The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, Apple's new iPhones for 2018, are officially here. While the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have virtually the same guts, just in two different sizes, the iPhone XR introduces a profound shift in Apple's strategy by folding its "bargain" phone into the premium iPhone mix.
Apple has dabbled in cheaper iPhones before, with the iPhone SE and iPhone 5C, but their designs stood apart from the mainstream iPhones, and didn't last. Here, the cheaper iPhone XR shares the design and many of the same specs as the top-tier iPhones. It comes in bright colors and has some slimmed-down features, like a smaller battery than the new iPhone XSes. The pricing is the most attractive for iPhone loyalists. Although there's nothing "budget" about the iPhone XR's $749 starting price, people looking for a new iPhone this year could easily gravitate to the relatively cheaper, more colorful XR.
This reveal of Apple's 2018-2019 lineup is a big moment for the tech giant, which shook up its iPhone range in 2017 when it introduced the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, effectively killing any chance of a future iPhone 9 and turning its whole iPhone naming scheme on its head.
At a time when phones are becoming more and more expensive, Apple's decision to embrace the new "X" family is important because it cements a new strategy for Apple, one that will continue to set the pace for phone makers as we move toward 2019.
Keep reading for all the new iPhone specs. In the meantime, preorders for the iPhone XS and XS Max begin this Friday, Sept. 14, with the phones going on sale next Friday, Sept. 21. The iPhone XR preorders begin Oct. 19 and it goes on sale Oct. 26.
iPhone XS and XS Max quick specs.....
Two sizes: 5.8-inch (458 ppi) and 6.5-inch (458 ppi), with OLED HDR screen (Super Retina displays)
Colors: Gold, silver and space gray finishes
Dual camera: 12-megapixel wide and telephoto lenses
Front-facing cameras: 7-megapixel camera will bring depth to portrait mode photos
A12 Bionic chip: 7-nanometer processor promises to launch apps 30 percent faster than 2017 iPhones
Storage options: 64GB, 128GB, 512GB
IP68 water-resistance rating (2 meters depth; up to 30 minutes in water)
Battery life: iPhone XS should last 30 minutes longer than iPhone X; iPhone XS Max claims 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone X
Dual-SIM card support through eSIM technology
Face ID promises to work faster at unlocking the phones
3D Touch pressure-sensitivite screen
Stereo sound with a wider stereo field than 2017 iPhones
iOS 12 software
Pricing of the three phones.......
Price
The iPhone XS and XS Max will be offered in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB configurations. Here in Blighty, the XS will fetch £999, £1,149 and £1,349, while the XS Max will set you back £1,099, £1,249 and £1,449, respectively.
The iPhone XR, which will be offered with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB storage, will be priced at £749, £799 and £899, respectively.
All three smartphones will be available to buy through all major operators, including EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Three, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile.
iPhone XR specs: Apple's cheaper iPhone....
6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792x828-pixel resolution and 326ppi (Retina display)
Aluminum body with glass back
Single camera: 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, with OIS (same as iPhone XS)
Storage options: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Portrait mode photos through software
FaceID with same True-Depth camera system as iPhone XS
A12 Bionic chip
Battery life claim: 1.5 hours more per day than the iPhone 8 Plus
IP67 water resistance
No 3D Touch on iPhone XR. Instead, you get haptic touch, like a trackpad
iOS 12 software
Colors: Blue, coral (pink), yellow, white, black, Product Red
Images....
