Fans queue for iPhone XR as new handset goes on sale

Apple fans queued for the iPhone XR as the device went on sale in the UK, with the tech giant hoping to entice new users with its lower price and wide range of colour finishes.

The XR was announced in September alongside the iPhone XS and XS Max, but with a starting price of £749 it is significantly cheaper than its siblings.

It contains many of the same features as the XS devices, including the same A12 Bionic processor and Portrait mode photography features.

Unveiling the device, Apple’s Phil Schiller said the company wanted to get the latest iPhone technology into as many people’s hands as possible.

First in the queue outside Apple’s newly reopened Covent Garden store were brothers Abdul and Ed Al Kadi, from Guildford, Surrey, who said they queued up because they were “Apple fans”.

Ed said he was buying the XR because it was a “new category” of iPhone, but also offered “most of the best features from the XS but at a bit of a lower price”.

“I’m also a developer, so it’s always good to try out different devices,” he added.

Abdul said: “We’ve queued up for launches before – in Berlin and Frankfurt – and we thought this was a special launch because the store was opening again.”

The Covent Garden retail store had been closed for renovation, and now includes a Forum – an open space inside the store complete with a large video wall where the company will host its free Today At Apple classes and workshops.

Apple has come under increased pressure in the smartphone market this year, with new devices from Chinese firm Huawei – which has targeted Apple’s userbase – receiving critical praise, while Samsung and Google have also refreshed their flagship phone line-ups in recent months.

The tech giant is also expected to announce new iPads and MacBook laptops when it holds a live event in New York next week.