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It is marketed that way because it is a superior luxury good. Rolex don’t make aluminum watches. Omega same. At the high end of luxury goods, SS and titanium rule. There is no aluminum high end watches in existence.
I don’t agree it’s superior in every aspect so therefore we will agree to disagree. In the watch industry stainless watches appear at all price points from very low to very high. All my mechanical watches are 316L stainless from £200 to £6000. The material is standard in that industry due to hygiene and reactionary needs. I think many miss the fact Apple charge a premium for the aluminium iPhone 12 already, so the slight cost difference between the standard and Pro’s are likely due the technology differences rather than the case materials.
 
I don’t agree it’s superior in every aspect so therefore we will agree to disagree. In the watch industry stainless watches appear at all price points from very low to very high. All my mechanical watches are 316L stainless from £200 to £6000. The material is standard in that industry due to hygiene and reactionary needs. I think many miss the fact Apple charge a premium for the aluminium iPhone 12 already, so the slight cost difference between the standard and Pro’s are likely due the technology differences rather than the case materials.

The great part is we consumers have a choice. You prefer the aluminum. Great for you, because it’s cheaper! But you’re objectively trading strength and durability for cost, weight, and missing features. If that choice fits your preference profile, great!

But I’ll gladly pay the premium for the durability, strength, and extra features of the pro line. It’s a no brainer for me and millions of other consumers. We’re not wrong, and neither are you.
 
The great part is we consumers have a choice. You prefer the aluminum. Great for you, because it’s cheaper! But you’re objectively trading strength and durability for cost, weight, and missing features. If that choice fits your preference profile, great!

But I’ll gladly pay the premium for the durability, strength, and extra features of the pro line. It’s a no brainer for me and millions of other consumers. We’re not wrong, and neither are you.
Indeed we buy what we prefer at the end of the day and the good thing this year was the prices were close enough to not really be an issue. I had the 12 because it was the one I wanted so yeah, no brainer.
 
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Maybe all phones should go back to being made out of plastic for lighter weight and more shatter proof. Haha
 
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For folks familiar with bike groupset, stainless steel is steel, and that's heavy.

The higher end component one usually made from high tensile strength aluminum alloy, not only lightweight but also durable. Magnesium is also good option, titanium is also available. I am excluding carbon fibre here since we talks metal only material.

Example : single piece of steel chainring 436 gram weight, while the aluminum alloy one only weight 169 while stile maintains hardness and durability.

Apple can make pretty durable aluminum frame without sacrificing strength if Apple wants. My MTB shifter trigger are made from anodized aluminum and pretty much exposed to abuse without showing scratch or dents.
 
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Apple can't make aluminum as durable or desirable as stainless steel, if they could they would. Comparing aluminum bikes or bike parts to stainless steel is insane. First there are no or its very rare to see a stainless steel bike when you can get titanium for about the same price and its lighter. If apple sold the iPhone 12 pro in steel and aluminum at the same price, the stainless would sell more. Sure there are people trying to play up their choice in a way that its lighter. Just be proud of what you bought and what you paid for it. I didn't get the 12 because I wanted the best with the best materials. I can say I would be happy with the 12 but I wouldn't due to stainless looking better, better cameras, and more ram. No one walks into someone home and says, "wow, you got that new laminate' so much lighter than granite or quarts".
 
Apple can't make aluminum as durable or desirable as stainless steel, if they could they would. Comparing aluminum bikes or bike parts to stainless steel is insane. First there are no or its very rare to see a stainless steel bike when you can get titanium for about the same price and its lighter. If apple sold the iPhone 12 pro in steel and aluminum at the same price, the stainless would sell more. Sure there are people trying to play up their choice in a way that its lighter. Just be proud of what you bought and what you paid for it. I didn't get the 12 because I wanted the best with the best materials. I can say I would be happy with the 12 but I wouldn't due to stainless looking better, better cameras, and more ram. No one walks into someone home and says, "wow, you got that new laminate' so much lighter than granite or quarts".
No one holds countertops in their hands to use it either, so that’s a meaningless comparison. And of course you won’t find SS soda cans, but you also won’t find iPhones made out of the same lower grade aluminum designed for disposable soda cans either. Neither metal is inherently “better” than the other. They both have different properties that may make them more or less desirable for specific applications.
 
No one holds countertops in their hands to use it either, so that’s a meaningless comparison. And of course you won’t find SS soda cans, but you also won’t find iPhones made out of the same lower grade aluminum designed for disposable soda cans either. Neither metal is inherently “better” than the other. They both have different properties that may make them more or less desirable for specific applications.
We're talking about materials so it does hold. Stainless steel is stronger than aluminum and the weight difference is small in a phone. Your arguments are in the same line that a Mustang has the same Horsepower as a Ferrari. Stainless is just better on phones and jewelry. No one is going around talking about their new aluminum necklace or earrings.
 
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Apple can't make aluminum as durable or desirable as stainless steel, if they could they would. Comparing aluminum bikes or bike parts to stainless steel is insane. First there are no or its very rare to see a stainless steel bike when you can get titanium for about the same price and its lighter. If apple sold the iPhone 12 pro in steel and aluminum at the same price, the stainless would sell more. Sure there are people trying to play up their choice in a way that its lighter. Just be proud of what you bought and what you paid for it. I didn't get the 12 because I wanted the best with the best materials. I can say I would be happy with the 12 but I wouldn't due to stainless looking better, better cameras, and more ram. No one walks into someone home and says, "wow, you got that new laminate' so much lighter than granite or quarts".
It is possible to accept not everybody wants a stainless steel iPhone too though. There’s no need to imply this elitist mindset that everybody would have it if they could because we’ve all had the option to buy the Pro and many have chosen the 12 instead for various reasons. There is no right answer to this as the best iPhone is the one you’ve bought, nobody can really debate that.
 
No one holds countertops in their hands to use it either, so that’s a meaningless comparison. And of course you won’t find SS soda cans, but you also won’t find iPhones made out of the same lower grade aluminum designed for disposable soda cans either. Neither metal is inherently “better” than the other. They both have different properties that may make them more or less desirable for specific applications.
Exactly. I really don’t know why this concept is incomprehensible to some here.
 
It is possible to accept not everybody wants a stainless steel iPhone too though. There’s no need to imply this elitist mindset that everybody would have it if they could because we’ve all had the option to buy the Pro and many have chosen the 12 instead for various reasons. There is no right answer to this as the best iPhone is the one you’ve bought, nobody can really debate that.

I don’t know...some Aluminum owners here sure seem elitist to me by complaining about SS‘s inferiority....
 
It is possible to accept not everybody wants a stainless steel iPhone too though. There’s no need to imply this elitist mindset that everybody would have it if they could because we’ve all had the option to buy the Pro and many have chosen the 12 instead for various reasons. There is no right answer to this as the best iPhone is the one you’ve bought, nobody can really debate that.
Thank you. What is going here is totally ridiculous. People claiming SS is so much better like someone hurted them in a way!

If I wanted too I could buy a reaL gold iPhone Pro, if it would exist, but I don't want to and see no reason to. The same with SS. OK, I don't have a choice as a Mini Owner. But I would have bought the 12 instead of the Pro even though I like the Zoom Camera. Not because of money but because of comfort. Something I am holding in my hands more than most stuff should be comfortable to hold. And maybe if I would be a bodybuilder with LARGE hands that wouldn't be a problem, than I would choose the Pro, still only for 3rd camera, better camera and more RAM. Not because of SS. I actually like the SS look more than the aluminum but can't justify the look with the added weight. And that's it. And that's what I am reading out of many posts.

Here are some people who really behave like someone hurt them personally. Everyone is different, and that is actually good. Life would be boring if everyone would think, do, behave, buy, own the same.

PS: I know and see a lot of people having no money but owning the latest and greatest and most expensive every year while other's save big money and choose something cheap to own for several years. To each his own.
 
Im sure if the 12 was plastic and the pro aluminum, people would try to say how plastic is better because its basically carbon fiber in its earlier stages.
Or if the 12 Pro was stainless steel and the 12 was aluminium we’d get people with no clue trying to make out stainless is so much more premium and superior. Imagine that.
 
I prefer aluminium too but I wouldn’t mind stainless steel if it wasn’t reflective like a mirror. In my opinion it looks a little bit like a trinket. The regular 12 looks more premium to me than the Pro. iPhone 4 had a stainless steel frame too but it looked much much better.
 
Or if the 12 Pro was stainless steel and the 12 was aluminium we’d get people with no clue trying to make out stainless is so much more premium and superior. Imagine that.

Because SS is more premium material. Price reflects that. Apple Watch SS costs more. iPhone Pro costs more.
 
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