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iPhone as main device
- Thread starter GomerBoy
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I too use my iPhone for everything. I have a 6th gen 12.9 iPad Pro and mini 7 as well. I use the mini 7 everyday alongside the iPhone 15PM just not as much. The iPad Pro is my laptop replacement, so I use it a few times a week for a few minutes at a time. I use my iPhone 99% more as I’m trying to get the battery down to 79% for a battery replacement. I’m almost to 500 cycles, so I’m just waiting to see how much more the battery degrades by September 2025.
The iPhone screen even of the PM is much to small for any prolonged task other than media consumption. Laptops are only marginally better, given their poor ergonomics. I can only be truly productive with a desktop setup, and even tasks I would do on an iPhone are much more comfortable on the desktop. Portability is the iPhone’s only advantage (certainly an important one).
Agree about the Watch.
Agree about the Watch.
Hi,
Great post OP. I use my iPhone 16 pro as my main device too for everything. I have a work issued surface laptop which I use for work related stuff only. However when I am not working yes I use my iPhone for all media consumption, emails, communications with others via iMessage or signal etc playing games leaning a language using Duolingo you name it I do it on my iPhone.
I have in the past 2 months did buy an iPad Pro m4 just to try and move myself off my iPhone and use a bigger screen for non work related stuff but I kept going back to my iPhone as I felt that the iPad was just well a bigger iPhone lol for me personally. Also I thought or tried to justify why i wanted an iPad and thought of taking up a hobby of doing digital art but then I thought no I should not have to justify buying a difference Apple derive anyway I retuned the iPad and stuck with my phone.
I also tinkered with the idea of having a MacBook Air which I did buy but I returned it back as I had no need for a MacBook Air again everything I did was just back on the iPhone again. So yup after trialing our iPad and MacBook Air and returning them both the iPhone is the device for me for everything and this is someone who is from a developed country too 😊
Great post OP. I use my iPhone 16 pro as my main device too for everything. I have a work issued surface laptop which I use for work related stuff only. However when I am not working yes I use my iPhone for all media consumption, emails, communications with others via iMessage or signal etc playing games leaning a language using Duolingo you name it I do it on my iPhone.
I have in the past 2 months did buy an iPad Pro m4 just to try and move myself off my iPhone and use a bigger screen for non work related stuff but I kept going back to my iPhone as I felt that the iPad was just well a bigger iPhone lol for me personally. Also I thought or tried to justify why i wanted an iPad and thought of taking up a hobby of doing digital art but then I thought no I should not have to justify buying a difference Apple derive anyway I retuned the iPad and stuck with my phone.
I also tinkered with the idea of having a MacBook Air which I did buy but I returned it back as I had no need for a MacBook Air again everything I did was just back on the iPhone again. So yup after trialing our iPad and MacBook Air and returning them both the iPhone is the device for me for everything and this is someone who is from a developed country too 😊
Agreed 100%. I have no use for an iPad. I can do everything on my iPhone with ease and it’s much more portable. I did keep my MacBook Air though because I do prefer a large screen and keyboard with work related things and typing papers.
I am the contradiction of this. I like to have the biggest iPhone possible. However, I also have 2 iPads and a MacBook.
I’m not for sure 😅
I have an iPhone 16 Pro Max, yes, and then… two iPad, one windows laptop and a powerful windows desktop computer. And an Apple Watch Ultra 2 I cannot stay without.
To each its own.
When I was younger and the iPhone was a new type of device, I think I was more prone to focus on it and I was constantly on it trying out new emerging apps. I was also able to read the screen better. Now that I'm older, it's generally harder for me to use a small screen for long periods. As a result, my iPhone is the Pro (non max) model and I typically use it now for its core functions like texting, calling, train tickets, airline tickets. After charging to 100% overnight it's not unusual for me to still have a 70% charge or higher at the end of the day. It's 5pm where I'm at and my iPhone is at 87% charge. It seems I like reading and writing about iPhones rather than actually using one.
The biggest plus of an iPad is multitasking. Otherwise, it is, like you said, a big iPhone.
The only time I would not use my iPhone and use another device is when I am watching football (soccer in the USA) I will watch that mainly on my 55 inch 4k tv as it’s in uhd format. However if I am not using the tv to watch my football then the oled display on my iPhone is still amazing to watch it on too. Also I feel that since pretty much every company has an app for everything that has too made the move to just using my iPhone a whole lot easier. All my banking apps work great as they are expected to be and no need to load up the banking website on safari or on any other browser or bigger screen.
There is no way I could live with just a phone or even an iPad. I type probably 4x faster on a keyboard and there is no way to produce longer documents, compose lengthy e-mails, or navigate spreadsheets without a computer. I find that even for shopping, iMac or Air is infinitely easier as I can put up several windows on one screen, e.g., Contacts for addresses and bank info; Web site for ordering; and, often, a third window where I can shop comparison sites. Even trying to identify ingredients, fabric content, or reviews is much easier on the larger screen. There is so much that can be done and done better on a full size screen. Watching videos is also much better and has much clearer audio on a full computer screen. I find using a computer and keyboard to be much faster, more efficient, and research to be more comprehensive. I have to respectfully question the person who said they signed legal documents to purchase a house as to whether or not they actually read the lengthy legal documents involved in a closing. Even attorneys read those documents in paper form or on a full size computer screen. There have been many times I gave up trying to read a detailed, lengthy article or analysis with charts and graphs and waited to get to a computer where I see everything together and highlight the major points for editing or sharing. Reconciling my bank account with my budget spreadsheet requires 2 separate windows and a third if there is a problem with a particular charge/bill. Then there is the issue of Zoom meetings and needing to see the paperwork, graphs, chat portion, and multiple faces of those participating. Sorry....can't see how most people can do without some sort of desktop, laptop, or at least a large iPad with keyboard.
I agree that stuff is certainly easier on the 27” screen of my Mac Mini, but I didn’t know this till I got it. Before I did all my multiple window stuff on an iPad mini, which is better than an iPhone, but still kinda cramped. For typing though, I actually find myself more accurate and faster on the iPad than on a keyboard.
I use my iPhone more than any other device just because it's the one most often with me (well, other than my Apple Watch, but that does very different things), but every time I get to sit with my MacBook Air (M2), I'm reminded how much better of an experience a Mac is for many things. So I guess the phone is my "main device" by necessity but not because I prefer it that way.
Exactly! Thats why I use paper maps for navigation, a film camera for photos, and a pigeon carrier for mail.
in terms of hours used and relevance to every day life tasks i would say that the smartphone has become almost everybody’s primary device.
Go ahead and laugh.
It's just I do things differently. Since you mentioned maps, in the distant past I had plenty of Thomas guides. My first real job was for an inventory service and that had me driving all over Southern California way before the internet. Today I use Google Maps - at home, in a browser window on a 30" monitor connected to my Mac. Then I Google Street View it for my route of travel. Once that's fixed in my mind, I'm set. I don't have a car mount or an in-car nav system so I go by my memory of Street View.
My sister will drive with one hand on the wheel and one on her phone with Google Maps up. I am not and refuse to be that dangerous of a driver.
Oh…and about the farthest I get from home on average is 15 miles. A week ago I made an hour trip to some golf course in Mesa (I live in Phoenix) and that's the farthest drive I've had in several years. I don't need/want to be away from home. Everything is right around me where I am. And if it matters, the last interstate trip was three years ago at the behest of my sister. Otherwise the last trip would have been from 2016 or so.
As to a film camera, yeah. I'm from the 80s so if I needed one I'd find a disposable and use that. But 99 percent of my photos are of insignificant things so I haven't truly needed the camera on my phone or a camera at all for quite some time.
I grew up in a household where my father would persistently hound my sister and I for family pics at any social/family gathering. We both grew to hate having our pictures taken. My wife hates having her picture taken. My kids will go out of their way to avoid having their pictures taken and it's a trial to get them to stand still for more than one pic at IMPORTANT events only.
So yeah, if it matters at all (and it rarely does) a film camera.
As to pigeon carrier for mail…why? I've already mentioned that I use my phone for email when out. Otherwise, I have Microsoft Outlook on more than one computer. And in the rare cases where US Mail is required, I have stamps.
I get the sarcasm and the point you're trying to make with it, but quite honestly I am not your average 'normal' person that has an attachment and reliance solely upon their phone.
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For personal use, my 13” iPad Pro M4 with Magic Keyboard is the device I use most often if I’m home. When out, I use my iPhone 15 Pro along with an Apple Watch Ultra (love using the watch for NFC payment).
For work, I still use a company Lenovo laptop but have successfully used a company Windows Cloud PC on both my iPad and MacBook Air through the Windows app while traveling.
For work, I still use a company Lenovo laptop but have successfully used a company Windows Cloud PC on both my iPad and MacBook Air through the Windows app while traveling.
I too could do without the iPhone but not without the MBP. If I had no iPhone I would just again be carrying heavy Nikon kit around 24/7.
I think most people are like you. They just need to consume content and communicate with friends/family and that is pretty much all. Maybe a few chores, like paying bills etc. So a phone works fine for them.
If you need to create content though (in any medium), then you starting wanting a keyboard/mouse and a much bigger display space…
If you need to create content though (in any medium), then you starting wanting a keyboard/mouse and a much bigger display space…
There was a time around 2010 or so where I was carrying two 17" PowerBook G4s into Starbucks and using both. And my son was across the table with his iBook G3. So, totally get you.
My eyesight is too poor for any phone to be my main device.
I'm on my MacBook most of all, and after that, my iPad mini.
I'm on my MacBook most of all, and after that, my iPad mini.
I felt nervous signing over the phone for a house offer. Purchased the house during the pandemic and when houses would close for offers within 24hrs of being listed in our area we had to act quickly. We put in close to twenty offers before finally getting one accepted, so by the third offer it was the same boiler plate. Escrow did mess up the address on the final docs, and thankfully we caught it.
There were a number of factors in late 2018 and on into 2019-2020 that made us (my wife and I) very grateful we got into our home when we did. It was the second offer we made in the entire process (there was one other home we made an offer on that was not accepted) that fortunately got accepted.
Considering the time frame you were buying I can entirely understand your reasoning and had our process been that time critical I might have resorted to my phone as well.