iPhone 12 Pro Apple Certified Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro followed by iPhone 15 Pro next year vs. iPhone 14 Pro today

[Yebubbleman]

I'm currently on an iPhone XR. I bought that iPhone as a stopgap between my former iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 13/13 Pro, however, I never got around to upgrading. At this point, I'm leaning more toward the Pro series because I really do miss the telephoto lens from the 7/8 Plus. That and I'm not the most jazzed about the XR's camera. Given all of this, I think it's upgrade time.

I'm leaning toward one of two possible directions on this (given the above):

Either I:

A. Replace my iPhone XR with an iPhone 14 Pro and roll with that phone for the next 2-4 years (or however long it goes before either it breaks, falls apart, dies, or otherwise annoys me to the point of being compelled to replace it).

OR

B. Replace my iPhone XR with an Apple Certified Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro and roll with that phone for the next 1-2 years before replacing it with whatever the would-be iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro would be (assuming Apple doesn't add the things that are making me want to lean Pro to the standard non-Pro models).


Option A gives me a good upgrade and is less complicated on the whole task of switching phones. I like that about it. However, there are a few things that give me a little bit of pause on the iPhone 14 Pro as an option:

- The "Dynamic Island" is super cool; though, it kind of seems like the first generation of a feature that will mature in its second release in the same way that the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID did in the iPhone Xs/Xs Max/XR from its original implementation in the iPhone X and in the same way that Touch ID did from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6 and later. Plus, I'd imagine it won't be an iPhone Pro exclusive feature forever (Face ID eventually made it to every non-SE iPhone).

- USB-C is coming to the iPhones. It's inevitable. I think that not having a headphone jack and having to use a splitter with Lightning to be able to power and play audio from one's iPhone was super annoying for the iPhone 7-14 phones as the audio quality while charging would always be crap compared to solely using the port for one of those two functions at a time. I haven't tested this with my fourth generation iPad Air, but I'd imagine that USB-C is leaps and bounds better for this kind of splitting than Lightning would be.

- I'm naturally wary of big display differences and being an early adopter to them given that developers have to adjust their apps to accomodate properly. My guess is that any app that was fine on the iPhone 13 Pro won't need much to work and not look weird on the iPhone 14 Pro, but it's an added annoyance sometimes. This wouldn't be a dealbreaker in and of itself for me, but it's something I try to be conscious of when spending a grand on any iDevice.

I'm otherwise split down the middle as to which course of action (of the two I've mentioned) to follow. I just know that this is the year that I'm upgrading. What say you all?

 

[B_mark_R]

I'd go witht he 14. To me it's looking like the most perfect and refined iphone ever, less the lightning port, and you just don't know what the future will bring. The 15 and 16 could be disappointing.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I'd go witht he 14. To me it's looking like the most perfect and refined iphone ever, less the lightning port, and you just don't know what the future will bring. The 15 and 16 could be disappointing.

The only way the 15 Pro or 16 Pro would be disappointing to me is if they radically changed something that would increase the likelihood of a problem down the road. Or if Apple decided to stall and not up it to whatever next SoC that some other devices would otherwise receive.

Otherwise, waiting on Dynamic Island to mature and for USB-C are compelling reasons. I'm just not sure if they're the most practical reasons to hold. Certainly if the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max are akin to the iPhone X in terms of having first generation implementation of game-changing iPhone technologies (e.g. Touch ID, Face ID/TrueDepth, Dynamic Island, etc.) then it might make sense to wait for a more substantial upgrade, especially if I'm also waiting for USB-C to replace Lightning and potentially offer me a better solution to the whole not having a headphone jack, but wanting to both power my phone and listen to music out of my pre-CarPlay-era Honda.

 

[B_mark_R]

Rumors are point to a redesign for the 15 so you'll want to avoid that model so it's down to 14 or 16. The 16 maybe a folding phone....so.....

 

[Yebubbleman]

Rumors are point to a redesign for the 15 so you'll want to avoid that model so it's down to 14 or 16. The 16 maybe a folding phone....so.....

Hmm...I've only heard the USB-C stuff for the 15. Plus, we've only had three cycles of flat edges (versus 2014 to 2019's worth of rounded edges from iPhone 6 to 11).

 

[I7guy]

I’m upgrading my wife’s XR. It’s 4 years and it’s time. Got a pro max. Can’t overthink buying a new phone. The next iPhone is always the one that’s the greatest and best and has the can’t live without feature.

Not upgrading deprives one from use of features that may be useful to them. And it always takes a year to smooth out ios.

If usb c is a must have feature you have your answer.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I’m upgrading my wife’s XR. It’s 4 years and it’s time. Got a pro max. Can’t overthink buying a new phone. The next iPhone is always the one that’s the greatest and best and has the can’t live without feature.

Not upgrading deprives one from use of features that may be useful to them. And it always takes a year to smooth out ios.

If usb c is a must have feature you have your answer.

I'm not in it for "can't live without it" features. I'm more in it for stability and reliability.

Also, it's not overthinking when it costs $1000 or more.

Also, USB-C is inevitable. The question is do I want it next year or when I feel like replacing the 14 Pro that I'd buy. The audio situation is my chief concern. Otherwise, the cable I use to charge my phone doesn't make too much of a difference to me (I have a bunch of both, but I primarily use Qi chargers anyway).

 

[roland.g]

I would get the 14 Pro over the 12 Pro to then be replaced by the 15 or 16 Pro in 1-2 years. Why? I think that I have so much lightning stuff that I would prefer to get what will likely be the last lightning iPhone and have it for 2-4 years or longer before having to complete the USB-C transition. You mentioned splitting? What are you splitting? Power and audio on the lightning connection? What sort of corded audio are you using in 2022?

 

[ian87w]

I'm currently on an iPhone XR. I bought that iPhone as a stopgap between my former iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 13/13 Pro, however, I never got around to upgrading. At this point, I'm leaning more toward the Pro series because I really do miss the telephoto lens from the 7/8 Plus. That and I'm not the most jazzed about the XR's camera. Given all of this, I think it's upgrade time.

I'm leaning toward one of two possible directions on this (given the above):

Either I:

A. Replace my iPhone XR with an iPhone 14 Pro and roll with that phone for the next 2-4 years (or however long it goes before either it breaks, falls apart, dies, or otherwise annoys me to the point of being compelled to replace it).

OR

B. Replace my iPhone XR with an Apple Certified Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro and roll with that phone for the next 1-2 years before replacing it with whatever the would-be iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro would be (assuming Apple doesn't add the things that are making me want to lean Pro to the standard non-Pro models).


Option A gives me a good upgrade and is less complicated on the whole task of switching phones. I like that about it. However, there are a few things that give me a little bit of pause on the iPhone 14 Pro as an option:

- The "Dynamic Island" is super cool; though, it kind of seems like the first generation of a feature that will mature in its second release in the same way that the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID did in the iPhone Xs/Xs Max/XR from its original implementation in the iPhone X and in the same way that Touch ID did from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6 and later. Plus, I'd imagine it won't be an iPhone Pro exclusive feature forever (Face ID eventually made it to every non-SE iPhone).

- USB-C is coming to the iPhones. It's inevitable. I think that not having a headphone jack and having to use a splitter with Lightning to be able to power and play audio from one's iPhone was super annoying for the iPhone 7-14 phones as the audio quality while charging would always be crap compared to solely using the port for one of those two functions at a time. I haven't tested this with my fourth generation iPad Air, but I'd imagine that USB-C is leaps and bounds better for this kind of splitting than Lightning would be.

- I'm naturally wary of big display differences and being an early adopter to them given that developers have to adjust their apps to accomodate properly. My guess is that any app that was fine on the iPhone 13 Pro won't need much to work and not look weird on the iPhone 14 Pro, but it's an added annoyance sometimes. This wouldn't be a dealbreaker in and of itself for me, but it's something I try to be conscious of when spending a grand on any iDevice.

I'm otherwise split down the middle as to which course of action (of the two I've mentioned) to follow. I just know that this is the year that I'm upgrading. What say you all?

Just go directly with the 14 Pro. Why waste time and money on a 12 Pro if you would upgrade again in 1 or 2 years? Go ahead with the 14 Pro and enjoy it for 4 years.

What would USB-C change the way you use your current iPhone? Probably nothing. It's just a charging cable, and even lightning on the XR onwards already supports USB-PD fast charging.

The 12 series has inferior efficiency than even the 11 series due to their smaller batteries and early version of the 5G modem. I would avoid them. Just go straight to the 14 Pro.

 

[MrAperture]

I'm currently on an iPhone XR. I bought that iPhone as a stopgap between my former iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 13/13 Pro, however, I never got around to upgrading. At this point, I'm leaning more toward the Pro series because I really do miss the telephoto lens from the 7/8 Plus. That and I'm not the most jazzed about the XR's camera. Given all of this, I think it's upgrade time.

I'm leaning toward one of two possible directions on this (given the above):

Either I:

A. Replace my iPhone XR with an iPhone 14 Pro and roll with that phone for the next 2-4 years (or however long it goes before either it breaks, falls apart, dies, or otherwise annoys me to the point of being compelled to replace it).

OR

B. Replace my iPhone XR with an Apple Certified Refurbished iPhone 12 Pro and roll with that phone for the next 1-2 years before replacing it with whatever the would-be iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro would be (assuming Apple doesn't add the things that are making me want to lean Pro to the standard non-Pro models).


Option A gives me a good upgrade and is less complicated on the whole task of switching phones. I like that about it. However, there are a few things that give me a little bit of pause on the iPhone 14 Pro as an option:

- The "Dynamic Island" is super cool; though, it kind of seems like the first generation of a feature that will mature in its second release in the same way that the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID did in the iPhone Xs/Xs Max/XR from its original implementation in the iPhone X and in the same way that Touch ID did from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6 and later. Plus, I'd imagine it won't be an iPhone Pro exclusive feature forever (Face ID eventually made it to every non-SE iPhone).

- USB-C is coming to the iPhones. It's inevitable. I think that not having a headphone jack and having to use a splitter with Lightning to be able to power and play audio from one's iPhone was super annoying for the iPhone 7-14 phones as the audio quality while charging would always be crap compared to solely using the port for one of those two functions at a time. I haven't tested this with my fourth generation iPad Air, but I'd imagine that USB-C is leaps and bounds better for this kind of splitting than Lightning would be.

- I'm naturally wary of big display differences and being an early adopter to them given that developers have to adjust their apps to accomodate properly. My guess is that any app that was fine on the iPhone 13 Pro won't need much to work and not look weird on the iPhone 14 Pro, but it's an added annoyance sometimes. This wouldn't be a dealbreaker in and of itself for me, but it's something I try to be conscious of when spending a grand on any iDevice.

I'm otherwise split down the middle as to which course of action (of the two I've mentioned) to follow. I just know that this is the year that I'm upgrading. What say you all?

Is the iPhone 13 Pro available from your phone carrier? T-mobile has them for $899.99.

 

[ian87w]

Is the iPhone 13 Pro available from your phone carrier? T-mobile has them for $899.99.

For $100 difference, imo it’s better to just get the 14 Pro. Newer chip, no notch, 48MP camera, front facing camera with auto focus, photonics engine, action mode, there are actually plenty of good reasons to make the 14 Pro worth the extra $100.

 

[I7guy]

I'm not in it for "can't live without it" features. I'm more in it for stability and reliability.

Also, it's not overthinking when it costs $1000 or more.

Also, USB-C is inevitable. The question is do I want it next year or when I feel like replacing the 14 Pro that I'd buy. The audio situation is my chief concern. Otherwise, the cable I use to charge my phone doesn't make too much of a difference to me (I have a bunch of both, but I primarily use Qi chargers anyway).

Seems you have too many variables that have to be whittled down:
1. should I spend the money
2. should I wait....is the iphone 15 going to be at a level that would make me happy
3. Am I going to miss out by not getting the iphone 14

What I would do, is if I was that unsure I would wait until next year.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Rumors are point to a redesign for the 15 so you'll want to avoid that model so it's down to 14 or 16. The 16 maybe a folding phone....so.....

So redesigns even matter when phones nearly all look the same if you put a case on it?

14 Pro represents a BIG change e.g pill shaped camera cutout and new camera sensors with 48 megapixels. 15 Pro is likely to be a negligible step up.

 

[MrAperture]

For $100 difference, imo it’s better to just get the 14 Pro. Newer chip, no notch, 48MP camera, front facing camera with auto focus, photonics engine, action mode, there are actually plenty of good reasons to make the 14 Pro worth the extra $100.

If OP was considering refurbed iPhone 12 Pro I wanted to give another option. 48MP camera in a phone sounds ridiculous. Huge file sizes and what if the OP doesn’t care much for latest tech in photos and videos?

 

[Yebubbleman]

Seems you have too many variables that have to be whittled down:
1. should I spend the money
2. should I wait....is the iphone 15 going to be at a level that would make me happy
3. Am I going to miss out by not getting the iphone 14

What I would do, is if I was that unsure I would wait until next year.

Really, you could simplify it down to that second point. The other two aren't all that big of a concern.

So redesigns even matter when phones nearly all look the same if you put a case on it?

14 Pro represents a BIG change e.g pill shaped camera cutout and new camera sensors with 48 megapixels. 15 Pro is likely to be a negligible step up.

Redesigns only matter to me in terms of under-the-hood component changes and what they mean for overall reliability. If I could be guaranteed that every Rev A product coming out of a brand new design would be no less reliable than the previous model from a more mature design, then a brand new design wouldn't matter to me one way or another. As it stands, with Apple's track record, new designs scare me more than they entice me. (Though, if I'm being honest, they entice me for when the design matures enough to ease my fears.)

If OP was considering refurbed iPhone 12 Pro I wanted to give another option. 48MP camera in a phone sounds ridiculous. Huge file sizes and what if the OP doesn’t care much for latest tech in photos and videos?

I'm coming from the iPhone XR's camera, which I'm completely sick of. I don't think I need a 48MP camera, but certainly, there are other iPhone 13 Pro era camera advancements that are alluring to me. Though, honestly, give me the telephoto lens that I had on my old 7 Plus back and that'll be a fantastic start.