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Technerd108

macrumors 68040
Oct 24, 2021
3,062
4,313
I'm actually 100% in on this. This whole "premium" this is a cash cow. I loved the phones from 10 years ago that were plastic.
I totally agree. The first Samsung s20 FE that came out I got it as soon as I could and I kept that phone for 3 years. (A record for me)

It had a glasstic back. Aluminum frame. It had a flat 6.5" screen. It was super light and durable. I never got scratches on the plastic back. To me, the Aluminum and plastic was a better combo than glass because I didn't worry it would shatter and it was lighter so dropping it in the first place was less likely.

From an Environmental standpoint I like glass or ceramic but from a purely functional and cost perspective I actually prefer the plastic. The glasstic also had a really cool almost pearl finish.

In terms of premium material beyond durability I could care less. However I didn't like the plastic frame and back phones we had like the Samsung Galaxy S4. It had that chrome plated plastic that would peel off. Just awful and super cheap.
 

SteveJUAE

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2015
4,511
4,750
Land of Smiles
I totally agree. The first Samsung s20 FE that came out I got it as soon as I could and I kept that phone for 3 years. (A record for me)

It had a glasstic back. Aluminum frame. It had a flat 6.5" screen. It was super light and durable. I never got scratches on the plastic back. To me, the Aluminum and plastic was a better combo than glass because I didn't worry it would shatter and it was lighter so dropping it in the first place was less likely.

From an Environmental standpoint I like glass or ceramic but from a purely functional and cost perspective I actually prefer the plastic. The glasstic also had a really cool almost pearl finish.

In terms of premium material beyond durability I could care less. However I didn't like the plastic frame and back phones we had like the Samsung Galaxy S4. It had that chrome plated plastic that would peel off. Just awful and super cheap.
Not sure that glass or ceramic green credentials are that clear when the carbon footprint of manufacturing etc etc is all factored or until the Pro's 15 caught up with cheaper replacement costs :)
 

mjschabow

macrumors 601
Dec 25, 2013
4,924
6,239
I totally agree. The first Samsung s20 FE that came out I got it as soon as I could and I kept that phone for 3 years. (A record for me)

It had a glasstic back. Aluminum frame. It had a flat 6.5" screen. It was super light and durable. I never got scratches on the plastic back. To me, the Aluminum and plastic was a better combo than glass because I didn't worry it would shatter and it was lighter so dropping it in the first place was less likely.

From an Environmental standpoint I like glass or ceramic but from a purely functional and cost perspective I actually prefer the plastic. The glasstic also had a really cool almost pearl finish.

In terms of premium material beyond durability I could care less. However I didn't like the plastic frame and back phones we had like the Samsung Galaxy S4. It had that chrome plated plastic that would peel off. Just awful and super cheap.
For me, I miss the old material from the iPhone 5s. That was probably my favorite phone or all time. Had the most stable version of iOS and great hardware. Yeah it was tiny but at the time, really felt like something special.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,072
19,067
US
found an old photo of mine on IMGR. Would love to have a wood back S24U or iPhone 15PM

D4yaOxL.jpg
 

Bkdodger

macrumors 68040
Jun 6, 2019
3,624
6,055
I have to order a new Nike band that looks cool .. ordered a few of the new color bands and have them coming this week...my Ultra looks first day condition as well ..
 
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aggie99

macrumors 65816
Sep 23, 2016
1,002
2,338
Dallas, TX
Same here.

btw - love the new Nike bands ;)

Update - odd, the photo was taken with my 13PM and the watch face irl is grey and green with a black desktop.
My Ultra is nearly flawless as well. I wear it nearly every day and it holds up better than any previous smartwatch that I've had. I need that Nike band, very sharp. I'm using the old black one with my Ultra right now.
 
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aggie99

macrumors 65816
Sep 23, 2016
1,002
2,338
Dallas, TX
Haha ... I will proudly show you a picture of my phone 2 years from now
2 years...lol

I have no worries about the titanium scratching either. The titanium on my Watch Ultra is still pretty flawless.
I may slap a dbrand skin on it just in case to use under my Apple silicon case but I don't think it is a necessity. Plus I like just carrying a caseless phone around with a skin sometimes.
 
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Bkdodger

macrumors 68040
Jun 6, 2019
3,624
6,055
2 years...lol

I have no worries about the titanium scratching either. The titanium on my Watch Ultra is still pretty flawless.
I may slap a dbrand skin on it just in case to use under my Apple silicon case but I don't think it is a necessity. Plus I like just carrying a caseless phone around with a skin sometimes.

That's not a bad idea .... I think it will be fine ...
 

Technerd108

macrumors 68040
Oct 24, 2021
3,062
4,313
Have you seen the latest Jerry rig everything video on the 15pm? The glass back shatters with just a slight bend. The titanium is just a 1mm thick band around the frame bonded to aluminum. So it may need Apple to tweak a few things to get the durability better on next gen. The blue Titanium looks so nice.....


I don't know. They said the same thing about the Pixel 7 Pro and I haven't had any issues. I don't think most people bend their phones BUT if you sat on the phone accidentally it might not survive which could be a real problem?

Seems like scratching is less of an issue than shattered glass back?
 
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tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
Have you seen the latest Jerry rig everything video on the 15pm? The glass back shatters with just a slight bend. The titanium is just a 1mm thick band around the frame bonded to aluminum. So it may need Apple to tweak a few things to get the durability better on next gen. The blue Titanium looks so nice.....


I don't know. They said the same thing about the Pixel 7 Pro and I haven't had any issues. I don't think most people bend their phones BUT if you sat on the phone accidentally it might not survive which could be a real problem?

Seems like scratching is less of an issue than shattered glass back?
Nothing scientific behind my logic but maybe it has something to do with the glass now being more easily replaced. In past models I believe it’s been bonded to the frame, thus the inability to easily swap just the back glass and instead requiring a swap of the entire back components and frame.

Maybe that change caused diminished glass rigidly/strength? Just a thought.
 
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Awesomesince86

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2016
2,482
3,302
The back glass is more susceptible to breaking now because Apple made it a lot easier and cheaper to replace. Whether that was a smart trade off, I guess we’ll see.

I’m loving the 15 PM so far. No huge changes coming from the 13 PM, but the phone is noticeably faster and feels so much better in hand. Battery still beats any other mainstream phone by miles.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,136
15,488
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
The back glass is more susceptible to breaking now because Apple made it a lot easier and cheaper to replace. Whether that was a smart trade off, I guess we’ll see.

I’m loving the 15 PM so far. No huge changes coming from the 13 PM, but the phone is noticeably faster and feels so much better in hand. Battery still beats any other mainstream phone by miles.

Personally I think Apple just borked the new design. They made it work with the 14.
 
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tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
Personally I think Apple just borked the new design. They made it work with the 14.
But they didn't...entirely different design for the back glass, to make it easier a s less expensive to repair. Repair cost of back panel of 12 -14 Pro Max is $499 - $549, respectively while on 15 PM it's $199 (Apple pricing). We're guessing that it's contributed to some durability limitations but as @Awesomesince86 mention, we just have to wait an see.
 

dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,136
15,488
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
But they didn't...entirely different design for the back glass, to make it easier a s less expensive to repair. Repair cost of back panel of 12 -14 Pro Max is $499 - $549, respectively while on 15 PM it's $199 (Apple pricing). We're guessing that it's contributed to some durability limitations but as @Awesomesince86 mention, we just have to wait an see.

I likely was not clear enough. Apple came up with a repairable design for the 14. Not so for the 15. How the cost figures into this I am not sure how or if.
 

Awesomesince86

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2016
2,482
3,302
I likely was not clear enough. Apple came up with a repairable design for the 14. Not so for the 15. How the cost figures into this I am not sure how or if.

You have it wrong. Apple changed the back glass assembly and design for the 15 to make it more repairable. This may have led to it being less structurally sound and being easier to damage. But it’s also much cheaper to repair than the 14 and previous iPhones. So that’s why we’re saying there’s a trade off.
 
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dk001

macrumors demi-god
Oct 3, 2014
11,136
15,488
Sage, Lightning, and Mountains
You have it wrong. Apple changed the back glass assembly and design for the 15 to make it more repairable. This may have led to it being less structurally sound and being easier to damage. But it’s also much cheaper to repair than the 14 and previous iPhones. So that’s why we’re saying there’s a trade off.

We'll have to agree to have alternative opinions I guess.
but that's cool :cool:
 

Bkdodger

macrumors 68040
Jun 6, 2019
3,624
6,055
Been a fan of Jerry for a while now and while what he does is generally pretty cool, it is just one point.
Yes agree ...enjoy watching his vids ..and it's by no means the whole of everything .. his breakdown vid of the phone was impressed with how Apple merged the titanium onto the aluminum sides ...
 
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