But the battery life of the Mini will be horrible, so then you'll put a battery case on it and it will weigh the same as the Max. 🤣
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.
iPhone 12 Pro Apple should consider Aluminum Pro/Pro Max model for less weight
- Thread starter BlackHawk00
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I am actually quite surprised by how heavier the higher end iPhone models have gotten over the past two years. When I held up my colleagues iPhone 11 Pro Max for the first time, the first thing I have realized is how much heavier it is compared to my iPhone Xs Max.
A major reason that Apple is the biggest company in the world is because they are geniuses at marketing.
Somehow we have all been persuaded that stainless steel is better than aluminium. (In much the same way De Beers persuaded us that diamonds are better than any other gem stone and that all men must buy diamond rings for their fiancees.)
This is simply nonsense. You may make the arbitrary choice that you think that stainless steel looks better than aluminium but (a) that is an arbitrary choice and (b) you were probably trained into making it by marketers rather than because it would be your preference had billions of advertising dollars not been spent to make you think that way.
The iPhone 12 feels weirdly light to me. It's an incredible achievement. The look — I have the dark blue — is stylish and stealthy. It does better in drop tests than the 12 Pro because (a) it's lighter and (b) aluminium is a better shock absorber.
Worrying about the materials and even the colour of your iPhone is dumb for a number of reasons. First, after the initial joy, you never really notice it ever again. Second, so many people put their phones in cases and then you never see the damn stainless steel ever again anyway.
Form (and material) should follow function. The difference in weight between the Pro and the regular does make a difference. It can cause your fingers to ache. And going to the gym is not going to help that unless you do some kind of weird finger workout.
The iPhone 12 is an outstanding device. I kinda wish it had three cameras rather than two, but the extra cost wasn't worth it for me. And the 12 looks great. The 12 Pro looks great, too. But not enough to make me want to spend another £150 (128GB).
Somehow we have all been persuaded that stainless steel is better than aluminium. (In much the same way De Beers persuaded us that diamonds are better than any other gem stone and that all men must buy diamond rings for their fiancees.)
This is simply nonsense. You may make the arbitrary choice that you think that stainless steel looks better than aluminium but (a) that is an arbitrary choice and (b) you were probably trained into making it by marketers rather than because it would be your preference had billions of advertising dollars not been spent to make you think that way.
The iPhone 12 feels weirdly light to me. It's an incredible achievement. The look — I have the dark blue — is stylish and stealthy. It does better in drop tests than the 12 Pro because (a) it's lighter and (b) aluminium is a better shock absorber.
Worrying about the materials and even the colour of your iPhone is dumb for a number of reasons. First, after the initial joy, you never really notice it ever again. Second, so many people put their phones in cases and then you never see the damn stainless steel ever again anyway.
Form (and material) should follow function. The difference in weight between the Pro and the regular does make a difference. It can cause your fingers to ache. And going to the gym is not going to help that unless you do some kind of weird finger workout.
The iPhone 12 is an outstanding device. I kinda wish it had three cameras rather than two, but the extra cost wasn't worth it for me. And the 12 looks great. The 12 Pro looks great, too. But not enough to make me want to spend another £150 (128GB).
On the one hand, it‘s great that the „regular“ iPhones get almost all the best new tech. On the other hand, it‘s a shame that this leads to Apple differentiating the „pro“ models mainly by two things (cameras and steel vs. aluminium), one of which I really want and one of which I really don‘t.
Alas, I don‘t see another lighter, but still „premium“ material Apple could use instead of steel. They could just use aluminium and polish the heck out of it (think Jet Black iPhone 7) to differentiate visually, but they probably won‘t.
Alas, I don‘t see another lighter, but still „premium“ material Apple could use instead of steel. They could just use aluminium and polish the heck out of it (think Jet Black iPhone 7) to differentiate visually, but they probably won‘t.
I believe the problem this year is that there is too little differentiation between the iPhone 12 models and the iPhone 12 Pro models.
For average Joe’s like myself the 12 camera is a great camera. All I want a camera to do when I want to take a pic take it out of my pocket and snap and done.
Your point makes me think about how the Ives‘ Apple Watch design DNA that influenced the iPhone X is going to be there until, ironically, the design team begins to seek lighter again, for which Ive’s Apple was criticized.
Thinner and lighter. No, thinner and heavier.
KEEPER: What is your favorite color?
GALAHAD: Blue. No yel-- Auuuuuuuugh!
Last edited:
I won’t be disrespectful to you as a lot of keyboard warriors seem to do these days, but this subject matter is based on 100% opinion ... and we all know what people say about opinions ... I am a bigger guy and my eyesight is not the like it was when I was younger so I appreciate larger displays ... get what’s best for you .. that is why most manufacturers make multiple display sizes .. the extra weight to me is negligible ... enjoy whatever makes you ultimately happy friend!
I think you are missing the point here. I understand that everyone has different needs; that’s why all these different screen sizes and specs are available, starting from $399 to $1,099.
But my point is that the high-end iPhones (Pro and Pro Max) need to be lightweight as the direction they are heading is causing inconvenience weight wise to many ppl.
Is stainless steel ‘premium’ to many of you here because Apple and the tech industry has marketed it to you as premium?
I often see posters telling others that the iPhone Pro phones are premium because they have more premium materials. I’ve never found anybody capable of explaining to me why they perceive stainless steel as being premium though?
I often see posters telling others that the iPhone Pro phones are premium because they have more premium materials. I’ve never found anybody capable of explaining to me why they perceive stainless steel as being premium though?
This is why I went with iPhone 12 instead of pro. Also aluminium looks better than steel in my opinion.
It’s because nobody can afford gold anymore. 😂
I have an $11 Casio with a brushed stainless steel band. Lots of cheap things are made of SS, and nobody ever tried to fool me into thinking it was premium before until the last 3-4 years. “Surgical grade” or whatever doesn’t matter at all in this application. Nobody cares if it’s AISI 316L, or can be inserted into the human body if sterilized. 🤣
Secondly, the aluminium in the regular 12 (7000 series? 8000 series?) may actually be more expensive than the steel used in the Pro models.
I have an $11 Casio with a brushed stainless steel band. Lots of cheap things are made of SS, and nobody ever tried to fool me into thinking it was premium before until the last 3-4 years. “Surgical grade” or whatever doesn’t matter at all in this application. Nobody cares if it’s AISI 316L, or can be inserted into the human body if sterilized. 🤣
Secondly, the aluminium in the regular 12 (7000 series? 8000 series?) may actually be more expensive than the steel used in the Pro models.
That won’t help. I am pretty strong, do work out with weights, and can say it has nothing to do with strength. For me the added weight of the Pro caused extreme pain more from nerve and joint pain. It wasn’t just the added weight of the 12 Pro but the weight distribution. The 12 Pro was top heavy.
I loved the Pro features and surely can afford a “premium” phone. But I could not deal with the weight so I’m on the iPhone 12. I do miss the 2x camera but that probably contributed to some of the top heaviness that bothered my hand.
Nope. Watch the video below starting from 5:00. The reviewer tries to bend the iPhone 12.
Last edited:
Totally agree. I’d like to see the glass back eliminated. It would reduce weight and increase durability. I believe they switched to glass back when they introduced wireless charging. I wonder if they could wireless charge through metal. I’d gladly sacrifice any premium feel if it increased durability.