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I held on to my 13 Pro until the 17 pro came out, so I wouldnt be surprised if a lot of this is people finally going "ok maybe now" and the 16 just lands on the

I held on to my 13 Pro until the 17 pro came out, so I wouldnt be surprised if a lot of this is people finally going "ok maybe now" and the 16 just lands on the biggest group. I found myself using both phones as I transitioned off the old one and barely noticing the difference mind you, which is a good sign in my eyes. I think Smartphones for the last 6 to 8 years are finally very stable. More stable than a Windows 11 laptop on Hardware people in the 2000s could only dream of.

bombcar 9mo ago
Besides Touch ID I'd be really hard pressed to tell you something my current iPhone can do that the iPhone 8+ couldn't, let alone something it can do that I use.
- devin 9mo ago
  The cameras have had leaps if you're talking about that kind of timescale. Otherwise, I mostly agree.
  - solarkraft 9mo ago
    Have they started becoming better again? I had the X before the current 13 and am still regularly disappointed by the camera.
  - macintux 9mo ago
    I'd probably be fine still using my iPhone 3G were it not for the camera. An upgrade every 2-3 years feels practically mandatory for better photos.
  - bombcar 9mo ago
    Honestly the biggest thing I notice is the 5x zoom camera, everything else is a "wow that's nice" when I do a direct comparison, but I promptly forget about it (similar to looking at 4K HD vs 480i and then promptly forgetting about it when actually watching the movie; so many times I've realized it was using the older smaller file). Battery life, I guess, if I had to pick something else.
- dijit 9mo ago
  I haven't enjoyed the iPhone since it could sit flat on a table. (5S) I can't tell you that I use the phone differently than I did then, because I don't. The camera on a phone, for me, is a nice to have in the moment, I'm not a photographer and I have never felt the need to have such an incredible camera at my disposal (except that my eyes are failing so using the zoom to see the distance has been nice... twice). I've been thinking of dumping the phone entirely, except I have my cards on there (yes, cards are smaller) and, crucially, my online banking. I thought about going to a 5SE, which isn't supported but would still kinda work, but my own one is bricked somehow and Apple doesn't allow it to be restored via Finder anymore. :( Bear in mind, I still have an iPhone 17 for work, and a 15 Pro for home... I hate this duopoly.
  - drivers99 9mo ago
    I got one of those MagSafe PopSockets and now I can set the phone on its back and it will be horizontal and doesn't have the camera being on the table.
- nozzlegear 9mo ago
  It sounds silly, but I've got an iPhone 14 Pro and have been eyeing that action button on the side of the new iPhones. I'll probably upgrade just for that little button once they announce an iPhone 18 later this summer.
  - bombcar 9mo ago
    I have that button and never use it - wish I could lend it to you haha!
schmichael 9mo ago
I recently upgraded from an iPhone 12 to an iPhone 16 because I couldn't figure out how to free enough storage on the 12. The battery was still more than good enough to go a full day. I don't notice any difference other than now I have a pile of useless lightning cables (good riddance). Honestly kind of a relief as I liked the 12 just fine. Phones kind of seem like a Solved tech these days. About as exciting to upgrade them as upgrading my Brother Laser Printer.
- smallmancontrov 9mo ago
  If Apple ever implements SMS anti-spam that actually works, I'll buy the upgrade it a heartbeat. It's been a solved problem on the google side for years so it's clearly not impossible.
  - giancarlostoro 9mo ago
    I saw a setting to detect some spam that I toggled on sometime back. I don't know if I'm just getting less spam period, but I feel like maybe it helps? It's hard to tell.
  - jdlshore 9mo ago
    The new OS (with Liquid Glass) has SMS message categorization that works fine to filter spam IME. You still have to delete them if you don’t want the red dot, but at least I don’t get alerts any more. I upgraded iOS just for this feature and am glad I did. Not a fan of Liquid Glass, though.
- simmonmt 9mo ago
  Interesting. I made the same jump and noticed a huge increase in speed and decrease in memory pressure (the likelihood that iOS will kill an app I've switched away from). I miss the physical silent mode button though.
  - giancarlostoro 9mo ago
    The new button was driving me a little crazy I hit it now and then when I think I'm doing volume up. I wish they had moved that button literally anywhere else.
wat10000 9mo ago
2025 and 2024 look identical for the top five spots, just with each number +1, so it's not any sort of one-off thing.

bombcar 9mo ago

Besides Touch ID I'd be really hard pressed to tell you something my current iPhone can do that the iPhone 8+ couldn't, let alone something it can do that I use.

devin 9mo ago
The cameras have had leaps if you're talking about that kind of timescale. Otherwise, I mostly agree.
- solarkraft 9mo ago
  Have they started becoming better again? I had the X before the current 13 and am still regularly disappointed by the camera.
- macintux 9mo ago
  I'd probably be fine still using my iPhone 3G were it not for the camera. An upgrade every 2-3 years feels practically mandatory for better photos.
- bombcar 9mo ago
  Honestly the biggest thing I notice is the 5x zoom camera, everything else is a "wow that's nice" when I do a direct comparison, but I promptly forget about it (similar to looking at 4K HD vs 480i and then promptly forgetting about it when actually watching the movie; so many times I've realized it was using the older smaller file). Battery life, I guess, if I had to pick something else.
dijit 9mo ago
I haven't enjoyed the iPhone since it could sit flat on a table. (5S) I can't tell you that I use the phone differently than I did then, because I don't. The camera on a phone, for me, is a nice to have in the moment, I'm not a photographer and I have never felt the need to have such an incredible camera at my disposal (except that my eyes are failing so using the zoom to see the distance has been nice... twice). I've been thinking of dumping the phone entirely, except I have my cards on there (yes, cards are smaller) and, crucially, my online banking. I thought about going to a 5SE, which isn't supported but would still kinda work, but my own one is bricked somehow and Apple doesn't allow it to be restored via Finder anymore. :( Bear in mind, I still have an iPhone 17 for work, and a 15 Pro for home... I hate this duopoly.
- drivers99 9mo ago
  I got one of those MagSafe PopSockets and now I can set the phone on its back and it will be horizontal and doesn't have the camera being on the table.
nozzlegear 9mo ago
It sounds silly, but I've got an iPhone 14 Pro and have been eyeing that action button on the side of the new iPhones. I'll probably upgrade just for that little button once they announce an iPhone 18 later this summer.
- bombcar 9mo ago
  I have that button and never use it - wish I could lend it to you haha!

schmichael 9mo ago

I recently upgraded from an iPhone 12 to an iPhone 16 because I couldn't figure out how to free enough storage on the 12. The battery was still more than good enough to go a full day. I don't notice any difference other than now I have a pile of useless lightning cables (good riddance). Honestly kind of a relief as I liked the 12 just fine. Phones kind of seem like a Solved tech these days. About as exciting to upgrade them as upgrading my Brother Laser Printer.

smallmancontrov 9mo ago
If Apple ever implements SMS anti-spam that actually works, I'll buy the upgrade it a heartbeat. It's been a solved problem on the google side for years so it's clearly not impossible.
- giancarlostoro 9mo ago
  I saw a setting to detect some spam that I toggled on sometime back. I don't know if I'm just getting less spam period, but I feel like maybe it helps? It's hard to tell.
- jdlshore 9mo ago
  The new OS (with Liquid Glass) has SMS message categorization that works fine to filter spam IME. You still have to delete them if you don’t want the red dot, but at least I don’t get alerts any more. I upgraded iOS just for this feature and am glad I did. Not a fan of Liquid Glass, though.
simmonmt 9mo ago
Interesting. I made the same jump and noticed a huge increase in speed and decrease in memory pressure (the likelihood that iOS will kill an app I've switched away from). I miss the physical silent mode button though.
- giancarlostoro 9mo ago
  The new button was driving me a little crazy I hit it now and then when I think I'm doing volume up. I wish they had moved that button literally anywhere else.

wat10000 9mo ago

2025 and 2024 look identical for the top five spots, just with each number +1, so it's not any sort of one-off thing.