New iPhones/Apple Watch?

[Scuba]

Interesting thread. We still have iPhone 6’s but it may be time to upgrade. The newer phones take better pics and I’m hoping the battery life is better too.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba Interesting thread. We still have iPhone 6’s but it may be time to upgrade. The newer phones take better pics and I’m hoping the battery life is better too.

The XS is supposed to have 30 minute more battery life than the X and the XS Max is supposed to have 90 minutes more than the X.

[T-Minus]

I ordered the iPhone XS Max. When received, my current iPhone X will then pass to my wife. Her iPhone 7 then goes to our son & daughter in-law to replace whichever device they have that needs updating. The end displaced device gets thrown into a drawer until one of their current devices gets destroyed/broken. Technology trickle down that winds up costing us, as a family, less. When son & daughter in-law earn more money and want newer devices sooner, we can revisit our purchase/redeployment plan.

[audreyh1]

My main complaint about the SE is that I can't see the screen well enough to take photos outdoors - it's frustrating composing a photo. DH tells me his iPhone X solved the problem because the screen is much higher in contrast, and it does look that way. Plus 2X mode is very nice. I still like the SE form factor.

Watches - I think DH is going to upgrade because of the larger watch real estate. And now the non-LTE version has just as much memory as the LTE version, so he'd go that route. Me - I'm happy with mine for a while. I'll probably wait a year at least.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 My main complaint about the SE is that I can't see the screen well enough to take photos outdoors - it's frustrating composing a photo. DH tells me his iPhone X solved the problem because the screen is much higher in contrast, and it does look that way. Plus 2X mode is very nice. I still like the SE form factor.

Yes, the new ones definitely have much improved contrast, but there are still some things you can do to help.

How to increase contrast for visual accessibility on iPhone and iPad

[Ready]

I order a new iPhone and Apple watch every year. I use the products every day and I enjoy them so I don't mind splurging.

I have a Series 4 LTE watch on order for pick up next Friday. As for the iPhone, I'm just not that excited this year. First of all, the iPhone X didn't come out last year until November, so I'm only in month ten of the upgrade program. So I need to pay at least two more months before i'd be eligible for the new phones.

But trying to identify any meaningful differences between the X and the XS is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I just don't think I'd care about any of the changes. The Max model is nice but I don't think I need the bigger screen. I'll take a look at it in the stores when they come out but I'm probably just going to hang on to the X for another year and save a few hundred dollars.

Now if they come out with a new iPad Pro 11 inch model, I'll be placing my order on day one and giving my 10.5 Pro model to DH, who is currently using a 5 year old iPad that has seen its better days.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ready I order a new iPhone and Apple watch every year. I use the products every day and I enjoy them so I don't mind splurging.

DH and I were just talking about this issue today. We both have updated our iPhones each year for the last few (before that it was every 2 or 3). I just ordered my first Apple Watch. We also buy high end computers.

But we use them every day. We each use our computers for several hours a day. We use our iPhones a lot. DH uses the smartphone features a little less than I do so he says he may go back to an every few years upgrade cycle. For me, I end up using the new features.

Quote:

As for the iPhone, I'm just not that excited this year. First of all, the iPhone X didn't come out last year until November, so I'm only in month ten of the upgrade program. So I need to pay at least two more months before i'd be eligible for the new phones.

Check your upgrade eligibility if you haven't. I got my X last year on release date. DH got his a week or so later. We only had to make one month's payment to upgrade. That said....

Quote:

But trying to identify any meaningful differences between the X and the XS is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I just don't think I'd care about any of the changes. The Max model is nice but I don't think I need the bigger screen. I'll take a look at it in the stores when they come out but I'm probably just going to hang on to the X for another year and save a few hundred dollars.

If I hadn't wanted the larger screen of the Max I would not have traded my X for an XS. It would have been too incremental an upgrade.

Quote:

Now if they come out with a new iPad Pro 11 inch model, I'll be placing my order on day one and giving my 10.5 Pro model to DH, who is currently using a 5 year old iPad that has seen its better days.

Deciding to get the XS Max led to 2 other decisions for me. First, I decided to finally get an Apple Watch (despite having had Fitbits for several years) just to get the LTE version of the Watch for when I wanted to go places where I might not want to carry the larger phone (i.e. the gym).

The other decision I made was to trade in my iPad Pro to the Apple store for $250. I had a first generation 12.7" screen iPad Pro. I had used it a lot but had realized fairly early on that a tablet of that size was awkward to use. I ended up mostly using my phone for stuff, only using the tablet where I really needed a split screen or when my phone battery was low.

When the smaller iPad Pros came out I was going to get the smaller iPad Pro. I still planned to eventually do that. But, I realized that with the XS Max (which does have a split view) that it was large enough that I didn't really get enough incremental gain from an iPad to make it economically worthwhile to me.

So, today I went in and traded my iPad Pro for a $250 gift card. It was too late to apply it to my Apple Watch order, so when the Watch gets here I will take it in, "return" it, and then rebuy it applying the gift card....

[Ready]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow So, today I went in and traded my iPad Pro for a $250 gift card. It was too late to apply it to my Apple Watch order, so when the Watch gets here I will take it in, "return" it, and then rebuy it applying the gift card....

I had the original 12.7" iPad Pro and also thought it was way too big to be useful. So I used it at work but otherwise it sat on my desk. When I switched to the 10.5" iPad Pro it was a completely different experience. It's the perfect size to hold while reading in bed or on a sofa and I love using it so much that I think it's pretty much by my side whenever I'm home. The screen quality, speed and overall premium feel of it is amazing. And with the rumored new model coming out soon going with Face ID, you will get more screen and less bezel, making it even more amazing.

I'm sure the XS Max will have a great screen but I don't think I'd want to read news and browse the web at home on a phone. I still prefer the larger iPad screen when I'm not on the road.

You'll love the watch. I've had every model since the original and wear it every day. I'm more than happy to pay a few hundred dollars each year to sell my current version and upgrade to the new one. The cellular option for me is very nice because I frequently am working out for long periods of time where I leave my phone in my gym bag.

[audreyh1]

DH inherited my older iPad mini when I upgraded to the latest thanks to a great Best Buy online deal, but now with his iPhone X, he doesn't feel like he needs the iPad mini anymore for travel. He is just fine reading on his phone.

DH notes that they raised the prices quite a bit on the watch.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ready You'll love the watch. I've had every model since the original and wear it every day. I'm more than happy to pay a few hundred dollars each year to sell my current version and upgrade to the new one. The cellular option for me is very nice because I frequently am working out for long periods of time where I leave my phone in my gym bag.

I am so looking forward to it. I've had Fitbits since March 2013. I have the Fitbit One, Force, Charge, Blaze, Alta HR, and Versa.

There is a lot I like about Fitbits. But, I've wanted an Apple Watch for awhile given that I have the iPhone. I think it was finally gotten a point where the fitness aspect of it will work well and I love the idea of the cellular version.

On the iPad, it is possible that I will get one later although it would definitely be the smaller size. We'll see how much I miss it....

[KCGeezer]

I’ll be updating my iPhone 4 to something. Actually debating just going with the new watch and losing the phone altogether. With a year old iPad Pro at home for browsing and reading i only rely on the phone for emergencies.

All the new models will be at the nearby apple store Friday so I’m waiting till then to decide which way to go.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCGeezer I’ll be updating my iPhone 4 to something. Actually debating just going with the new watch and losing the phone altogether. With a year old iPad Pro at home for browsing and reading i only rely on the phone for emergencies. All the new models will be at the nearby apple store Friday so I’m waiting till then to decide which way to go.

I'm not sure you can use an Apple Watch complete independently without an iPhone. It's pretty tightly integrated with the iPhone.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 I'm not sure you can use an Apple Watch complete independently without an iPhone. It's pretty tightly integrated with the iPhone.

Yes, if nothing else you need the Watch app on the phone to make some adjustments on the watch display, set up which apps are on the watch, update the software, etc.

[KCGeezer]

Hmmm, I wondered about that. Guess I’ll find out.

[TrvlBug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 I'm not sure you can use an Apple Watch complete independently without an iPhone. It's pretty tightly integrated with the iPhone.

You can't. Your iphone has to be ON in order to receive/make calls on the watch. Ask me how I know .

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrvlBug You can't. Your iphone has to be ON in order to receive/make calls on the watch. Ask me how I know .

So if even if you have cellular service on the watch if you go somewhere and your phone runs out of battery then you can't receive a call. Probably not an issue for me as I usually keep my battery up, but still...

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow So if even if you have cellular service on the watch if you go somewhere and your phone runs out of battery then you can't receive a call. Probably not an issue for me as I usually keep my battery up, but still...

I'm not sure this is true if you have the LTE version with service enabled. If your phone is off, or out of range, what is the difference?

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 I'm not sure this is true if you have the LTE version with service enabled. If your phone is off, or out of range, what is the difference?

I don't know. I don't have mine yet, just going by the other post by TrvlBug.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow I don't know. I don't have mine yet, just going by the other post by TrvlBug.

I suspect iPhone off and iPhone out of range are handled the same way with the Apple Watch with LTE data plan.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205547

The LTE capability is only Series 3 and later. Lots of folks have older Apple watches or ones without an LTE plan. We have LTE capable watches, but never bought a plan.

[TrvlBug]

Appears that the Genius Bar geniuses need more training. When we couldn't get the Series 3 LTE watches (with data plans) to make or receive calls we took it in to the store and were advised that the phone had to be ON to make or receive calls. It obviously does not.