Just days ago, Apple opened the floodgates for customers to pre-order the new iPhone XS and XS Max. While the iPhone XR will not join the roster until October, the number of pre-orders at the launch of the XS and XS Max have already been very telling:
While Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was pleasantly surprised by the success of the Apple Watch Series 4’s opening week, he revealed that the pre-orders for the iPhone XS were “lower than expected.” While this may be surprising given the new features and marked improvements that the iPhone XS boasts, it begins to make sense when you consider Apple’s high pricing strategy: They released three phones – an expensive one, a more expensive one, and a cheaper one. The XS is smack in the middle of the price ranges, and it’s attracted the smallest crowd.
Kuo says he believes the iPhone XS model will only take up a maximum of 15% of 2018 iPhone shipments, and has since lowered his forecast of their success. The reason for the XS’ less than stellar opening is simple: If you’re in the party of people looking to buy a brand new iPhone, you’re either going to want top-of-the-line specs across the board (in which case you’d pick the XS Max) or you’ll want new features but the lowest price, in which case you’re holding off until the XR in October. Since the XS rests in neither camp, it’s the least enticing of the three options. So that brings us to the question:
Is it worth waiting until October for the XR?
Short answer: Yes. And if you’re one of those people looking to snag an older iPhone X before they’re culled from the market, don’t do it; it’s just not worth it. Unless you get an incredible deal (like less than $500), you’re simply wasting your money. October’s XR features everything that the iPhone X has, other than the dual-camera and 3D touch. If those are two things you need and you’re willing to shell out more money anyway, you’re probably looking at the XS Max anyway, and not the X or XS.
Is the XR Better?
‘Better’ is such a subjective word. It’s certainly cheaper, starting at $749 while its bigger brothers are over $1000 easy. Don’t let the size fool you, either; the XR’s LCD screen is actually larger than the XS’ OLED, at 6.1″ while the XS is 5.8″ (the XS Max being the largest at 6.5″). If you’re unsure of the difference between LCD and OLED, check out these articles.
Meet Apple’s new iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR
Read Now ►The short explanation is that while an OLED display will have a larger viewing angle, better uniformity, and a dramatic contrast ration, LCD can boast wider screens (thus the 6.1″) and is, therefore, less taxing on battery life. Since it’s not struggling to work as many pixels, the XR’s battery life will be longer than either the XS or XS Max. If you want your phone to last longer between charges you’ll definitely want to hold out for October. Check the chart below for specifics:
The XR fits a lot of power into a compact package, fully integrated with the same A12 Bionic Processor as both the XS and XS Max. It will be equally safe and secure to use. This means you’ll be able to make money transfers and new purchases with the same degree of reliability as your friends with an XS or XS Max. As a final note, the XR’s also going to have more color skins to choose from, with double the choices of the XS or XS Max. Not important for everybody, but for some, it’s a valid point in its favor.
Our recommendation is that if you’re not desperate for a new iPhone right here and now, and you want a powerful yet affordable option, getting the XR is a win-win. That being said, the lack of an aux jack is still making us skeptical about buying a new iPhone at all.
Agree with us? Let us know in the comments below which model you’re looking to get in the coming month.
