Apple iPhone XR smartphone - pros and cons

The American corporation "Apple" has won a high position in the electronics market and has become one of the best manufacturers. The public meets laptops, tablets and other gadgets with interest, because the innovative technologies of this company allow you to take a step into the future. The iPhone lineup is very popular due to its quality, stylish design and brand.

On September 12, 2018, a presentation of three smartphones was held, among which the most anticipated, secret and curious was the iPhone XR. It is presented as an improved iPhone 8 and differs markedly from the flagships. The phone is available for pre-order from October 19, and will be on sale from the 26th. Should I queue up for a novelty? The following overview will help you make your choice.

Specifications

Design

The appearance of the smartphone is similar to that of the iPhone X. The rounded corners of the body are edged with an aluminum frame, while the more expensive predecessor was framed with stainless steel. Case material - impact-resistant glass. The manufacturer claims that the phone has become even more resistant to damage. It will be possible to verify this when the device is released to the masses.

Device dimensions: 75.7x150.9x8.3 mm. Weight: 194g. The XR is slightly larger than the iPhone X, but still fits comfortably in your hand.

The front panel is almost entirely occupied by the display, above which there is a small "eyebrow" with the earpiece, front camera and Face ID. The layout of the buttons has not changed. On the left there are three keys: a bell / mute switch and a volume control. On the right are a functional button and a slide-out tray for a SIM card. A stereo speaker, microphone and Lightning connector for charging and connecting a headset are built on the bottom. On the back, at the left edge is a single rear camera with flash.

There is still no separate headphone jack and home buttons. The uselessness of a headset jack confirms the high demand for Apple wireless headphones, and the absence of the "Home" key in the mechanical and touch modes will have to be tolerated. After the iPhone X, the controls will be familiar, and users of the early models will experience a lot of inconvenience at first. In the absence of a key, there is a definite plus - saving on repairing this part of the gadget.

The XR is available in six colors: black, white, yellow, coral, red and blue. This is the first Apple phone with a wide range of color options. The audience was more interested in the performance in yellow.

Display

The 6.1-inch full-size Liquid Retina HD display occupies more than 82 percent of the front of a smartphone. To reduce the final price, the manufacturer installed an LCD screen instead of OLED. This display has become the "highlight" of the iPhone XR.

The phone retains the touch screen-on function that was previously only possible with OLED. In addition, the device supports True Tone technology: a 6-channel light sensor automatically adjusts the white balance and makes the screen comfortable for viewing. This makes the picture look like a picture on paper.

The display uses IPS technology, which provides a wide viewing angle and high color rendering. The screen resolution is 1792x828 pixels with a density equal to the iPhone 4 - 326 ppi. Contrast in comparison with the fresh flagships with a million-strong remains low - 1400: 1. The screen brightness is adjustable up to 625 cd / m2.

P3's wide color gamut brings images crisp and natural. It is a pleasure to use a gadget with such a screen to watch videos. An oleophobic coating adds extra comfort, protecting the screen from fingerprints.

operating system

A new version of the operating system has been installed - iOS 12. There are a lot of innovations in it, but it is worth considering the most significant of them:

• Organization of conferences in FaceTime via video and audio communication simultaneously with 32 interlocutors;
• New animated emoticons and the ability to create an Animoji series in your own image;
• Added applications that expand the capabilities of virtual reality, with the ability to recognize the size of objects in the real world, the smartphone will completely replace the roulette;
• Disable notifications and sound signals from the lock screen;
• Do not disturb mode is limited by time frames or geolocation and turns off automatically;
• Improved data protection when surfing the Internet. Sites cannot track a device without the consent of the owner and collect information for advertising purposes. Unique passwords for all accounts are created and saved automatically.

To summarize the description of iOS12, the gadget has become faster, more convenient and safer.

CPU

The XR features an A12 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine that supports machine learning. This technology carries out 5 trillion. operations per second and allows you to solve many tasks in real time, so the phone quickly adapts to its owner.

The A12 Bionic is the first artificial intelligence chip to be built using 7nm technology. The single-chip system consists of a 6-core computing module and a 4-core graphics chip. 2 processor cores with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz are used for complex tasks, and 4 processor cores with a frequency of 2 GHz are used for everyday tasks. The integrated 4-core video chip opens up new possibilities in games and graphics applications.

The processor is more powerful and more efficient than its predecessors. It saves battery power while keeping your smartphone running fast. XR is rightfully considered the third in the world in terms of performance, behind Apple's 2018 flagships.

Memory

The RAM is more than enough to work with open applications and the camera. 3 GB is quite enough for normal operation under heavy workload conditions.

There are three types of phones according to the volume of internal storage: 64, 128 and 256 GB of memory. The addition of medium volume provides the flexibility to choose XR for price.

The manufacturers took into account that the memory card slows down the operation of the device, so they did not make a slot for it.

Dual sim

The phone supports two SIM cards: nano-SIM and eSIM. Electronic SIM cards have not yet been developed in Russia, and the date of their introduction is unknown. In any case, at the time of the release of the smartphone, they will not appear, so you will have to limit yourself to one SIM card.

For the Chinese market, Apple has prepared the XR model with support for two physical nano-SIM cards. Perhaps consumers from Russia will also be able to use this modification.

Autonomy

The capacity of the battery is currently unknown.According to the manufacturer, the built-in lithium-ion battery lasts 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 8 Plus. According to official data, the duration of the device in different modes will be:

For laboratory tests, such indicators are quite real. In reality, with active use of the gadget, the battery will last only until the evening.

XR supports the fast battery charging option, which charges the battery to 50 percent in 30 minutes. You can charge your smartphone from a power adapter or a computer via a USB cable. It also provides wireless charging from devices with the Qi standard.

Communication and navigation

iPhone XR operates in quad-band GSM / EDGE cellular communications: 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz. High-speed mobile Internet networks are available in technologies: 3G, 4G LTE and CDMA EV ‑ DO Rev. A. The last standard listed is not supported by all models. The Wi-Fi network features a MIMO option that provides data transfer rates over 300 Mbps. Voice communication over the LTE network is carried out using VoLTE technology. In Russia, cellular operators provide this service only in the largest cities.

Bluetooth version 5.0 transfers information from the device at a speed of 6.25 MB / s. The built-in NFC module complements the communication capabilities. It instantly turns on Bluetooth for transferring heavy files, speeds up purchases, sends information to another device, and scans programmed tags.

There are four types of navigation satellite systems: A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS. They quickly find the coordinates of the phone using installed map applications. In this case, errors caused by various interference are allowed.

Unlocking

To unlock, a Face ID scanner is used, which instantly recognizes the owner's face using the TrueDepth camera. He tracks changes in appearance and recognizes a person even in the dark and wearing sunglasses. The Face ID scanner opens access to applications and accounts, replacing logins and passwords, which significantly saves time.

The IR camera, IR emitter and dot projector that make up TrueDepth work seamlessly in real time to instantly unlock your smartphone. The new version allows registration of a second person. It can be the owner himself with a changed appearance or another person. If the scan fails, just swipe up on the screen to try again.

Face ID is considered to be a secure data access system, but it has its drawbacks:

• The system is energy intensive. Face ID drains the battery many times faster than a fingerprint scanner.
• Face ID can go wrong and work on the twin. Children also have problems with unlocking.
• The scanner is inconvenient when driving.

The fingerprint scanner is not installed in the smartphone. By removing the Home button, the manufacturer has given up on Touch ID.

Interface

The lock screen contains notifications divided into thematic groups, quick access to the camera and flashlight. The home page contains shortcuts to various applications. At the bottom of the screen, in the usual places, there are icons for contacts, messages, compass and music. You can move the application icons as you like. The upper corners of the display are filled with hours, battery power and mains.

The XR has about 40 applications installed by default, which have undergone minor changes. So, for example, more keys are added to the "Control Center" for quick access to smartphone functions, including "Hearing" and "Scanning a QR code".

Rear and front cameras

IPhone models have always had a reputation for quality cameras that rival digital cameras. XR is no exception. It allows you to take rich photos and videos with both cameras. The image quality will not disappoint even the most demanding user.

Rear camera

• Photography

The camera with a six-element wide-angle lens has a resolution of 12 megapixels. The outside is covered with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The 1.8 aperture ensures bright shots even in low light conditions.

The XR has a 5x digital zoom. Since optical zoom is not provided here, only the frame will be enlarged without approaching the subject. The quality of the picture may suffer a little from this.

The smartphone has a built-in True Tone Quad ‑ LED flash with Slow Sync function, which evens out the brightness of the frame and makes the picture harmonious. This will ensure that the subject in the foreground will not stand out too much due to the backlight.

The BSI sensor reduces digital noise and adds richness, while the Hybrid IR Cut Filter fills images with lifelike colors. Smart HDR mode brings out details in areas that are too dark or too bright.

Autofocus with the Focus Pixels option quickly adjusts to the optimal sharpness, and the focus object can be changed with one touch. The camera's shutter is instantly released, so you can capture any moment in life. Optical image stabilization protects photos from blur and captures a clear picture of a moving subject. Each photo can be linked to the desired geolocation.

The rear camera is good for portrait photography. Blurring the background and optimizing the sharpness in the finished shot makes the shots effective. Additionally, three types of light are provided: daylight, studio and contour.

With Live Photos, you can create "live" pictures with moving objects.

Photos are saved in two formats: HEIF and JPEG.

Sample shot on a clear day:

How to photograph at night:

• Filming

You can record videos in three resolutions: 4K, HD 1080p and HD 720p. Slow motion shooting is also supported, which is useful when creating videos with very fast movements.

With a frame rate of up to 30 per second, the image detail is expanded, which makes video recording more complete. Cinematic and optical stabilization conceals hand shake and occasional jerking. Focus Pixels maintains consistent focus throughout video recording, while maintaining the sharpness of the picture, and digital zoom allows you to enlarge the frame three times. It is easy to mark the location of the shooting to the resulting video.

The smartphone includes a "Timelapse" mode with the ability to create a video from a series of photographs. In addition, while recording a 4K video, you can take photos with a resolution of 8 megapixels.

Video formats: HEVC and H.264.

Front-camera

The 7MP camera is equipped with an on-screen flash for natural-looking colors. Thanks to this, selfies are bright and vivid. The front camera also supports Smart HDR and can take moving photos. The portrait mode offers 5 types of light for a variety of shots: daylight, studio, contour, stage and stage mono.

Using this camera, you can make your own emoticons, which will bring a pleasant variety to communication.

There are two resolutions for video: HD 1080p and HD 720p. The frames are aligned with cinematic stabilization and the image becomes smooth. Videos with a frequency of up to 30 frames / s are rendered in detail.

Play sound

The XR delivers stereo surround sound that is not lost even at maximum volume. Two speakers provide comfortable listening to music even on a noisy street. The gadget will not replace a full-fledged speaker system, but it will cope with the function of a portable player with dignity.

FM radio can only be listened to after installing the corresponding application. Internet traffic will be wasted when playing a radio station.

Video playback

A smartphone is ideal for watching videos. Using Dolby Vision and HDR10 standards, iPhone XR optimizes video to make it vivid and spacious.

The phone can also stream video to a TV or other device via AirPlay. With a digital AV adapter or a VGA adapter, you can output recordings up to 1080p.

Siri

Siri voice control makes using your phone a lot easier. The assistant adapts to the interests and needs of the owner.Siri leaves prompts and quickly performs voice commands: sending messages, creating reminders, searching for information, etc. You can also communicate with the mobile assistant through the keyboard.

Special abilities

Apple is consumer-oriented. Of course, not everyone can afford the iPhone, but this device is able to become a real assistant and bring colors to life.
Additional options are divided according to the characteristics of the person:

• Vision. VoiceOver controls navigation and announces what is happening on the screen. Color Inversion applies special filters to the image, making it comfortable for perception. The built-in magnifying glass allows you to see objects in the real world when you point the camera at them, and the Magnifier function will help you understand the elements on the display. Screen Aloud option will read the article, message and other text information.
• Hearing. Live listening will allow you to hear your interlocutors better when using your Apple hearing aid. FaceTime with high video quality is suitable for sign language communication. When watching movies in closed captioning, you can see descriptions of music and sound effects. "Voice over when typing" will help the owner with voice prompts and corrections. Flash notifications are also available.
• Physical skills. Switch Control allows you to control your smartphone using built-in functions and external input devices such as a joystick. The Home app supports voice control of HomeKit-compatible accessories. AssistiveTouch lets you customize one-touch access to features.

Equipment

The smartphone is packaged in a compact white box with a familiar design. The kit includes:

• iPhone XR.
• EarPods with Lightning connector and high sound quality. Apple has completely dropped the standard headset jack. You won't be able to listen to music and charge the phone at the same time, and it's not very convenient to connect headphones from below. There is a way out: purchase an adapter or a wireless headset.
• USB cable for charging and connecting to a computer. The length of the cord is not specified, but it is unlikely that it will exceed 1 m.
• Power adapter with a voltage of at least 2 A.
• Documentation.

There will be no Lightning to 3.5mm adapter here.

Price

XR pricing varies based on memory size. In Russia, the final price is:

• 64 GB - 64,990 rubles
• 128 GB - 68,990 rubles.
• 256 GB - 77,990 rubles.

Quite affordable prices compared to Apple's flagships.

Advantages and disadvantages

According to consumer reviews and the characteristics of the phone, the following pros and cons of the new model stand out:

• LCD screen with realistic color reproduction;
• Budget pricing by Apple standards;
• Two high quality cameras;
• 4G LTE support;
• Powerful A12 Bionic processor;
• Choice of six colors;
• Protection against water and dust IP67 (immersion to a depth of 1 m for 30 minutes).

• No 3D Touch;
• Only one physical SIM card;
• One rear camera;
• No optical zoom
• The set does not include an adapter with a 3.5 mm jack;
• "Monobrow". Some users note this as a disadvantage, since the screen is not fully utilized by many applications.

Outcome

iPhone XR is a high-quality smartphone that can last for several years with proper use. The powerful processor handles multitasking with ease and is great for active games. Nimble cameras will capture all the bright moments and add beautiful pictures to your memories.

XR is a real helper. He will not forget to remind you of an important meeting or call, suggest an activity for your leisure time and help you plan your time.

After the presentation, the "stuffing" of the smartphone does not cause much interest among connoisseurs of Apple products, but the XR remains a worthy phone. You shouldn't swap iPhone X for XR, but those with earlier models might like the design and performance. The smartphone is perfect for newcomers to the Apple culture. A relatively budget device with a powerful engine will show all the charm of using the iPhone and its extensive functionality. There is no point in overpaying for the 2018 Apple flagships, since the processor will become outdated next year.So, in a company with XR, you can safely wait for a new innovative giant.