Why I’m Glad I Waited a Year on the iPhone X

I didn’t get an iPhone X. I chose the 8 Plus instead for this year’s upgrade and I’m glad I did.

I wrangled and writhed over this year’s upgrade because Apple gave us more choices than ever and thus made my decision the toughest it’s been.

I quickly elminated the 8; I wanted a dual camera phone. So it became a question of “super new hotness, but a year of beta-ish features” versus “almost everything except way bigger and slightly less cool-factor."

I opted for the 8 Plus as the early look at the X (long before any reviews were out or hands-on had been had) made me worry about the software package on this new flagship. Control Center being in the top right was particularly worrisome (I use it dozens of times a day as my primary Home and TV app). It was a gamble and I knew no matter what I’d miss being on the latest, leading edge device.

But now that I’ve had my 8 Plus a few weeks and had a chance to go hands-on with the X, I feel sure I made the right choice.

The X is amazing and clearly a next-gen product. And yes, I am a little jealous of the FaceID fun, "Animoji Karaoke,” and general “check out the new hotness” lifestyle the X is offering. In just a few minutes with it at an Apple Store I can tell the home button would not be missed, the notch is no big deal, and that phone is overall leading-edge cool. Had I gone for it from the 7 I would have been very happy, no doubt.

But in just a few short weeks of the “#PlusLyfe,” the minute I picked it up it felt… small.

I never thought I’d feel that way. The Plus is big to me- like even now, I’m very aware of how it feels bigger and heaiver than any phone I’ve ever had. But I’ve so quickly grown accomstomed to it that even the edge to edge screen of the X felt cramped by comparison. Don’t get me started on the iPhone 5 screen I had to use for an Apple Store purchase. That was a freaking “nano."

After only a few weeks the thing I thought would be my compromise has become my norm. That big, spacious screen of the Plus is great and like a goldfish I have quickly grown to the size of my container such that the narrowness of even a 7 or X feels cramped. Not small; just squished.

There’s a ton more. I think the X has a lot to learn about it’s software. I’m hoping the camera “button” on the lock screen can be swapped out for Control Center since the swipe over camera gesture still works. I hope they find a more creative use for the space under the keyboard. I want every app to update for the X. There are lots of software design choices that I think will be better in iOS 12.

But more than anything, I’m looking forward to the iPhone 11 Plus. Because I’m not sure I could go back now. Yes, I want all the fun and futurism. But now I want it on an even bigger, more spacious screen.

So I’m glad I waited the year and opened my eyes to the Plus life. It’s better than expected. Now on to the iPhone 11 Plus.

Why Apple Watch Made it Possible for Me to Skip iPhone X

Funny thing happened when Apple released the first series Apple Watch. They trained me to stop caring about “having the best."

I loved that watch- right up until I replaced it year with a Series 3- but I always knew I didn’t have “the best.” Or even the “second best.” I had the “Sport”- a name designed to allude to the device’s lighter aluminum frame; but was to me more reminiscent of the dimuniative nickname for a young kid. “Good on you, sport, and you’re little watch."

The standard watch was stainless steel. Gold belonged to the “Edition.” I had the sport and as such, I was no longer as cool as I could be. After years of having the “latest and greatest” I was a “sport."

And I became okay with it. So much so that my new watch is also a “Sport.” (I like the lightness of the aluminum and the lightness of the price).

But when this year’s phone lineup was announced, I had real anxeity all over again. I’ve felt like goldilocks trying to figure out which iPhone would be “just right” for me. They all come with compromises, so it’s been a struggle.

But one factor I didn’t expect was the feelings that by not getting the iPhone X I’d be excusing myself from the “cool kids table."

I ended up ordering the iPhone 8 Plus. It’s the right call and I’m totally happy with it. And part of what got me over that hump was remembering that my Watch is not the “coolest” either, and yet I love it. Because it’s the right device for my lifestyle and works the way I want at a price I can afford.

A lot of us are going to be struggling this year picking from the most pluralistic iPhone lineup yet. But, for what it’s worth, consider not worrying so much about the “cool” factor.

Because you know what’s really cool? Tech that “just work” in your life and let’s you spend time enjoying other things.

At least for me it is ;)

Audiophiles Were Always the 1%

Remember a year ago when Apple was about to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack and the internet lost it’s shit?

Good times.

Personally, I’m much more concerned about an iPhone with no more TouchID than I was ever afraid of one with only a lightening port, but that’s just me it seems.

Anyway, it’s been a year now and in case you were wonder if removing the audio port was a “death sentence” for Apple, it was not. Not even close. In fact, the iPhone 7 was the highest selling smartphone of the year.

So why then did the internet lose it’s shit over something that turned out to be a complete non-factor?

I have a theory.

The overlapping venn diagram of “audiophile” and “tech writer” is pretty big. Nerds are nerds; they’re defined by their intense love of topics- often technology- and so it should be no surprise that the same people who obsess about technology of a smartphone would likely obsess about the technology of sound recording and playback. Nothing wrong with that by itself, but this is great opportunity to explain how bias works in reporting; so stick with me.

The number of people who actually care about audio quality is pretty small. Maybe 1% or less of the total of people who actually buy smartphones. But, among the number of people who WRITE about smartphones, that percent is much higher; maybe even as much as half.

So, when half of all tech writers are complaining about the feature, it seems like a HUGE deal- like it could kill half of Apple’s potential market or something. But in reality, that population is just massively skewed and in the real world, the port removal didn’t matter at all.

This is how all media bias works. When a percent of the media thinks a way at disproportionate levels to the general population, it causes the issue to seem either bigger than it really is or more important than it really is.

In the end, reality will win out and in hindsight- as with iPhone 7- we’ll realize it was a media bias, not a consumer one.

Also worth noting is that their complaints are not delegitimized by this fact. The iPhone 7 is not good for audiophiles. It’s just that last summer you’d have gotten the impression that half of all buyers were audiophiles; when in fact they’re a small minority.

I wonder if on some level part of the hysterics around the port removal was the feeling by those audiophiles that their beliefs (regarding audio quality and it’s importance) lose a chance to go mainstream when the jack goes away. If on some level they feel like- “I believe that audio should be important to everyone and by removing the jack, not only am I inconvenienced, but I’ll have no future opportunity to change minds. I know I’m not a majority now, but this cements that I never will be.” I know that sounds weirdly emotional, but that’s because it is. It’s why they complained so emotionally.

Apple made the (courageous?) move to eliminate the 3.5mm jack. Turns out, the world didn’t mind at all. And to an audiophile, that may just be the worst part of it all- confronting the fact something so important to you is a non-factor to almost everyone else. Because when it comes to our values- our beliefs- the worst thing isn’t confrontation or opposition; it’s indifference.

Of course, everything I just said is true for politics as well.