iPhone XR in 2020 — What Will Be Its Future?

Ishaan Seth
7 min readOct 28, 2020

Apple users are quite familiar with the iPhone XR being one of the best models released. This was due to its powerful features and its affordable retail price. But with the tech giant releasing their latest model, the iPhone 12, this year many are wondering what the XR’s fate will be. Let’s find out.

The iPhone XR is a popular model in 2018 (photo credit: techcrunch.com)

Overall Design

What you will get with the iPhone XR is this almost full-screen display with corners that are more rounded than before. That notch that you see on top of the screen is where you will find the sensor as well as the cameras that are needed for FaceID. This is a wireless charging ready smartphone on your hands.

The aluminum frame of the XR is similar to the previous models meaning that it has a classic look. This may feel old school for some especially when you compare it with Apple’s flagship devices, but it can hold on its own.

It sports an IP67 rating allowing it to be submerged in a meter of water for half an hour without getting damaged. What makes this unit quite popular with many Apple users is because the XR comes in various colors. So, if you want to have a smartphone that captures the eyes, the iPhone XR will deliver.

Screen

The XR’s 6.1-inch screen is not overwhelming, and it doesn’t feel bulky in your hands too. The beauty of its large display is that you can run a variety of applications, videos, or games without experiencing any lags. The downside though is that the XR’s screen is made from LCD which has less brightness than that of the later models. This doesn’t mean that you won’t enjoy browsing through the web or even watching videos with this unit. With its big screen, no one feels ready to complain about the LCD display.

Instead of the 3D Touch that is common in many recent models, the XR is equipped with the Haptic Touch. This tech lets you make shortcuts by pressing on the icon longer or when you want to remove any notifications from the display.

The single lens camera on the iPhone XR can hold on its own (photo credit: imore.com)

Camera

Although the XR only has a single camera at the rear, it doesn’t take away much from the iPhone XR price. It can even be said that this is by far one of the best single-lens smartphones in the market! Even with its single camera lens at the rear, the shots are of the highest quality thanks to the Smart HDR tech that it is equipped with. What this feature does is automatically correct your photos to yield the best results. Although the recent models have improved on the Smart HDR, the XR can still compete with the other smartphones out there in terms of the quality of their camera. If you consider yourself a casual photographer then you will find that the camera installed on this iPhone is good enough for your needs.

You won’t even be disappointed when taking portrait shots because the XR’s front-facing camera makes use of AI to detect your face and focus on it. Even when you compare this model with the XS, you will still notice that it offers better results. The only thing that is missing here is the Night Mode, but one that you can do without.

Audio

Apple is well known for delivering good audio specs to their iPhones so this won’t be something new with the iPhone XR. It sports a bigger speaker plus it supports Dolby Atmos which means that you will get good audio quality at all times. Although this model doesn’t come with spatial audio, which is found in the later models, the quality of the audio and even the microphone hasn’t diminished. Everything is clear as a crystal which is nothing short of amazing for this unit.

Connectivity

With regards to connectivity, the iPhone XR is still using the LTE Advance which still connects you to the internet easily. There are instances, however, when the cellular signal becomes weak which isn’t a problem with iPhones that are already equipped with the Gigabit LTE.

The XR does come with a dual SIM feature which is something you should take note of, especially since it will come in handy if you are traveling. It would be better if you also have an iPhone XR unlocked so you will not be limited to a specific carrier.

Performance

The performance of the XR is quite exceptional given that it is equipped with the A12 Bionic chipset which offers a faster processing power. It works at the same speed as that of the XS which is one of the reasons why many loved the XR for its smooth performance even when running heavy games or streaming for hours.

Even when you update its iOS to iOS 13, its performance never wavered. It still runs at the same speed which is a relief. Additionally, it also supports an upgrade to iOS 14 with all the new features that it will bring in as well so you will have a few more years to it.

Retail Cost

The iPhone XR’s initial price in the market was at $749 which made it a reasonable choice for those who want a powerful handheld device minus the expensive price tag. Today, you can get for less than $600 since it is already two years old. This is a huge price drop already and one that you should consider taking advantage of if you want a reasonably sized iPhone at the cheapest price.

If you are going to get this model, I would suggest that you choose one with the highest internal storage although it would mean adding around $50 for it. You will get an XR model with 128GB worth of internal storage which should be enough to cater to your needs as it offers plenty of space for your files, photos, apps, and videos too. Or you can go and splurge on the 256GB model which is more affordable today.

Is Getting the iPhone XR in 2020 Going to be Worth It?

The iPhone XR is still a good buy in 2020 (photo credit: macrumors.com)

The question now is whether the iPhone XR will be worth getting this year, especially when the iPhone 12 is set to dominate the market. On its own, the XR will still give you good value for your money given its powerful specs that can still match the iPhone 11 series in more ways than one. Although the iPhone 12 is set to have important upgrades, the retail price may be too high for many users.

The XR offers an affordable alternative to Apple users or to those who plan on testing out an iPhone this year. Based on the specs that were mentioned above, you can see that this model was carefully thought out and was given an impressive array of features that make it a popular choice not just back in 2018 but also this year.

Yes, it only comes with a single camera lens as opposed to the multiple ones that the latest iPhones have, but in terms of quality, it is quite impressive already. It’s hard not to enjoy taking photos using this smartphone because it delivers high-quality shots.

What else is there to like about the iPhone XR for this year? Here’s a quick roundup of its key features.

  • 6.1 inch LCD display with Haptic Touch
  • A12 Bionic processor for faster performance.
  • 7MP front camera/ 12MP rear camera
  • iOS 12 upgradable to iOS 14
  • 64GB to 256GB internal storage
  • Base price is less than $600

The iPhone XR performs well even when you are playing games, watching movies, or recording videos. For its budget-friendly price, this model is sure to be in demand especially to those who are in need of a smartphone that is powerful, fast, and easy to use too.

What About Refurbished iPhone XR?

If the iPhone XR price is still a bit pricey for you, another solution to look into is a refurbished iPhone XR pristine condition over here. Refurbished units are available on sites like Amazon and even eBay, or you can check if Apple still has it in their line of refurbished units. If you are looking for other retailers, then check out QwikFone.

QwikFone is the go-to site for refurbished gadgets that are in pristine condition and fortunately, they are also selling refurbished versions of the iPhone XR too. This is the perfect place to find an iPhone XR unlocked since all units sold here are not locked into any specific mobile carrier. An unlocked model offers you more flexibility in terms of buying data from carriers, and since this model supports dual SIM, it is possible to bring it with you in your travels too.

The iPhone XR will still have a place in Apple’s roster of in-demand iPhones this year, even if the iPhone 12 is finally here. With its 6.1 inch screen an upgradable iOS to the latest iOS 14, there is simply no reason why you should skip this model today.

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