iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 12 / 12 Pro? Which one should you buy in 2021?
Apple as a company is a brand which embodies all that we know in branding psychology. A way of making us want more, making us feel like we belong to something, making us feel purposeful and making us feel good about being all of the above.
The Apple Event in late 2020 introduced a "brand new" design from 2012 (8 years ago) in larger size and with newer tech.
Following in the footsteps of the fashion industry, trends are recycled every few years. When things add no further value to our lives beyond their previous iteration, recycling is a palatable way of ensuring each iteration is "comparatively" new yet doesnt break the mould. As you may have realised, breaking the mould divides opinion much more than a previously familiar design in an updated package with a few tweaks and a heavy dose of take-up by the trendsetters.
The iPhone 11 Pro is under-rated in 2021, and at its current price point , honestly you cannot go wrong with this piece of tech.
Iterative design recycling happens only after the current design has reached a technological peak. The iPhone X (10) was the first design change in the iterative process but the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were the best versions of the previous design which had started with the 6 and 6 Plus.
In 2021, the iPhone 12 is a design change with evolutionary technological advancement. It is not the best of the iPhone 12 design, its the first whereas the iPhone 11 Pro is just as good as an iPhone 12 Pro and then some.
The compromises we are willing to accept in our daily use tech products determine the platform and price point we sit at. It determines the item we buy and the ecosystem we become loyal to.
Do you value longer battery life (by more than an hour extra), a well-honed device design with all its flaws ironed out through the iterations, hardware performance equivalent to the best one? If the answer is yes, then you can have that for nearly 2/3rds price now.
Whats wrong with getting the latest and greatest product, as Apple says in its key note? Absolutely nothing.
Majority of us will desire, or go ahead and buy, the latest iPhone. There is nothing wrong with that. But in a world where old stock new-phones are available, it pays to consider your options and avoid the first year depreciation that every iPhone suffers. This is no small amount, it usually amounts to nearly 35% saving (£300-400 on a flagship Pro model).
Since the iPhone 5s was launched, the functional life expectancy of each model has been nearly 3 years. With developments in microprocessor capabilities, the iPhone 6s stretched it further by 2 years, to 5 years. Launched 2015, Apple continues to support iPhone 6s with its latest iOS updates. It remains functionally capable of handling iOS smoothly in every aspect of the user experience. Pick up an iPhone 6s and try it yourself.
The issue that arises in such cases is that although the phone technically outlasts its consumable parts (i.e battery, waterproofing materials, charging port, speakers), more than likely some service becomes necessary. The most important consumable in a well kept phone is its battery. The capacity and endurance of a battery are measured in milliamp hours and charge cycles respectively. There exists an inverse relationship between battery capacity and charge cycles. Greater the number of times you've had to charge your phone, the lower its capacity.
This decline is gradual in its first year of use. In the later years, as your phone battery deteriorates, you tend it charge it more often. This increases the charge cycles and accelerates further degradation. With normal use, usually at around the three years mark, your battery capacity drops below 80%. This is where iOS recommends a battery replacement. Apple charges £69 or £45 for battery replacement, depending on your phone model. Consider the fact that your phone being serviced by Apple, or an authorised Service Provider, provides you a 90-day warranty. As goodwill gesture that extends to everything else in the phone. So if anything were to go wrong with the speakers for example following a battery replacement, Apple has you covered.
Once a battery replacement has taken place, expect your iPhone to last slightly less than when originally bought (5-7% shorter than as advertised the year it was bought with an older version of iOS). This effect isn't due to a hardware issue, rather a side-effect of running a newer, richer operating system smoothly.
Historically processors overheating was an issue. Since the 6s, iPhone processors have been equipped with plenty of headroom for demanding iOS future updates. Furthermore, there is evidence Apple has been calibrating its software and restricting certain features to allow smooth running on older devices. This results in device longevity and nearly no loss to battery life. It is always advisable to update your iPhone to the latest software. There have been iOS iterations where older iPhones started providing even better life with the newer iOS version.
Now if you were to buy an iphone with a large battery, you are future proofing the battery as well. Even at 80% capacity after three years, its performance could potentially equate to acceptable levels. The iPhone 11 / 11 Pro iteration in particular has been equipped with the largest battery ever in an iPhone. This extra battery capacity headroom not only beats the iPhone 12 by an hour, but future-proofs the phone as well.
The glass back and front are the strongest since iPhones were released. Some suggest Apples iPhone 12 / 12Pro / 12Pro Max have an even stronger screen. I contest that the true value of such strengthening to be an essential part of the product design, rather than an improvment over its previous iteration. Mobile phone reviewers have performed numerous drop tests on the iPhone 11 Pro. It resists drop from upto 12 feet. When glass does shatter, the screen remains intact and continues working. Bear in mind, the 11 Pro has a stainless steel frame, whereas the iPhone 12, as a similar price point, offers an aluminium body.
During iPhone 12 / Pro drop tests, the front screen resists drops but internally the display suffers permanent damage. This is explained by teardown videos which show a much thicker screen on the 11 / Pro compared to a paperthin integrated screen on the 12/Pro.
One could argue a broken screen is a broken screen that needs replacing. This is not statistically true. A screen replacement costs upwards of £160. Apple charges nearly £400. These steep costs may delay your decision to repair. In the meanwhile you might wish to put a screen protector on it, save your fingers from shards, and make it last. Imagine if the display breaks internally and the glass is intact, there is a higher chance of it becoming unusable. This is what a thin display suffers from, what the iPhone 12 suffers from.
Size does matter when it comes to handling your daily device. Screen size is proportional but remember, the device must live in your hand most of the time. Some time in your pocket. Some time in your bag. The iPhone 11 retains rounded edges which helps with gripping the devices. Boxy shaped devices are usually more challenging to handle, somewhat due to the four sharp edges that one relies on and partly due to the interface between the surface it lays on. It simply isnt an ergonomic design.
Then there is the holding of a device. Take a moment to compare your left pinky finger to your right. The hand you hold a phone in the most, you may notice a dent in your pinky finger. That is what your phone does, resting there for hours every day. Strain it more with a heavier, sharper boxy device, there may be abrasive consequences.
Now having said all this, its imperative to understand that trendsetters and early adopters never have the luxury of comparing two devices so closely. If you are reading this, clearly you have waited to make your decision. Smart move.
If a gorgeous new iPhone is all you want, then none of this matters. :)
