iPhone XR supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 content even without a true HDR display

Although Apple advertises inwards back upwardly documents too elsewhere on its website that the novel iPhone XR serial features HDR10 too Dolby Vision support, these colorful smartphones inwards reality do not select a display compliant amongst the high dynamic make (HDR) specification.

True or imitation HDR?

If you lot compare technical specifications for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max too iPhone XR, you’ll encounter the next models back upwardly HDR natively:

• iPhone X


• iPhone XS


• iPhone XS Max

And these iPhones lack HDR displays but “support Dolby Vision too HDR10 content”.

• iPhone 8


• iPhone 8 Plus


• iPhone XR

So why is iPhone XR’s display non shown every bit beingness compatible amongst the HDR requirements? And what precisely does Apple hateful past times stating that an iPhone “supports” HDR content?

Follow along amongst iDB for the amount reveal…

iPhone XR uses dithering

Curiously, Apple’s technical specifications for 2018 too 2017 models don’t purpose the same wording to depict HDR capabilities. That’s because some Apple phones imitate HDR. We know that the iPhone 8 serial does dithering—Apple lists these phones every bit “supporting Dolby Vision too HDR10 content” fifty-fifty though they lack truthful HDR screens amongst the 10-bit color depth.

We know this for a fact because Apple told Mashable final twelvemonth that the iPhone 8 too iPhone 8 Plus models were designed to purpose dithering techniques inwards the absence of native HDR support.

This is supposedly besides truthful for iPhone XR.

TLDR: If you lot select an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone XR, you lot volition encounter some visual enhancements to the dynamic range, contrast too broad color gamut when playing Dolby Vision or HDR10 content. Just don’t facial expression them to deliver the amount HDR visual fidelity afforded past times the superior OLED display technology inwards the iPhone X/XS/Max.

PRIMER: What are HDR, Auto HDR & Smart HDR shooting modes?

To overstep the amount make goodness of HDR, your telephone needs to select a truthful HDR display too thus that it tin sack display HDR’s extra improvements inwards all of their eye-popping glory. In other words, if you’d similar to scout HDR the agency it’s meant to live on watched, you’ll demand an iPhone X/XS/Max, period.

HDR requirements

The HDR specification requires a display amongst sure enough characteristics, similar the near-infinite contrast ratio (for deep blacks) too increased brightness levels (for brighter highlights). OLEDs on the iPhone X/XS/Max models typically boast the contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 too 625 nits of brightness, pregnant these screens comply amongst strict HDR requirements.

While non intrinsically linked, broad color gamut is mentioned inwards the same breath every bit HDR.

Comparison: SDR (standard dynamic range), at left, too truthful HDR, at right

Wide color back upwardly brings a wider make of color values than sRGB or Adobe RGB color spaces: you lot overstep greener greens, redder reds too bluer blues, amongst smoother gradations too no banding which typically occurs amongst high-contrasting scenes similar sunsets.

HDR video inwards the YouTube app

Wide color displays purpose the color fleck depth of 10 or to a greater extent than vs. 8 for the sRGB standard. 10-bit displays are capable of rendering upwardly to a billion colors versus “only” 16.7 meg colors for 8-bit display. Thanks to all these perks, users bask added colors too detail instead of seeing blown-out areas, color banding too clipping artifacts.

Summing up

With dithering, an output device tin sack live on technically HDR-capable fifty-fifty if it lacks a native HDR screen. Even though the display on any iPhone from iPhone vii onward uses a wider color gamut letting it make vibrant colors, solely the OLED technology inwards iPhone X/XS/Max is truthful HDR—these devices are guaranteed to deliver the required peak brightness too contrast piece beingness able to reproduce 10 bits of color per each RGB channel without resorting to dithering.

Comparison: broad color gamut (Rec.2020) too sRGB (Rec.709)

Summing up, devices without native HDR screens (iPhone XR, electrical current iPad Pros, etc.) procedure the HDR betoken but purpose dithering to imitate the visual enhancements to dynamic range, contrast too broad color gamut that are solely made possible past times HDR.

TUTORIAL: How to scout HDR video on YouTube

You tin sack play HDR video on whatever iPhone that “supports Dolby Vision too HDR10 content”, but proceed inwards heed that what you’re seeing volition live on simulated (dithered) color which won’t fool anyone.

Thoughts on iPhone XR’s non-HDR Liquid Retina display?

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