This article was published on October 16, 2019

Video: What’s new with the iPhone 11?

Cameras, chips, and colors


Unless you spend a lot of time reading about Apple, autumn can be a confusing time. Typically, the company releases three new iPhones — and this year isn’t an exception.

Of the three devices, the iPhone 11 is the entry-level model — and probably the most suitable for the majority of people. Helpfully, we’ve put together a video that guides you through the new features of the iPhone 11 and its major selling points. You can watch that at the top of the page.

But don’t want to use your eyes to stare at moving images? Just want some good old fashioned text? Well, we’ve got that for you too.

What’s the iPhone 11’s predecessor?

That, friends, would be the iPhone XR. So, in this piece, it makes a lot of sense to talk about the iPhone 11 in regards to the phone it directly suceeded.

What’s new with the camera?

While the iPhone XR had a single lens, the iPhone 11 now has TWO. Yes, TWO LENSES WOOOO!

The iPhone 11 has a normal wide-angle camera, with the addition of an ultra wide-angle one. Basically, this means you can fit more stuff in your photos than before. Honestly, this extra lens makes a big difference, especially when taking photos in enclosed spaces or with lots of people.

Another big addition to the iPhone 11 is the software. Specifically, Night Mode. If you’re shooting still scenes outside, the impact it has is magical. Colors balance out, the contrast is sorted, but everything still retains that dark aesthetic. It’s a big upgrade from the XR.

On top of this, the company will soon roll out Deep Fusion (specifically, with iOS 13.2), which will help improve texture, details, and deliver noise reduction in situations where the lighting isn’t very good. So far, the results look impressive.

And, of course, the same video features you enjoyed with the XR (like recording in 4k) all still remain with the iPhone 11.

Is there a new chip in the iPhone 11?

Damn straight there is! The chip in the iPhone XR was an A12 and looked like this:

Apple A12 chip
Wowww look at this goddamn chip!

And the new chip? Well, that’s the A13. And I don’t have a picture of it, but I assume it’d look something like this:

Apple A13 chip edited
Sometimes, I impress myself with my own talent.

While it’s not the most exciting update, the A13 chip does bring some serious benefits to the iPhone 11, including better image processing, and battery life.

And what’s iPhone 11’s battery life like?

The iPhone XR had the best battery life of Apple’s previous range of phones, and the iPhone 11 has been gifted with an extra hour of juice on top of that. In my time testing the phone so far, I can’t say I notice a huge amount of difference, but the iPhone 11 can easily last you over a day.

What about the iPhone 11’s colors?

The iPhone XR’s color scheme was bold and brash, with vivid tones making the phones pop. Have a gander:

How very 2018.

But that scheme has changed with the iPhone 11. This time round, Apple has included a lot more pastel, soft colors, that feel a lot more modern, and understated:

~ f r e s h ~

Price

A big benefit of the iPhone 11 is that it’s cheaper that the XR’s launch price, starting at $699 for the base model.

What’s not changed?

It seems important to maybe note some of the things that haven’t changed between the iPhone XR and iPhone 11. First up is the screen, which remains a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina LCD display.

In my use, this still looks sharp, crisp, and is more than good enough for day-to-day use. I would’ve liked an OLED display, but I guess Apple needs to save costs somewhere.

Storage options also remain the same, with 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB models available. Ideally, I’d like to see the 64GB models discontinued, as that’s really not enough space for the majority of people. But, I do understand the impact of a low price point, and the importance of selling an iCloud subscription to users — even if I don’t like it.

iphone 11 call
If you’ve ever wanted to know how you’ll look talking on the iPhone 11, it’s like this.

Final thoughts

After a short time with the iPhone 11, we’re big fans. It’s a well manufactured phone that feels slick, polished, and delivers solid upgrades over the the XR.

If you’re using an iPhone 8 or below, the iPhone 11 is almost definitely worth the upgrade. If you’re running with an iPhone X or XR, you can definitely benefit from the iPhone 11 — but it’s not essential.

So, there you have it! A video AND an article outlining everything new with the iPhone 11. You’re welcome.


This post includes affiliate links to products that you can buy online. If you purchase them through our links, we get a small cut of the revenue.

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Also tagged with