My day is boring, so I will post a reply. For everyone who wonders why Apple releases new products every year, and then complains that the new version is not shiny enough to replace a 12 month old phone...do you live in a bubble? Auto makers, bicycle makers, shoe makers, and probably 5000 other manufacturers release new products every year. Guess what, this doesn't mean you need to buy the new one. Imagine if we whined that GM made "a 2023 truck" that really, isn't that much different than the 2022 truck?
The fact is, the process of improving any hardware device never stops. Each year's new model is simply the advances in technology that could realized and packaged in time for the designated release cycle. Apple has an iPhone release cycle that coincides with Christmas, which, is probably not the dumbest idea in the world.
Every year there is 1) A whole new set of people whose parents have deemed are now old enough to get a [first phone|first expensive phone], 2) a set of people who have now had a phone for 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, etc. 3) a set of people whose current phone has now reached the end of its update cycle.
And, yes, each year there is a set of people who want the new phone, what ever it is. Good for this group, who can easily afford $1400 or so every year on an iPhone, and also who want the most recent tech no matter what -- but, this group represents probably 0.1% of the Apple market -- I know plenty of people who could get a new phone every month, financially, but have phones that are 4-5 revisions old.
The only REAL difference with the 15 is the USB-C replacement of lightning. This means Apple will quickly ramp down the production of its own lightning cables (which, are the best, some 3rd party ones are ok, most many suck). There will be lightning to USB-C adapters (I have a few USB-2 to USB-C adapters -- shape, not speed).
And, as far as the USB-C difference, Apple was pretty much forced to use USB-C, by the EU. USB-C as a "shape" is just as good as lightning -- no right way or wrong way to insert, and no crappily made connectors and ports that tend to break. 99% of the iPhone world only sees USB-C as plug shape, so, the fact that Apple can support a basic port that can do charging, data transfer, and maybe support a headset (??), why not go cheap. The OTHER part of USB-C, ability to run an HD Video screen, send data at a screamingly fast rate, etc...again, lost to the vast majority of the users. For those that know why this is important, or who actually have a reason to have this, are probably buying the Pro anyway. Don't whine about the phones being too expensive and then whine about Apple making decent decisions that reduce the cost of the "non Pro" version in the same breath.
And, finally, Pro versus Max. I agree..I don't get it. Pick a phone size -- seems to me there is a market for 3: SE size, standard size, and a larger size (I like the standard, larger sizes are too big for my hands, and bulky to carry around without a laptop bag, and SE seems too small for me to see, even with my readers). It really is all about Goldilocks and those bears. Then, pick a feature set. I think for SE, standard features. The 2 larger sizes have standard features and Pro features. Call it a day. There is an argument for an SE "Pro" -- but, I actually think that the "standard" size of the phone tends to be the minimum size of the phone that is large enough to house all of the Pro features (guessing).
That is my rant. Have a good weekend!
