Other If you had to keep one body style of iPhone forever, which would it be?

[LizKat]

Just went from an SE to an 8. Have to admit the 8 is a gorgeous piece of equipment. Great camera, great speakers, great performance generally — but two months later it's still just too big for comfortable one-handed use. I'm always shifting it around. One big clue that phones are too big? The "reachability" feature. The minute you see a UI workaround like that, something's amiss ergonomically.

Just for kicks, I fired up my SE yesterday, and wow is it easy on the hand.

This, yep. I do like my XR but feel a bit like I was finally pressured by Apple into deciding it's ok to use a skinny tablet as a phone when it seemed prudent to upgrade again but there was no small form factor on offer.

I do now use the SE as just as a WiFi device, for a quick news check and for reading books in the odd free moment while waiting for coffee to brew and etc. But, I had to stick the SE in a drawer for a few weeks when getting used to the XR, and I still have to put it someplace besides on top of the microwave next to the XR or I'll grab it up meaning to have a cellphone on board when leaving the house. Old habits and comforts are hard to shed.

 

[ghanwani]

Just went from an SE to an 8. Have to admit the 8 is a gorgeous piece of equipment. Great camera, great speakers, great performance generally — but two months later it's still just too big for comfortable one-handed use. I'm always shifting it around. One big clue that phones are too big? The "reachability" feature. The minute you see a UI workaround like that, something's amiss ergonomically.

Just for kicks, I fired up my SE yesterday, and wow is it easy on the hand.

At that point (getting a phone newer than the SE), is it just better to go with a plus phone since it's going to be 2 handed use? I too feel the 8 is not very comfortable, but I do crave some of the features in newer phones esp true tone and a better camera with OIS for low light.

 

[DNichter]

X/XS, think it's the best combination of screen and overall size. I have the Max, but I will go back to the XS size this year.

 

[ignatius345]

At that point (getting a phone newer than the SE), is it just better to go with a plus phone since it's going to be 2 handed use? I too feel the 8 is not very comfortable, but I do crave some of the features in newer phones esp true tone and a better camera with OIS for low light.

I already own an iPad Mini, so I'm set for a larger iOS device. I've also got zero interest trying to fit a phablet into my pockets walking around.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I already own an iPad Mini, so I'm set for a larger iOS device. I've also got zero interest trying to fit a phablet into my pockets walking around.

I'm similar.

I have an LTE iPP 9.7" that is what I take with me and use if I'm going to want to seriously engage with content on the go.

For everything else, my SE does what I need and is as small, light and discreet as possible.

 

[teknikal90]

4S.
Stainless, solidly built. and WORKS WITH THE HUMAN HAND.
Used it for 3 years no case and no damage.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The iPhone 4. That was my favourite design by far. It was so elegant but simple.

 

[EdMan]

X for me no doubt. Love the styling and size.

 

[ghanwani]

I already own an iPad Mini, so I'm set for a larger iOS device. I've also got zero interest trying to fit a phablet into my pockets walking around.

I have the opposite problem. I want as few devices as possible. When I'm out, I use my phone. When I'm at home I tend to use my laptop. No iPad, no Apple Watch. More and more I'm seeing people that depend on their phone for everything. I have seen people use their phone to present slides using a projector. So portability matters but functionality does too. Right now I'm compromising on functionality. There are many websites that do not load very well due to the narrow screen of the SE.

 

[EM2013]

Certainly looks like there's a market of some kind for something new that's "sub 4.7" phone physical size."
I really hope Apple addresses that at some point.

62 people voting for a small device is hardly a market.

 

[ColdShadow]

I voted 5/5s/SE because they were truly unique, beautiful and perfect (not the size). 4/4s is next best design but as an Xs Max owner, sadly I witness lack or talent and ugliness in every new iPhone in one way or another.
Apple should learn from Samsung S10 series.they look almost perfect.
while they nailed iPad ,MacBook, and iMac design, iPhone design is very poor in comparison.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

X/XS for me. Love the physical size, screen size and the iOS interface..

 

[AZhappyjack]

I loved the design - visually and tactically of the 4, 4S, 5 and 5S... with the condition that it possess a larger screen, a la the XS Max.

My perfect phone would be a Frankenstein XS Max with the dual cameras, OLED edge to edge screen, but with the squared-off format of the 4 through 5S with glass back and stainless steel band. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'm assuming you XS and XS Max fans do want Apple to bring over the design ethos of the latest iPad Pros, right?

Sort of a modern and new interpretation on the original 4/4s/5/SE flat sides, etc

Or no?

 

[invisibleshoes]

iPhone 5/SE with edge to edge, OLED display. Oh yeah!

 

[turbineseaplane]

iPhone 5/SE with edge to edge, OLED display. Oh yeah!

Absolu'mon
[doublepost=1551156991][/doublepost]

62 people voting for a small device is hardly a market.

But the 70-ish voting for a larger device is?

 

[Cladster]

I'd like a 8 with full screen and FID and better camera.

I have a XR as i got it brand new for what i sold my 1 year old 8 for, its great but big/heavy.

 

[EM2013]

Absolu'mon
[doublepost=1551156991][/doublepost]

But the 70-ish voting for a larger device is?

Never said it was.

 

[subjonas]

Never said it was.

Then your previous comment was misleading. If your point was that the total sample size was too small to make any determination about any market, then you should have said so, instead of singling out one group.
By the way, I’m curious, what do you think is a minimum sample size?

 

[scotsmandc]

I think Apple doesn't want to make the SE size because it would hinder their service revenues. I play altos odyssey on my iPad.. and when I tried it on the SE it was way too small. The character looked like an ant on the 4" screen. I'm definitely not going to be gaming on this phone. I need a list of good iPhone SE friendly games.

 

[fish09276]

I love the size and light weight of the iphone 7. But that battery ruins the experience. So I'll go with the XS. Almost same size but no bezels. Heavier by 3 ozs but that extra weight means a much better battery.

 

[wba1990]

Quite surprised how close the X/XS are to the Max in this voting

 

[ssledoux]

I think the size people prefer is so relative to what they expect from their phones, and obviously that makes sense. If you use your phone as a PHONE, and maybe for taking a few random pics, reading some news or a simple game here and there, why would you need anything bigger than an SE? I certainly wouldn’t, and I do LOVE that particular iPhone.

However, I think so many have become accustomed to using their phones as a mini computing device, they can’t imagine having a small screen with which to do that.

I love the idea of my phone being a phone, and only using my iPP for everything else, but most days I walk out of the house with my phone and watch, and if I’m stuck at the dr’s office, or waiting on friends somewhere, I’m doing various things on my phone to kill time. For me, that may include updating information for a Disney client, checking and responding to emails, reading this forum, adding information to my calendar/schedule, playing a game, etc. While many may be able to do that on a smaller phone, my old(er - only 51, but can’t decide if I feel 30 or 70 - ;-P ) eyes just don’t like using a smaller device.

Also, with the small keyboards, I am forever hitting the wrong letters when trying to text. Heck, I do that with my XR keyboard, and I don’t have big hands.

Anyway, this is kind of just a ramble post with no real point, other than I think more people WOULD like a smaller phone if it were simply being used as a phone.

 

[ignatius345]

There are many websites that do not load very well due to the narrow screen of the SE.

Eh, I think that's overstating it. There's an occasional site with a bad design, but when they follow responsive design guidelines reasonably, it's a non-issue. I've since updated to the iPhone 8 (a gift, and has a ton more storage space) and frankly there's absolutely nothing so far I can do on the 8 that I couldn't do on the SE.

And once I get into doing any kind of real work, I'm probably reaching for a MacBook anyway (keyboard, powerful OS, actual file system), so a phone with a bit larger screen isn't really doing much for me. The sad fact of iOS is that even with a larger screen -- all the way up to the iPad Pro -- you still have essentially the same interface as in iPhone SE.

 

[turbineseaplane]

When the 7.8" iPhone XI Max Plus releases...

I can already see the posts of....

"I could never go back to my tiny XS Max screen. It is just too small to comfortably enjoy new release feature films on the bus to work"

Also, "my XS Max never had Dolby Atmos+ holographic sound, which is a MUST for any cellphone"