The iPhone XR: A Surprisingly Great Option

Hey guys, this is Austin. A couple of months ago, I did a video talking about why I switched to the iPhone XR. One big part of that was because so many people are hating on this phone, and I thought surely it can't be that bad.

So when my personal XS broke, I figured why not give the XR a shot. After three months of using this as my daily, I have a lot of thoughts. Since I did my last video, there have been a lot of headlines saying that the iPhone XR's a failure. Take one look at the Apple website, and they're seriously pushing the XR.

Not only does it get frontpage space, but on top of that, they're really pushing an ad that is all about getting it for a little bit cheaper with a phone trade-in. Something that Apple very rarely advertises. This is all for good reason. The price of the XR was recently slashed by 20% in China, and there have been carriers here in the US such as Team Mobile, who regularly do a buy one get one free, or even a free phone when you sign up for a new line.

That's not something that you traditionally see with iPhones, and it's all indicative of the fact that this is just not selling as well as they had hoped. Apple even had to revise their earnings report for the first time in nearly 20 years. Almost entirely on the back of iPhone demand being weaker than they expected.

Now it's not exactly as clear-cut as that. Tim Cook has gone on record saying that the iPhone XR is the best-selling iPhone right now, but that doesn't really mean a lot when you're comparing it to things like the XS and XS Max, both of which are significantly more expensive phones.

If you were to stack the iPhone XR side by side with say, an iPhone 6S or 7, my assumption is that this is not selling quite as well, and that's a big problem. Here's the thing though. The iPhone XR is my favorite iPhone you can buy today, and that's not even counting the price.

So let's just run through what you can get with the XR. First of all, one of the most important components is that Apple A12 processor. This is something that's easy to overlook, but it is a big deal. Having a fast SOC that's also efficient makes a big difference in pretty much all aspects of a phone's performance.

It also has the same front and rear-facing cameras. Now you're losing the telephoto option from the XS and the XS Max, but if I'm being completely real with you, I really don't miss it. If you have really good lighting, it is a nice thing to have, and the portrait mode can work out pretty well sometimes.

But about 95% of the time, I'm using the wide-angle camera, and here the iPhone XR is completely identical to the much, much more expensive options, aka XS and XS Max. The issue with telephoto is that you have a smaller sensor with an inferior lens. Generally, it just doesn't look quite as good as when you shoot on the main shooter.

While yes, portrait mode on the iPhone XR is not as good as something like the Pixel, it's decent enough that I really don't have any major complaints. That is the next step up is to go to that Pixel. But for now, let's focus on what makes the iPhone XR so great.

So, why do I think the iPhone XR doesn't deserve the bad rap it's gotten? For me, it's all about performance, camera, and importantly, it has got that battery life. The 8 Plus last year is probably the closest thing to something like that, but realistically, a lot of phones can get you through a day of medium use or light use.

But the XR's the first time I've been able to make it through a full day of proper use. I think it's something that people are seriously overlooking when they take a look at the XR. It is by far my favorite feature of the phone. And for me, that makes all the difference.

In fact, I really feel like the iPhone XR doesn't deserve the bad rap that it's gotten. For as far as I'm concerned this is the only iPhone in 2019 so far, that I recommend buying.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.A couple months ago I did a video talkingabout why I switched to the iPhone XR.A big part of that is becauseso many people are hatingon this phone, I thoughtsurely it can't be that bad.So when my personal XS broke,I figured why not give the XR a shot.After 3 months of using this as my daily,I have a lot of thoughts.Since I did my last video, there have beena lot of headlines thatthe iPhone XR's a failure.Take one look at the Apple website,and they are seriously pushing the XR.Not only does it get frontpage space, but on top of thatthey're really pushing apromotion that is all aboutgetting it for a little bitcheaper with a phone trade-in.Something that Applevery rarely advertises.This is all for good reason.The price of the XR was recentlyslashed by 20% in China,and there have beencarriers here in the US suchas Team Mobile, who haveregularly doing a buy one get onefree, or even a free phone whenyou sign up for a new line.That is not somethingthat you traditionally seewith iPhones, and it'sall indicative of the factthis is just not sellingas well as they had hoped.Apple even had to revisetheir earnings reportfor the first time in nearly 20 years.Almost entirely on theback of iPhone demandbeing weaker than they expected.Now it's not exactly as clear cut as that.Tim Cook has gone on recordas saying that the iPhone XRis the best selling iPhoneright now, but that doesn'treally mean a lot whenyou're comparing it to thingslike the XS and XS Max, both of whichare significantly more expensive phones.If you were to stack the iPhoneXR side by side with say,I don't know like an iPhone6S or 7, my assumptionis that this is not selling quite as well,and that's a big problem.Here's the thing though.The iPhone XR is my favoriteiPhone you can buy today,and that's not even counting the price.So let's just run throughwhat you can get with the XR.First of all, one of themost important componentsis that Apple A12 processor.This is something that's easy to overlook,but it is a big deal.Having a fast SOC that'salso efficient makesa big difference in pretty muchall aspects of a phone's performance.It also has the same frontand rear facing cameras.Now you are losing thetelephoto option from the XSand the XS Max, but if I'mgonna be completely realwith you, I really don't miss it.Now if you have really goodlighting, it is a nice thingto have, and the portraitmode can work out pretty wellsometimes, but about 95%of the time, I'm usingthe wide angle camera, and herethe iPhone XR is completelyidentical to the much, muchmore expensive options,aka XS and XS Max.The issue with telephoto isthat you have a smaller sensorwith an inferior lens.It generally just doesn'tlook quite as good as when youshoot on the main shooter,and while yes portrait modeon the iPhone XR is not as goodas something like the Pixel,it's decent enough that I reallydon't have any major complaints.That is the next step upis to go to that Pixel.Beyond that, the XS and the XS Maxdon't make a big different to me.And compared to the XS,you've got those same greatspeakers, you have the samewireless charging, and you alsohave a ton of what I thinkare pretty cool colors.The biggest differencereally is the display.Where as the XS and the XSMax have OLED, somethingthat's very common acrossthe industry right now,the XR has to make duewith a lowly IPS panel.But you know what, it is really not bad.Now yes, it should be higher resolution.It's not even quite 1080p,but the important thing isis that to my eye, unlessyou're really Pixel peeping,it does not look bad.When we take all of thisand combine it with the factthat the iPhone XR is afull $250 less than the XS,it starts to seem almostreasonably priced.If the XS wasn't a $1000.However my favorite featureby far is the battery life.Compared to the XS Maxand especially the XS,it is a night and daydifference switching to the XR.It just lasts so much longer.When I dailyed the iPhone XS,I was really lucky to make itthrough the full daywithout hitting the charger.And yet with the XR, most nightsI don't even bother to charge it.A few minutes here and thereat my desk or in the caris all I need to make itthrough a day, and the next day.This is especially importantwhen I'm traveling.So I recently spent aweek in Vegas for CES,and not once did I need to plug inthe iPhone XR throughout the day.In fact my best day was Ipulled the phone off the chargerat two o'clock in themorning, and 16 hours laterwith 6 hours of screen on,and 2 hours of screen off,I still had like 16% left.This thing is an endurance champ.In a world where Androidphones are getting biggerand bigger batteries, theiPhone XR is the only iPhonethat you can buy today thathas good enough better lifeas far as I'm concerned.Now the 8 Plus last yearis probably the closestto something like that, butrealistically a lot of phonescan get you through a dayof medium use or light use,but the XR's the first timethat I've been able to make itthrough a full day of proper use.I think it's something thatpeople are seriously overlookingwhen they take a look at the XR.It is by far my favoritefeature of the phone.I really feel like theiPhone XR doesn't deservethe bad rap that it's gotten.As far as I'm concerned thisis the only iPhone in 2019so far, that I recommend buying.It's got the right blendof performance, camera,and importantly it'sgot that battery life.(light, relaxing music)