2020 has been an interesting year for me in terms of smartphones. I started the year with one of the worst Android devices I’ve ever used and am ending the year with one of the best iPhones on the market…at least I hope that’s the case.
I found out today that my iPhone 12 Pro is shipped and set to be delivered tomorrow. This is great news because it means that doing some kind of unboxing video, as simple as it may be, is going to be a good idea! This also means I’ll be able to hit the ground running when it comes to writing about the device here, during the times when it matters the most.
With the arrival of a new iPhone, though, that means its time to wrap up on my old device. This time around, its an interesting one for me, as I’ve only had this phone since March. This phone also wasn’t a lease like I had been doing and instead wound up getting paid off when I did the upgrade. My iPhone 11’s new home? My father. After all these years I finally convinced him to switch from his Galaxy J7…Prime (I think) to an iPhone. I’m really excited for him to see the night and day difference that a present-day iPhone is, compared to the cheap Android phones that he usually uses.
But what do I think of the iPhone 11?
Part of me is going to miss the phone. Sure, it only has two cameras and has an LCD display instead of an OLED display like Apple’s iPhone 12s do, but it’s still a very good phone. Overall, it’s comfortable in the hand (though I still use a PopSocket) and the display is good enough for every day use. I don’t have battery issues with the device and generally find that I can get through the day on a charge. The only days I find myself seriously needed to do a slight top up is if I really get out of hand with the Apple Arcade playing. That’s not an every day occurrence.
If I didn’t like the iPhone 12 line at all, there’s a chance I may have bought my father an iPhone 11, instead of upgrading and passing my old device onto him. If the timeline for any of this had been more significantly different, I may have done that too. The biggest reason I upgraded is because it made the most sense timing wise.
Apple’s still selling the iPhone 11 and for some people, I’d still say this phone is a great option. There’s a part of me that’s going to miss it. At the same time, I really like the overall design of the iPhone 12 family of phones. I’ve never publicly spoken on this but I always loved the design of the iPhone 4 and 5. Seeing a return to that design language really has me excited. Overall, I’m just kind of over rounded phones at this point.
The iPhone 12 is going to be an interesting journey over the next few weeks for sure. I’m hoping to get a case either today or tomorrow, though it’s very likely this is going to be a burner case and nothing more for a few reasons.
The first is my use of PopSockets. Ever since I first started using PopSockets with my Google Pixel 3XL, they’ve become pretty important in my life. When I’m on break at work, they serve as a great kickstand for watching videos while I eat — when I’m in the car, it’s how I mount my phone from my vent — when I’m catching up on the days news they make for a more comfortable way to hold my phone.
I’ve already shared my hesitations on MagSafe after watching a few videos — and until PopSockets announces what they’re doing for the iPhone 12, I can’t make any final decisions on what my setup is going to look like. I know the company is working on MagSafe compatible products, but if I’m going to suspend my phone on a bumpy ride via a MagSafe PopSocket, it’s going to need to be strong. Alternatively, I wouldn’t be against them releasing a Slide for the 12 in the meantime. My plan until then? Pick up a cheap case that I can throw a traditional PopSocket base on until something else is finalized. I’m hoping whatever they come up with is stable enough for car use as well as just generally supporting the phone.
The other reason for a burner case for the time being is simply because the phone is just coming out. There’s going to be a lot of awesome cases that come out for the iPhone 12, but all of them won’t be there on day one. Quite simply, you have to give case makers time to put out their best products. If I throw a cheap case on there for now, I can pick up whatever my “official” case will be in a few more weeks when there’s a lot more variety to what’s out there. Until then, I can’t bring myself to rock my phone completely naked for more than a few minutes. I plan to keep this phone for the next few years and like to keep my devices looking as good as possible for as long as possible.
On a final note, I really like that Apple managed to make the base and Pro iPhone 12s the same size so that there’s one case size for both. That means that there’s going to be a lot of great variety across the board for everyone, without case makers having to maintain two unique models.
What are your thoughts on the iPhone 11? What case are you using on the iPhone 12? Let me know down in the comments below so we can keep the conversation going!
Dan Stransky 