My first iPhone was a 14PM and I’m still using it. I’m tempted by the camera updates but that’s about it. It’s still a great phone.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Am I the only one not caring about new phones anymore?
- Thread starter Tig Bitties
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I dunno man, when’s the last you bought a new fridge or microwave? I was pretty excited about mine.
The new iPhones have great materials. Happy to experience that each time I get a new one. Slim is cool. Hoping that happens.
But that's the point. Reading about new and upcoming tech, especially phones, doesn't move the needle anymore nor trigger any excitement. Smartphones have reached a plateau for a while now and innovation is severely stunted. Modern SoC already provides way more power beyond what the average user needs. There's no point in getting a new phone just for faster benchmarks.
Definitely not alone.
I used to frequent this site so often I'd find myself typing MacR... every time I opened a web browser. But not lately.
To be clear, I've been a Mac user since 1985. Bought my first Mac in high school and that was NOT cheap. $3600 in 1987 money. I've written a ton of games and apps for the Mac and iOS over the years since then. Ran a booth at MacWorld. Ran Mac websites. Wrote about Macs for Dr. Dobb's Journal, MacAddict, and a few others.
But right now? I've never been less interested in Apple. If they added pencil support to the iPhone or MacBook, I'd be all over it. But there's nothing at all I'm excited about there anymore.
it sucks. Apple used to be my 'happy place' and now it's just... my phone. my computer...
I used to frequent this site so often I'd find myself typing MacR... every time I opened a web browser. But not lately.
To be clear, I've been a Mac user since 1985. Bought my first Mac in high school and that was NOT cheap. $3600 in 1987 money. I've written a ton of games and apps for the Mac and iOS over the years since then. Ran a booth at MacWorld. Ran Mac websites. Wrote about Macs for Dr. Dobb's Journal, MacAddict, and a few others.
But right now? I've never been less interested in Apple. If they added pencil support to the iPhone or MacBook, I'd be all over it. But there's nothing at all I'm excited about there anymore.
it sucks. Apple used to be my 'happy place' and now it's just... my phone. my computer...
Attachments
I don't think Ive had the newest phone since the iPhone 6. After that I've always gotten the model that's a year or two old (thus reasonably priced), and then only after about three years. These days a 5-6 year old phone works just fine as long as the battery is holding out.
Let me know when you actually abstain from getting the new thing once it drops. Easy to talk the talk but as of right now you've jumped from an S24U to the Pixel 9 Pro lol? Yea, clearly you're over the hype..........now the people still rocking their 6S's have a lot more credibility than you trying to talk yourself out the next one which will be the S25U.
I'm the same as you as I am more excited about new features being added via software updates.
It's too bad the iPhone 15 won't get Apple Intelligence, not even the improved Siri! But I will eventually test it out on the M2 MBA I'm getting sometime soon. So I won't miss out on Apple Intelligence despite it not being as pocketable as an iPhone.
I still use the 6s as my main phone as well
I live in Sweden. I had one of those Motorola flip-phones as well. Switched to Nokia phones after that.
But had to get a smartphone. The tele companies no longer offer contracts without several GBs. (2GB min)
So much is based on Digital IDs now, banks demand it. And a lot of people selling second hand stuff refuse cash.
But I got myself an iPhone 15 Pro Max. Not using it as a phone, and it has no sim card.
I use it for 3D scanning, some audio, photo and video recording.
The faster USB-C port is great for exporting large files as well. Have not updated the iOS, and not planning to either.
That’s why I got a Vision Pro. Everything about this excites me
Smart phones are sorta a mature market right now.
The biggest hold back is the lack of technological advances in the materials needed. The goal will be something like the huawei tri fold phone that becomes a full sized tablet. The materials for a non creasing foldable don’t exist yet, and they don’t have the durability needed either. Once those two things get fixed watch the market boom with innovation.
The biggest hold back is the lack of technological advances in the materials needed. The goal will be something like the huawei tri fold phone that becomes a full sized tablet. The materials for a non creasing foldable don’t exist yet, and they don’t have the durability needed either. Once those two things get fixed watch the market boom with innovation.
I agree, phones have gone from “major upgrade every generation” to smaller increments.
I’m on a 14PM right now and my wife has a 13 mini and I won’t change until she needs to as well so we stick to the same charging type, and she doesn’t like large phones so let’s hope for an iPhone Air Mini in the future!
I’m on a 14PM right now and my wife has a 13 mini and I won’t change until she needs to as well so we stick to the same charging type, and she doesn’t like large phones so let’s hope for an iPhone Air Mini in the future!
S24 ultra to pixel 9 Pro XL! And you're over the hype!
When the Pixel 10 releases and you don't get it I'll believe you
When the Pixel 10 releases and you don't get it I'll believe you
They are. After a decade with Android I bounced back to iPhone a couple months ago with a 16PM. Using an iPhone at work made the transition easy, and once the "newness" of the 16PM wore off after a week or so, I realized it was...a phone. Just like the one it replaced. And I use it in all the same ways.
I have a 13 Pro. Got a 16 yesterday for work. Except for it being lighter and very slightly sprightlier, it’s basically the same to me.
I’ve been toying with downgrading to a 13 mini. I’m intrigued by this potential 17 air.
But yeah, nothing exciting nowadays. To be expected though. We had it good 2007-2017.
I’ve been toying with downgrading to a 13 mini. I’m intrigued by this potential 17 air.
But yeah, nothing exciting nowadays. To be expected though. We had it good 2007-2017.
My take on it:
I saw a Google pixel 9 review in which the reviewer noted that not only can phone calls be recorded, but it can provide a summary with key points similar to some various AI tools do it when recording Zoom meetings for example. However, from a private perspective, I do wonder if the data is being harvested and mined?
Items being deprecated:
On the other hand, some things have also been taken away: such as simulating the magnetic stripe for credit card purchases on the Samsung galaxy devices (not really a problem today as most places take NFC payments) but removing the 10 X optical Zoom from the ultra series—why? To me this was a killer feature.
Issues:
On the android side, I did have a Nexus 6P if I remember correctly and some number of months later the screen developed an issue, I did end up keeping this though.
I also test drove the Samsung Galaxy S 20 (?) ultra I recall things such as when I try to use Samsung pay at the register to buy lunch at work and it said it needed to update before I could use it one day, things like this are really bothersome.
Pros:
I remember using the Samsung dialer on the Samsung Galaxy ultra and it had a couple of very useful features that I really enjoyed..
One of them was built in caller ID where it would go gather information about the number calling that was way better than VERIZON‘s Call Filter plus for example.
The second thing that I’d like is, there was a button for volume boost, which would make the much louder with the click of a button in case the person on the other line talking was not close enough to the phone.
Today:
I am currently on the iPhone 16 series and feel the same as everybody else here I’m not really excited too much about new phones anymore. I am interested to see what happens on, unpacked event on Monday with Samsung‘s new ultra model; however, if Samsung continues to deprecate very useful features (10x optical zoom) and continues to copy Apple, I’m not sure what excitement is left?
What have others felt who have tried the pixel 9? Do you use both phones for example?
If I ever get another android device, I could not see myself at this time switching over completely from Apple, as the overall experience is very polished and works well— like everyone else noted the experience now just sort of boring and no longer exciting on iOS.
I saw a Google pixel 9 review in which the reviewer noted that not only can phone calls be recorded, but it can provide a summary with key points similar to some various AI tools do it when recording Zoom meetings for example. However, from a private perspective, I do wonder if the data is being harvested and mined?
Items being deprecated:
On the other hand, some things have also been taken away: such as simulating the magnetic stripe for credit card purchases on the Samsung galaxy devices (not really a problem today as most places take NFC payments) but removing the 10 X optical Zoom from the ultra series—why? To me this was a killer feature.
Issues:
On the android side, I did have a Nexus 6P if I remember correctly and some number of months later the screen developed an issue, I did end up keeping this though.
I also test drove the Samsung Galaxy S 20 (?) ultra I recall things such as when I try to use Samsung pay at the register to buy lunch at work and it said it needed to update before I could use it one day, things like this are really bothersome.
Pros:
I remember using the Samsung dialer on the Samsung Galaxy ultra and it had a couple of very useful features that I really enjoyed..
One of them was built in caller ID where it would go gather information about the number calling that was way better than VERIZON‘s Call Filter plus for example.
The second thing that I’d like is, there was a button for volume boost, which would make the much louder with the click of a button in case the person on the other line talking was not close enough to the phone.
Today:
I am currently on the iPhone 16 series and feel the same as everybody else here I’m not really excited too much about new phones anymore. I am interested to see what happens on, unpacked event on Monday with Samsung‘s new ultra model; however, if Samsung continues to deprecate very useful features (10x optical zoom) and continues to copy Apple, I’m not sure what excitement is left?
What have others felt who have tried the pixel 9? Do you use both phones for example?
If I ever get another android device, I could not see myself at this time switching over completely from Apple, as the overall experience is very polished and works well— like everyone else noted the experience now just sort of boring and no longer exciting on iOS.
Last edited:
I guess it's been 10 years or more since I was "excited" for a phone. I went from 4 to 5s to 6 to SE 2016 to SE 2020, and now I've got a 16 Pro, which I got for "free" from my employer.
The new one is nice. It's fast. You can play actual "games" on it, not that I do. Its battery lasts forever, which is neat. However it still dies when you refuse to charge it. 🙄 Always on display really is great imho. It makes great photos, really, not that I take a lot of photos (must be my face or something). You can even somewhat comfortably consume content on it, browse the web and even answer emails somewhat painless. Except my iPad does all of this 10 times better.
The problem is: it's also a chonker, it feels decadent to the point that I can't bear it, my trumpy hands can't wield it, I for the love of god hate face ID with a burning passion .... and yesterday I bought a basically "new" SE 2016 as my second phone when on the go. I, for all the wrong reasons (I guess?), am "excited" for this one.
I realise that I am a "niche" crowd. I simply want a phone. That plays nice with my AirPods, which I love, and my Mac, which has become a dear friend to me. Just a phone. Please. So, no, I'm not excited for new phones. Because they do all the stuff I don't need, and get ever more expensive, heavy and big.
And no, I'm not that old.
The new one is nice. It's fast. You can play actual "games" on it, not that I do. Its battery lasts forever, which is neat. However it still dies when you refuse to charge it. 🙄 Always on display really is great imho. It makes great photos, really, not that I take a lot of photos (must be my face or something). You can even somewhat comfortably consume content on it, browse the web and even answer emails somewhat painless. Except my iPad does all of this 10 times better.
The problem is: it's also a chonker, it feels decadent to the point that I can't bear it, my trumpy hands can't wield it, I for the love of god hate face ID with a burning passion .... and yesterday I bought a basically "new" SE 2016 as my second phone when on the go. I, for all the wrong reasons (I guess?), am "excited" for this one.
I realise that I am a "niche" crowd. I simply want a phone. That plays nice with my AirPods, which I love, and my Mac, which has become a dear friend to me. Just a phone. Please. So, no, I'm not excited for new phones. Because they do all the stuff I don't need, and get ever more expensive, heavy and big.
And no, I'm not that old.
It's the lenses that matter most, not the sensor 😎. What I truly want is a significantly lighter phone with 24h full on battery life. 🤷🏻♂️
Same. Phones are pretty much done now.
And if I want to take good photos, cameras are still better and always will be. And I generally don't mind carrying one around.
I only get a new phone every 2 years because the AppleCare runs out and I need ability to turn around a new phone quickly due to work. The old ones get passed down the family.
And if I want to take good photos, cameras are still better and always will be. And I generally don't mind carrying one around.
I only get a new phone every 2 years because the AppleCare runs out and I need ability to turn around a new phone quickly due to work. The old ones get passed down the family.
I still use a 2018 iPhone(XR), and the only things that bothers me about it is that it's gotten quite laggy with iOS 18 and that it's rather large and heavy.
I don't miss ANY feature of todays iPhones. Zero progress in 7 years as I see it.
Today you should be able to get a much smaller and lighter phone that does the same thing faster. But no, they're still large and heavy.
I don't miss ANY feature of todays iPhones. Zero progress in 7 years as I see it.
Today you should be able to get a much smaller and lighter phone that does the same thing faster. But no, they're still large and heavy.
I got the 16 Pro Max, replacing the 13 Pro Max. Ultimately, I'm happy because I like the better battery life but other than that, there is really nothing different. This was the first time I went 3 years before upgrading. Previously, I always upgraded every two years. I may go longer than 3 this time unless something blows me away.
You're clearly not familiar with Garage Journal.