iPhone 13 Pro Max Looked at new iPhones - lost motivation to upgrade

[Adelphos33]

I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max - I was excited to update due to new color, dynamic island, camera improvements, but...

1) The new colors generally look inferior to iPhone 13 Pro Max - I couldn't tell the Deep Purple apart from Graphite / Space Black in the store. Sierra Blue still looks beauiful

2) Dynamic Island just looks like a new way to do things instead of adding funcitonality

3) I outright don't want always on display

4) Reports of battery life seem mediocre at best relative to the phone I have

5) iPhone 14 Plus, which I could upgrade due to lighter size and good color, seems to be an outright worse phone than my iPhone 13 Pro Max

I find it hard to want to upgrade. I may way until next year - at that point, maybe the "Plus" line will be a big enough upgrade (I still don't know if I want dynamic island or always on display - I basically want to buy the best phone without those two features)

 

[lordhamster]

I've got an iPhone 12 Pro Max and am a recovering yearly upgrader. I used to upgrade yearly and or even switch between Android/iPhone in between years sometimes. The first step is admitting I've got a problem, I know.

Anyway, having a 2 year old phone I was getting the itch, but watching the keynote I was so unimpressed I actually was at a point where the "hassle" of upgrading was what prevented me from doing so.

As for your list:

1. Don't care one iOta about the color since I generally put a case on the phone anyway. A few years back I bought my son a pink iPad because it was $10 less on an Amazon sale.
2. Dynamic island is neat, but I don't see what it brings me... certainly nothing that interests me enough to go through hassle.
3. I like always on displays... had them on my old Pixel in one of my android phases. But it isn't a killer feature for me, or really even a consideration when buying a phone. Nice to have yes, but not more than that.
4. Battery life - I'd give my left nut for a thicker phone with better battery. Give me an iPhone 15 Ultra where they make the body wider (flush with cameras) so I can get a better battery.
5. If I do an upgrade, I'm going for the Pro Max edition. I like big phones and I cannot lie.

 

[Ryan1524]

From your position with iPhone 13 Pro Max, I wouldn't upgrade either.

Wait for the 15 Ultra. There may be something more to your liking there.

 

[gtg465x]

I've got an iPhone 12 Pro Max and am a recovering yearly upgrader. I used to upgrade yearly and or even switch between Android/iPhone in between years sometimes. The first step is admitting I've got a problem, I know.

Anyway, having a 2 year old phone I was getting the itch, but watching the keynote I was so unimpressed I actually was at a point where the "hassle" of upgrading was what prevented me from doing so.

As for your list:

1. Don't care one iOta about the color since I generally put a case on the phone anyway. A few years back I bought my son a pink iPad because it was $10 less on an Amazon sale.
2. Dynamic island is neat, but I don't see what it brings me... certainly nothing that interests me enough to go through hassle.
3. I like always on displays... had them on my old Pixel in one of my android phases. But it isn't a killer feature for me, or really even a consideration when buying a phone. Nice to have yes, but not more than that.
4. Battery life - I'd give my left nut for a thicker phone with better battery. Give me an iPhone 15 Ultra where they make the body wider (flush with cameras) so I can get a better battery.
5. If I do an upgrade, I'm going for the Pro Max edition. I like big phones and I cannot lie.

I don't blame OP for not upgrading from a 13 Pro Max. Yearly upgrades are rarely worth it these days. I once upgraded multiple times per year, getting the latest and greatest Android phone, but I've gone 3 years and 2 years between my last couple upgrades since progress is much slower these days. That said, I'm happy that I upgraded from the 12 Pro Max to the 14 Pro Max. Even if you aren't impressed with the 13 PM -> 14 PM changes alone, when combined with the 12 PM -> 13 PM changes, it's a decent upgrade... I love ProMotion, I'm getting much better battery life, the screen gets noticeably brighter, the screen no longer has a green tint (especially bad on most 12s when displaying gray at low brightness), not to mention AOD, Dynamic Island, 48 MP camera, etc.

 

[bpeeps]

Then don't upgrade. Problem solved.

 

[Fat_Guy]

It didn’t really matter if I had the desire to upgrade or not.


What made me buy a 14 Pro Max was the fact my spare phone was a 6S Plus and was no longer supported. So if the 14 PM got lost or destroyed, even if I bought a replacement it would take days to make it function properly for my needs - I’m doing that now with the new phone so I know all about it - so the 12 PM is now my spare. If anything happens to the 14 I rock on with the 12 with all my apps and emails ready to go.



I wish I had the luxury not buy like some of you do. Also this may be the last year of the sim tray in Canada so I went 14, if I was in the States it would have been a 13 Pro Max (or buy a 14PM from Canada because I travel) and all because I need a second secure phone for business.

 

[compwiz1202]

I even went further and went to the Flip Side. Might return next year depending on how good the 15s are and if I miss the Apple ecosystem enough. Isn't so bad because I can use my SE on Wi-Fi for Apple things, and my wife has 13PM and iPad and Macbook Air

 

[jay968]

Every year, TV manufacturers come out with new TVs. Kitchen appliance companies come out with new appliances. Car manufacturers come out with new cars. Etc. How many of these things do you upgrade every year just because there is a slight improvement over last year's model?

I think the cell phone industry may finally have gotten to this point even though the industry itself does not want to face this reality. Sure, they'd love to see you plop down another grand every year but the fact is that unless there is any real reason to do so, it just doesn't make sense, especially if what you've got works well.

I never hated the notch and think the dynamic island is not only very gimmicky but even more obtrusive than the notch. I seriously don't need a camera that will be a very small upgrade, especially since I own a camera body that cost me over $3000 by itself anyway and makes cell phone photos look awful in comparison. Give up a physical SIM card slight? Why would I want to do that? Own a device with emergency satellite capabilities? Well maybe that's one plus but from what I hear, after the initial 2 year free time this may end up costing as much as another phone plan anyway...all for something I may never in my life have any need for?

Lots of people in these threads almost seem apologetic that they have decided not to upgrade, and many are looking for excuses to do so anyway. I myself have weighed the benefits of upgrading to a 14 even though my 12 works just fine. I honestly just cannot find that benefit.

 

[compwiz1202]

Every year, TV manufacturers come out with new TVs. Kitchen appliance companies come out with new appliances. Car manufacturers come out with new cars. Etc. How many of these things do you upgrade every year just because there is a slight improvement over last year's model?

I think the cell phone industry may finally have gotten to this point even though the industry itself does not want to face this reality. Sure, they'd love to see you plop down another grand every year but the fact is that unless there is any real reason to do so, it just doesn't make sense, especially if what you've got works well.

I never hated the notch and think the dynamic island is not only very gimmicky but even more obtrusive than the notch. I seriously don't need a camera that will be a very small upgrade, especially since I own a camera body that cost me over $3000 by itself anyway and makes cell phone photos look awful in comparison. Give up a physical SIM card slight? Why would I want to do that? Own a device with emergency satellite capabilities? Well maybe that's one plus but from what I hear, after the initial 2 year free time this may end up costing as much as another phone plane anyway...all for something I may never in my life have any need for?

Lots of people in these threads almost seem apologetic that they have decided not to upgrade, and many are looking for excuses to do so anyway. I myself have weighed the benefits of upgrading to a 14 even though my 12 works just fine. I honestly just cannot find that benefit.

We don't upgrade those other things because they are way more expensive and don't have insane trade in deals.

 

[MaskedCarrot]

We don't upgrade those other things because they are way more expensive and don't have insane trade in deals.

Exactly. If I could get a good trade in deal for my fridge at HomeDepot, sure I would upgrade it.

 

[Ryan1524]

Every year, TV manufacturers come out with new TVs. Kitchen appliance companies come out with new appliances. Car manufacturers come out with new cars. Etc. How many of these things do you upgrade every year just because there is a slight improvement over last year's model?

I think the cell phone industry may finally have gotten to this point even though the industry itself does not want to face this reality. Sure, they'd love to see you plop down another grand every year but the fact is that unless there is any real reason to do so, it just doesn't make sense, especially if what you've got works well.

I never hated the notch and think the dynamic island is not only very gimmicky but even more obtrusive than the notch. I seriously don't need a camera that will be a very small upgrade, especially since I own a camera body that cost me over $3000 by itself anyway and makes cell phone photos look awful in comparison. Give up a physical SIM card slight? Why would I want to do that? Own a device with emergency satellite capabilities? Well maybe that's one plus but from what I hear, after the initial 2 year free time this may end up costing as much as another phone plan anyway...all for something I may never in my life have any need for?

Lots of people in these threads almost seem apologetic that they have decided not to upgrade, and many are looking for excuses to do so anyway. I myself have weighed the benefits of upgrading to a 14 even though my 12 works just fine. I honestly just cannot find that benefit.

I agree that iPhones no longer need/should be a thing upgraded every year. The sweet spot is 3yrs, I think. Or perhaps every time there's a big form factor change. If I were coming from 12/13, I'd be hard pressed to find it worthwhile to upgrade.

However, coming from a X, this is one of the best experiences in tech in my recent memory. Everything is faster, more capable, smoother, and done in much higher quality than I've been accustomed to for the past 5 yrs. and no more battery anxiety and having to find a charger whenever I arrive anywhere.

When making a decision to upgrade, or not, always consider if it's a need or want. Don't worry about what others think. At minimum, does your device serve your needs? Anything more is luxury.

 

[davedvdy]

4) Reports of battery life seem mediocre at best relative to the phone I have

I've seen mixed results as well, though oddly Tom's Guide had the 14 Pro Max over 2 hours above the 13 Pro Max in their custom battery test. Some here and other tests have claimed to get the opposite results, but iOS 16 needs some updates to really tell too. Tom's Guide did show the opposite and worse results on the standard 14 Pro over the 13 Pro.

Unless you're a photography guru, people like ToddH here have had great results on the camera over last year. Granted, there could be further enhancements on this next year and you know the camera is going to be at minimum as good as this year. The screen brightness upgrade is another, but to many that is a marginal reason too.

As for the Dynamic Island, it's cool and has potential, but has limited practical use for now (at least for me). I personally slightly prefer the notch over the Dynamic Island until apps update around it, as it can be more intrusive since it cuts a bit more into the screen.

 

[jay968]

We don't upgrade those other things because they are way more expensive and don't have insane trade in deals.

True but not necessarily. Lots of things are less expensive than 800 to 1000 cell phones.

Good point about the trade in deals though. I guess I never go for those deals because I'd just as soon sell on ebay and make more for myself.

 

[Ryan1524]

I think it also depends on how much one uses their phone. There are people for whom the changes would be a game-changer. and for 95% others, it would make no difference. This is not something that should be decided based on what others do. It's a very personal choice.

 

[tuan time]

Then don't upgrade. Problem solved.

Exactly. No need to make a post about it to justify your feelings to yourself.

 

[I7guy]

I've got an iPhone 12 Pro Max and am a recovering yearly upgrader. I used to upgrade yearly and or even switch between Android/iPhone in between years sometimes. The first step is admitting I've got a problem, I know.

Anyway, having a 2 year old phone I was getting the itch, but watching the keynote I was so unimpressed I actually was at a point where the "hassle" of upgrading was what prevented me from doing so.

As for your list:

1. Don't care one iOta about the color since I generally put a case on the phone anyway. A few years back I bought my son a pink iPad because it was $10 less on an Amazon sale.
2. Dynamic island is neat, but I don't see what it brings me... certainly nothing that interests me enough to go through hassle.
3. I like always on displays... had them on my old Pixel in one of my android phases. But it isn't a killer feature for me, or really even a consideration when buying a phone. Nice to have yes, but not more than that.
4. Battery life - I'd give my left nut for a thicker phone with better battery. Give me an iPhone 15 Ultra where they make the body wider (flush with cameras) so I can get a better battery.
5. If I do an upgrade, I'm going for the Pro Max edition. I like big phones and I cannot lie.

I was going to hold out until the iPhone 15 ultra, but after getting spouse pro max, I want one. Sooooo….I will order one.

 

[SYCAMOREGRAD]

True but not necessarily. Lots of things are less expensive than 800 to 1000 cell phones.

Good point about the trade in deals though. I guess I never go for those deals because I'd just as soon sell on ebay and make more for myself.

It was nice to be included on the deals as an existing customer this year. $1000 off? I’ll take it! It’s almost like now, and has been, recently, that they pay ME to upgrade!

 

[compwiz1202]

It was nice to be included on the deals as an existing customer this year. $1000 off? I’ll take it! It’s almost like now, and has been, recently, that they pay ME to upgrade!

Yea my 13PM paid for all the new installments for my Z Flip 4.

 

[GMShadow]

I've seen mixed results as well, though oddly Tom's Guide had the 14 Pro Max over 2 hours above the 13 Pro Max in their custom battery test. Some here and other tests have claimed to get the opposite results, but iOS 16 needs some updates to really tell too. Tom's Guide did show the opposite and worse results on the standard 14 Pro over the 13 Pro.

Unless you're a photography guru, people like ToddH here have had great results on the camera over last year. Granted, there could be further enhancements on this next year and you know the camera is going to be at minimum as good as this year. The screen brightness upgrade is another, but to many that is a marginal reason too.

I think the iPhones 14 are very unoptimized at the moment, certainly moreso than usual for a new phone. Hopefully the battery life evens out - mine has been fine, but I know others are having issues.


As for me, yeah, it was a 2 year upgrade, but I was coming from a standard iPhone 12 and wanted the telephoto camera back I'd had with my 7+ and 8+, so that alone made it worth it, especially the new 48MP main camera.

 

[VuvuzelaiPhone]

OP, this is pretty unhealthy behavior. I sat through the 11, 12, and 13 without a thought - just continuing to enjoy my X. With the X showing its age, I bought a new phone. Now I will ignore the next releases for 4-5 years.

It was nice to be included on the deals as an existing customer this year. $1000 off? I’ll take it! It’s almost like now, and has been, recently, that they pay ME to upgrade!

I love that people assume this is good for them.

 

[monstermash]

I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max - I was excited to update due to new color, dynamic island, camera improvements, but...

1) The new colors generally look inferior to iPhone 13 Pro Max - I couldn't tell the Deep Purple apart from Graphite / Space Black in the store. Sierra Blue still looks beauiful

2) Dynamic Island just looks like a new way to do things instead of adding funcitonality

3) I outright don't want always on display

4) Reports of battery life seem mediocre at best relative to the phone I have

5) iPhone 14 Plus, which I could upgrade due to lighter size and good color, seems to be an outright worse phone than my iPhone 13 Pro Max

I find it hard to want to upgrade. I may way until next year - at that point, maybe the "Plus" line will be a big enough upgrade (I still don't know if I want dynamic island or always on display - I basically want to buy the best phone without those two features)

Yeah, I can't imagine having a 13 and upgrading to a 14 either. I mean...why?

 

[Spock]

Why are so many people complaining about the always on display? You can shut it off if you don't like it.

 

[davedvdy]

I think the iPhones 14 are very unoptimized at the moment, certainly moreso than usual for a new phone. Hopefully the battery life evens out - mine has been fine, but I know others are having issues.


As for me, yeah, it was a 2 year upgrade, but I was coming from a standard iPhone 12 and wanted the telephoto camera back I'd had with my 7+ and 8+, so that alone made it worth it, especially the new 48MP main camera.

Yeah I believe "unoptimized" is a great way to certainly put it. Power management seems to be a common denominator, but the 16.1 beta has been reported here to improve battery life and FPS issues in games for people.

it's hard for me to make a complete assessment of the OP's situation myself, as I went from a 13 Pro to a 14 Pro Max. In the ways I use the phone, it's mostly a really nice upgrade. Granted the weight and size are "upgraded" too, so there are of course trade offs.

 

[sjperformance]

Why are so many people complaining about the always on display? You can shut it off if you don't like it.

Because they expect more from it. Mine is on. I like it.

 

[Spock]

Because they expect more from it. Mine is on. I like it.

Mine is on as well. I like it.