Apple’s “affordable” iPhone is still more expensive than all these awesome Android flagships

Apple recently launched its new iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max flagship devices, along with a cheaper smartphone named the iPhone Xr.
With its lower-resolution LCD display and single primary camera, the iPhone Xr is Apple’s new “budget” device aimed at users who can’t fork out the cash for its new high-end iPhones.
The iPhone Xr does retain some features of iPhone Xs, however, including the front camera array and A12 Bionic chipset.
Apple’s iPhone Xr will be available in South Africa from 26 October 2018, and will include dual-SIM support via eSIM technology.
The specifications of Apple’s “more affordable” iPhone are listed below.
iPhone Xr – $749
Apple iPhone Xr | |
---|---|
OS | iOS 12 |
Display | 6.1-inch Liquid Retina (1,792 x 828) |
Processor | A12 Bionic |
Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB |
Rear Camera | 12MP f/1.8 |
Front Camera | 7MP f/2.2 |
Ports | Lightning |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Cellular | LTE |
Durability | IP67 |
Biometrics | FaceID |
Dimensions | 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm / 194g |
Despite being priced as a more affordable option, the iPhone Xr is still quite expensive.
The device will be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions, and is priced as follows in the US:
- iPhone Xr 64GB – $749
- iPhone Xr 128GB – $799
- iPhone Xr 256GB – $899
In fact, with a price tag of $749, the iPhone Xr is more expensive than Samsung’s Galaxy S9 was at launch.
This means that for the price of Apple’s “affordable” iPhone, you can get a latest-generation Android flagship smartphone with an OLED display.
We have listed a number of new Android flagships which are priced lower than the iPhone Xr in the US. We converted local pricing to dollars when international pricing was not available.
Samsung Galaxy S9 – $720
Samsung Galaxy S9 | |
---|---|
OS | Android 8.0 |
Display | 5.8-inch (1,440 x 2,160) AMOLED |
Processor | Samsung Exynos 9810 |
Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB, microSD up to 512GB |
RAM | 4GB |
Rear Camera | 12MP f/1.5-2.4 |
Front Camera | 8MP f/1.7 |
Ports | USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio jack |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Cellular | LTE |
Durability | IP68 |
Biometrics | Iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, face scanning |
Dimensions | 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5mm (163g) |
Huawei P20 – $734
Huawei P20 | |
---|---|
OS | Android 8.1 |
Display | 5.8-inch (1,080 x 2,160) IPS LCD |
Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 970 |
Storage | 128GB |
RAM | 4GB |
Rear Camera | 12MP f/1.8 + 20MP f/1.6 |
Front Camera | 24MP f/2.0 |
Ports | USB Type-C |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC |
Cellular | LTE |
Durability | IP52 |
Biometrics | Fingerprint |
Dimensions | 149.1 x 70.8 x 7.7mm / 165g |
Google Pixel 2 – $649
Google Pixel 2 | |
---|---|
OS | Android 9.0 |
Display | 5.0-inch (1,080 x 1,920) AMOLED |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
Storage | 64GB/128GB |
RAM | 4GB |
Rear Camera | 12.2MP f/1.8 |
Front Camera | 8MP f/2.4 |
Ports | USB Type-C |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Cellular | LTE |
Durability | IP67 |
Biometrics | Fingerprint |
Dimensions | 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8mm / 143g |
Essential PH-1 – $499
Essential PH-1 | |
---|---|
OS | Android 9.0 |
Display | 5.71-inch (1,312 x 2,560) IPS LCD |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
Storage | 128GB |
RAM | 4GB |
Rear Camera | 13MP f/1.9 |
Front Camera | 8MP f/2.2 |
Ports | USB Type-C |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Cellular | LTE |
Durability | IP54 |
Biometrics | Fingerprint |
Dimensions | 141.5 x 71.1 x 7.8mm / 185g |
Nokia 8 Sirocco – $575
Nokia 8 Sirocco | |
---|---|
OS | Android 8.0 |
Display | 5.5-inch (1,440 x 2,560) OLED |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
Storage | 128GB |
RAM | 6GB |
Rear Camera | 12MP f/1.8 + 13MP f/2.6 |
Front Camera | 5MP f/2.0 |
Ports | USB Type-C |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Cellular | LTE |
Durability | IP67 |
Biometrics | Fingerprint |
Dimensions | 140.9 x 73 x 7.5mm / 177g |