XR has a better Camera, better portrait mode (portrait mode at all), and a much better processor.How many consumers do you know that care about a phone that virtually looks the same as the iPhone 8 as it does the iPhone XS? I doubt you know very many people that would. Keep in mind, the iPhone 8 shares many same features as the iPhone XR/XS with two-tone, wireless charging, stereo speakers, dual camera, etc. In terms of design for smart phones, they’re all really the same, it’s the features that separate the phones that consumers want to see, look at Apples marketing for example, it’s about the camera, Animoji, etc. Those are the things that they want to consumer to see.
And Memoji are awesome.