General Apple Megathread

[jwslam]

if anyone is selling a 15/15pro/16 i'm intradasted

[Shazam]

Definitely getting those APP3s for the HRM.

I should upgrade my phone since it does weird things now but I don't want to spend the money.

[PepsiFree]

My phone is 5-6 years old and I’ve beat it to crap. I also use it for creative work so the 17 Pro looks like it’s going to be a really nice upgrade.

[photon]

I got a 16 Pro mostly for the longer optical zoom and now the 17 Pro as an 8X optical zoom??

Not worth upgrading just for that but still want it.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Now that the sizes and form factors for the most part have been figured out and standardized, most updates going forward will be incremental. The only improvement that would excite me would be the next leap in battery technology.

Very true. I actually want a wider phone not a longer one but nobody is really making that these days. I have an old 12 Pro and pixel 8 Pro. The 8 is just fine, see no reason to upgrade that. I might go to a 15 pro max but not sure. Phones are cool for what they can do but I don't care about any AI features whatsoever.

I really want a 7.3" screen that has a 75mm wide body not the 71mm you get these days.

[Table 5]

When I think about what I want from a new phone....there's honesty nothing that my current 13 Pro Max already is really missing out on. Better battery life would be nice...but it's already fine. Better camera/lens specs are welcome...but not a massive draw as I have my actual camera for that if needed. The AI stuff doesn't particularly draw me in.

Actually the only thing I would like these days a simpler, and more affordable, phone I could get for my kids. Ie something like the other phones out there (ie Bark, Pinwheel), but with the Apple UI/ecosystem to make it easier to integrate. There is the possibility of getting an older iPhone, but they are still pretty pricey, and the parent controls are not particularly great.

[Diemenz]

^
I think the parental controls are actually pretty amazing. I can absolutely lock down apps, times, domains, contacts etc. all based on time of day, location or just because.
Both my kids have iPads and iPhones and I can successfully monitor and control every aspect. Including the wonderful notification if adult content is blocked (for example an ad or picture in a web search). Using the time feature everything goes dark except being able to call me or their mom l, no other apps work or any other contacts (911 still does obviously) and location based allows me to lock out games when they leave the house so they don’t play at school.

[Table 5]

^ Good to know...sounds like I need to look into it more. I assume there are also more controls allowed on the newer models...my kids share like a 6 year old iPad, and I find there doesn't seem to be much control on the older OS's.

Price is still a barrier for me either way. Looking on Rogers site, the cheapest iPhone (14) is still almost $700 bucks. Not sure I want to spend that on a 12 year old who still has issues with forgetting things...

edit. Looking at refurbished iPhone SE now, those prices don't seem as bad...

[DownInFlames]

I hate how we’ve just accepted big camera bumps as a thing. If they added extra battery so the phone is flush in the back I’d be a happy man.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Table 5

^ Good to know...sounds like I need to look into it more. I assume there are also more controls allowed on the newer models...my kids share like a 6 year old iPad, and I find there doesn't seem to be much control on the older OS's.

Price is still a barrier for me either way. Looking on Rogers site, the cheapest iPhone (14) is still almost $700 bucks. Not sure I want to spend that on a 12 year old who still has issues with forgetting things...

edit. Looking at refurbished iPhone SE now, those prices don't seem as bad...

I bought SEs for the kids from Costco. I told them if they break the phone, tough luck, I'm not buying you a new one.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I hate how we’ve just accepted big camera bumps as a thing. If they added extra battery so the phone is flush in the back I’d be a happy man.

I assume part of the reason it's not flush is so that dust doesn't settle on the lens as easily leading to crappy photos?

[TorqueDog]

The camera sensors themselves are getting bigger and bigger, and in order to get more optical zoom, you need the added physical space to physically move the lens elements within the housing. So an ever-growing camera lump is just a reality going forward IMO.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

The camera sensors themselves are getting bigger and bigger, and in order to get more optical zoom, you need the added physical space to physically move the lens elements within the housing. So an ever-growing camera lump is just a reality going forward IMO.

Btw, from what I understand, there is no "optical zoom" in the traditional sense where you have stacks of lens elements moving within a housing. Instead you have 3 lenses with different focal lengths, and the "zoom" happens as it bounces from one to the other, and it's processed digitally. I think them calling it optical zoom is a bit of a marketing white lie.

Personally, the bump out doesn't bother me. Yeah it might be nice if more of the space was filled with some battery power...but in general there's always going to be a need for some physical space for lenses, and I think it's already pretty amazing what these phones can do as-is.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Btw, from what I understand, there is no "optical zoom" in the traditional sense where you have stacks of lens elements moving within a housing. Instead you have 3 lenses with different focal lengths, and the "zoom" happens as it bounces from one to the other, and it's processed digitally. I think them calling it optical zoom is a bit of a marketing white lie.

I thought there was at least some element of lens movement since there's a .5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x (or 5x or 8x depending on phone) but only three sensors.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I thought there was at least some element of lens movement since there's a .5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x (or 5x or 8x depending on phone) but only three sensors.

There’s optical image stabilization so there has to be moving parts.