The Announcement
Some thoughts on the 2020 iPhone event…
It Really is a Production
Apple has now held three remote events during the pandemic (WWDC in June, the September Apple Watch event, and the October iPhone event). What’s one thing that these events have in common? Well for one, they are all pre-recorded. Arguably, recording and editing an event is easier compared to doing it live. You can have multiple takes to get it just right so the end product is flawless compared to battling Murphy’s law on a live stage (anyone remember the iPhone X Face ID demo?). However, that’s not what I was alluding to. It’s the production values that have continued to amaze me — the quality improving with each event. The cinematography of camera drones is just spellbinding, the sets thoughtful, and the transitions artistic. That shot of Lisa Jackson standing on top of the solar panels (on top of Apple’s gorgeous spaceship campus) was just money!
They could be selling cold water for all I care and it would be such a treat to watch. Would love to see a BTS (Behind the scenes) video of how they produce these events.
HomePod
Not interested. Moving on.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 12 Pro vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max
Design: IMHO The iPhone 5 was Apple’s best design (to date) for its iconic iPhone. So, I’m naturally giddy about going back to a design that not only looks gorgeous, but also (if history is any indicator) much easier to grip without a case on. I hate cases, but have had no choice (for the past decade) but to buy one or risk smashing my iPhone to smithereens. It will be refreshing to finally see the color of my iPhone vs. the color of my case. Pacific Blue or bust.
The only thing I didn’t care for is the continued use of the lightening port. USB C would have made our lives so much simpler.
Verizon Infomercial: Not a good moment. Apple could have done without putting Verizon on a pedestal. Too much emphasis on 5G given its nascent stage. This should not be the reason for you to upgrade your phone.
To Pro or not to Pro: I’ll admit, for 5 minutes I had a senior moment as I forgot that the Pro models were going to be introduced after the regular ones. Part of it was due to the fact that that the regular models are very close in form and function to the Pro line. Both lines include 5G, both lines sport an OLED screen coupled with a 4x more durable ceramic shield, and then there’s the iPhone 12 mini, which I thought (briefly) was their new iPhone 11 equivalent. But no, there’s still very much a pro line and yes, I should have known that from the lack of stainless steel and the third camera on the back, but I blame my faux pas on distractions of the mind during a pandemic. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Here’s the deal though — the iPhone 12 is an even more compelling option vs. the iPhone 12 Pro, compared to the compellingness of the iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro last year. The lines have blurred considerably. While I’m decidedly in the Pro camp, the decision was not as instantaneous compared to last year. Where it got tricky was the decision between the Pro and Pro Max. Since both were identical in features last year, it was a no brainer — I picked the smaller form factor. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a better camera. After much thought, I’ve decided to stick with the smaller iPhone 12 Pro as the larger phone is just not something I want to deal with on a daily basis — extra crispy pictures be damned.
MagSafe: I’m using one now as I type away on my 2015 Macbook Pro. Apple phased it out of the MBP lineup one year later and Macbook Air followed suit in 2019. As much as we love USB C, there was something really special about MagSafe that is hard to describe in words. Therefore, I’m extremely stoked about its rebirth as part of the new iPhone lineup and all the accessories that will pop-up as a result. I’m particularly eying Belkin’s MagSafe car mount, which will allow me to magnateically attach my iPhone without the help of a magnatic case.
Missing in Action
So let’s talk about the lack of charging adaptors and Earpods. This is a polarizing subject but I’m with Lisa — let’s save planet earth by reducing our carbon footprint — 2 million metric tons to be exact or the equivalent of removing 450,000 cars from the road annually. We have tons (no pun intended) of these accessories at home and wireless charging is also a thing. Perhaps it might be easier to think about it from a self serving standpoint — with the reduced size of the box, Apple can now ship 70% more units on each shipping pallet. This means you will most likely get your shiny new iPhone faster this year. Truth be told, the writing was one the wall last month when Apple announced that they weren’t going to ship chargers for the Apple Watch 6. Perhaps you weren’t paying attention?
One More Thing
No update on the next-generation Apple TV, Apple silicon Macs, the purported AirPods Studio over the ear headphones, or even the Ultra Wide Band Chip (that was introduced last year). Looks like we need to keep on waiting.
