Other Last "Wow" iPhone Generation?

[Nozuka]

iPhone "1", because it was it was amazing for it's time. Needed jailbreak to truly shine. Was fun.

iPhone 4, because the design was great (made all the other phones look like a piece of junk) and the first "retina" display, which was the biggest jump in display quality we ever got. And made most of the other screens hard to look at.

iPhone X, doesn't really need an explanation.



12 Mini is a close runner up. just felt great in the hand.

 

[Timster83]

The iPhone 5 is probably my favourite form factor from the early days, although at the time I probably saw it as an evolution from the 4 shape. The 5/5s shape has aged the best IMO.

It was the 4 that had the original wow factor. I remember my mum commenting to me about her iPhone 4, quite randomly, "this really is a beautiful instrument".

The 6 series got my second vote, because of its sheer size compared to what had gone before.

Then I voted for the 13 series from the modern era. I had gone from an XS Max, which I was finding too big and had the Intel modem issue, to the 13 mini (with Samsung S21 in between). It brought back memories of the iPhone 5 form factor with all the modern conveniences and specs.

 

[ThomasJL]

In terms of beautiful and playful UI, the iPhone 5 was the last model with a skeuomorphic design because it shipped with iOS 6. After that, it was dull and boring flat design that copied Microsoft.

The visionary Scott Forstall was responsible for the gorgeous and highly user-friendly iOS 6 UI's skeuomorphic design. Tim Cook, being the polar opposite of a visionary, fired Forestall. Cook has made numerous horrible decisions as CEO when it comes to creating quality products (because he's mostly focused on making money instead), but the worst decision he's ever made as CEO was firing Forstall.

 

[xxray]

Original iPhone is obvious, so I’m ignoring that one.

• iPhone 4: Design was insane. I was obsessed with it.
• iPhone 5S: First 64-bit processor, TouchID, previous gorgeous design of iPhone 5
• iPhone X: New era

Ironically, I owned none of these phones. But these were the biggest standouts to me.

If I’m doing based on phones I’ve owned, then iPhone 4S, iPhone 6+, and iPhone XS Max were biggest standouts.

Personal favorites out of ones I’ve owned were 4S, XS Max, and either 13 Pro or 15 Pro Max (too early to tell for 15PM).

 

[Nozuka]

I guess the real question is: what could they do to create another iPhone X like moment?
Even removing the last bit of notch/pill wouldn't have the same effect.

Maybe a new battery tech would do it.

 

[Zayway86]

4S was my first and I thought it was amazing. X was stunning as well.

I’ll throw in an honourable mention for the 6 as well, only because it was the first generation to offer the ‘plus’ size to compete with the ever growing large sized competition at the time.

Only reason I didn't vote for X is because the introduction of the notch was a huge turnoff initially.

 

[ThomasJL]

I guess the real question is: what could they do to create another iPhone X like moment?
Even removing the last bit of notch/pill wouldn't have the same effect.

Maybe a new battery tech would do it.

1. Removing the notch.
2. Getting rid of rounded corners on the display and going back to 90-degree corners.
3. Bringing back Touch ID (while keeping Face ID so users can choose which to use).
4. Bringing back the headphone jack.
5. Having Thunderbolt 4 data transfer speeds via USB-C.
6. Getting rid of the camera bump (even if it means making the phone thicker).
7. Getting 100% rid of flat design and neumorphism and bringing back the exact same iOS 6 skeuomorphic designs.
8. Bringing back the SIM card tray.

Unfortunately, Tim Cook is too mediocre to recognize the benefits of any of those suggestions. He's practically only concerned about making as much money as possible.

 

[GalileoSeven]

4, X and XS Max (the progenitor of the current 'Pro Max' phones) seem to stand out the most to me in terms of design. The 11 Pro/PM and all successive models just refined the basic XS Max design to varying degrees IMO

I had a 4S, 6, XR and now 13 Pro Max.

The 4S was my 'gateway drug' into the smartphone world - taught me how to text and do a lot on a touchscreen and showed me what 'apps' could do.

The 6 was much the same, just in a slightly larger form factor.

The XR was my first 'favorite' I guess. Took a bit to get used to the larger size, but once I did, the combination of speed, battery life and functionality/usability made it indispensable for me - could read, do a little bit of typing in Word and even watch video in addition to all the normal phone stuff.

That being said, my 13 Pro Max feels perfect now, building on everything from the XR. Unless Apple radically reinvents the form-factor (unlikely IMO), when this thing goes, I'll feel perfectly comfortable replacing it with a Pro Max that's a model or two (or even three) behind whatever the current one is.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

For me, every new phone is “wow” because new features are added differentiating and a step ahead from previous generation. So, every year, I am always wowed by new phone 😊😁

 

[Zayway86]

I was wowed by the 11PM because the design was awesome, that midnight green was unique and a big hit, and it was the first time that the iPhone had truly outstanding battery life. And I must add that the speakers were top notch on that phone. I was super impressed with the sound quality.

I added the 13P to the list because it was the first time the smaller pro phone had great battery life, and I was also pretty happy with the phone overall. Felt/looked very premium.

 

[Nozuka]

1. Removing the notch.
2. Getting rid of rounded corners on the display and going back to 90-degree corners.
3. Bringing back Touch ID (while keeping Face ID so users can choose which to use).
4. Bringing back the headphone jack.
5. Having Thunderbolt 4 data transfer speeds via USB-C.
6. Getting rid of the camera bump (even if it means making the phone thicker).
7. Getting 100% rid of flat design and neumorphism and bringing back the exact same iOS 6 skeuomorphic designs.
8. Bringing back the SIM card tray.

Unfortunately, Tim Cook is too mediocre to recognize the benefits of any of those suggestions. He's practically only concerned about making as much money as possible.

Honestly none of these would have the same WOW effect as the X did.

 

[JapanApple]

the X and 14 Pro.

Always on display and Dymamic Island

Same here

 

[Poppleropples]

I haven’t had every model so I can only talk to my experience. The XR was a big step up for me, coming from a 7, that felt like a real wow moment. Beautiful display and that thing was a champ.

The most recent wow for me was my current phone, the 14 Pro. My first ‘Pro’ model and it’s dynamic island, Lidar and the 48MP Proraw that did it for me.

Dynamic island I actually get use from. LiDAR again I actually use for measuring spaces and planning room layouts for work. And lastly, the 48MP ProRAW, it’s kind of blown me away. I’ve always had an SLR and loved photography, but since having a little one I find it difficult to travel with a multiple lenses and a camera body etc so just don’t take it anymore. Using this camera is the first time where I don’t miss my old DSLR, obviously there are creative limitations and light makes a big difference, but in the right conditions it’s amazing.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Interesting how many people put the 15 as their “wow“ model, when one of the main complaints about it here is that there’s no perceivable difference between it and the 14 that came before it. First time iphone owners with nothing to compare it to?

 

[jsmith1]

there is no question that is it the X and will probably be for a while, I remember actually saying 'wow' at the time when using it.

 

[Markgnyc2]

For me its the 4, which was my first iPhone (only because it was the first Verizon iPhone), the 5 because of the bigger screen and new design, and the X for transforming the iPhone design. 4th place would be the 14 Pro Max for the dynamic island.

 

[NeonIbis]

Original iPhone SE (2016). A thing of beauty. Same format as the 5 but so much more powerful / better camera. I used it for four years and only replaced because I couldn’t get the battery fixed during covid. Pics taken in good light still look good. Perfect for one-hand use.

I also listed the 3GS, my first iPhone experience, even though I had a series of lemons (replaced four times for various fatal flaws). I’ve also had the 5 (still stylish I think!) and the 2nd and 3rd gen SEs, but I never liked the rounded edge design of the newer SEs and only stuck with them due to smaller size + home button/touchID. The poll should distinguish the SE models, ideally.

My 3rd pick was my current 15 Pro - huge step up from an SE (though also huge!) and the squarer sides remind me of the 5/original SE.

 

[JoForumBlueGold]

4, X, and 14 Pro for me.
IMO the wow factor for especially the X and 14 Pro was that we knew from hardware leaks that they were gonna be edge-to-edge (for the X) and having a pill cutout (for the 14 Pro) before the event, but then Apple blows those expectations out the water with the software demonstration of how it all works.
In contrast to some of these recent examples:
12 Pro: Rumored to have flat edges: Nothing more than that.
13 Pro: Brings in Promotion: Quite overdue, works exactly like we've seen on iPad Pros.

 

[ade555]

I had to go with 4 and 6, then moved to android before moving back to iPhone 12 which isn’t nothing special, 6 was the biggest pile of poo I owned, my model was sent for repair 4 times as it use to like to blow diod or something like that that controlled display, wife had a 6 is well , still have in draw with bent frame, despite all them problems I remember the large display on 6 had to offer and still have working 6s as back up now just in case one of the newer devices fails.

 

[zach-coleman]

The X was still the last one that was actually incredible. I was an android user ignoring iPhones and even I found the design and technology (FaceID) stunning. It actually became one of the reasons I retuned to iOS... fingerprint readers suck.

I also voted OG and 4.

This being said, I'm really enjoying the upgrades my 15P has over the 13P.

 

[zach-coleman]

Interesting how many people put the 15 as their “wow“ model, when one of the main complaints about it here is that there’s no perceivable difference between it and the 14 that came before it. First time iphone owners with nothing to compare it to?

If you went from a 12/13 to the 15 there's kind of a lot there. This might be part of it. The narrower bezels, weight, and dynamic island really wowed me when I took it out of the box and turned it on for the first time. Camera is also much improved in the detail department, a lot easier to find stuff to set as wallpapers and such...

 

[scorpio vega]

iPhone X and the iPhone 11 are my favorite wow phones.

iPhone 3G/3gs/2g Are my least favorite as they look cheap compared to what apple would later create

 

[jsmith1]

guessing not many know what the term "last" meant

 

[adam1080]

1. Removing the notch.
2. Getting rid of rounded corners on the display and going back to 90-degree corners.
3. Bringing back Touch ID (while keeping Face ID so users can choose which to use).
4. Bringing back the headphone jack.
5. Having Thunderbolt 4 data transfer speeds via USB-C.
6. Getting rid of the camera bump (even if it means making the phone thicker).
7. Getting 100% rid of flat design and neumorphism and bringing back the exact same iOS 6 skeuomorphic designs.
8. Bringing back the SIM card tray.

Unfortunately, Tim Cook is too mediocre to recognize the benefits of any of those suggestions. He's practically only concerned about making as much money as possible.

I figure Thunderbolt 4 will come next year or the year after. No reason not to…

A normal headphone jack without an insanely good DAC capable of decoding all audio formats(DSD 64/128/256 specifically) would be absolutely pointless and that will never happen.

Apple is already doing “lossless” 2- ways now… updating their H2 chip in the APP2 to communicate with the VisionPro in close range for “lossless” audio. Big step forward in mass production wireless audio.

You can also apparently buy USB-C EarPods for $19 and do lossless. The DAC though is limited compared to stand alone DACs.

Could they put in a good DAC and jack? Sure, but the people that would benefit would be minuscule and they will never do it.

My hope is they keep improving their own wireless lossless audio and ditch the limitations of Bluetooth(which they just did in a limited situation…)

I’ll keep buying their AirPods for convenience(they have gotten much better the last couple years) and continue with my audiophile, wired setup worth 3-5x the entire phone when I want a truly good listening experience.

 

[nintendoswitch]

For me it’s the 4 because of the design (and was my first iPhone), the 6S because of 3D Touch and how thin it was, and the X because of faceID and no home button. If I could choose 4 I would say the 13 pro which was really the last good pro iPhone to me.