What Apple Has Improved On This Year's iPhone 11?

Apple announced the iPhone 11 earlier this week as the successor of iPhone XR. However, the last year’s low-price offer from Apple is still sticking around on the market. At this point, many users will likely be confused as what model to opt for. So here is a comparison to highlight all the differences between the two models.

iPhone XR

iPhone XR was released last year alongside Apple’s two flagships iPhone XS and XS Max. With this model, Apple made its appearance in the downmarket by offering an iPhone at the price point that more people can afford.

On the iPhone XR, we have a “Liquid Retina” LCD display, 326 pixels-per-inch, and 1792×828 resolution. Since it is the LCD, not an OLED, the bezels on the XR are a bit larger than those of iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS.

Users will only have a 12MP camera on the rear of iPhone XR instead of two as we can find on the iPhone 11. However, with the Portrait mode, software algorithms, and Smart HDR, casual users will find themselves satisfied with what iPhone XR can offer. While with the iPhone 11, you will have features like Night Mode and optical zoom.

On the front, iPhone XR sports a 7MP sensor that can record videos at 30 or 60 frames-per-second and at 1080p.

The XR does not have 3D Touch, but that is not a problem as this feature has been dropped entirely on all three new 2019’s iPhones. Under the hood, the XR runs on Apple’s A12 Bionic chip with second-generation Neural Engine.

When it comes to battery life, iPhone XR can hold up to 15 hours of Internet browsing, 25 hours of talk time, and 65 hours of audio playback, and 16 hours of video playback. If you buy the 18W charger, you can top up half of the battery in half an hour.

iPhone XR sold out quickly, mostly because of its more affordable price. And with this year’s new release, Apple has slashed the cost of the phone even more. In India, an iPhone XR now sets you back Rs. 54,900. The phone can be acquired in one of the six colors: blue, black, red, coral, white, and yellow.

iPhone 11

At first glance, iPhone 11 is quite similar to its predecessor XR, with aluminum and glass chassis, and a display measuring 6.1 inches. On the rear, the camera bump is arguably the most noticeable difference. With a water-resistant rating of IP68, the iPhone 11 can survive being submerged in 2 meters of water for up to half an hour.

There is no difference when it comes to the display on the iPhone 11. So this year, you still get LCD “Liquid Retina” display and a 1792×828 resolution. Many users may expect an OLED, but that move will likely increase the price of the phone.

If you want something different, you will have to look at the cameras. While the iPhone XR only has one camera, the iPhone 11 sports a dual-camera setup consisting of two 12 MP wide and ultra-wide cameras, meaning we will have 2x optical zoom on the latest release this year.

iPhone 11 runs on Apple’s A13 Bionic chip and third-generation Neural Engine, which powers some new camera features like enhanced Smart HDR and Deep Fusion. The latter function will come shortly, and here is what it does:

Apple also has a Night Mode to compete with the Night Sight feature of Pixel phones. However, we will have to wait until someone gets the chance to test the phones themselves to see how the feature compares to that of Google’s smartphones. According to Apple, the mode will be on automatically and will enhance photos taken in low-light situations. There is an enhancement in the performance of Portrait mode, courtesy of the additional lens.

The selfie camera is now 12 MP and can record 4K videos and at 60 fps, 30 fps, or 24 fps. Another feature is the ability to take slo-mo videos at 120 fps and 1080p. The company also announced that iPhone 11’s audio playback would support Dolby Atmos.

According to Apple, iPhone 11’s battery life is one hour longer than that of iPhone XR. Here are some more specific figures: 65 hours of audio playback, 17 hours of video playback, and 10 hours of streaming video.

Much as iPhone XR, iPhone 11 can support fast charging, but the 18W charger is still sold separately.

None of this year’s iPhones have 5G, but Apple said that it supports gigabit-class LTE, which could translate to a faster LTE performance. Plus, there is support for WiFi 6.

Here are the prices of iPhone 11 in India: for the 64GB variant, the expected price is Rs. 64,900, the 128GB option will come at Rs. 69,900, while the 256GB variant will set you back Rs. 79,900. Users can purchase the phone in one of these six colors: green, white, purple, red, black, and yellow.

Which Should You Buy: iPhone XR Vs. iPhone 11?

iPhone XR is the best choice for those who want a piece of Apple products’ benefits without paying a premium price for it. If you opt for this 2018’s variant, you will have to sacrifice the new additions that come with this year’s release, including the A13 Bionic chip.

If you are after functions like Night Mode or optical zoom, the iPhone 11 is arguably the better choice. Plus, those who want 256GB of storage will find the 2019’s iPhone 11 the only option if you do not want to pay more for the Pro variant.

Those who can live missing out the new features like Night Mode, the iPhone XR is arguably the best value for money iPhone anyone can find.