The iPhone 12 Disappointed Me, so I Now Use the …

The iPhone 12 is off the table for TECHNOLOGY BUTTON the expectations were disappointed. But now it’s a matter of finding an alternative.

Apple is celebrating the iPhone 12 as a “new era for the iPhone”. However, the reality is less spectacular

I’ve been using Android smartphones for a good eleven years. Sometimes I only have one, sometimes I use several devices at the same time. For some time now, I have also owned iPhones for professional reasons – my iPhone Xr now comes with me everywhere. Because although I’m used to Android, iPhones simply offer certain advantages that are immature or simply not available with Android.

I was (almost) Finished with Android

My private OnePlus 6T is getting on in the days and I’ve been thinking about exchanging it for a new device for about half a year.

Unfortunately, a large part of the Android world leaves me cold – or is not available in Germany. Samsung only offers Galaxy models with its Exynos chip in Europe. The stronger version with Snapdragon version is only available in North America and South Korea. Artificially slimmed down devices are no alternative for me. Xiaomi only sells the Mi 10 Pro in Germany, its true flagship Mi 10 Ultra is only available as an import from China. Huawei no longer has Google services, and Google itself has left the premium segment with the Pixel 5. Underdogs like Oppo and Vivo are still too unsure about future updates and support. LG and Sony are now too niche to really buy the devices.

The iPhone 12 Could have Become my Favorite Smartphone …

When I was looking for a new smartphone, I kept getting stuck on the iPhone. Why not, after all, I already use my Xr almost as much as my OnePlus 6T. On vacation, when I take more pictures and videos, even more often. The iPhone 11 Pro already impressed me with its triple camera, but there were things I didn’t like about it. Among other things, the much too big notch, Face ID and the slow 60 Hertz screen.

OLED at last, but not 120 Hertz in the iPhone 12

 

All of this could have been better in the iPhone 12. My TECHNOLOGY BUTTON colleague Orhan has published an extensive and always up-to-date article on the potential iPhone 12 innovations this year. It kept reading about the construction sites Apple was working on. Rumors kept popping up about new features that would have delivered exactly what I expect from a smartphone. So in good hope, I decided to wait and buy the iPhone 12 if it met my needs.

You can find the full article on TECHNOLOGY BUTTON.

… but now it will be different

Now everything has turned out differently and the iPhone 12 is definitely no longer an alternative for me. You can read why in my review of the iPhone 12. I mourn the many advantages that the device would have brought me. But unfortunately, the disadvantages outweigh it. The day after the performance, I went to an electronics store for the first time in a long time and looked at smartphones. Quite a pointless undertaking, after all, the criticism I have of most Android manufacturers still applies when the iPhone 12 is no longer an option.

The day after the iPhone was launched, it was Amazon Prime Day. As luck would have it, the third successor to my current Android smartphone, the OnePlus 8 Pro, was available in its best configuration at a very good price. I’ve been toying with this device for a long time. After I had compared smartphone data sheets and watched some MKBHD videos, I ordered the 8 Pro on the same evening. A little out of frustration that Apple screwed up the iPhone 12 so badly. But also a little happy that I can save a few euros.

 

iPhones No Doubt have their Advantages

The decision for the OnePlus 8 Pro naturally also has disadvantages compared to the iPhone 12. Because iPhone and iOS are a strong team. First and foremost is the camera – not necessarily for photos, because Android has just as good, if not better, alternatives than Google’s Pixel models. It’s more about videos. The sharpness, dynamic range, depth and stability of iPhone videos are unmatched. Plus, iOS has the best built-in video editing of any smartphone on the market. That’s why I use my iPhone Xr to import and edit videos from my DJI Mavic Mini and my GoPro 8. For example, iOS natively recognizes when I import slow motion videos from the GoPro. I can cut, rotate and set slow motion right in the Photos app. Many Android smartphones now have photos apps that offer similar settings. But the ease with which I can edit videos in iOS is worlds ahead of the competition. In addition, I have the impression that third-party apps like the ones from GoPro and DJI, which I use to import the videos, are simply better integrated on the iPhone than on Android.