Other The case for an iPhone lite?

[Wizec]

Rather than a multi core CPU, mobile gaming GPU in my pocket (Pro), I would love it if Apple would do something along the lines of the following to create an iPhone lite:

Take the iPhone 14 SOC, which will be on a more advanced node process, taking less power, underclock it and only use efficiency cores, then remove all the OS animations, blur and transparency, and give people like me a phone that could go 4-5 days without having to charge. I don’t use my phone for games, so having a multi core beast of an SOC in my pocket doesn’t really help me out day to day.

 

[SalisburySam]

Rather than a multi core CPU, mobile gaming GPU in my pocket (Pro), I would love it if Apple would do something along the lines of the following to create an iPhone lite:

Take the iPhone 14 Pro chip, which will be on a more advanced node process, taking less power, underclock it and only use efficiency cores, then remove all the OS animations, blur and transparency, and give people like me a phone that could go 4-5 days without having to charge. I don’t use my phone for games, so having a multi core beast of an SOC in my pocket doesn’t really help me out day to day.

Excellent idea! And please make it of a size that I can actually hold in one hand, like an iPhone12 Mini at the largest. For me. And my wife. And a lot of people I’ve talked to.

 

[JPack]

Sounds like something that an Android manufacturer might come out with but never Apple.

Keep in mind the SoC isn’t the main consumer of power, but rather the display. You can also simulate this experience just by turning on and locking Low Power Mode.

 

[Fatus_Asticus]

I don’t see this happening. Easy enough if to need multi day charging to have a battery with you. Either in your car, backpack, office etc and not have to deal with any compromises.

 

[Paddle1]

The vast majority of the time your phone is already not using its full power. I don't think it'd make as much difference as you think.

 

[Wizec]

The vast majority of the time your phone is already not using its full power. I don't think it'd make as much difference as you think.

iPhone 13 Pro, garbage standby time:

 

[Paddle1]

iPhone 13 Pro, garbage standby time:

If that's the standby time it's probably already running on efficiency cores since the screen is off?

Here's the description of the cores usage from the A10 Wikipedia page.

"As the first Apple-produced quad-core SoC, it has two high-performance cores designed for demanding tasks like gaming, while also featuring two energy-efficient Apple-designed 64-bit 1.05 GHz cores codenamed Zephyr at 0.78 mm for normal tasks."

 

[Wizec]

If that's the standby time it's probably already running on efficiency cores since the screen is off?

Here's the description of the cores usage from the A10 Wikipedia page.

"As the first Apple-produced quad-core SoC, it has two high-performance cores designed for demanding tasks like gaming, while also featuring two energy-efficient Apple-designed 64-bit 1.05 GHz cores codenamed Zephyr at 0.78 mm for normal tasks."

Who knows? Apple won’t surface all activity here. Most likely it’s a some runaway system daemon that Apple hides so as not to air their dirty laundry.

 

[ab2c4]

I agree this would be a good idea. I don’t know if Samsung still offers it but back around the time of their S3/S4 time frame they used to have the option of enabling what they call “Easy mode” on their phones. It was just that, it allowed you to use just the apps you wanted and pretty much disabled everything else running in the background. The result was the phone was faster and had better battery life and your Home Screen wasn’t cluttered. I think it exists for people that want a simpler phone to use or for people that are new to smart phones.

Edit: I just googled it and yes they still offer it on their phones.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Rather than a multi core CPU, mobile gaming GPU in my pocket (Pro), I would love it if Apple would do something along the lines of the following to create an iPhone lite:

Take the iPhone 14 SOC, which will be on a more advanced node process, taking less power, underclock it and only use efficiency cores, then remove all the OS animations, blur and transparency, and give people like me a phone that could go 4-5 days without having to charge. I don’t use my phone for games, so having a multi core beast of an SOC in my pocket doesn’t really help me out day to day.

I hear ya but in the interim you might be able to replicate some of that by turning on low power mode and turning off all the motion settings.

 

[eyoungren]

Excellent idea! And please make it of a size that I can actually hold in one hand, like an iPhone12 Mini at the largest. For me. And my wife. And a lot of people I’ve talked to.

No matter what size phone I've owned, this whole one-hand thing scares me. I use my phone with two hands. Now I know most people don't do that, but having to explain to my wife how I dropped and broke a ~$1000 phone because I was trying to be slick and 'one-hand' it is not a conversation I've ever wished to have. Especially since I don't use cases.

No, no matter what size my phone is - two hands.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

No matter what size phone I've owned, this whole one-hand thing scares me. I use my phone with two hands. Now I know most people don't do that, but having to explain to my wife how I dropped and broke a ~$1000 phone because I was trying to be slick and 'one-hand' it is not a conversation I've ever wished to have. Especially since I don't use cases.

No, no matter what size my phone is - two hands.

I’ve owned both iPhone Mini models and while I love the size I realized I would still use two hands when typing or just using it for extended periods as it was quicker to navigate the OS this way. Only time I used it one handed was for notification checks or if I had only one hand available which was rare. Based on that I went with the Max and other than the weight I enjoy this size more doing the day to day stuff plus the battery life is bonkers. I hope the new PM will be titanium so it’s lighter or I may switch to the rumored non-pro Max model.

 

[boak]

iPhone 13 Pro, garbage standby time:

That does not look right. Which apps are using the battery?

 

[Wizec]

That does not look right. Which apps are using the battery?

That’s the point. There are no apps listed using the battery.

 

[boak]

That’s the point. There are no apps listed using the battery.

Do you have background refresh on?

 

[Wizec]

Do you have background refresh on?

Disabled. For years. Phone set up as new. Same experience with all of my iPhones except the 11 Pro though, since the 6s, XS, 12 Pro and now 13 Pro. I think it’s the MDM hub or AV that our company puts on our phones and they are leveraging some API that doesn’t get reported on.

 

[boak]

Disabled. For years. Phone set up as new. Same experience with all of my iPhones except the 11 Pro though, since the 6s, XS, 12 Pro and now 13 Pro. I think it’s the MDM hub or AV that our company puts on our phones and they are leveraging some API that doesn’t get reported on.

Could be. From what I've seen, the battery level should be fairly flat (especially on the Pro Max models, which surprised me)

 

[HalfFullmoon]

iPhone 13 Pro, garbage standby time:

That is not normal. Heck, not even my iPhone 8, which gets about two hours screen on-time over LTE, drops that fast when it is not connected to a charger. As you can see from the below screenshot, my battery charge level is at 90% after close to 24 hours from full charge.

 

[ian87w]

Rather than a multi core CPU, mobile gaming GPU in my pocket (Pro), I would love it if Apple would do something along the lines of the following to create an iPhone lite:

Take the iPhone 14 SOC, which will be on a more advanced node process, taking less power, underclock it and only use efficiency cores, then remove all the OS animations, blur and transparency, and give people like me a phone that could go 4-5 days without having to charge. I don’t use my phone for games, so having a multi core beast of an SOC in my pocket doesn’t really help me out day to day.

Want best battery life? Apple already has a solution for you. It's the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and Apple will gladly accept your payment of $1099.

That's the Apple strategy, upselling. Get you to spend more money than you wanted to. Apple wouldn't make something that makes you spend less money.

 

[Wizec]

Want best battery life? Apple already has a solution for you. It's the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and Apple will gladly accept your payment of $1099.

That's the Apple strategy, upselling. Get you to spend more money than you wanted to. Apple wouldn't make something that makes you spend less money.

Fair enough ?

I used to have a 6s Plus and it was just too big for my hands. Now that I’ve got arthritis setting in, I simply cannot go over the standard size phones. ?

I mostly like the Apple OS and apps, so would just really like a phone that I only had to charge once or twice a week…

 

[Wizec]

That is not normal. Heck, not even my iPhone 8, which gets about two hours screen on-time over LTE, drops that fast when it is not connected to a charger. As you can see from the below screenshot, my battery charge level is at 90% after close to 24 hours from full charge.

View attachment 1945861

Yeah, it’s definitely not normal. The only thing I can think of as I mentioned earlier in this thread is that it’s the security tools that my employer installs on the phone. I think they drain the battery, but are somehow “special” and their true usage doesn’t get reported in the battery activity app.

 

[HalfFullmoon]

Yeah, it’s definitely not normal. The only thing I can think of as I mentioned earlier in this thread is that it’s the security tools that my employer installs on the phone. I think they drain the battery, but are somehow “special” and their true usage doesn’t get reported in the battery activity app.

That settles it. Your employer is recording you snoring. ?

 

[ian87w]

Fair enough ?

I used to have a 6s Plus and it was just too big for my hands. Now that I’ve got arthritis setting it, I simply cannot go over the standard size phones. ?

I mostly like the Apple OS and apps, so would just really like a phone that I only had to charge once or twice a week…

Yup. I myself is over the bigger is better phase. I find my S21 to be the perfect size.

Back to the discussion, the same reason why Apple will never make a 15" Macbook Air. Many people prefer the larger screen but have no need of the Pro performance. But nope, Apple wants you to pay up the whazoo if you want a larger screen Macbook.... ?