SE2 and 3 are a fair amount bigger unfortunately...I think the SE and 5S are the only ones you can still use in the US in their form factor because of VoLTE requirements these days. I had a 5C right before they shut down the old cell stuff and it was the best phone I'd ever had.
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iPhone 12 Pro Are you still on an older daily driver?
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BSDnostalgia
macrumors 6502a
I forgot the original SE was that much smaller. It has been a while, hasn't it?
Yes it has. I think most people have forgotten how small the older models really were. People ask me if my phone is an iPod sometimes... funny but also sad that we'll never see phones like this again at this point.
thejadedmonkey
macrumors G3
Despite trying a 17, I'm still using an iPhone 13 mini for my main phone.
At the rate Apple is going, I'll be using it until the heat death of the universe.
At the rate Apple is going, I'll be using it until the heat death of the universe.
Starfia
macrumors 68000
I think it's completely fine, but I also have no substantial experience with the feel of iOS 26 on the newest phones, and I've nurtured the mindset that I'm happy to get as much as possible out of the device I have. Objectively, I'm sure there's a perceptible difference between using an iPhone 12 mini and an iPhone 17 daily.
I've noticed that aside from the single-generation chip discrepancy which supports a couple of subtle features in the Photos app, there's no real difference in the listed specs between iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini.
Macdctr
macrumors 68000
I got my Space Black Air on launch day and have been enjoying its very thin form factor then got my Deep Blue 17 Pro in December which is a nice iPhone but I found myself using my Air.
In January I picked up my Blue Titanium 15 Pro and surprisingly have been dailying this iPhone over my Air and 17 Pro. I’m still using my 15 Pro today. All of these devices have 1TB storage as well.
In January I picked up my Blue Titanium 15 Pro and surprisingly have been dailying this iPhone over my Air and 17 Pro. I’m still using my 15 Pro today. All of these devices have 1TB storage as well.
Still on a 12 Pro. Not really missing much, although it’s getting full and the battery is starting to slip - I think it’s at 82%. It’s about time to upgrade, so I probably will late this year. I aim to get 6 years out of my Apple devices, so this is about the right cadence anyway. My wife and I have 2 iPhones, 2 MacBooks, she has an iPad Pro and I have a Studio, so six devices, six years each spreads the outlay across the years relatively evenly.
My adult child had to replace their iPhone 8 with a 16e when their banking app became incompatible with the old OS. I'm unwilling to give up my 13 mini. My wife still uses my old 10s. I still think those rounded edges were a much more elegant design choice! We'll see if Apple intelligence is ever compelling enough for me to consider lugging around a bigger phone.
In four and a half months you bought 3 new phones? Two of which are over $1300?
FeliApple
macrumors 603
I love this generation of iPhones! I have the iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12. But far the smoothest iOS device I’ve ever used. Apple really tried with iOS 12 and it shows. Sadly iOS 12 is no longer compatible enough for my needs, so it’s not my main, but I will use it for music for years on end.
Mine is at 89% health after almost 7 years and has like-new battery life, of course. It is smoother even than M1 iPads on original iOS versions (typing this from an M1 iPad Air on iPadOS 15). Very well-optimised.
I partly wish I could still use it as main, it’s an excellent iPhone on iOS 12. I never had any issues whatsoever. Never any lag, any slowdowns, any odd artifacts. iOS 12 is perhaps the best iOS version to have on an iPhone designed for it.
Sadly I never had one, but I think the same thing may apply to iPads: the 3rd-gen iPad Pro (A12) which was the first full-screen iPad would also be a dream to use on iOS 12. The Air 5 on iPadOS 15 is good but that one may be even better.
Macdctr
macrumors 68000
I did . . . all three iPhones purchased having the 1TB storage configuration as well.
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It’s great, but AirPods are a must basically. I wish they came in a much smaller/lighter version
racerhomie
macrumors 6502a
Regular iPhone 12(128GB) in Red. It’s still going strong with 77% battery health. I just use a fast charging Power Bank on longer days
racerhomie
macrumors 6502a
HiVolt
macrumors 68020
Still happy with my 15 Pro max as well. I don't really see myself replacing it for an 18 Pro max. I may hold out and see what the 20th anniversary or whatever will offer. Definitely not interested in any foldable though.
I’m on a 14 Pro I’ve had since launch, so coming up on four years soon and I don’t see any reason to upgrade. It still runs iOS 26 fast, the cameras are still great, and it runs all the apps I need. I think I’m going to wait until next year before even considering upgrading.
When I got this phone, it was the first Pro I ever bought and I also got the 256 storage variant, which I think helped with the longevity for me. I see friends and colleagues with newer phones but don’t feel as though I’m really missing out on anything.
Perhaps the only thing I’d like is to get rid of lightning and have better cameras, but these alone aren’t enough for me to upgrade.
When I got this phone, it was the first Pro I ever bought and I also got the 256 storage variant, which I think helped with the longevity for me. I see friends and colleagues with newer phones but don’t feel as though I’m really missing out on anything.
Perhaps the only thing I’d like is to get rid of lightning and have better cameras, but these alone aren’t enough for me to upgrade.
you seem like a rather frugal fellow, what's the cell provider you're getting all these lines through?
eyoungren
macrumors Nehalem
LOL, frugal? No, no. It just comes down to priorities on where I spend limited income. Phones are primarily used in our home for basic things. Beyond that, we have computers and TVs for most everything else. Since, I pay for my kids phones, dropping over 4K for yearly upgrades when current phones work isn't a priority - even if it was remotely a financial possibility (which it isn't).
I could make it a priority, but then other things that I prioritize more would take a hit. For instance, and to answer your question, I'm with T-Mobile. I have ten lines with them and I pay about $280 a month. Making this a priority would mean adding installment plans for phones to that price. For what I want, the bill would basically double - for two years. Repeat with new upgrades in two years. That doesn't include the down payments I'd need to come up with. And that alone would basically mean a months worth of bills do not get paid.
I could always play the trade-in game. But then, I'd have to turn in my old phones. And I do NOT want to do that. Because I like keeping my old phones. Keeping them is a priority to me.
So I'd either need to drop lines to get the bill down or take a hit elsewhere. But elsewhere has higher priority. So, upgrading phones which can still do what I need them to do, is what takes the hit. The priority on my home internet and my computers and other things are certainly NOT going to take the hit just to get a phone.
But, we are currently on the last days of it. My home device that my carrier provided for connectivity is no longer working. T-Mobile has slowly been cutting them off because they were discontinued two years ago. iOS 26 is the final upgrade for our current phones and if I want better connectivity, I'm going to need 5G capable phones. So the hunt is currently on for me. We'll see what I end up with and when.
My monthly cellphone bill, my home internet bill and all the stuff I've spent for computers and other things I do not think screams frugal. It's just that I value getting new phones less than everything else.
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I see, and I agree. I'm only wondering because I have an iPad which I'd like to get cellular on, and I was thinking you might have the best answer re: which provider to use.
For mobile, I'm on Visible and got it for $17/mo for their highest-tier if I prepaid the whole year at Black Friday. Visible service is terrible and I'd like to go back to T-mo when the year is up.
Anyway, thanks for the insight and I'll continue debating whether I really need service on that tablet.
eyoungren
macrumors Nehalem
It'd probably be best to ask at a T-Mobile store. With my plan, adding an unlimited data line runs around $45. They have different caps for less. I believe the prices are currently what they offer to anyone, but you should talk to them.
Be aware however…there are things currently going on. T-Mobile has been laying off people, they are heavily pushing the T-Mob VISA card as a sales metric that the reps have to meet (on top of their other sales metrics) and they have pushed customers into their app. Nothing happens outside the app. If you go in-store as a customer, the reps there will have you working in the app.
It's a recipe for reps focused solely on meeting their sales metrics in any way possible. Which means you can expect to be pressured and quite possibly lied to. I long ago learned how to deal with all of this (former 16 year Sprint customer before T-Mobile), but it's been breaking the people posting in the T-Mobile subreddit about their experiences lately.
Honestly, I'd just stick with an MVNO or prepaid if you're single or with one other person.
rui no onna
Contributor
How much data do you need on the tablet? If you're just using a small amount of data and not using it for daily TikTok or YouTube, you might want to consider roaming eSIMs.
Roamless Flex and Bcengi are both pay as you go and don't have expiration and have exit nodes in the US. I've recently added Bcengi eSIMs to my secondary iPads. Minimum $10 initial load, no expiry, $1.68/GB in US and it can even be used overseas.
There's also the iPad exclusive T-Mobile $10/5GB/150 day plan you can get from the Settings - Cellular menu.
Personally, Bcengi is just easier for me to manage and I like that I only pay for what I use.
I'd be using it for work, attempting to replace a laptop, so I'd prefer some unlimited or ~2gb/day plan.
rui no onna
Contributor
TallManNY
macrumors 601
I used an XS as my work phone (mainly work emails) for years and years until a few weeks ago when I switched to a 14 that got freed up when a family member upgraded. The XS continued to work fine (battery had been replaced at one point), no issues.