this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2023
29 points (76.4% liked)

Apple

17558 readers
52 users here now

Welcome

to the largest Apple community on Lemmy. This is the place where we talk about everything Apple, from iOS to the exciting upcoming Apple Vision Pro. Feel free to join the discussion!

Rules:
  1. No NSFW Content
  2. No Hate Speech or Personal Attacks
  3. No Ads / Spamming
    Self promotion is only allowed in the pinned monthly thread

Lemmy Code of Conduct

Communities of Interest:

Apple Hardware
Apple TV
Apple Watch
iPad
iPhone
Mac
Vintage Apple

Apple Software
iOS
iPadOS
macOS
tvOS
watchOS
Shortcuts
Xcode

Community banner courtesy of u/Antsomnia.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

The camera size is already huge in iPhone 14 Pro that it doesn’t sit well on MagSafe Duo Charger wishing that they figured out a way to at least keep the size to how it currently is but it looks like there’s no getting around it. It looks like it’s gonna be bigger than 45mm Apple Watch at this point.

top 41 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] EncryptKeeper 23 points 1 year ago

Looks just the same as it did on the 13 pro. I don’t see an issue with it.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I just don’t understand why they don’t just make the phone thicker and have a flush camera. Does it really make such a difference?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The 14P (~200g, if I remember correctly, feels even heavier) is one of the heaviest phones I ever owned, especially compared to my 12 before it, but even compared to my Xs, which already felt heavy at the time. In the past I always agreed with statements of „just make the phone thicker“ for more battery, or to hide the bump. But with the 14P I cannot agree: just make the bump smaller an reduce weight.

[–] WiseMoth 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I mean I agree about not making it thicker to flatten the back, but I have to disagree about making the camera smaller (if that means a sacrifice to quality. This is specifically a pro phone. Now admittedly, it’s not just for professionals and whether it deserves that name is up for debate. But the fact is, this is specifically meant to be the best. So imo, if you want something lighter, buy the lighter non-pro

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I see your point: I want the best camera on the go, therefore I buy Pro, but then complain about weight. Human nature I suppose 😂

[–] abhibeckert 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

So imo, if you want something lighter, buy the lighter non-pro

I'd argue being lighter is a feature, and one that I'd personally be happy to pay a premium for. The original MacBook Air was something like a thousand dollars more expensive than the MacBook for example (and I bought/loved that MacBook Air).

For example professional bicycles are usually hand laid carbon fibre. It costs a fortune and it's worse than a metal frame in every way (except weight), but people still pay for it, because weight matters.

[–] WiseMoth 0 points 1 year ago

And you’re absolutely correct. Being light is a feature. It’s a feature of the non-pro. The fact is, putting more, better components in will make the phone heavier. And the point of the pro is to have more features and be the better phone. Unlike a racing bicycle which very specifically has to be light. And also unlike the MacBook Air which again, the entire purpose of which was to be thin and light. I completely agree that being light is a feature, just not here.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I actually disagree there. Might be showing why I don’t work in high end product design lol, but I think as a pro model you can go a little crazy on the weight. You can probably save some thickness from under the camera bump somehow if you redistribute whatever can be displaced from under there, which would be easier in a thicker phone. Like any PCB that doesn’t need to be directly under the optoelectronics could be redesigned to go around some of the camera stuff, which would eat into the battery. But that wouldn’t be a problem when the whole thing is a mm or two thicker. 220g is probably not crazy. 250g would be pushing it. 300g would be unreasonable unless they have some real high tech stuff in there to show for it, like some kind of force touch or possibly a 3.5mm headphone connector.

The thing is heavy. I have a heavy case on it as well, go figure. I must admit though, in the past I used to drop my phone on my face. Now I make the split second effort to dodge if I drop it. But the weight makes it feel premium. Sure, the dad test is psychological, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important.

I think switching the back from all-glass to something else would help drop the weight slightly, but at this rate it’s just that there’s so much in these phones. Between the battery, the slabs of glass, the complicated cameras, you’d think fitting a headphone connector wouldn’t be so hard.

[–] abhibeckert 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

But that wouldn’t be a problem when the whole thing is a mm or two thicker. 220g is probably not crazy. 250g would be pushing it. 300g would be unreasonable

If they filled that space with battery, it'd probably be closer to 400g. Batteries are very heavy.

Battery size is obviously a compromise. Apple would have tested larger and smaller batteries, and come to the conclusion that the current size is perfect. They might change their mind, since battery life largely depends on what apps the user runs and trends change over time, but they would't be far off the mark.

I think switching the back from all-glass to something else

"Something else" would need to be non-conductive (to be compatible with wireless charging) and easily recycled (to meet their environmental commitments). Glass is probably the best option.

Also - glass isn't as heavy as you seem to think. Plastic is only lighter than glass if it's really thin, and thin plastic is too bendy. The back has to be stiff enough to stop the phone from bending, otherwise the screen will crack... plastic would be very thick (and very heavy) to achieve that.

The early model iPhones with a plastic back all had steel reinforced plastic backs. Steel is heavier than glass. And it blocks wireless charging.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Is making it thicker but not increasing the battery an option to keep it light, or would empty space in a phone be engineering blasphemy?

[–] Nioxic 3 points 1 year ago

This would also allow for a much larger battery

But i do think some would mind. A lot of people care about the overall look..?

And the weight.

[–] FordBeeblebrox 3 points 1 year ago

I bought a 13 mini cause it’s basically the same size as the 4 I had and loved many years ago. The one thing I HATE is the camera sticking out, it ruins the entire sleek aesthetic of the phone

[–] EncryptKeeper 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What a genuinely awful idea lol.

[–] Ilovethebomb -1 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] abhibeckert 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

What would you fill all that extra space with?

Empty air? How is having empty air inside the phone better than having empty air outside the phone?

A larger battery? So you can charge every second day instead of every day? I don't think that'd be an improvement, it would almost certainly result in forgetting to charge your phone and you'd be more likely to have it go flat on you. Also batteries are extremely heavy.

A silicone protective coating? Also known as a phone case. This is really the only one that makes sense, and you can already do it.

[–] TwanHE 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Bro how tf would a bigger battery result in it dying more often? What u smoking and where can I find

[–] abhibeckert 0 points 1 year ago

If you don't need to charge your iPhone ever night, then you won't charge it every night. And sometimes you'll forget to charge it two nights in a row, and then your battery won't last the day.

[–] EncryptKeeper 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Instead of one small part of the phone being slightly thicker, a part where you hand doesn’t even touch and it genuinely doesn’t matter, you’d rather the entire phone be thicker, making it take up more space in you hand and pocket. Then you’d have to do something with all this extra space you’ve wasted, so the phone will have to get heavier and use more materials to make.

And in return for worse ergonomics, cost, space efficiency, and overall aesthetics, all we get is a… smooth back? Which amounts to an ARGUABLY improved different aesthetic that affects less of the overall design than the thickness does? That sounds like the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals. That’s like putting square tires on a Jeep because it arguably matches the overall shape of the vehicle lol. Especially since most people have cases on their phones which could easily make up for the difference in thickness anyway.

[–] HollandJim 7 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I don’t think people get how the camera has to be raised, to support the external lenses better so they never shift. So many creatives use the cameras for professional work so this is a carrot to them.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I get that the camera bump is gonna be there (though it makes the phone top-heavy already) but I’m more concerned at the size of the camera since already eating up a lot of space at the back. Soon, it would be hard for magsafe accessories to attach as there’s less space for them. Right now, 14 pro doesn’t sit well over magsafe duo charger because the camera is touching the pad. If you notice, the Pro variant camera is the lowest across the series.

In regards of the bump, I saw leaks that it’s gonna be as thick as an old iPhone.

[–] HollandJim 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'm okay with a thicker phone but I'd be much happier with a new Mini - MagSafe, thick or whatever. The next phone possibly be the last phone I buy before I leap to an Apple Vision Air.

I have to say, I've never found the top of the phone "heavy", even when I had a gimbal. Started with an 8GB iPhone, then a 3GS, 5, 7, 11. Had car holders (first bouncing on windscreen and then clipped to an air vent) so I can see why MagSafe is cool - but it's not essential. It's just more convenient.

I sometimes think we all suffer from this pick-and-choose-itis, as if there's obviously some magical combination to this piece and that piece and a quick juggle of compromises, to get to a phone people can afford and use for many, many years. I still have a working original iPhone in its box, and the 7 is in a drawer along with the wife's 5s in case our 11s fail (so far, not). I think the choices they've made have overall been good but also I trust them not to obliterate MagSafe without a plan. They want you to be satisfied enough that your current phone will never just be tossed.

[–] overzeetop 0 points 1 year ago

If this were so important it could be solved several ways, the easiest with registration recesses or, better yet, a mountable interface. I’m not buying the line that Apple is beholden to 3rd party bolt-on lenses as the core reason for not producing a flat-backed phone.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That is entirely true. However if one makes form a priority over camera performance it does not count.

[–] HollandJim 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes but Form should follow Function. Function has priority, and Form in and of itself is limited. It’s just Form.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I have an iPhone 11 Pro. Had a worn down battery until a month ago.

That is really a reason for upgrading. Four year old phone which frequently does not get through the day without a recharge.

I did not upgrade. The camera bump on the current models made me not upgrading. I just do not like the camera bump. Looks ugly. Feels strange. I want the phone flat on a table.

I did a battery swap on the 11 Pro. That should do for another two years. Lets see what are the options by then.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Just wait until they add yet another lens for 3D to shoot content for viewing on the Vison Pro! You don’t really think anyone is going to wear that thing in public? Or wear it to shoot video like that creepy dad in their promo? Nope. But you can bet they will be adding the cameras and sensors to the iPhone so you can shoot content for the VP on your iPhone while you’re out and about, then see it later while using the VP.

[–] turbodrooler 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As a lefty, my index finger shows up in many of the vertical photos I take on my 14 Pro. Pretty annoying.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] turbodrooler 2 points 1 year ago

“You’re holding it wrong”

[–] joekar1990 2 points 1 year ago

I wish they designed it so the camera sits flush to the backing and it sits better on magsafe, but looks like it's still raised up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I understand that the camera is a big reason for new iPhone sales but I could care less. The camera has met my expectations for several generations now. I hate how much weight it adds to the top of my phone. Makes it feel unbalanced in my hand.

[–] EncryptKeeper 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

“I hate how much weight it adds to the top of my phone. Makes it feel unbalanced in my hand”

I doubt it does. I just used a fulcrum to find the center of mass on my iPhone 13 Pro and it actually seems like the lower half of the iPhone is a bit heavier, which makes makes sense given the internals of the device. That being said it’s off center by like 1/8 of an inch at the most so it actually seems well balanced. If you made the camera smaller it’d make the phone LESS balanced than it is.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Doubt what? It’s not an opinion. I’m literally holding my iPhone right now and it is top heavy if you try to balance it in the center.

[–] EncryptKeeper 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I doubt that your iPhone is noticeably top heavy, if even at all. It just doesn’t sound like a plausible design flaw that Apple would somehow miss. It's just too easy to compensate for any weight added by the camera module with the much heavier components located below-center of the device, like the battery. I was curious though so I measured my iPhone 13 Pro with an identically sized camera module as the 14 and my phone is actually very slightly bottom heavy, but the margin is also so small there’s no way I or anyone else could actually tell without measuring.

It might be more of a perceived effect than a physical one if anything. Like it feels top heavy because you can see the camera module but not the internal parts in the lower part of phone.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nah, it’s top heavy for sure. My source is physics because like I said, I’m holding it in my hand right now and it won’t balance on center because the top is heavier. As to weather it’s noticeable, that is entirely subjective so I’m not sure how you think you can just say you don’t believe I’m feeling the way I’m feeling.

[–] EncryptKeeper 1 points 1 year ago

It’s not that I don’t believe that you feel like it’s top heavy, I just don’t believe that it actually is top heavy. Your claim sounded suspect but I gave you the benefit of the doubt and I used physics and math instead of my hand to measure my iPhone that currently has the largest camera module available on iPhones and it is conclusively not top heavy. Like I said you might perceive it as being top heavy but that doesn’t mean it actually is. You might also have a case that’s contributing to your balance issue, I wouldn’t know.

[–] Ilovethebomb 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

but I could care less.

So, you do care? Because there needs to be some level of caring present for you to be able to care less.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It’s a common expression.

[–] Ilovethebomb 1 points 1 year ago

There's a lot of idiots in the world.

[–] basskitten 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have a 14 pro max and it sits fine in the duo charger next to a 45mm watch

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, the Pro Max would sit just fine but the Pro doesn’t especially with case on. The camera’s preventing it from laying flat.

load more comments
view more: next ›