Hi! I just received my first iPhone from my cousin. It's an iPhone XR, and even though some people might consider it old or a downgrade, it's still a big upgrade from my previous phone, which had a swollen battery and a case that could no longer close properly. I mainly need this phone for school and basic everyday tasks, and I don't really use the camera. Is the build quality still good, what useful features should I know about, and can it continue receiving newer iOS updates?
2 Answers
For schoolwork, messaging, browsing, videos, and other basic tasks, the XR should still be perfectly usable. It’s an older model, so it won’t be as fast as newer iPhones and its camera won’t compete with them, but that probably won’t matter if you rarely take photos. Check Settings > General > Software Update to see which iOS version it supports, and keep in mind that update eligibility eventually ends for older models.
The most important thing to check is the battery health under Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. If the battery is badly degraded, the phone may feel slow or need frequent charging. Otherwise, the XR has Face ID, Apple Pay, a decent screen, reliable app support, and should handle normal school use without a problem.
That’s exactly what I need it for, so I’m not too worried about the camera or having the newest model. I’ll check the battery health and software update settings.