Apple iPhone 11: An Upgrade Or A Downgrade?

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Chinese consumers prefer the iPhone 11 because of its aggressive pricing. (Apple Senior Director of Product Marketing Kaiann Drance speaks onstage about the iPhone 11's cameras during a product launch event at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California) AFP / Josh Edelson

Apple’s new iPhone 11 lineup offers more features and improvements compared to its predecessors. A teardown of the iPhone 11, however, shows that it’s basically an iPhone XR with some iPhone 11 Pro specs inside.

With that said, is it right to think that the iPhone 11 is a real upgrade to the older iPhone XR? Or is it a $700 downgrade from the older model? Let’s find out.

Noted teardown expert iFixit got busy working on prying the iPhone 11 open and found that the new smartphone might appear slightly similar to the older iPhone XR, but it’s not very similar in terms of specs on the inside.

After doing some heating, slicing and prying to open the iPhone 11, iFixit found that the new device features tech both old and new. As per iFixit, “our first glimpse inside the iPhone 11 confirms our suspicions: this is an iPhone XR with some iPhone 11 Pro tech inside.”

While the thought of the new device having old tech might not sound enticing, it’s a fact that the new device has some new tech inside allowing it to perform better than its predecessor.

First, there’s a double-decker logic board that’s never been seen on the mid-size iPhone line. This logic board contains a few chips that power the device: Apple’s A13 Bionic SoC, an SK Hynix memory chip layered beneath that, a chip believed to be used for storage, and another chip believed to be Apple’s new U1 positioning chip.

Second, the repair firm found that the iPhone 11’s battery is slightly smaller than the one found on the iPhone XR. This battery, which isn’t as easy to remove and replace compared to the batteries on the Pro models, has 7% more capacity compared to the iPhone XR’s battery and allows the iPhone 11 to last longer.

Third, the iPhone 11 has two rear cameras that differ in size and capability. An X-ray revealed that the wide-angle module has optical image stabilization while the ultra-wide module doesn’t have this feature. The camera’s cables have also been rerouted, making camera repairs easier.

Lastly, an X-ray of the rear casing showed a charging coil that could’ve been used for bilateral charging. Other components needed for the feature are absent, however.

iFixit gave the iPhone 11 a reparability score or 6/10, with 10 being the easiest to repair. The score might not be that high, but the repair firm said it’s not as bad as it sounds.