Apple now accepting iPhone XR preorders ahead of Oct. 26 launch [u]

Apple on Friday opened preorders for iPhone XR, the latest addition to the company's top-selling smartphone line.

As with previous hardware releases, preorders went live just after midnight in the Apple Store app and on Apple.com.

Highlighted by a full-face 6.1-inch Liquid Retina Display, the new handset is bristling with cutting edge technology powered by Apple's A12 Bionic processor. A front-facing TrueDepth camera system enables Face ID facial recognition technology, while a 12-megapixel rear camera boasts advanced photography functions like Smart HDR, Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting.

Compared to this year's $1,000-and-up iPhone XS flagship, Apple was able to keep XR costs down by integrating an aluminum chassis, LCD screen without 3D Touch support and single-camera design. The phone is being offered in anodized white, black, blue, yellow, coral and (Product)Red finishes.

Storage options start at 64GB for $749 and move up to 128GB and 256GB configurations selling for $799 and $899, respectively.

Preorders for the handset went live in more than 50 countries today, including Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Herzegovina, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, UK, U.S. and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Early orders are scheduled to arrive on Oct. 26, the same day Apple is expected to have stock on hand at retail outlets located in the above launch countries.

Israel is set to gain access to iPhone XR on Nov. 1, while another 12 countries, including Armenia, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Macau, Maldives, Myanmar, Ukraine and Vietnam, will get the device on Nov. 2.

Customers looking to protect their investment can check out AppleInsider's iPhone XR case roundup for the best deals.

Uodate Launch day supply of yellow 128GB iPhone XR units in provisioned for T-Mobile sold out less than an hour after preorders went live.