Why buying the iPhone 11 no longer makes sense in 2023?
Launched in 2019, the iPhone 11 still attracts attention as an Apple cell phone that continues to deliver a good experience. For many people, by the way, it seems to be a good option for a cheap smartphone from Apple. But does it still make sense to buy the device today?
Not really. And I will explain the reasons why the iPhone 11 is no longer a good option in 2023 in the next few paragraphs. And I will, of course, also recommend two excellent alternatives for anyone considering the 2019 Apple phone.
The main reason for not recommending the iPhone 11 anymore is the lack of some important features for a smartphone in 2023. The iPhone 11 is the last Apple cell phone to come out with an IPS LCD screen (not counting the SE). Back in 2019, when he hit the market, there was already a lot of pressure on Apple to switch panel technology to OLED. That is, it was already launched with a screen considered, at the time, outdated.
Another technology that Apple owed four years ago was 5G connectivity. It is true that the new generation of mobile broadband was still in its infancy in 2019, but there were already countries where it was available. That is, another feature that the iPhone 11 owed.
Here it is good to remember that, as a top-of-the-line cell phone, the iPhone (in general) needs to bring the main technologies. After all, it is a smartphone made to last for many years in the user’s hand. A screen with a panel considered outdated and the absence of a technology that became important the following year are Apple’s faults.
A third missing feature is MagSafe. It revolutionized Apple’s wireless charging, but it only arrived on the iPhone 12. Without such a feature, the iPhone 11 can only reach a maximum of 7.5 W in induction charging. MagSafe manages to double up to 15W, thanks to perfect magnetic alignment. In addition to making wireless charging better and more convenient, MagSafe opens up a whole range of accessory possibilities that aren’t available for the iPhone 11.
best alternatives
Of course, it’s no use just saying that the iPhone 11 doesn’t make sense as a new cell phone today. And I have two alternatives to it, one being even cheaper, and another with all the features missing from the 2019 model. And they’re both Apple phones, too.
The most affordable is the 3rd Generation iPhone SE, which has 5G and MagSafe. but owes the OLED screen, since it still has an IPS LCD panel. And it does not have two cameras, that is, it does not offer the ultra-angle, present in the other models. However, it costs around R$2,200, while the iPhone 11 is around R$2,400.
The iPhone 12 is complete, including 5G, MagSafe and OLED screen. But then its price is already considerably higher, reaching close to R$ 3,300. For a model with 64 GB of internal storage, the same initial capacity as the SE and 11.
In addition, the iPhone 12 has the Apple A14 Bionic chip, which is more powerful than the A13 Bionic present in the iPhone 11. The 3rd Generation iPhone SE is even faster, with the A15 Bionic. And all have 12 MP cameras, Apple’s standard photographic resolution for many years.
When will the iPhone 11 be discontinued?
The iPhone 11 has already been discontinued, in fact. The model ceased to be manufactured at the end of 2022, when the iPhone 14 hit the market. Apple currently stops manufacturing the base model of its cell phone after three years of launch. The 11 is from 2019, so new units are no longer produced.
However, it is still possible to find the iPhone 11 packaged in Brazilian stores. This happens due to surplus stock, that is, units purchased by stores throughout 2022 and which were not sold. As the stock gets closer to the end, the price can go up.
Does the iPhone 11 still receive updates?
The iPhone 11 should stop receiving new versions of the operating system in two years. That is, it will still receive iOS 17, which should be released in the coming months, and iOS 18. But it will probably not be updated to iOS 19. Therefore, the 2019 model should receive new versions of the system by 2025 .
At the end of 2022, Apple stopped updating the iPhone 7 line. The company has already announced that iPhone X, 8 and 8 Plus will not receive the update to iOS 17 in 2023. It is expected that the 2018 models will not be graced with iOS 18 in 2024.
