Apple?
I think we can also sleep peacefully, those times are gone.
I still have the paper clip in LiquidMetal, I think it's the culmination of commercial research for Apple.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 14 Pro Max When is Apple going to innovate looking ways to decrease weight in iPhones?
- Thread starter joscejrod
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think we can also sleep peacefully, those times are gone.
I still have the paper clip in LiquidMetal, I think it's the culmination of commercial research for Apple.
I feel most of us have accommodated to the size and weight of “phablets” as our need to always be online and not recharge 2-3 times a day is larger than our need for smartphones to be lightweight and unobtrusive.
I mean, what better proves the point I just made than the fact that the term “phablet” is basically dead in 2022 and that only smartphones at Pro Max sizes and larger are even labeled as such by anyone.
Looking back, iPhone 6 Plus was considered a “phablet”. But that size was a huge success thanks to the added battery life. And since iPhone XR, the 6.1” format is now the new standard and only bigger iPhones are considered “too big” for some users.
Also, iPhone 12-13 mini flopped in sales which would have been big sellers if the average consumer was really looking for a slim/light high end iPhone.
-I wouldn’t expect Apple to be working hard at slimming iPhones down substantially.
I mean, what better proves the point I just made than the fact that the term “phablet” is basically dead in 2022 and that only smartphones at Pro Max sizes and larger are even labeled as such by anyone.
Looking back, iPhone 6 Plus was considered a “phablet”. But that size was a huge success thanks to the added battery life. And since iPhone XR, the 6.1” format is now the new standard and only bigger iPhones are considered “too big” for some users.
Also, iPhone 12-13 mini flopped in sales which would have been big sellers if the average consumer was really looking for a slim/light high end iPhone.
-I wouldn’t expect Apple to be working hard at slimming iPhones down substantially.
I would love to have a choice not to have wireless charging, it's just dead weight for my use case. A choice in camera module simplicity/complexity would be nice, too.
Definitely with you on this one.
I only see new smartphones, including iPhones, going bigger and probably also heavier or at best not much lighter/smaller than what we’ve been getting in the last 2-3 years.
It’s not what I want personally. But Apple would see unprecedented losses if they started cutting down on display and battery size for mid tier and Pro iPhones.
I might switch to a 13 mini soon. I’ll at least test it out to see if battery life is good enough for me.
Only opportunity for a new, compact iPhone is for the SE line. But I wouldn’t count on those being worthwhile (Only 1st Gen SE wasn’t terrible).
There are many reasons why the biggest is the best. Content is king. today digital content is much richer than when the first iphone came out or even when iphone 4 and 5 came out. Back then making a phone call is what people use phone the most, or texting. To consume these contents these days (facebook, youtube, etc), you need more screen real estate. Hence many people like big phone. Moreover, older people with weak vision, they want bigger font, hence bigger phone. That is why computer screen size grows popularity from 15" to 19", 21", 27" or even 48".
not only more content, bigger camera/battery also require more room. You can't beat physics. in order to have the best (best picture, longest battery live, most content, etc), size matters.
Here you have the first review of iphone 5 that I have found in Google. They talked about how brilliant was the industrial design with excellent “sense of quality and craftsmanship ” (with aluminum that know seems to be a bad material…). They got to increase screen size while decreasing weight without impacting battery life. Of course I’ not trying to say that I would like to come back to these days, we’re now enjoying incredible features like having a wonderful oled screen that It seems you have a little cinema in your pocket. But…they could think about comfortability again without sacrificing current state of art features.
I’m really interesting to have 14 plus in hands. Let’s think about compromises that we have to accept:
-120hz display: the worse part for me. It’s true that it doesn’t seem to be so impactful for me after comparing 11 PM vs 14 PM side by side.
-Always on display: of course if you want it, nothing to say, 14pro/PM yes or yes. I always put phone with screen against table to save battery/privacy reasons so not usable in my case.
-dynamic island: good gimmick if you use the apps that take advantage of it, but do you remember oled touch bar of macbook pros that now Apple has removed in their best laptops? 🧐 In mi case, pill is more inside screen that notch so annoys more when watching movies or youtube in 18:9 aspect ratio.
-48mpx camera: of course if you are really PRO user and you’re going to have 48mpx proraw toggle as activate, go for it. But if you are going to take pictures in JPg, you have in 14 plus the 13 PM main sensor (really valued by experts).
But this is only my humble opinion…
I’m really interesting to have 14 plus in hands. Let’s think about compromises that we have to accept:
-120hz display: the worse part for me. It’s true that it doesn’t seem to be so impactful for me after comparing 11 PM vs 14 PM side by side.
-Always on display: of course if you want it, nothing to say, 14pro/PM yes or yes. I always put phone with screen against table to save battery/privacy reasons so not usable in my case.
-dynamic island: good gimmick if you use the apps that take advantage of it, but do you remember oled touch bar of macbook pros that now Apple has removed in their best laptops? 🧐 In mi case, pill is more inside screen that notch so annoys more when watching movies or youtube in 18:9 aspect ratio.
-48mpx camera: of course if you are really PRO user and you’re going to have 48mpx proraw toggle as activate, go for it. But if you are going to take pictures in JPg, you have in 14 plus the 13 PM main sensor (really valued by experts).
But this is only my humble opinion…
Attachments
I thought the reason they use glass is because of wireless charging and wireless radio signal. Aluminum is lighter than glass but it is not a good material for radio signal or wireless charging.
My 14 Pro Max weight is just fine. I don't lift weights and don't run around the block to increase my strength/endurance. With new features comes new hardware and more weight. I don't really care if it's too heavy for you. If apple cut out features to make it lighter, people would complain like never before. Go for for the regular apple watch or a mickey mouse watch if you need lightness in your watch.
Exactly which is why I mentioned Apple material scientists needing to come up with something new such as a fancy plastic that looks good/expensive, maybe even like brushed aluminium.
Functionality, performance and efficiency far outweigh minor issues like weight or device dimensions. It's all personal preference. Buy what works best for you. If Apple doesn't suit your needs, vote with your wallet.
I consider this answer not respectful (after some good messages in this thread showing opinions really different). My opinion is only one more, but answers to say “I don’t care your opinion” or “buy a mickey mouse watch” don’t follow the objective of this great forum.
New hardware could come with new materials to decrease weight and this is the origin of this thread, to know your opinions about Apple leaving this way forward.
And one more thing, I can’t understand people answering angrily when other people only show different opinions.
I hear what you are saying - you want smaller batteries. I just checked the Samsung phones - funny they are almost the same weight. Geesh, when is Samsung going to innovate and make lighter phones? Just like they innovated buy adding lots of itty, bitty and sh!#$y pixels in hopes of making a better camera, but sorry Samsung, your camera is rated behind the camera in the iPhone 13 pros. (Ok, not by much I'll grant you that). Maybe they could reduce weight by leaving out some pixels? (that really is a joke)
I thought his answer nailed it, for what is largely a made up issue. I guess the Samsung phones are. lot lighter, like half the weight? Oh, what, they are almost exactly the same weight? who knew? Oh, I guess Samsung did, cause they published the specs
I'd much prefer an aluminum Pro given how much lighter it is and considering I have my phone with a case on all the time, anyway. I'm envious of the lightness of the regular models but like the features of the Pro.
“How is possible that someone really feel this device comfortable to use? Of course you can learn to get used to it, but no one can say “I really like this characteristic or I’m happy with it”. “ (Quote from your original post)
This is why people may react angrily to your post.
You’re telling me how could I possibly feel it’s comfortable to use it.
You’re also telling me that I can’t say that I’m happy with it.
If you don’t like the phone fine. But making a blanket statement that no one could possibly like the phone is straight nonsense. You don’t know everyone so how can you say no one could like it because you don’t like it.
I don’t like Android OS but I wouldn’t say to anyone how could you possibly like Android because it’s obvious that millions of people do like Android just like millions of people like the 14 Pro/Max.
I disagree. They are doing a lot of R&D in many areas. Their continuous work in recycling, Health ML applications, semiconductors, and industrial design suggests they are still very much interested in pushing the limits.
The iPhone, and perhaps other HW, are now on 3-4yr cycle, and they are clearly dispensing the incrementally every year. This doesn't mean they don't have a vision of what the next iPhone cycle will look like. We're at/near the end of this cycle. iPhone 15 will likely be the start of the next cycle. Last time this happened, they have a phone that has very minor incremental changes, and the following year, it's mostly the same internals, but brand new form factor. (iPhone 5S, iPhone 8, iPhone 11 Pro)
This is also visible on their product line-up, and naming convention - especially if they replace the Pro Max with Ultra. It'll give them some room to showcase new tech, while still maintaining a range of prices and capabilities.
iPhone SE (1yr behind, budget)
iPhone (Standard)
iPhone Plus (Standard, but bigger)
iPhone Pro (1yr ahead)
iPhone Ultra (2yr ahead, also bigger and best)
Really! I am somehow biased for thinking most people want lighter phones. Seems to me you are the one who is deeply biased. Just look at so many Pro max reviews mentioning its weight.
I already bought a 14 pro max. I just wish it didn't use steel and is lighter. Thanks
I wish they were lighter. But I don’t find the weight of my 14 pro max to be awful. I’d love to see titanium frames though. My husband went from tungsten to titanium with his wedding band and oh my, that stuff is so light. If I wasn’t such a Smaug I’d have all titanium jewelry.
Damm how weak are your guys arms. It’s not that bad, once you get used to the weight it’s not bad.
Except, iPhone 5C sold poorly because “plastic”, and iPhone 3G, uh, idk. 3GS heard sold better?remember iphone 3G and 5C?
Good old plastic does wonders to weight and wireless charging
As for weight, I’m grown into using iPad Pro as daily driver almost exclusively (for usage away from computer), and that bad lad is way heavier than an iPhone. So needless to say, iPhone 14 Pro Max weight isn’t that much more overwhelming to me lol.