iPhone XR - page 6

‘Shot on iPhone XR’ campaign showcases spectacular images

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The iPhone XR camera takes some awesome pictures.
The iPhone XR camera takes some awesome pictures.
Photo: Austin Mann

The iPhone XR camera isn’t as advanced as the one in Apple’s pricier XS series, but you’d be hard pressed to see the difference in some stunning images Apple is showing off today.

These pictures were contributed to the “Shot on iPhone” campaign that highlights what these phones can do.

10 reasons I chose iPhone XR over iPhone XS Max

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The CultCast host Erfon Elijah loves the iPhone XR.
The CultCast host Erfon Elijah loves the iPhone XR.
Photo: Erfon Elijah/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XS and XS Max are undeniably the most gorgeous phones ever created. But when it comes time to actually shell out your own hard-earned cash for an iPhone in the year 2018, there’s one clear winner: the iPhone XR.

Even though it doesn’t have the same amazing OLED display as the iPhone XS Max, there’s a lot to love about the iPhone XR. And we’re not just talking about the price tag. The CultCast host Erfon Elijah breaks down why you should consider going all-in on the colorful iPhone XR.

Optimistic analyst gets gloomy about iPhone XR

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iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
Some of the early optimism about iPhone XR sales might have been unjustified.
Photo: Apple

Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo just slashed his estimates for the number of iPhone XR units that will sell over the next year. That’s a real turnaround, as Kuo had previously been bullish on Apple’s latest handset.

And he’s not the only analyst expressing concerns about sales of the iPhone XR. But it’s also possible this model is just following a pattern first laid down by the iPhone X.

Citibank is worried about weak iPhone XR sales

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iphone xr
The iPhone XR may not be the sales juggernaut some predicted.
Photo: Apple

Financial services group Citibank has concerns about iPhone XR demand — and it’s worried that this will affect chip stocks.

In a new note to clients, Citi analyst Atif Malik downgraded Skyworks Solutions stock. Skyworks manufactures radio frequency semiconductors, which let smartphones talk to wireless networks. Apple orders allegedly make up 35 to 40 percent of Skyworks’ annual revenue.

Blind surfer shows how iPhone’s VoiceOver feature is a game-changer

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Scott Leason
Blind veteran Scott Laeson paddling out to surf.
Photo: Apple

Apple gave fans a heartwarming glimpse at how the iPhone and Apple Watch have helped a blind veteran gain more independence on his path to becoming a competition-winning surfer.

In a new post on its website, Apple shared a story about longboard surfer Scott Leason. After his time serving as a signalman in the U.S. Navy, Leason lost both of his eyes to a robber’s bullet in 1993. Getting used to his new life without sight took getting used to, but when Leason got his first iPhone in 2012, it was a gamechanger.

Look inside Apple’s first store in Thailand

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Apple store bangkok
The outside of the new Bangkok store.
Photo: Apple

One of the most popular countries in South East Asia for American tourists is finally getting its first Apple store.

Apple is set to open the doors of its Bangkok store in Thailand on Saturday, offering Apple’s first-ever official sales channel in the country for the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and the Apple Watch Series 4. Ahead of the launch, Apple shared a few shots of the interior and it looks both simple and grand.

Enter to win 6 stunning iPhone XR cases [Instagram giveaway]

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iphone XR cases
Cult of Mac's hand-picked XR cases protect and showcase Apple's gorgeous hardware and design.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

We’re back with another iPhone case giveaway! Just as we promised, over the next several weeks we’ll be giving away dozens of top-notch cases for the 2018 iPhone lineup. This week we’re giving away six iPhone XR cases to a few lucky readers and followers via Instagram.

We’re handing out impressive cases from Spigen, Encased, Insipio and Nomad. All six cases fit the latest XR and together are worth a whopping $169.92.

iPhone XS cellular is twice as fast as iPhone XR

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Long-term iPhone XR demand could eventually lead to greater sales than the iPhone XS.
iPhone XS and XS Max offer much faster downloads than iPhoen XR.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR costs 25 percent less than the iPhone XS, but in many ways is just as good. However, there’s a notable exception: The pricier model offers a cellular data connection that’s nearly twice as fast.

That’s not too surprising. The additional cost of the iPhone XS series buys better networking equipment.

iPhone XR speed test makes Note 9 look slow and overpriced

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iPhone XR vs. Galaxy Note 9 Phone test
Samsung should be embarrassed
Photo: PhoneBuff

Apple’s cheapest iPhone of 2018 is just as fast as Samsung’s most expensive smartphone.

Despite packing less than half the RAM and $500 cheaper price tag, the iPhone XR matched Samsung’s Note 9 in a recent speed test by PhoneBuff. The new iPhone was even leading the Note 9 during some parts of the speed test, which shows how quickly the devices can open some of the biggest apps on iOS and Android.

Watch the battle:

Everything you need to know about Apple’s Q4 2018 earnings call

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple just had its best September quarter of all-time and CEO Tim Cook couldn’t have sounded happier when he got on the phone with investors today. The company is heading into the holiday season with its best lineup ever and expects to set more records next quarter.

Investors did not seem to be too impressed with the results though. Apple’s stock price dropped from $222.22 to as low as $206 in after-hours training. Despite Wall Street’s worries about Apple, there was plenty of achievements for Tim Cook and Luca Maestri to boast about on today’s call.

There were the biggest revelations from today’s call:

5 things to watch for during Apple’s last earnings report of 2018

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Tim Cook earnings apple
Tim Cook likes his currency the old-fashioned way.
Illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Hot on the heels of Tuesday’s big keynote, Apple is set to unleash its final earnings report of 2018 on Thursday, November 1. The report will give investors their first glimpse into how well the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are selling.

Apple shares are trading up again today after climbing Tuesday, signaling that Wall Street is pretty optimistic about Apple’s ability to rake in the cash. Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri are set to get on the phone with investors at 2 p.m. Pacific today — and there are some key areas investors will be watching intensely.

Face ID could get a big upgrade in 2019

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face id
Apple plans to make Face ID even better.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone’s Face ID system will allegedly get a big upgrade in 2019, according to one of the most accurate Apple analysts.

Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities, told investors in a note today that his supply chain sources indicate Apple will add an upgraded sensor to the Face ID system next year to make the experience even better.

Halloween iPhones trump candy as ultimate treat

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Halloween iPhones
No tricks. You're getting a smartphone, kid.
Screen shot: GizmoSlip/YouTube

Brandon Baldwin normally hurls iPhones from a couple of stories up to see if they survive as a way to entertain the 3.2 million followers of his YouTube channel, GizmoSlip.

But on Halloween night, Baldwin and his co-hosts decided to see what would happen when you drop an iPhone into the candy bag of a trick-or-treater.

What’s new in iOS 12.1

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iOS 12.1 brings live depth control preview to the camera app.
iOS 12.1 brings live depth control preview to the camera app.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

iOS 12.1 is now available to download, and it brings a surprising number of neat new features to iPhones and iPads.

We get to enjoy Group FaceTime, live Depth Control when we’re taking photos — and the essential bagel emoji.

Halide fixes iPhone XR’s Portrait Mode

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Best iPhone photo accessories
Halide unlocks Portrait Mode on the iPhone XR.
Photo: Chroma Noir LLC

Apart from the screen, the big different between the iPhone XS and XR is the camera. The XS has two, and the XR only has one. This means that — like a one-eyed person — the XR camera can’t calculate the depth of objects in a scene, and therefore can’t use the Depth Blur feature to blur the background. It works around this by using clever facial recognition tricks to allow Portrait Mode with people, but that’s it.

Until now, that it. In its latest update, camera app Halide adds back this functionality to the new iPhone. That’s right. With Halide, you can take depth-effect pictures of anything with the iPhone XR.

iPhone XR is a bit more rugged than iPhone XS

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The iPhone XR bends if you put about 260 poiunds of pressure on it
The iPhone XR bends if you put about 260 poiunds of pressure on it. That's more than twice as much as the infamous iPhone 6.
Photo: SquareTrade

Drop tests show that the new iPhone XR breaks as readily as the more expensive iPhone XS if you drop them 6 feet onto concrete. Note: don’t try this at home.

But Apple’s latest is slightly more resistant to bending.

iPhone XR review: Why buy anything else?

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iPhone XR review: With a great screen, cameras, battery life and Face ID, the iPhone XR is a nifty smartphone.
With a great screen, cameras, battery life and Face ID, the iPhone XR is a nifty smartphone.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XR is typical Apple. It’s an entry-level phone with a bunch of premium features. Jony Ive just cannot cut corners, even if he wanted to. This is no plasticky, cut-rate phone built to meet a price point. It’s a primo phone with primo features (and a primo price tag, TBH). It just happens to be the cheapest new iPhone in Apple’s lineup.

The XR delivers everything customers care about: a big, beautiful screen; great cameras; long battery life; and Face ID.

The iPhone XR is arguably Apple’s most interesting smartphone of 2018 because of this slightly odd bundle of budget/premium features. It’s arguably a $1,200 phone in a $750 package.

For a chance to win a brand-new iPhone XR, enter our free giveaway here.

iPhone XR boasts bigger battery than Apple’s flagship phone

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Compare the battery sizes of the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone XS.
Compare the battery sizes of the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone XS. The one from the XR is thicker than the 8 Plus'.
Photo: IFIXIT

The first teardowns of the iPhone XR reveal a surprising fact: it has a larger battery than virtually all previous iOS smartphones, even the iPhone XS.

Reviews of the iPhone XR indicate it lasts a long time between charges, though no one agrees on exactly how long. Apple promises that this device will go 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 8 Plus.

We’ve got serious iPhone XR envy! [Cult of Mac Magazine]

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Just how good is the iPhone XR? We're head over heels! Read all about it in Cult of Mac Magazine Issue No. 268.
Just how good is the iPhone XR? We're head over heels!
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The world can’t stop raving about the iPhone XR, Apple’s reasonably priced underdog. Sure, it’s not exactly cheap. And it doesn’t pack all the features of the iPhone XS and XS Max. However, it does check most of the boxes. And in some ways, it’s actually better than Cupertino’s current high-end offerings.

Find out why everybody’s going completely nuts for the iPhone XR in this week’s issue of our magazine. It’s free and it’s fun to read on an iPad or iPhone. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes now.

Bonus: Read on for a chance to win the iPhone XR we showcased in our unboxing video!

iPhone XR first look: So awesome we’re giving it away!

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iPhone XR giveaway: Enter to win this gorgeous blue iPhone.
Enter to win this gorgeous blue iPhone XR.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

After unboxing the brand new iPhone XR, I can confidently say that this is a fantastic phone. Apple cut very few corners. The iPhone XR is beautifully designed, with a great big, edge-to-edge display. It’s incredibly fast, and camera performance is excellent. It looks awesome. The drawbacks are mostly minor.

Basically, it’s a $1,200 phone in a $750 package.

Check out the video to see our first impressions. Then read on to find out how you can enter to win the 128GB blue speed demon showcased in the video. Yep, it’s free to enter our iPhone XR giveaway. (Frankly, it’s going to be hard to part with this beautiful machine.)

5 great apps that bust out the bokeh on iPhone XS and XR

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The iPhone XS' new bokeh tool is just the beginning.
The iPhone XS' new bokeh tool is just the beginning.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XS camera is pretty incredible. The device uses its two rear cameras, plus the A12 chip’s Neural Engine, to record such an accurate 3D map of the scene that you can adjust the background blur with a slider. But that depth map is useful for more than just blurring backgrounds. It can be used by other apps to:

  • Add realistic lights to a scene.
  • Choose any subject to be in focus, not just the one you picked when shooting.
  • Add custom background blurs.
  • Remove and replace backgrounds, like movie green-screen effects.

The iPhone XS is the gold standard for iOS cameras, but the XR manages some excellent tricks of its own. Despite having only one rear camera, the XR can still recognise people, and then use AI and the super-powerful A12 Neural Engine to separate out the person form the background. While this portrait matte isn’t as detailed as an iPhone XS depth map, it can in theory still be used to do many of the same tricks.

Today we’ll look at the best depth apps for the new iPhone XS, XR, and XS Max.

iPhone XR smokes every Android rival

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iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
Photo: Apple

The new iPhone XR costs at least $250 less than the iPhone XS models but has the same A12 Bionic processor. That gives Apple’s latest significantly faster performance than any of its Android rivals, even the most expensive.

Benchmarks show the XR is 25 percent quicker than Samsung’s fastest, despite costing far less.