Is the hype train on the wrong track? Despite much of the focus being on Apple’s iPhone XS and XS Max phone the colourful iPhone XR may be the biggest hit
According to reports, the more affordable iPhone XR will account for more than 50% of all 2018 iPhones Apple produces in the next few months.
DigiTimes sources (via Apple Insider) say Apple is planning to build 20 million iPhone XR models next month, with pre-orders starting on October 19. In comparison, Apple only plans to manufacture 4 to 5 million units of the top shelf iPhone XS Max per month, the report says.
All things considered, it wouldn’t be such a surprise if the iPhone XR proved to be the best seller of the three. Starting at £749/$749, it’s by far the most accessible of the three handsets in terms of price point.
There’s also enough in terms of features for some iPhone users to have the impression of parity with the higher-end models. There’s Face ID, the almost full-screen display and an attractive design that differs only from the flagships in terms of the materials used.
It also offers wireless charging and a wider range of colours that’s likely to appeal strongly to some segments of the smartphone market. The trade-off is those lesser materials, the single-lens rear-facing camera, the choice of LCD instead of OLED, and the lack of 3D Touch functionality.