iPhone XR durability - How durable is it?

[humble turnip]

I am thinking of purchasing an iPhone XR.

Unlike a lot of people, I don’t upgrade my phone often. My current phone is from 2013 and I would hope to hold on to an iPhone XR for at least 7 years.

1. How long is an XR likely to get software updates for? Obviously, I wouldn’t expect it to still get updates after 7 years, but I’d hope it would still be updated until 2024. Is that likely?

2. I notice that the XR only has 3GB of RAM compared to the XS’s 4GB of RAM. Is that likely to cause an issue with it getting updates in the future?



3. I’ve seen a lot of talk about a 5G iPhone in 2020. As I hold on to a phone for a long time, should I hold off buying until 5G is released? At the moment, I live with plenty of wifi and so rarely use cellar connection. I’ve also heard that it could be another 6 years before 5G is fully rolled out.

4. I plan to use the iPhone for the following:

-Web
-Email
-Pages/Numbers
-Podcasts
-Reading ebooks
-Navigation (Maps)
-Photos (especially taking photos from within Pages when producing on-site reports)

Would an XR be enough for all these things, especially over a 5+ year period, or would it slow down after a few years?

5. Do iPhones keep their value? Like if I decided to sell and get a newer model after three years, how much if it’s value would it keep?

6. How durable is the iPhone XR? I’ve heard the glass back can crack easily. If I keep it in a high-quality case, will it last for a good 7 years?

 

[JPack]

A new iPhone is expected to receive updates for 4-5 years. The iPhone XR was launched in 2018 and is expected to receive updates through 2022-2023.

Apple has typically used the processor as the determining factor for supporting iOS updates. The A12 in the XR would be the limiting factor. The iPhone 11R is expected to have 4GB of RAM.

In terms of 5G deployment, it will depend on where you live. In the U.S. for example, deployments are based on mmWave which will significantly hamper nationwide coverage. In China and South Korea, 5G deployment is based the sub-6 GHz spectrum which makes it much easier to deploy and provide 5G coverage.

In terms of depreciation, you can check the prices of iPhone 8, X, and XR on the used market to determine current prices.

If you keep the XR in a moderately rugged (3-piece) case, it will survive most drops without issue.

 

[humble turnip]

In terms of 5G deployment, it will depend on where you live. In the U.S. for example, deployments are based on mmWave which will significantly hamper nationwide coverage. In China and South Korea, 5G deployment is based the sub-6 GHz spectrum which makes it much easier to deploy and provide 5G coverage.

Hmmm...That's a good point. I live in the UK and I think it could be a few more years before 5G will be readily available (especially as I only use Pay-as-you-Go). I do visit cities like Los Angeles, but I think even there it could take a while until it is widely available.

 

[Angrtoy]

I only plan to use up to 3 years, xr is currently my most satisfied mobile phone.

 

[humble turnip]

I only plan to use up to 3 years, xr is currently my most satisfied mobile phone.

Out of interest what do you do with it after 3 years? Do you sell it or pass it on?

 

[Angrtoy]

Out of interest what do you do with it after 3 years? Do you sell it or pass it on?

I now sold the iPhone xr and replaced it with 11