The iPhone XR is out and, for the first time in years, Apple’s most exciting device isn’t the one that commands the really big bucks. For all the talk of an “Apple tax,” 2018’s coolest iPhone starts at just $749. That’s half the price of a top-of-the-line iPhone XS Max.
And that’s seriously great news for fans.
For many people, the iPhone XR will be radically different from previous iPhones. Despite this, the iPhone setup process hasn’t changed much. However, while you might find yourself on familiar ground, there are still plenty of little things you really ought to do before you fire up your new phone for the first time (or pretty soon thereafter).
Let’s take a look at how to set up your new iPhone XR the right way.
The early reviews for the camera on the iPhone XR have been impressive – and that has a few who purchased the iPhone XS wishing they had waited a few weeks.
Apple, trying to accommodate more budget-minded consumers, announced the mid-range iPhone XR for $799 at the same time it unveiled the more expensive iPhone XS and XS Max.
The XS line was available on Sept. 21 while the XR, not quite ready for shelves then, went on sale today.
This week on The CultCast: With iPhone XR finally here, we’ll give you 10 reasons why it’s the best iPhone you can get. Plus: How iOS 12.1 solves “Beautygate”; new Macs leak ahead of Apple’s big October hardware event; Ming-Chi Kuo says new iPad minis, AirPods and the AirPower mat are finally on the way. Finally, we wrap up with our iPhone XS cases and a superb Thunderbolt 3 dock in an all-new Under Review.
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Apple’s fancy new iPhone XR is available to purchase today. Pop into your local Apple Store and you’ll have an opportunity to play with the device — and if you’re really lucky, they might have a unit left that you can take home with you.
But there’s one thing you won’t find in the Apple Store. Or anywhere else.
The iPhone XR is officially available for sale. Those who pre-ordered the device have began receiving their orders, while Apple Stores are also stocking the new phones.
With the iPhone XS and XS Max out as well, that means that Apple’s complete 2018 iPhone range is now available for you to purchase. Well, provided you can find the handset you want, that is!
The Apple CEO’s tour of Europe continued today with a visit to sunny Spain. He’s there to promote tomorrow’s launch of the HomePod in the country. He’s also talking up the release of the iPhone XR, which will debut around the world on Friday.
A survey done in some of the largest smartphone markets found that most people prefer very traditional colors for their mobile devices, although their tastes are starting to widen. It’s not clear what this means for Apple’s strategy of offering the new iPhone XR in a rainbow of options.
If you haven’t already preordered an iPhone XR, the only way to get one on its release date is to head to a nearby Apple Store and hope they have one in stock.
Preorders for these colorful new handsets started last Friday, and until now devices were arriving on Oct. 26. Not any more.
The iPhone XS might be Apple’s best phone yet, but the iPhone XR will probably be Cupertino’s best-seller ever. It could even beat out the record-breaking iPhone 6, which proved so successful it skewed Apple’s sales numbers for years after its launch.
Why? Because the XR is cooler, cheaper and bigger than the top-of-the line iPhone XS, and nobody who buys it will care about the other differences. I almost wish I’d waited and bought one of these instead of the iPhone XS.
Over a year ago, Apple announced AirPower, an accessory that’ll wirelessly charge three devices at once. It has yet to be released, but there’s definite evidence the project hasn’t been abandoned.
The documentation for the new iPhone XR makes a clear mention of this unreleased product.
Update: A respected analyst predicts that AirPower will be released, but might not make Apple’s current deadline.
The first iPhone XR reviews are out just a few days before the handset makes its official debut, and one thing’s clear: This is one of Apple’s best smartphones to date.
Despite being a more affordable alternative to the iPhone XS, the iPhone XR is just as good in many areas, and even better in a few others. It makes some sacrifices to be more affordable, but it certainly lives up to the promises where it counts.
Here’s what the early reviews are saying so far.
Apple is about to make “Beautygate” a thing of the past. The company soon will improve iPhone XS selfies by eliminating the skin-smoothing feature that annoyed many users by making their narcissistic snaps unrealistically beautiful.
The iPhone XR just debuted on Friday, and an esteemed analyst says it outsold last year’s iPhone 8 on their respective opening weekends.
The analyst goes on to predict that Apple’s newest handset will eventually outsell the iPhone XS models that launched last month.
The public release of iOS 12.1 could finally be drawing upon us.
After releasing the fourth beta last week, Apple has already come out with the fifth beta build of the big software update this morning. It looks like the company is fixing a few final flaws before the iPhone XR comes out.
Apple has confirmed its pricing for iPhone XR repairs and it’s surprisingly reasonable.
It will certainly leave a dent in your bank account if you break your screen without AppleCare+, but repairing an iPhone XR doesn’t cost much more than repairing an iPhone 8. It’s considerably cheaper than fixing an iPhone XS or XS Max.
If you’re wondering where the confusing “XS” and “XR” names for Apple’s new iPhones came from, Phil Schiller provides an answer in a new interview: from the car industry.
“I love cars and things that go fast, and R and S are both letters used to denote sport cars that are really extra special,” Schiller told Engadget in an interview coinciding with the launch of the iPhone XR.
As it happens, this is far from the first time Apple has embraced automotive marketing techniques to sell its products.
WhatsApp now looks better on iPhone XR and iPhone XS Max. The app’s latest update on iOS is optimized for Apple’s latest handsets — and comes with a number of new features and improvements for users to enjoy.
Apple began taking pre-orders for the iPhone XR early this morning, and there are still plenty of them left hours later. Contrast this with the iPhone XS launch which saw some configurations sell out in minutes.
While this doesn’t automatically indicate that demand for the iPhone XR is slow, it’s not a very good sign either.
This week on The CultCast: Waiting for new AirPods? Need that AirPower charging mat? Don’t you dare miss our “More in the Making” hardware event predictions, cause we bring out the crystal ball, and all is revealed.
Then: Seventeen reasons the iPhone XR should be your next phone; the world’s largest Mac collection could be yours for free; and we pitch our favorite games, shows and scooters in an all-new “What We’re Into”!
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Apple has posted its two new iPhone XR ads to YouTube to promote the device on preorder day.
“Introducing iPhone XR” and “Spectrum” run for less than a minute each, but do a good job of highlighting the new handset’s brightly-colored finishes and its biggest features.
Hankering after an iPhone XR? The Apple Online Store is open and ready for preorder business.
Available in six colors, with pricing starting at $749, Apple’s new LCD handset could soon be yours to own.
The first wave of iPhone XR reviews are in and based on the early impressions, Apple may have a big hit on its hands.
iPhone XR preorders open up at midnight tonight and Apple’s making a big push to get people to upgrade to its cheapest new handset. Instead of just going with traditional news outlets, Apple also gave early iPhone XR units to popular YouTubers, probably in an effort to reach a younger audience.
So far, everyone’s raving about the iPhone XR, even if it is lacking a few features.
Preorders for the iPhone XR start tomorrow at 12:01 a.m. Pacific. If you want to be sure of getting a new handset — in the color you really want — on day one, you probably need to be quick with your preorder. If not, you could be faced with waiting for Apple to fill the backlog of orders before you finally get a new iPhone sometime near Christmas.
Luckily, we have a guide that will help you preorder your iPhone XR the right way when on October 19.
The iPhone Upgrade Program is Apple’s equivalent of a carrier’s monthly contract. You can upgrade your iPhone every year, and pay a monthly fee instead of buying the handset outright. Usually, the upgrade path is simple — there’s a new iPhone every year, and you can upgrade every year. But the iPhone X came out on November 3, 2017, so iPhone Upgrade Program participants still have at least a couple of weeks left to run on their contracts.
So how do you get the colorful iPhone XR you’re craving on launch day?
