a kind of sleekness and cleanliness. Although aluminum does not look as premium as steel, it is not a magnet for fingerprints and dirt, which is a common problem with the iPhone X, XS and XS Max.
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What pleasantly surprised me at first glance about the iPhone XR is its size. I expected it to be just a tad smaller than the XS Max. In fact, the XR is closer in size to the smaller iPhone X/XS, which is certainly a welcome benefit for many. The camera lens also caught my attention, which is unusually large and noticeably more prominent than other models. Perhaps it is only optically enlarged by the aluminum framing with sharp edges that protect the lens. Unfortunately, it is precisely behind the sharp edges that dust particles often settle, and in the case of the iPhone XR it was no different after a few hours of use. It's a shame Apple didn't stick with beveled aluminum like the iPhone 8 and 7.
The position of the SIM card slot is also quite interesting. While in all previous iPhones the drawer was located practically immediately below the side power button, in the iPhone XR it is moved a few centimeters lower. We can only speculate as to why Apple did this, but there will certainly be a connection with the disassembly of the internal components. Users with an emphasis on detail will certainly be pleased with the symmetrical vents on the bottom edge of the phone, which are not interrupted by the antenna as in the case of the iPhone XS and XS Max.
The display also gets positive points for me. Although this is a cheaper LCD panel with a lower resolution of 1792 x 828, it actually delivers true colors and content looks really good on it. It's not for nothing that Apple claims that this is the best LCD display on the market, and despite my initial skeptical expectations, I'm willing to believe that statement. The white is really white, not yellowish like on models with an OLED display. Colors are vivid, almost comparable to how the iPhone X, XS and XS Max deliver them. Only black is not as saturated as on more expensive models. The frames around the display are indeed a bit wider, especially the one at the bottom edge can sometimes be distracting, but if you don't have a direct comparison with other iPhones, you probably won't even notice the difference.
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So my first impression of the iPhone XR is generally positive. Although I own an iPhone XS Max, which after all offers a bit more, I quite like the iPhone XR. Yes, it also lacks 3D Touch, for example, which is replaced by the Haptic Touch function, which offers only a handful of original functions, even so, the novelty has something in it, and I believe that ordinary users will often reach for it rather than the flagship models. More details will be revealed in the review itself, where we will focus, among other things, on endurance, charging speed, camera quality and, in general, what the phone is like after several days of use.
I just brought it, everything OK. Only the sound of the shutter when taking pictures does not work (Livephoto off). In previous models, it was rather difficult to turn off the shutter sound. Does anyone have this experience? I couldn't find the option to turn it on anywhere in the settings.
I take it back, it works now!
In our editorial office, the camera sound works for both tested models. :-)
I checked it out in iStyle today. In a direct comparison with the XS, it has a significantly better white. It surprised me a lot. Both phones brightness at max (classic in the store). With the XS, I thought the night shift was turned on. It was very yellow. As for subtleties, I didn't notice a difference on the same page with the same content. If a person wants a better photo, he has to go to XS. But if someone buys a mobile phone for photography and video, 64GB won't be enough. It must be at least 256. For the XR, which will not be used primarily for photography, a basic 64GB will be enough. Or 1500, which is 128 more expensive. You save almost 10 thousand and you still get a better non-burning display with better white. I take the color options as a bonus.
isn't it just zaply true tone?
It isn't. White on iPhones with an OLED display is simply yellowish. It is one of the disadvantages of OLED technology and even Apple could not eliminate it. In contrast, black is significantly more perfect than on LCD.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2bdd4842b28b2619a6fdaaba4780ad9ef3e34b0ebad4f757e09a0709ecb939e5.jpg Unfortunately, I am exactly the person who changed the iPhone X to the XS MAX just for the sake of photography. Actually, that is also why I went to Holland last year for the eight, and in two months to Norway for the X-ko. Since I work in 3 countries during the year, I always want to to have something in my pocket with which I can make the most beautiful memory possible. The photo in XS is incredible
For me, battery life comes first and the phone's size isn't too big. That's why I take the smaller resolution of the XR as an advantage. I don't need a dark black as often as a nice white. But I am interested in the maximum brightness for readability in the sun. The absence of 3D Touch is embarrassing if Apple wants to pride itself on the consistent control and ergonomics of its products. I don't really care about the camera; it is sufficient for snapshots and documentary photos. I am spoiled by a professional SLR camera and consider artificial bokeh more or less kitsch; I wouldn't use it anyway.
If the maximum brightness will be good and the phone can be controlled at least with one hand, then I'd rather go for the XR than the XS. I am not considering the MAX due to the size.
So much for my subjective opinion.