Technology
iPhone Xr, iPhone Xs, and iPhone Xs Max: What Apple changed with specs
Today at the Apple event in Cupertino, the company announced its iPhone Xr, iPhone Xs, and iPhone Xs Max, successors to the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X.
Apple’s 12th-generation phones are now official. Preorders for the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max begin September 21, and the devices will begin shipping September 28. Like with the iPhone X, you’ll have to wait longer for the iPhone Xr: until October 19 to preorder and until October 26 for it to ship.
Before you get your credit card ready, and assuming you’re not enthused about Android 9.0 Pie (that’s really your only option, as Windows 10 Mobile and BlackBerry are dead), you might want to see exactly what you’re getting. The tables below show you what Apple has changed — we’ve decided to compare the iPhone 8 and iPhone Xr, iPhone X and iPhone Xs, as well as the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone Xs Max, at the time of each of their respective launches.
| iPhone 8 | iPhone Xr | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699, $849 | $749, $799, $899 |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Display | 4.7-inch, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 6.1-inch, 1792×828, 326 ppi |
| Contrast ratio | 1400:1 | 1400:1 |
| Processors | A11 Bionic 64-bit, M11 motion | A12 Bionic 64-bit |
| Identification | Touch ID | Face ID |
| Rear camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 |
| Video recording | 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps | 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps |
| Front camera | 7MP photos, 1080p video | 7MP photos, 1080p video |
| FaceTime | Over Wi-Fi or cellular | Over Wi-Fi or cellular |
| Assistant | Siri | Siri |
| Navigation | GPS and GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
| Talk time | Up to 14 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| Internet use | Up to 12 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Video playback | Up to 13 hours | Up to 16 hours |
| Audio playback | Up to 40 hours | Up to 65 hours |
| Height | 5.45 inches (138.4 mm) | 5.94 inches (150.9 mm) |
| Width | 2.65 inches (67.3 mm) | 2.98 inches (75.7 mm) |
| Depth | 0.29 inch (7.3 mm) | 0.33 inch (8.3 mm) |
| Weight | 5.22 ounces (148 grams) | 6.84 ounces (194 grams) |
| SIM card | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| Colors | Silver, Gold, Space Gray | Red, Yellow, White, Coral, Black, Blue |
If you’re trading in an iPhone 8 for an iPhone Xr, you’re paying more for a bigger phone, larger display, and heavier device, with better specs.
Here’s the iPhone X versus the iPhone Xs:
| iPhone X | iPhone Xs | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999, $1,149 | $999, $1,149, $1,349 |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Display | 5.8-inch, 2436×1125, 458 ppi | 5.8-inch, 2436×1125, 458 ppi |
| Contrast ratio | 1,000,000:1 | 1,000,000:1 |
| Processors | A11 Bionic 64-bit, M11 motion | A12 Bionic 64-bit |
| Identification | Face ID | Face ID |
| Rear camera 1 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 |
| Rear camera 2 | 12MP, ƒ/2.4 | 12MP, ƒ/2.4 |
| Video recording | 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps | 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps |
| Front camera | 7MP photos, 1080p video | 7MP photos, 1080p video |
| FaceTime | Over Wi-Fi or cellular | Over Wi-Fi or cellular |
| Assistant | Siri | Siri |
| Navigation | GPS and GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
| Talk time | Up to 21 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Internet use | Up to 12 hours | Up to 12 hours |
| Video playback | Up to 13 hours | Up to 14 hours |
| Audio playback | Up to 60 hours | Up to 60 hours |
| Height | 5.65 inches (143.6 mm) | 5.65 inches (143.6 mm) |
| Width | 2.79 inches (70.9 mm) | 2.79 inches (70.9 mm) |
| Depth | 0.30 inch (7.7 mm) | 0.30 inch (7.7 mm) |
| Weight | 6.14 ounces (174 grams) | 6.24 ounces (177 grams) |
| SIM card | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| Colors | Silver, Space Gray | Gold, Silver, Space Gray |
The iPhone Xs isn’t much of an upgrade over the iPhone X. You’re getting a slightly more powerful phone, with one-hour worse battery life — thankfully you don’t have to pay more for it. No wonder Apple killed off the iPhone X — it really has no place in the lineup.
And now finally, the Plus/Max comparison:
| iPhone 8 Plus | iPhone Xs Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799, $949 | $1,099, $1,249, $1,449 |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Display | 5.5-inch, 1920×1080, 401 ppi | 6.5-inch, 2688×1242, 458 ppi |
| Contrast ratio | 1300:1 | 1,000,000:1 |
| Processors | A11 Bionic 64-bit, M11 motion | A12 Bionic 64-bit |
| Identification | Touch ID | Face ID |
| Rear camera 1 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 |
| Rear camera 2 | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 |
| Video recording | 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps | 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 60fps |
| Front camera | 7MP photos, 1080p video | 7MP photos, 1080p video |
| FaceTime | Over Wi-Fi or cellular | Over Wi-Fi or cellular |
| Assistant | Siri | Siri |
| Navigation | GPS and GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
| Talk time | Up to 21 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| Internet use | Up to 13 hours | Up to 13 hours |
| Video playback | Up to 14 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Audio playback | Up to 60 hours | Up to 65 hours |
| Height | 6.24 inches (158.4 mm) | 6.20 inches (157.5 mm) |
| Width | 3.07 inches (78.1 mm) | 3.05 inches (77.4 mm) |
| Depth | 0.30 inch (7.5 mm) | 0.30 inch (7.7 mm) |
| Weight | 7.13 ounces (202 grams) | 7.34 ounces (208 grams) |
| SIM card | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| Colors | Silver, Gold, Space Gray | Silver, Gold, Space Gray |
This is probably the least obvious comparison, but that’s largely because the iPhone Xs Max is supposed to stand out as in its own class. And if you want the best iPhone, as always, it will cost you.
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