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M1Buddy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 7, 2020
19
18
US
So I think this year is an easy pass to anyone who has an iPhone XS/XR or newer because ngl I believe that next year the whole lineup will have ProMotion and better batteries… I think this year for Apple was a mehh and next year will be the ground-breaking announcement. Even the iPad mini (which I was really excited for btw) was a mehh considering the high price. I would much rather buy a regular maxed out iPad than the mini rn (only for the price)

The other day we were doin some research and we find out that the iPhone 12 mini has a bigger battery than the SE 2nd gen and I was really shocked…

tell me you thoughts below!
 

jaytee86

macrumors 6502
Sep 22, 2019
250
385
Maybe with the iPhone 14's "new" design you'd see reduced batteries again, and have to wait for iPhone 15 for Promotion + new design + "Best Ever iPhone Battery"! So you might as well wait 2 more years :)..

Saw this trend from iPhone 12's battery reduction vs 11, then superb increase in the iPhone 13 series... so makes sense they might do that again~

So i don't think 13 is that overrated though.. maybe we could have all skipped the 12 on hindsight..
 

jackietreeh0rn

macrumors regular
Apr 13, 2018
212
239
Maybe with the iPhone 14's "new" design you'd see reduced batteries again, and have to wait for iPhone 15 for Promotion + new design + "Best Ever iPhone Battery"! So you might as well wait 2 more years :)..

Saw this trend from iPhone 12's battery reduction vs 11, then superb increase in the iPhone 13 series... so makes sense they might do that again~

So i don't think 13 is that overrated though.. maybe we could have all skipped the 12 on hindsight..
Agree with this 100%. The 13 Pros have the most important features I wanted in my 12 Pro, namely Promotion and a bigger battery. Could have waited, but I was already on a 5 year old 6s+... don't think it would have made it another year.
 

no0nefamous

macrumors regular
May 11, 2021
237
213
They're "underwhelming" because the smartphone is a mature product now. Upgrades will be relatively minimal from here out, much like how a 2021 car model is usually only slightly different from its 2020 version. These phones are designed to be held on to for at least 2 years and realistically are good for double that or more.
 
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ApfelKuchen

macrumors 601
Aug 28, 2012
4,335
3,012
Between the coasts
Sure, you can always wait another year for the next big thing. It's not so much whether this year's models are a 'meh' upgrade from the previous year. It's a matter of what you have now, whether you're happy with it, and whether it'll last long enough to bridge the gap to the Next Big Thing. If there's no voice inside your head shouting, "I gotta have it now," then by all means, wait. If your current phone won't last that long... well you gotta do what you gotta do.

I have an X. It's served me very well, but I figured the battery would need replacement after about 2.5 - 3 years. That would have been a good time to upgrade to the next model (I'd replace the battery anyway and hand it down to a family member, as I usually do). So before they came out, I was thinking I'd get a 12-series by early 2021, around my X's Third Anniversary.

But then the 12s were announced. I really preferred the cameras in the 12 Pro Max to the 12 Pro, but I've never liked phablets, I much prefer the "classic" X-sized phones. So I sat on the fence, "Let's see what happens with my X." Well, what's happened is that the battery is still hanging in there - 84%, Peak Performance Capability after 3.5 years. Overall, it's still running great on iOS 15, and I still have plenty of Available Storage.

(How you like them apples, you 'Apple's not serious about extending battery life' and 'Apple software upgrades are designed to kill old phones' people?)

Now, the 13 Pro has me salivating. Much better cameras than I could have ever expected, I can get those cameras in the iPhone size I prefer, and the battery test reports are very impressive. Yet I don't have to be in a hurry to buy a new phone. It'll be sooner if something unexpected happens to the X or if I end up going on a trip where I'd like the upgraded cameras, or later for the sake of boasting, "My iPhone X is four years old and going strong!"

Of course I'm not in the "owns an Xs or later" category, but the principle still applies. Buy what you want, when you need it. You're under no obligation to buy a new model simply because there's a new model. But speaking as a photographer for whom a macro lens has always been part of his lens kit... The 13 Pros would be a temptation for people like me regardless of what model iPhone they currently own. From my (extreme close-up) perspective, 13 is not meh at all.
 

noiceT

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
551
73
Catalina Wine Mixer
These posts are identical from last year lol.. of course the next year will have something new. Ground breaking.. not sure about that, but a step up from the year before, of course. Pretty much the only thing missing from this year's release that would have taken it over the top was sadly touch id (in any form).
 

Quarric

macrumors member
Nov 14, 2020
94
93
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the 12 mini actually has a better battery than the SE2020, the latters in my personal phones case is worse than the 8 I replaced with it. I’ve had it barely a year and the health percentage is in the low 90s already, it took 3.5 years for the 8 to degrade like that, despite taking more care with the buttery health than I ever did with the 8. Friends I know who’ve had there’s maybe 6 months longer are dealing with phones that are in the 80% range and the charge drops like a stone.
Maybe we’ve been unlucky and got a defective batch? I can practically hear the remaining charge percent dropping as I’m typing. I don’t think IOS15 has been kind to my phone either, as it’s definitely gotten worse since updating.
I personally feel the 13 series would be a decent upgrade from this phone, both fir battery and cameras, debating between the mini and pro.
would be my first annual upgrade, I’ve always kept phones for around 3 years before.
 

MyPhone99

macrumors regular
May 26, 2019
229
145
a
Doubt it. What do you define as “ground-breaking announcement”?
Apple strategy always focus on incremental updates and there wont be ground breaking announcement. Even if 14 have a newer design they will continue to have same internals as 13 series so that they can upgrade the internals and call it iphone 15
So yes i believe there wont be huge improvements between each generation. That's y it is better to hold on to a model for at least 2 years so that you can enjoy the upgrade.
 

gimmmick

macrumors regular
Oct 6, 2015
108
138
Just buy the phone that fits your needs. The 13 pro max is an amazing upgrade from what I was using before hand (iPhone XS regular).

The battery life and new radios for 5g would have been an amazing upgrade what I had before. Upgraded screens and optics are just icing on the cake.

i personally find more value with taking a tried and true design and just upgraded the features that I find more appealing. The battery life is enough reason for most people to upgrade imo .
 

scgf

macrumors 6502
Aug 12, 2003
418
409
Market Harborough, UK
Who's overrating them? Like a new car, the upgrades are iterative. I had an iPhone 12 and have upgraded to an iPhone 13 Pro Max. I wasn't expecting a huge difference but the iterative updates all add up to a worthwhile upgrade. My new car will have a steering wheel, four wheels, an entertainment system and so on. We all accept that yet with phones we somehow expect a major upgrade on what is basically a rectangular slab with a display. The way the reviewers talk a 'major' update would be a USB-C socket. They'd all be drooling at that. My purchase is what I expected and I can't remember anyone making out it is any more than what it is.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,299
25,443
Wales, United Kingdom
Who's overrating them? Like a new car, the upgrades are iterative. I had an iPhone 12 and have upgraded to an iPhone 13 Pro Max. I wasn't expecting a huge difference but the iterative updates all add up to a worthwhile upgrade. My new car will have a steering wheel, four wheels, an entertainment system and so on. We all accept that yet with phones we somehow expect a major upgrade on what is basically a rectangular slab with a display. The way the reviewers talk a 'major' update would be a USB-C socket. They'd all be drooling at that. My purchase is what I expected and I can't remember anyone making out it is any more than what it is.

Yeah the major ‘updates’ we see toured these days seem to be major to tech reviewers but run of the mill unexciting additions to most I think. I’d like to see a USB-C port on my next iPhone so that it’s inline with my iPad. Would I get excited and get drunk over it? Nah lol. These devices are so mature now and consumers know what they are expecting a device to do, manufacturers just make tweaks and evolve the technology. I upgrade every 2 years on average and there’s a slightly bigger difference in hardware, but still not a great deal. The days of the smartphone race (2007-2015) are well and truly over but that is a good thing I think.
 
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Velin

macrumors 68020
Jul 23, 2008
2,118
2,187
Hearst Castle
iPhone 13 is great, across the board. "S" releases = the best. Solid foundation, improved parts, improved design, improved function. None of it is "meh." This is what we want. Not gimmicks. Not bloatware. A solid pocket computer that works, maintains connectivity, and is easy to use.
 

LFC2020

macrumors P6
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,037
iPhone 13 is great, across the board. "S" releases = the best. Solid foundation, improved parts, improved design, improved function. None of it is "meh." This is what we want. Not gimmicks. Not bloatware. A solid pocket computer that works, maintains connectivity, and is easy to use.
Disagree slightly, the pros are a nice upgrade if you want ProMotion, the 120hz screen is a game changer, once you feel it for the first time, you can’t go back to 60hz.

Upgrading form a standard 12 to a 13 isn’t worth it in my opinion, unless you can’t help yourself, then why not. 😂
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,299
25,443
Wales, United Kingdom
Disagree slightly, the pros are a nice upgrade if you want ProMotion, the 120hz screen is a game changer, once you feel it for the first time, you can’t go back to 60hz.

Upgrading form a standard 12 to a 13 isn’t worth it in my opinion, unless you can’t help yourself, then why not.

I’m glad I haven’t owned a device with 120hz yet because I don’t have the urge to need it. I’ve seen it on other peoples devices but I wouldn’t feel I have to have it. It’ll no doubt appear on an iPhone I own in future, but all in good time.

You’re right the difference between the standard/mainstream 12 and 13 seems to be minimal. People like me who have no interest in the Pro iPhones can happily miss a year or two and enjoy some bigger spec jumps when we do upgrade.
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,037
Glad you saw sense about 120hz lol
Didn’t think it would be this noticeable on a smaller display, it’s actually more noticeable on my iPhone than my iPad Pro, I’m addicted, it had me at scrolling.

They weren’t lying. 👇

FA809976-EADD-428E-BF2F-0279416E0F28.jpeg
 

gkn1999

macrumors member
Oct 30, 2017
67
73
My husband decided not to upgrade from his 12Pro this year for the first time since the 7. I did because iPhone day is my Christmas. I'm actually pleasantly surprised by the upgrade this year (I didn't feel it much last year)...3x telephoto, cinematic mode is cool, better battery, brighter screen -- I'm really enjoying it. My nitpick is that 3x is too much for portrait mode with the 8ft limitation.
 
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