Apple has a rather unusual approach to selling smartphones. The company's portfolio does not include budget planners or even cheap middle-class men. We can only choose from expensive or very expensive flagships, and from time to time there are also cheaper models from the SE family that use components from older generation iPhones.
Due to the small number of models on the market and the lack of smartphones from lower price segments, the Cupertino giant has been selling older models for many years.
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Currently, the manufacturer's website also includes the iPhone Xr, presented in September 2018. The nearly three-year-old smartphone is still sold by the manufacturer itself and will receive software updates for at least three consecutive years.
Today, however, we will deal with a slightly newer, not much more expensive, but much more interesting smartphone, which is certainly the iPhone 11. This smartphone made its debut on the market in September 2019, and despite the approaching second birthday, it is still very eagerly bought by consumers from around the world. What is the phenomenon of this device and is it worth getting interested in a smartphone from two generations before the release of the iPhone 13?
Cheap iPhone = Old iPhone?
If you want to decide on a cheap iPhone, you have to take into account the fact that it will be an old construction. Fortunately, smartphones with the iOS operating system, thanks to proprietary processors and a closed ecosystem, age much slower than the Android competition. This means the iPhone 11 is still bravely battling Android's flagships for this year.
Unfortunately, the age of the design is visible in several places, but the iPhone 11 also has a lot of advantages. Will they ultimately outweigh the shortcomings and shortcomings?
iPhone 11 does not have a 5G modem
It so happened that the iPhone 11 is the last flagship of Apple without support for the 5G network. The Cupertino giant has delayed the implementation of 5G modems for a long time and finally did it in 2020.
iPhone 11 is equipped with a gigabit LTE modem. This means that you will not take advantage of the increasingly available 5G network, which has even higher data transfers and the ability to support more devices at the same time.
On the other hand, for the next two or three years, LTE will still be so fast and efficient that you shouldn't be bothered by the lack of 5G. the only exception is if you are a fan of new technologies and absolutely want to use 5G. Then you should definitely give up buying an iPhone 11.
iPhone 11 does not have an OLED screen and an increased refresh rate
The iPhone 11 screen has been loud since its premiere. Apple has equipped the device with a classic IPS LCD panel with a 6.1-inch screen cutout. As if that was not enough, such a large panel uses a low resolution of 1792 x 828 pixels. This means that the iPhone 11 does not have a Full HD display. The pixel density is 326 ppi. The panel supports True Tone and Night Shift. Like more expensive models, we should not count on the presence of a panel with an increased refresh rate.
On the other hand, a purely practically iPhone 11 still has a good screen. Of course, this is not OLED from the latest flagships, but as for IPS LCD it is doing very well, and the reduced resolution is not a problem during normal operation. The maximum and minimum brightness should also be included on the plus side.
We already know the biggest disadvantages of the iPhone 11. As you can see, there aren't many of them. Now it's time to move on to the advantages, which are still quite a lot.
The iPhone 11 has a sensational casing with increased durability
We start with the housing and build quality. iPhone 11 is the first smartphone to be made of more durable glass. Apple has used a new material on the back that better stands the test of time. In addition, the frame is still made of aluminum, and on the front we can find tempered glass, which should, however, be secured with additional protective glass.
The rounded frames, which facilitate the operation of a fairly large smartphone, also speak in favor of the older model. It is also worth adding that the iPhone 11 is sold in a total of six color versions.
The iPhone 11 camera continues to surprise positively
The biggest novelty of the iPhone 11 is certainly its camera. For the first time in history, Apple offered a night mode with longer exposure in its smartphones, which changed the quality of photos taken after dark.
In addition to the night mode, the smartphone offers two lenses with a resolution of 12 MP - ultra-wide angle and wide angle. With the use of the iPhone 11, we will also record movies in 4K while maintaining 60 frames per second.
The iPhone 11 also has optical image stabilization, but, like the night mode, it will not work in conjunction with the ultra-wide angle lens.
The only thing that may be missing is the telephoto lens known from the more expensive models with the note Pro in the name.
You will not run out of performance for the next few years
iPhone 11 is powered by a 7 nm Apple A13 Bionic processor supported by 4 GB of RAM. Depending on the configuration, we get 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB of built-in mass memory.
On paper, the technical specification of the iPhone 11 is not impressive, but in practice it is more than enough. We must also remember that all elements are displayed on a screen with a relatively low resolution of 1792 x 828 pixels.
The iPhone 11 continues to fight bravely against Android's flagship models for 2021. In terms of performance, the iPhone 11 is still one of the fastest smartphones we can find on store shelves.
Our statements about the high performance of the iPhone 11, which will be enough for the next few years, Apple seems to confirm. The latest news suggests that the Apple A13 processor could hit the base Apple iPad tablet in 2021. Currently, this tablet offers the older Apple A12 Bionic chip known from the iPhone Xs, Xs Max, Xr and the iPad mini 5.
Great battery with fast charging
IPhone 11 users praise it for one more element. It is a battery with a capacity of 3110 mAh. Its size does not impress, but in combination with an energy-saving processor and an optimized operating system, we can easily get two days of work away from power.
At the moment when we need to charge the smartphone, we can use the fast, 18 W wired charging. It will allow you to recharge the battery to 50% in 30 minutes (same as in the iPhone 12). The smartphone also supports wireless charging in the Qi standard with a maximum power of 7.5 W. Compared to the more expensive and newer models, the MagSafe port was missing.
Low loss of value
The iPhone has always held its value well. Apple equipment owners are able to recover a lot from the sale of a used iPhone. The iPhone 11, on the other hand, is now two years old and has lost a lot of value. We will buy new copies for less than PLN 3,000, which is a reduction of over PLN 600 compared to the starting retail price in 2019.
If you are looking for an Apple device that offers the best value for money, it is definitely the iPhone 11.
iPhone 11 will remain on sale until September 2022
Are you worried that you will buy an iPhone 11 and Apple will soon withdraw the model from sale and limit service support? None of these things - the iPhone 11 will continue to be sold until the launch of the iPhone 14. From September 2021, it will be the cheapest model with Face ID, which will replace the still sold iPhone Xr.
Apple continues to offer full service support and original accessories for the iPhone 11. Given the huge popularity of this device, we do not expect Apple to withdraw from support for the iPhone 11.
iPhone 11 - The sales results speak for themselves
Typically, in the weeks leading up to the premiere of new Apple devices, sales of the still current (declining) models tend to decline. The situation is different this year. Apple has a very well-prepared portfolio of products, which means that despite preparations for the premiere of the new generation and the holiday season, the sale of the iPhone is not slowing down.
Consumers are still very eager to reach for the iPhone 11, iPhone SE 2020 and currently the flagships from the iPhone 12 family. time.
We predict that after the iPhone 13 debut, the two-year-old iPhone 11 will continue to be very popular. We expect that its price in large electronics stores will drop below PLN 2,500. On the surface, it seems to be an interesting alternative to the iPhone 13.
If the iPhone 11 is so good, maybe it is worth saving and choosing an iPhone Xr?
We will now buy the iPhone 11 for less than PLN 2,900, but the market is cheaper and visually very similar to the iPhone Xr. We can buy this model for less than PLN 2,500.
The Phone Xr appeared on the market in the fall of 2018 together with the iPhone Xs and Xs Max. The phone has an identical display and a very similar housing. Unfortunately, that's where the similarities end. The iPhone Xr is 300-400 PLN cheaper than the iPhone 11, but the number of compromises is very large.
iPhone Xr has a lower class of water resistance, a weaker processor, Wi-Fi 5 and 1 GB of RAM less. The most important difference, however, is the camera.
Unlike the iPhone 11, the Xr model features a single 12MP camera, which unfortunately does not support the night mode. The difference in the quality of the photographs taken is visible to the naked eye. The front camera is also worse, it has a resolution of 7 MP and cannot record videos in 4K.
As you can see, it's not worth saving. The iPhone 11 isn't much more expensive, but it's a noticeably better and much more forward-looking choice.
UPDATE 09/24/2021
From today, we will buy the iPhone 13 in stores. This means that the iPhone 11 is already a smartphone from two generations. How has the situation changed after the premiere of the iPhone 13 and is it still worth being interested in the flagship from the second half of 2019?
At the beginning, we will start with the prices. Apple has officially changed the price list of the iPhone 11. The iPhone Xr has dropped out of the offer, and the 11th has become the cheapest smartphone with Face ID. Currently, Apple sells models with 64 GB and 128 GB of built-in memory. We will buy the top configuration with 256 GB of disk space from selected sellers. Apple has discontinued the production of this model, but stores still have them in stock.
iPhone 11 currently costs PLN 2,599 for the 64 GB version and PLN 2,849 for the 128 GB version. This means that the retail price fell by PLN 1,000 after two years (in 2019, the iPhone 11 cost a minimum of PLN 3,599).
The two-year-old smartphone from Apple has already received an update to iOS 15. After a few days of using the phone with the latest version of the system, I can confirm that the software did not slow down the device, and in addition, there were some interesting features.
Considering the fact that the iPhone 11 has become a few hundred zlotys more expensive, and the iPhone 13 is difficult to access and does not have any revolutionary features, the two-year model is still an interesting alternative and definitely a good choice.
iPhone 11 will remain on sale until September 2022. The lower retail price has also made it an extremely interesting and better alternative to the iPhone SE. By paying PLN 400, we get much better cameras, a larger display, Face ID, more color versions and more memory. Despite the longer market legacy, the iPhone 11 is a better choice than the iPhone SE.
iPhone 11 in 2021 - is it worth buying?
Is it worth buying a two-year-old smartphone? In the case of most designs with the Android operating system, we would say no, but when it comes to Apple hardware, things are completely different.
The iPhone 11 is a smartphone that is still worth considering. The two-year-old smartphone positively surprises with high performance, a very good camera, a great battery and an attractive design. Of course, there is no rose without a thorn. The disadvantages of the iPhone 11 certainly include the lack of a 5G modem and the display that stands out from today's standards.
Summing up the list of advantages and disadvantages of the iPhone 11, it must be admitted that Apple knew what it was doing. The two-year-old iPhone is still a good choice, and the iPhone 11 is a great device that will please most consumers. If you don't care about the fact of having the latest device and want to save a lot of money, but at the same time don't want to compromise, iPhone 11 is a great choice.
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