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I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

christianselig.com

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Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#21

Post by hdgvhicv »

ctippett wrote: post #19

> typing is a joy on the increased size Huh. I hate typing on my phone (iPhone 16e). It actually never occurred to me that maybe I'd have a better time with a larger screen. Although I don't remember ever feeling the disdain I have for typing back when I had an iPhone 3GS which had a much smaller screen than the one I have now.

I have a 12 mini. I did have an XR briefly but had to send it back because it was terrible - far too large.

When the 12/13 minis stop receiving updates I guess I’ll stop carrying a phone around. Which will actually be a good thing

Nothing (handheld) is as good as typing as my old blackberry curve though. Not even my psion5

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#23

Post by bkaae »

ctippett wrote: post #19

> typing is a joy on the increased size Huh. I hate typing on my phone (iPhone 16e). It actually never occurred to me that maybe I'd have a better time with a larger screen. Although I don't remember ever feeling the disdain I have for typing back when I had an iPhone 3GS which had a much smaller screen than the one I have now.

Did you get older over the last few years? That might make a difference.

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#24

Post by codetiger »

PlunderBunny wrote: post #18
shelled wrote: post #8

I will never stop yearning for iPhone Mini phone/screen sizes. But I've stopped asking for it because that would be pointless at this point.

I’m still on my iPhone 12 mini, so when I have to eventually replace it, I’ll upgrade to a iPhone 13 mini.

Am on my 11 Pro, its not giving up yet.

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#25

Post by mrweasel »

shelled wrote: post #8

I will never stop yearning for iPhone Mini phone/screen sizes. But I've stopped asking for it because that would be pointless at this point.

The smaller screen sizes doesn't seem to be something that anyone really tests for anymore. If I have to lookup something on my phone it's pretty often that I just give up in anger. Websites will have a header, and maybe a footer or some sticky element and even on the iPhone SE2/3 the result is having maybe 25% of the screen for actual text/content.

In the review the author write:

> The iPhone Air is the perfect solution to this, its screen size sits right in the middle of the normal Pro and Pro Max sized phones

That's probably true for them, and a lot of other people, but I'd argue that it's WAY to large. The Air is larger in all dimensions, except it's 1,7mm thinner, it even weighs more than the SE. It's also larger than the iPhone 17, but lighter and thinner. I don't really get the need for the phone to be thinner, if you're just going to make it larger in all other directions.

To some extend I get the larger screen, because it's just because it's not made for me. I don't use my phone for much other than calls and a few apps, but for a ton of people it's their only computing device, so a slightly larger screen makes a difference. I just wish that Apple would also make a device for people who just needs their smartphone or the occasional parking app and mobile payments, but who doesn't care about the browser, video and to some extend the camera.

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#26

Post by mrweasel »

jbverschoor wrote: post #14
shelled wrote: post #8

I will never stop yearning for iPhone Mini phone/screen sizes. But I've stopped asking for it because that would be pointless at this point.

The air is the new mini. With the same amount of low sales. It's under appreciated because of the "Pro" label of the Pro, and because of battery-hell.

The mini didn't even sell that badly, it just sold incredibly poorly for an iPhone. For almost any other brand it would have been a massive success.

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#28

Post by heliographe »

> The ultrawide lens is not one I used a ton on previous iPhones, so outside of macro mode I don’t really miss it. I’m surprised though that I really miss the telephoto lens. There’s so many options where I want to see something that’s further away, like something when watching sports, or even a cool bird, and cropping in on the main sensor is such a far cry from a 5x telephoto lens.

I think this is a situation where the enthusiasts care more about the telephoto (for intentional photographic compositions), but the mainstream user base uses the Ultrawide more (for inside shots, group photos, etc) - so Apple caters to the latter, to the dismay of the former.

(the clear wide > tele > ultrawide hierarchy of optical/sensor quality doesn't help either)

> Camera quality feels as good as ever, it’s apparently not as good a main sensor as the Pro iPhones but I can’t really tell. It still has that distinctly over-processed look plaguing modern smartphones

Same here - photography-minded users hate the over processed look, but the general population must like them, otherwise there's no way that manufacturers would persist doubling down on it year-after-year.

For a while now I've been working on a Bayer RAW only pro camera app (https://bayercam.app) specifically because I'm a photography nerd and care about full control, but I realize it's a pretty niche thing.

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#29

Post by Ntrails »

mrweasel wrote: post #25
shelled wrote: post #8

I will never stop yearning for iPhone Mini phone/screen sizes. But I've stopped asking for it because that would be pointless at this point.

The smaller screen sizes doesn't seem to be something that anyone really tests for anymore. If I have to lookup something on my phone it's pretty often that I just give up in anger. Websites will have a header, and maybe a footer or some sticky element and even on the iPhone SE2/3 the result is having maybe 25% of the screen for actual text/content. In the review the author write: > The iPhone Air is the perfect solu…

I have an iPhone SE and will hold onto it until the day they make something vaguely commensurate but better.

It isn't like I would be rushing to upgrade anyway but the refusal to cater is tiresome

Re: I Have Thoughts on the iPhone Air

#30

Post by abujazar »

mrweasel wrote: post #26
jbverschoor wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The air is the new mini. With the same amount of low sales. It's under appreciated because of the "Pro" label of the Pro, and because of battery-hell.

The mini didn't even sell that badly, it just sold incredibly poorly for an iPhone. For almost any other brand it would have been a massive success.

Exactly this. And the profit would be huge compared to any Mac. I suspect Apple dropped it just because they're making even more from selling oversized and over-specced phones.
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