A few weeks back, I pondered about whether or not I am going to do the yearly iPhone upgrade this year. Well, now that the entire iPhone 12 lineup has been released, I’ve purchased an iPhone 12 Pro. Yes, despite the supposedly better camera system in the larger Pro Max, the quality improvements that I’ve read in the reviews aren’t enough to justify the dramatic increase in size. Ever since returning to the “regular” sized iPhone last year, after two consecutive years of having “Max” iPhones prior, the smaller phone is far handier to use on a daily basis.
I can even take a photo while holding the phone with one hand. Comparatively, it’s a two-handed affair with the Max iPhones, unless you want camera shake.
So I am glad the camera improvements in the 12 Pro Max isn’t compelling enough for me to make the switch back to the larger iPhone. I get to keep the same size, and save a bit of money as well. One thing I did switch back to this year is using the iPhone without a case. Dangerous as it may seem in terms of dropping fears, the iPhone design and colors are so beautiful that it’s a shame to cover them up in a case. Why opt for the fancy “Pacific Blue” color just to disappear it into a cradle of plastic? Not once did I really get to enjoy the lovely “Midnight Green” of last year’s iPhone 11 Pro, having stuck it in a case soon as I took it out of the box.
Admittedly, it was very awkward initially to once again use an iPhone without a case. The whole thing felt super fragile; lacking in the extra grip that a case provides, there’s an additional stress layer of dropping potential. Thankfully, after a week, I am now used to the feel and handling of an “unprotected” iPhone, and I have to say it feels tremendous and high-quality in the hands. Like a Zippo lighter, it’s something you want to keep in your hands for no reason at all, because it’s so nice to touch.
The last time I ran an iPhone case-less, I only dropped it twice over the span of a year. I’ll be quite happy if that is repeated with the iPhone 12 Pro. Let’s see!
Fire exits.