iPhone as main device

[Starfia]

My MacBook has really only been for grad school work and professional things.

I use iPhone as my daily device and this is the device I use 90% of all time on non work-related tasks.

The only time I use my MacBook is if I need to apply for a job.

I use it for everything. Only pull out my MacBook Air for schoolwork/typing papers or long emails.

I use my iPhone 16 pro as my main device too for everything.

This is really fascinating to me. I program, compose, make films and web pages, stream, and so on. My primary computing time has to be at my main desk with a large display, a physical keyboard, and so on. But I've certainly guessed that the incredible evolution of portable devices over the last 15 years has nurtured many whose main device is their smartphone. It's good to finally hear directly from a few and learn you exist.

So most of those people want a large display phone as they do everything on it. This is unfortunate for people like me who find current phones too big and would prefer smaller ones.

That leaves me with you. ^ ^

I like having the palm-sized device (though it's the one I use least), and my favourite so far has been the first-generation iPhone SE. I'm currently using an iPhone 12 mini, which is much more advanced, and I appreciate that. But compared to that iPhone SE, it's quite a bit larger and twice as heavy!

 

[JamesMay82]

I would never agree but a couple years ago I was on a self build for our new work offices and I became completely dependent on the iPhone and got very use to working off the small screen and I must admit Its my most used device. having said that I think its a bad habit. I'd like to set stricter boundaries like some of the guys above and just use it as a phone.

 

[Sully]

I would never agree but a couple years ago I was on a self build for our new work offices and I became completely dependent on the iPhone and got very use to working off the small screen and I must admit Its my most used device. having said that I think its a bad habit. I'd like to set stricter boundaries like some of the guys above and just use it as a phone.

Yes! My 15 Pro Max is a handheld computer with a beautiful, sharp display.

I’m finding that I’m using it for most of my work flow outside the office and all of my personal computing.

It’s freeing to travel without a laptop. And, so far my phone hasn’t been limiting.

 

[myWatch]

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.

I was joking around and actually appreciate your minimal usage of phone

 

[mk313]

Interesting discussion. When I used to work in an office, I used my iPhone & iPad way more than my personal computer. In fact, there was a time when my wife's computer died & instead of getting a new one, we just shared mine. The phone & iPad with celllular were great for getting stuff done during my lunch break, etc.

But once we went remote, I pretty much stopped using the iPad (still have one & still use it occasionally) and my phone usage dropped way down. I guess I just prefer the Mac overall & since it's close by, it's just as easy to grab as the others devices and I'm much faster on that device than the other two. Although I will say that when I was using the iPad/phone mainly, I was pretty quick on those as well.

 

[eyoungren]

I was joking around and actually appreciate your minimal usage of phone

LOL, okay no harm no foul.

👍

 

[eyoungren]

Interesting discussion. When I used to work in an office, I used my iPhone & iPad way more than my personal computer. In fact, there was a time when my wife's computer died & instead of getting a new one, we just shared mine. The phone & iPad with celllular were great for getting stuff done during my lunch break, etc.

But once we went remote, I pretty much stopped using the iPad (still have one & still use it occasionally) and my phone usage dropped way down. I guess I just prefer the Mac overall & since it's close by, it's just as easy to grab as the others devices and I'm much faster on that device than the other two. Although I will say that when I was using the iPad/phone mainly, I was pretty quick on those as well.

From 2004 to 2018 I worked for a small newspaper. My department was Composing and for the majority of those 14.5 years I was the only one in that department. I regularly transported two laptops back and forth each day and at one point at least 4 of my personal Macs were at work. Two of my laptops actually filled in as production machines at various times.

In my current job, pre-COVID, one of my laptops was left there at work at my desk. In the job I had from 2000 to 2003 I was also bringing in a laptop. So, I guess I've pretty much always done that - just so I have my own stuff on my desk at work.

Of course, I've been solidly WFH since 2020 though so everything is here and it's the work Macs that are in my house now instead of the other way around. I have my Mac Pro and my work MBP sharing two of my six displays via a KVM switch so it's easy to go back and forth.

 

[leifp]

My smartphone is the sole “necessary evil” device that I own. If I could simply and easily live without it, it would be banished forever. I would not miss it. I would probably not even notice it’s gone.

I use my iPad more than any other computing device. I expect that to change once I’m able to return to a desktop computing lifestyle, however I will need to actively demote it from its present all-encompassing role. I won’t mind once that’s achieved, although I’ll miss it.

Ditching the laptop on a return to a desktop setup will likely cause me to miss the laptop about 1% of the time. I will keep it just for that. I have never enjoyed laptops; I’m of an age with eyoungren (Commodore Vic20 was my first computer) and computers don’t bother me when I’m in the other room…

 

[1rottenapple]

From what I have seen and read, in countries where people on average have less disposable income than in North America, one device ownership is very common. And of course that device is a phone. So most of those people want a large display phone as they do everything on it. This is unfortunate for people like me who find current phones too big and would prefer smaller ones.

Exactly. Hence why it was pretty popular when phablets started coming out in Asia in 2013. It was a game changer in countries like Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia. When I was traveling I saw way larger phones back in 2014 with my iPhone 5s being tiny compared to their big phones that was served as their “computer” and phone, and gaming system.

I need my MacBook Air. I don’t use it like I used to but there’s no way to load my music to my phone, plus I also use the Mac to manage my photo storage. But some people just post on social media and stream and don’t need to manage their media. That’s not me though.

 

[TechRunner]

My smartphone is the sole “necessary evil” device that I own. If I could simply and easily live without it, it would be banished forever. I would not miss it. I would probably not even notice it’s gone.

This is pretty much me. I get between 4-5 days battery life on my 16PM simply because I rarely use it. It is, as you said, a necessary evil for the times when I do need it as a communications device. I do everything on my Mini-based desktop, Windows laptop, and use my iPad as my primary consumption device.

 

[elmoss]

My 16 max runs my business, yes customers ring me lol. 24” iMac in home office and a m4 iPad Pro.
Apple Watch Ultra.
Could give up the iPad but not the others atm.

 

[one more]

Well, FWIW I use mine as follows:

- iPhone (80% of the time). As you mention, it’s always there;
- iPad (17%). At times bigger screen is better;
- MacBook (3%). Only when I need additional and quite specific macOS functionality.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I had an Apple Watch several years ago, but sold it because I really didn’t see the point. I keep my iPhone on me everywhere so what’s the need for the watch?

To state the obvious, watch measures physical parameters such as heart rate, blood O2, Sleep apnoea...apart from which it gives wrist alerts and notifications, and is easier to simply see the time than getting out phone which, depending on climate, clothing and situation may not be easy.

 

[rm5]

This is an interesting idea, however I could never do it. I’m using my iPhone solely right now because I’m traveling. But trust me, I’d rather not. I have an entire desktop computer (2019 iMac) in my college dorm room, which I far prefer to use. Don’t like laptops because I have to crane my neck down too much. With the iMac I can look up naturally at it.

 

[kamikazeeMC]

When I tried replacing my desktop with an iPad for around 9 months, had that worked out I think I could have an iPhone as the one and only device. While I did get by with the iPad, it just wasn’t as efficient getting the things I wanted to do done.

In terms of consuming content and doom scrolling, the phone itself probably comes out on top currently.

I did look at dumb phones recently and think if I could make it work. But I can’t do it in today’s world. Even though I don’t have many apps installed, music, maps, banking, group chats and a web browser are enough to stick with smartphones.

On a recent overseas trip the iPhone served me well. Wifi connected camera to transfer pics and backup to cloud, transit card, bank access (and wifi call when I managed to lock my card), looking up places on the go. Didn’t need to pack a laptop.

With the power of SoCs now, it would be cool to have an iPhone when docked to a display, run full fledged macOS, they can even paywall it to an apple display or dock. I have a MacBook now, but it’s turning into a desktop setup, so if this came to fruition, an iPhone only/main computer device could work.

 

[Andy_2341]

When I tried replacing my desktop with an iPad for around 9 months, had that worked out I think I could have an iPhone as the one and only device. While I did get by with the iPad, it just wasn’t as efficient getting the things I wanted to do done.

In terms of consuming content and doom scrolling, the phone itself probably comes out on top currently.

I did look at dumb phones recently and think if I could make it work. But I can’t do it in today’s world. Even though I don’t have many apps installed, music, maps, banking, group chats and a web browser are enough to stick with smartphones.

On a recent overseas trip the iPhone served me well. Wifi connected camera to transfer pics and backup to cloud, transit card, bank access (and wifi call when I managed to lock my card), looking up places on the go. Didn’t need to pack a laptop.

With the power of SoCs now, it would be cool to have an iPhone when docked to a display, run full fledged macOS, they can even paywall it to an apple display or dock. I have a MacBook now, but it’s turning into a desktop setup, so if this came to fruition, an iPhone only/main computer device could work.

That is a really cool idea, but macOS on even a ProMax would be difficult to use imo. I've used sidecar with my iPad mini 6 and it is hard to use for more than an extra window.

 

[kamikazeeMC]

That is a really cool idea, but macOS on even a ProMax would be difficult to use imo. I've used sidecar with my iPad mini 6 and it is hard to use for more than an extra window.

No interaction using the phone it self, when docked to a monitor with a keyboard and mouse, you would use it like any other computer. The phone just serves as the compute power.

 

[Andy_2341]

No interaction using the phone it self, when docked to a monitor with a keyboard and mouse, you would use it like any other computer. The phone just serves as the compute power.

Oh okay. I misunderstood. That would be really cool. I would pay for that. Additional bonus is you already have a cellular connection, so no need for wi-fi if the signal is good.

 

[TechnoMonk]

iPhone 7 Plus was my main device (80-90%) for few years. MBP was predominantly for professional use, along with a Mac Pro. It changed when I got m1 iPad Pro, my iPhone 13 PM is the least used device. iPad pro is most used device for Professional and personal use. MBP and Linux workstation exclusively for Pro use.

 

[8667132]

I could never use a device with such a small screen as my primary device. And to have it on me all the time would mean I would find it really hard to disconnect. I even find it difficult placing amazon orders on the phone - much prefer the clarity of a desktop screen and the layout of websites.

Mac Studio with the Studio Display will always be my daily driver. 15PM (complete overkill for what I need) for dog photos, messaging the Mrs, banking and reading on the toilet 🤣. If it wasn't for my bank requiring an app I'd quite happily ditch it.

 

[Tripps9000]

I use to have my iPhone as my main device but come to love using a iPad at home do to the larger screen and working as a extension of the iPhone

 

[darkelipse04]

I was wondering if anyone else out there is like me? I have an iPhone 16PM and MacBook Air. I had an Apple Watch several years ago, but sold it because I really didn’t see the point. I keep my iPhone on me everywhere so what’s the need for the watch? With that said, I pretty much use my iPhone for everything I do because it’s nearby and convenient even at home. My MacBook has really only been for grad school work and professional things. My iPhone is my main device and I love it! 😁

Mind sharing your age? Feels like this is more of a generational thing. Growing up with traditional computers at home and in school versus tablets and smartphones.

 

[msackey]

I was wondering if anyone else out there is like me? I have an iPhone 16PM and MacBook Air. I had an Apple Watch several years ago, but sold it because I really didn’t see the point. I keep my iPhone on me everywhere so what’s the need for the watch? With that said, I pretty much use my iPhone for everything I do because it’s nearby and convenient even at home. My MacBook has really only been for grad school work and professional things. My iPhone is my main device and I love it! 😁

My phone cannot be my main device because of the nature of my work which involves a lot of reading and interacting with web applications, documents, and PDFs. Not only is a phone screen too small, it does not afford the necessary input that is needed to easy data entry.

If you had my job, you will also not be able to use your iPhone as your main device. It is impossible. My work requires a keyboard and at least a regular screen, but more typically a large monitor or two monitors.

 

[msackey]

There’s something profoundly unsettling about smartphones, precisely because they are the everything device.

There are things a phone cannot perform well or at all. I don't consider them an everything device, especially given my line of work that involves a lot of document processing, interacting with specific institutional web apps that do not work on the mobile phone, and other things.

 

[mansplains]

I don't personally like being that connected, so I use my phone sparingly. I need to be able to work without being connected, and I need to be unavailable.

Whether it's my generation or just me, I have the ability to tune out distractions and ignore other people when I don't want to be disturbed. Outside of work hours (I work from home) this is really easy for me to do.

The tough part for me is texting evolving to the communication method where instant answers are expected. I know how it is to be flooded with messages trying to get my attention... and yet it remains easy to become impatient when others don't answer me quick!

Resetting the expectation of my phone not running my life, and that I will respond when I get to it, has been a positive experience.

To the OP about watches, I had a S3 for a few years, then went without a watch. I missed it, and jumped on AWU. I sold it this past September, and am without a watch again. It's kinda funny how many calls I've missed since I don't feel the phone vibrate, yet liberating to not have my wrist vibrating every few minutes.