Feeling Underwhelmed and Disappointed with Apples 2024/25 Product Launch

I've had an iPhone 15 for 6 months now after 15 years of Android phones and I'm happy to say it's terrible.

The selection of apps is poor.
I find it's very glitchy, especially 3rd party apps that were working fine on my Android phones.
The camera is generally poor compared. My previous Xaomi 12T Pro before this had a 200mp camera.
The camera also doesn't have a Macro mode. C'mon apple! A £100 Samsung A05 has Macro mode!
The charging rate is poor compared my previous Xaomi which would charge at 120w (0-100% in ~20 mins) compared to the iPhone 15 which charges at 20w maximum.
And Apple CarPlay isn't a patch on Android Auto.

The entire package feels restrictive, I can't even explain it. It's just all round poor. It genuinely feels like it's been 'held back'. It's missing features I've become accustomed to for the last 3-5 years.

I'm so disappointed with my decision and looking forward to being able to ditch it for something else in the near future.
I felt the same way when I tried Android. Poor experience coming from earlier iPhone. We are similar , hate the change of known experience and apps. I liked extra features of Android however not polished at all nor working perfectly. Apple rips them off in later iOS and they work flawlessly.
 
I've had an iPhone 15 for 6 months now after 15 years of Android phones and I'm happy to say it's terrible.

The selection of apps is poor.
I find it's very glitchy, especially 3rd party apps that were working fine on my Android phones.
The camera is generally poor compared. My previous Xaomi 12T Pro before this had a 200mp camera.
The camera also doesn't have a Macro mode. C'mon apple! A £100 Samsung A05 has Macro mode!
The charging rate is poor compared my previous Xaomi which would charge at 120w (0-100% in ~20 mins) compared to the iPhone 15 which charges at 20w maximum.
And Apple CarPlay isn't a patch on Android Auto.

The entire package feels restrictive, I can't even explain it. It's just all round poor. It genuinely feels like it's been 'held back'. It's missing features I've become accustomed to for the last 3-5 years.

I'm so disappointed with my decision and looking forward to being able to ditch it for something else in the near future.
Xaomi Is a great camera phone, the Ultra 14 world class if your ok with Android and if photography is the major factor of a cell phone purchase regardless of the operating system.

However Xaomi does not sell phones/support their phones in the USA
You can buy one from a third party no warranty at $1000 USD
Unsure of reliability since so few are on our shores

Will not run on Verizon network which is a huge network here.
 
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We have also become an Apple household. It started with my wife because she was a teacher and that is what the schools used. I switched over a couple of years ago and am generally happy that I made the switch.

Last year my wife and I were at an amusement park and she decided to not hold onto her new iPhone 15. It flew off the rollercoaster and suffered a dramatic ending.
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Although the screen was obviously trashed, the phone would still take a charge and ring & ding when called or texted. Of course the wife now has a new 16 Pro. I should have tried one of those offers where you bring in your old phone for trade-in in any condition.
 
Dunno how to explain it but I have been iPhone since 2018 based on cost. $249 for a 64 Xs, $309 for a 13 Pro 256. When the 11 and 14 launched respectively. No trade. That’s the main reason I’ve had iPhone. The apps to me are childlike, meaning great for kids and elderly. I say this today, but who knows. I will never pay more than $500.00 for any smartphone or tablet.

In my work, everything, tablets, Rf, etc, are android enterprise. They’re for work, locking down, and security. Mostly for work and reliability.

Something as dumb as having one’s own ringtone or backing up files, apple is necessarily underwhelming.

But it’s no different than anything else, Apple is loved. People are willing to pay. Imagine driving a car with Yeti, Apple, Patagonia stickers on it. That tells everyone the good life rides inside!

Ok I’m poking fun at Apple. Their products tend to be expensive imho so if I were a fan it would bug me too if they underwhelmed.
 
I bought the Apple Watch Series 10. I think it’s a nice watch but I haven’t had any of the recent series except the 6 and from the 6 it’s a big upgrade. I hate the lack of colors though. I decided on silver because black is boring. Silver is too but better than black and rose gold is for girls lol. I love Apple products and am brand loyal to Apple but I always feel the years I’m ready to upgrade they miss the mark on colors lol. My next purchase will be an iMac hopefully in blue but will take anything except silver lol.
 
We have also become an Apple household. It started with my wife because she was a teacher and that is what the schools used. I switched over a couple of years ago and am generally happy that I made the switch.

Last year my wife and I were at an amusement park and she decided to not hold onto her new iPhone 15. It flew off the rollercoaster and suffered a dramatic ending.
View attachment 256810

Although the screen was obviously trashed, the phone would still take a charge and ring & ding when called or texted. Of course the wife now has a new 16 Pro. I should have tried one of those offers where you bring in your old phone for trade-in in any condition.
Nice! I would throw an iPhone 15 off a roller coaster if I knew my wife would buy me a Pro16 😂
(great choice)
 
The display on the pro models is much nicer.

I have a personal iPhone 15 Pro and my work phone is the iPhone 15. The pro is the nicer display. Is it $200 nicer is the question.

Look at both side to side and decide.

After I bought oilBabe her iPhone 15 Pro Max last year, I had to move from the 13 Pro I had to a 15 Pro. (Okay, had to is a bit strong, I really had envy, but didn't want the larger Pro Max.)

Frankly, the 16 or 16 Plus are both pretty solid performers relatively speaking. Moving to the Pro models, better cameras, faster CPU and better battery life relative to even the 15 Pro I have. I do know you can get more with some Android offerings.


I'm still debating updating my 15 Pro to a 16 Pro, but will wait to see how things roll out.

I'm considering moving my personal line to Boost as they have the smart network that uses Boost, ATT or TMO towers. oilBabe has been on it for the past year and it's worked well. It worked better than my Mint Mobile service did when we were in Alaska this summer.

They are offering a "free" year of service if you buy the phone outright from them. Essentially getting my iPhone 16 Pro for $800 as the year of service is worth $300. It would be an unlocked phone as well as their unlock policy is to immediately unlock if you buy it outright. The price is the same as if I bought it at the Apple store, so why not?

I'm sure I can get close to the $800 by selling off my 15 Pro, so the upgrade that I know I don't really need would be very low cost.

Yes, I know it's irrational. I just want to have the newest(ish) phone.

I don't treat myself to many things, but can treat myself to a new phone given I buy them outright and can sell them for 2/3rds of the new cost give or take after a year of use.
FWIW since this thread came up today.

I did buy the iPhone 16 Pro 256GB from Boost in October and ported my line from Mint to Boost.

Boost did unlock the phone since I paid in full.

My bill each month has been $1.70 as I have to pay the taxes.

I did sell my 15 Pro 256GB on FB marketplace and was pretty close to the target number. I didn't get hurt to say the least and someone got a well cared for iPhone 15 Pro.

I don't regret the upgrade because it was relatively few dollars out of pocket given the money recouped selling my year old phone.

I am getting accustomed to the Camera Control button. The cameras were an upgrade over the 15 Pro, and the newer processor is faster and more energy efficient, so it was a good move.

Evolutionary, not revolutionary.

I also sold my 13 mini and then picked up a 13 for a few dollars more on Black Friday.

That will be my phone to test various MVNOs.

I started a line on US Mobile and will play with the teleport feature. The line is currently on ATT, but I'll also try it on TMO and maybe VZN.

The offered phone number was a good one, so I'm tempted to hold on to this line just for fun.

Some people collect oil, I'm collecting phone numbers :)
 
I just upgraded from an iPhone 8 to a 16 Pro 512. Yes, it's a 'dated' design, but if it works as well as my 8, then it'll be around for a few years. I use Apple because everyone I know who has an Android seems to have a different operating system. No two seem alike. Not saying its a bad thing, just not for an old guy that doesn't like change. With Apple, it just plain works, and its familiar.
 
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