K Sawyer Paul

I’m writing this a few weeks before the new iPhone announcement.

I’ve been planning to upgrade to whatever iPhone gets announced in September. I last bought a phone in early 2019, upgrading my 2016 iPhone SE to the 2018 iPhone XR. It’s been a pretty capable phone since, though I’ve noticed it’s capability really dip this year. iPhones used to be good for 2+ years, and I’m happy to see that number increase to 3+. and in my case 4. I also love that if the only thing wrong with your phone is battery life, you can replace them for not that much money and feel like you’re getting a new phone.

Even though they still come out with new phones every year, it’s felt like the year-over-year upgrade has been getting smaller. This is normal! It’s a more stable thing. And even though I don’t know exactly what the next iPhone will have, I know what the four iPhone models since mine have. Everything that’s come out since 2019 will be a new hardware feature for me.

Here were the main features of the iPhone XR in 2019:

• A12 Bionic Processor
• 128gb storage (I never filled it, but I also never treated it like my only computer)
• 3gb of ram
• 720p LCD Screen (326ppi)
• IP67 water resistance
• One 12mp camera, which I never loved
• Blue

So, assuming I’m picking up the pro version of the next iPhone, here’s the upgrade from an XR.

Starting with the iPhone XS, which launched at the same time as the XR in 2019 but had more features:

• a second camera
• an oled screen (458ppi)
• better LTE

Not bad, but I don’t regret not spending more the year I purchased the phone. What about the iPhone 11?

• A third camera, but they’re all 12mp at different focal lengths, and better software processing
• A better selfie camera (12mp up from 7)
• better battery life (+4 hours from the XS)
• airtags, right?

I remember thinking this was a decent year-over-year bump, but it’s always dumb to buy a new iPhone every year. The following year, the iPhone 12, got noticeably better:

• flat sides
• better water and dust resistance
• Magsafe
• 5G
• Lidar and U1 for stuff that would become useful later
• Better screen, better computer, better camera software

Ultimately, I didn’t upgrade because it was 2020. My phone spent most of its time plugged in anyway, so it got a year off, too. If I had ever upgraded during this time, it likely would have been a 12, though.

So, a year later, the iPhone 13.

• Promotion 120hz display
• better cameras, better computer, better camera software
• better speakers
• Better battery life

Once again, it was somewhat small year-over-year. But this was now three years out from my phone, and the 13 was beginning to look like handsome. I remember deciding that I’d probably go one more year and definitely upgrade next time.

Then the iPhone 14 came out.

• dynamic island
• an upgrade from 12mp to 48mp on the main camera if you toggle some features on and off
• better battery
• better other cameras and better flash
• new processor on the pro model (and not, importantly, on the regular)
• always-on display, better brightness

I thought I was going to buy this phone. I liked most of the announced features. The thing was, my XR wasn’t dead like I thought it would be. Maybe it could last another year, if it had a little help. So instead, I bought the 2021 iPad Mini, which cost 1/2 as much as a new iPhone, and has since become my favourite apple device.

But, my XR has served really well. It’s battery is pretty toast, and it struggles now to catch up. Even in environmental circles, a phone that lasts nearly five years is a triumph. It’s the first phone I’ve owned to make it that long, and I hope going forward it’ll set the benchmark.

So, my hopes for the iPhone 15 (if they call it that):

• USB-C. That’s the big rumour, and I’d really like it. the iPad Mini has it and I’d like them to match. One fewer cord is always nice.
• A very good screen.
• A nice camera. Wouldn’t it be something if I could actually just use a phone as my camera? It hasn’t been true since switching to iPhone from Windows Phone in 2016
• I want it to last as long or longer as the XR