The Most Interesting iPhone Of 2018 Is Now Easier To Buy

Apple's iPhone XR turned out to be the most fascinating smartphone of the company's 2018 refresh, with its combination of colorful style and relative affordability, and now there's more flexibility in how you can buy it. Until now, if you've wanted the $750+ iPhone XR you've had to pick it up with a carrier, but that's all changing.

Now, Apple will happily sell you an iPhone XR unlocked and SIM-free. The handsets are sold unactivated, and can be used on any of the main carriers in the US. That means AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon support, all in a single device.

Pricing is the same regardless of whether you've gone for a carrier phone through the Apple Store, or unlocked. The iPhone XR kicks off at $749 for the 64 GB version. Alternatively it's $799 for a 128 GB model, and then finally $899 for the 256 GB phone. There's no 512 GB iPhone XR, unlike the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

Whichever storage size you opt for, the core specifications are the same. That means a 6.1-inch LCD display – slotting in-between the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max in size – running at 720p resolution, Apple's A12 Bionic chipset inside, and a 12-megapixel camera on the back. There's also Apple's TrueDepth front facing camera, which supports Face ID.

What could well be most appealing, aside from being more affordable, though, is the array of color finishes that Apple offers the iPhone XR in. As well as the more straightforward black and white versions, there are also yellow, coral, and blue handsets. A PRODUCT(RED) iPhone XR includes a donation to HIV and AIDS research, too.

Apple's GiveBack smartphone trade-in program is also available. The can contribute as much as $500 to the cost of the iPhone XR, depending on what model you're trading in, of course.

One reason you might still want to opt for a carrier model, mind, is the iPhone Upgrade Program. That not only spreads the cost of the iPhone XR over 24 monthly payments, but also allows you to upgrade to a new iPhone each year. It's not available if you buy the unlocked iPhone XR outright, however.