Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
  • iPhone
  • iPhone 3g
  • iPhone 3GS
  • iPhone 4
  • iPhone 4S
  • iPhone 5
  • iPhone 6 Plus
  • iPhone 6S
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 14 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 16 Pro
Only year I skipped was 5S mostly because I was very busy and never got around to it: bought a new house and my wife was pregnant with our first kid.

My favorite iPhone has to be the original. It was like magic in my hands and everywhere I went people were asking me “Is that an iPhone?!!” It even got me a date in college. Times were weird back then.

But if I had to pick the most beautiful design, probably the iPhone 4. And it was really cool to experience the first Retina display. I also remember having fond memories of the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 which was peak skeuomorphism until iOS 7 replaced that.

The worst iPhone was the iPhone 6 Plus. It was just not powerful enough to drive that 1080p display effectively. So many issues with it running out of RAM and checkboarding while scrolling. Like yeah, I get that on the early iPhones, but not that! It had a lot of other glitches as well and seemed to springboard a lot.

The sleekest looking iPhone was the iPhone 7 in jet black. I had that thing out of its case about half the time, lol.

My favorite was when they added the iPhone Pro line, which I had always wanted and predicted would happen on these forums. I loved that they were upping the camera game on this line as well as several other things.

My favorite iPhone material is titanium. And I’m looking forward to going back down to the smaller Pro with titanium, which should be even lighter. I’m a sucker for titanium, especially in the natural colorway. And I hope that someday they release an iPhone Ultra that has all titanium back with small wireless charging cutouts with gorilla glass or ceramic that is inset slightly to prevent damage, and a built in lip around the camera glass and display made from titanium so I don’t need a case. And maybe make the glass a little thicker so it doesn’t break.
 
Mine:
iPhone 4
iPhone 5s
iPhone 6s
iPhone 7
iPhone 8plus
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 13 Pro Max

Next up
iPhone 16 pro max
 
I used to buy and sell a lot of phones, so I have no idea how many. My favorite by far was the IPhone X. I enjoy the Pro Max now every year but the X was special.
 
5S
6
6S
7 (Diamond black)
7+ (Diamond black)
SE (1. Gen)*
X
XS
11 Pro
12 Mini
13 Mini
11*
14 Pro
15 Pro
16 Pro
15*

*Business phones

I started with the 5S and had every generation since then. Most of them bought right after launch, PRO's nearly every time. It's a bit of a up and down story.

5S was special of cause, as it was my first iphone (well, coming form an ipod touch but that doesnt count, does it?!). I really liked the form factor, that was also continued with the 1.Gen SE i had. I have an 5S right here on my desk right now, it's my fathers old one he found these days. It's still a great piece of technology and feels great still after those years.

6,6S,7 were nice, but nothing special about. The diamond black ones were stunning.
5S came to me as a business phone from my employer, used it in parallel several years.

BIG highlight was the X. The design introduced with the 6 just became outdated at that time, and it really felt new and special. I still like the design with its round stainless steel frame and the still-quiet-small-camera bump. It was also the first iphone i picked up in person in an apple store when available, that also made it special.

I hardly can remember the XS and 11 Pro, but 12 Mini was a BIG one for me again (noticed the pun?! =D ). I just loved the form factor and still do. I was always and still am a "Pro" buyer, but the 12 Mini killed that habit, still effecting me today - its a bit of a story: I really prefered form factor over Pro design with the 12 mini. I just wasn't happy with the "non-Pro-appearance", missing stainless stell frames and smaller display edges. That was also the reason why I bought the 13 Pro the year after at first. Returned it instantly. Coming from a 12 Mini, the camera bump just felt ridiculous. So I went for the 13 Mini again, but just short time. At that time, I got a iphone 11 as a replacement of my SE as business phone, and also private usage of the phone was allowed since than. It always annoyed me using two phones, but since I just got "basic" iphone from my employer but was tending to buy Pro versions for personal use I somehow managed to get along with it - however with the 13 Mini that wasnt the case anymore. I sold the 13 Mini and used my business non-pro 11 as my only phone, running two SIMs. So with the Minis, Apple actually killed my buying-pro-every-year-habit, at least for short. Maybe it was a different story if apple would have decided to make a "PRO MINI".

The 11 just weared out quite fast, and since I got an additional iPad Pro from my employer where i run my business outlook and teams, I got a personal phone again, leaving the 11 in the storage most of the time. I just kind of missed the Pro feeling and got a 14 Pro (but months after launch).

Bought 15 Pro and 16 Pro right at launchday again. I really like the titanium frame. But somehow, its like years before at the time just before the X arrived: It just feels not special anymore. I still hate (!) the camera bump, I really do not appreciate the phones getting thicker and bigger again.

End of story: Last week a new phone from my employer arrived, basic iphone 15 replacing the 11. It feels nice, lighter and more handy than the 16 Pro. With the Pro having an titanium frame now, there is also not the big difference between stainless steel and alluminum frame anymore. Will sell my 16 Pro and get along with the 15.

Lets see what comes up next year. I'm really into built quality, material and design. So I might go for an Iphone Air ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu
My favourite was the iPhone 5C. It had lovely Lumia-esque colours and just fit in the hand so well.

There are actually three models I returned: The iPhone 6 for having a creak in the screen when you pressed it too hard, the iPhone 12 for a combination of its shocking battery life and the red model definitely being pink and the 14 Pro Max for being unweildy, heavy and triggering arthritis.

I currently run a 13 Pro which is lovely but I bought it as a refurb and doubt its waterproofing integrity. I may well sell it in the new year and pick up a 16 in the January network sales.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WarmWinterHat
If I don’t consider my wife’s and sons’ devices (they had many and I paid for it 😅), this was my journey :

-3G
-3GS
-4
-4S
-5
-5S
-6
-6S
-7
-8 Plus
-XS
-11 Pro
-13 Pro
-14 Pro Max
-16 Pro Max

My favorite probably was the 14 Pro Max, but its battery degraded too quickly (82% after 18 months), and the 16 Pro Max could be the next best. I also have good memories about 4S and 11 Pro.

The worst probably was the 5, but I regret also the 8 Plus (I wasn’t ready to give up on TouchID with the X at the time). iPhone 7 battery life was very poor.
 
iPhone
3G
4
4s
5
5s
6 Plus
6s Plus
7 Plus
8 Plus
X
SE
11 Pro Max
12 Pro Max
14 Pro Max
16 Pro Max

still have OG iPhone somewhere in home.
 
I have used more Android than Iphones but my iphone history is:

4s
6s Plus
11
13
15 Plus

My favorite iphone that I have personally ownded would be the iphone 11. My biggest regret purchase was getting the iphone 13 and thus trading in the iphone 11. I miss having a phone with rounded sides so much, I HATE the current flat sides on phones.

The iphone that I regret that I never bought would be the 11 Pro. Hindsight is 20/20, if I had an 11 Pro I would still be using it until this day and waiting for a new rounded side phone to be released.
 
I have had every iPhone since day one!
  • iPhone
  • iPhone 3g
  • iPhone 3GS
  • iPhone 4
  • iPhone 4S
  • iPhone 5
  • iPhone 5s
  • iPhone 6 Plus
  • iPhone 7 Plus
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 16 Pro Max
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu
- iPhone
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5S
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 7
- iPhone X
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro Max

Almost all of them
 
iPhone 5
iPhone 6 Plus
iPhone 7 (I didn’t need this, it was a gift)
iPhone X
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max

I think the 13 Pro was the time I was most “wowed” by an upgrade. Everything about the phone was perfect, and if it weren’t for the battery being shot + the 128GB of storage no longer cutting it—I probably would still be using it. The combo of those things was the reason I’ve updated.
 
Just the 6 Plus, and the 12 Pro Max. I like the Max better for it's larger size and water-restantence. No regrets.
 
0.

Unfortunately, iPhones don't fit into my "a piece of poor, white trash budget."😢

At a distance, though, the one that interested me most is the SE. Low cost (by Apple standards). And small size, which appeals to me. Then, too, the "SE" label reminds me of my first computer, the Macintosh SE.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Andeddu
  • iPhone *
  • iPhone 3GS *
  • iPhone 4 *
  • iPhone 4S
  • iPhone 5 *
  • iPhone 5s *
  • iPhone 5c
  • iPhone 6 *
  • iPhone 6 Plus
  • iPhone 6S
  • iPhone SE (2016)
  • iPhone 7 *
  • iPhone Xr
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone SE (2020) *
  • iPhone 12
  • iPhone 12 mini *
  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 mini *
  • iPhone SE (2022) *
  • iPhone 15 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
Not quite all mine but I pay for all the phones in our household. The ones with asterisks are the ones I personally used.
 
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
iPhone 4s
iPhone 5
iPhone 6
iPhone 7
iPhone X
iPhone 11
iPhone 12
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 16

The only one I regretted was the 14 Pro Max. Hated the size and weight of that phone.

I'd probably have to say my favorite was either the 3GS, or my current 16. The 3GS felt like it was so much faster at the time than my original 3G. It seemed like such a leap forward, LOL. My 16 is in the running just because of how much I hated the 14 Pro Max. Since I've switched to the 16 I have started to enjoy using my phone again.
 
Last edited:
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
iPhone 4s
iPhone 5
iPhone 6
iPhone 7
iPhone X
iPhone 11
iPhone 12
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 16

The only one I regretted was the 14 Pro Max. Hated the size and weight of that phone.

I'd probably have to say my favorite was either the 3GS, or my current 16. The 3GS felt like it was so much faster at the time than my original 3G. It seemed like such a leap forward, LOL. My 16 is in the running just because of how much I hated the 14 Pro Max. Since I've switched to the 16 I have started to enjoy using my phone again.
But why, why did you skip the 8 and 13?! That made my OCD itch... 🫣
 
But why, why did you skip the 8 and 13?! That made my OCD itch... 🫣
Don't forget the 15. I skipped that one too! :p

I skipped the 8 because, at the time I still had two kids living at home who both needed new phones. They, and my wife all had the 8. I didn't want to spend the money for a fourth phone at the time. I skipped the 13 because I was still really in love with the blue of my iPhone 12. I decided at that point to upgrade only every two years at the earliest, which is why I went 12, 14PM, 16.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Lakris
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3Gs
iPhone 4s
iPhone 5s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone X
iPhone Xs
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15 pro max
Favourite was probably the 13 Pro.

Gonna go back to the smaller size when I upgrade next.
 
Looking back at it now, my GOAT is the SE1 from 2016

In terms of "wow" at the time, it would be iPhone 4

My regret buy was the iPhone 6
I hated the shape/feel and how incredibly slippery it was in hand

Was relieved when the SE1 came out alongside the 6s

I live with the 13 Mini now and don't really love anything about it.
It's "fine" - heavier and larger than I would like and with mostly crap battery life
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu
Keep in mind I have gone back and forth between iphone and android, by my iphones have been:

4s
6s Plus
11
13
15 Plus

My huge regret was getting the 13 and 15 Plus. I didn't realize how much better phones with rounded sides like my 11 were, I wish I had kept my 11 and not gotten any iphones with the flat sides.

I'm not sure if I would pick the 6s Plus or the 11 as my favorite. Probably the 6s Plus.
 
Last edited:
I've had every single one except the SE ones. My favorite one is the 7 since it was the first to have water resistance. I remember texting and calling someone while in the rain and freaked out for a while thinking my phone was toast. My favorite form factor is a tossup between the 2G and 3G. The rounded edges helped a lot.
 
iPhone 2G, 3GS, 4, 5, 5s, 6, 7 Plus, SE1, X, 11 Pro, 12 Pro, 12 mini, 13 mini, SE2, 13 Pro, 14 Pro, 15 Pro, 16 Pro Max(returned) and 16e.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.