I am not buying the iPhone 12, and it’s because of the cameras
I have been set on buying the new iPhone 12, as soon as it would support 5G networks. And this year’s iPhone finally does. But, after watching Tim Cook and friend’s presentation of the new shiny iPhone devices, I lost interest almost immediately. And I have decided, that I will not be buying the iPhone 12 (pro) this year.
I don’t need a better camera
The sole reason the iPhone 12 is arguably the best smartphone around, is the camera system. The phones look appealing, the color scheme is great and the chips inside the devices are good enough to keep it going for a couple of years. Yet, the one thing that everyone is talking about, are the photo- and video capabilities of this year’s iPhone 12 (pro, max).
No other smartphone manufacturer has come close to creating a camera ecosystem that measures up to that of Apple’s iPhone. Whereas, Samsung and Huawai have brought out some amazing flagship smartphones with capable cameras, the combination of hardware and software still keeps Apple on top of the pile.
It’s not that Apple’s camera hardware is all superior over the competition, the software is where the magic happens — and Apple knows how to sell it.
I love photography, though. And I do have an iPhone 11 Pro Max already. That device is more than capable of handling my daily selfies and short spark videos.
However, when it comes to “serious” photography, I would much rather take an actual (mirror less) camera with me. I’ve usually got either my Olympus OMD EM-1 on me, or my Nikon Z6. Both take stellar pictures, far superior to anything Apple can try to fabricate through software (at least, so far).
Next to that, I just love the haptics of an actual larger camera to take photos. It’s such a satisfying experience to go out and explore all the possibilities a “real” camera with buttons and dials has. Maybe it’s not even all so much about the resulting pictures that come out of the camera, but the act of creating the images in the first place.
Whenever I have one of my cameras on me, my phone stays firmly in my pocket.
What about 5G?
Okay, I thought 5G might be a game changer for me. As a matter of fact, I think it probably is. I work remotely, a lot. And love to be out and about. In an ideal world, I could work from anywhere with just my phone and iPad.
In my line of work, being a strategic marketing consultant, I need to be available more than anything. I use my phone and tablet/macbook for most of my daily communication. My office is as digital as it can get. I probably don’t have more than 10 folders, my entire company is run digitally.
5G is one of those things that would make my work even easier. Wherever I’d have good coverage, I would certainly not be the reason why the video conference call dropped. It would make downloading larger files, even faster than it already is on LTE.
But would 5G really change my life all that much? Do I really, no seriously, really need it?
I’ve come to the conclusion that my 4G LTE network is fast enough to keep me going, for now.
iPhone 12s
One thing that I cannot seem to get out of my mind is that I would love to see what the iPhone 12s will be able to do.
- Will it finally have pro motion 120 herz refresh rates, just like my iPad Pro does?
- Will it have fixed the first 5G battery issues (drainage) that have been reported with the first test units?
- How about adding the same cameras that the iPhone 12 Pro Max has, to the “regular” iPhone 12 Pro models?
These things keep running through my head. I don’t want to take a decision on a buying a device that costs somewhere between 1200–1500 USD, right now. It’s just too expensive for it to be a rational decision.
Whereas my iPhone 11 Pro Max has started to show a few cracks and might not live to see 2022, I think I’ll risk it for now.
2020 wasn’t the best of years, for anyone. And I would not be surprised if the iPhone 12 shows a few similar issues with the antennas we had seen in iPhone 4/5’s back in the days — or any other hiccups we currently don’t know about yet. I think I’ll sit this one out for once. Focus on the things that matter and keep my money where it is.
I don’t know if these words helped you decide on whether or not you’d like to get the newest, latest and greatest Apple product. But if it has, feel free to give me a thumbs up.
Enjoy your day, Remco
