iPhone 11 Pro - 6 Months Later & iPhone 12 Wishlist!
**Long-Term Thoughts on the iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Comprehensive Review**
This video is sponsored by OWCA. It has been a little over six months since the iPhone 11 and the 11 Pro were released, and I have been using the iPhone 11 Pro Max as my main device every single day since its launch back in September. In this video, I will share some of my long-term thoughts about the iPhone 11 Pro Max over the past six-and-a-half months. I will also discuss some things I don't necessarily like about the phone and what I would like to see improved in the upcoming 2020 iPhones.
Before we dive into the details, make sure to subscribe to our channel and hit the bell icon to get notifications whenever we share a new video. Now, let's start with my thoughts on the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max is an excellent smartphone. I want to start by saying that because this video will focus more on what I would like to see Apple do differently with the next iPhone and some of the issues I'm currently having with this one. However, it's important to preface all of this by stating that it is still the best iPhone you can buy right now. I am a huge fan of its look and feel, even though I think the massive camera bump is ridiculous. You do get used to it, and it becomes less of a big deal over time, much like the notch was when Apple first introduced it.
If Apple were to do a redesign, I would be totally on board with bringing back the square, flat design they used in the iPhone 4 or the one they reintroduced with the 2018 iPad Pro. Performance-wise, the A12 Bionic chip has been fantastic overall. While I have noticed a few weird glitches, bugs, and hiccups here and there—just like everyone else has—I can't deny that this phone is as snappy, powerful, and fast as it was when it first launched.
When it comes to gaming, even though I don't do a lot of it, when I do play games on this device, it's a joy because there are no problems at all. The phone handles gaming effortlessly, making it a great experience. For photo editing, responding to countless emails, taking tons of pictures, and editing slideshows, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has been a reliable companion. Watching tons of media on its big, beautiful AMOLED display has also been an incredible experience, with significant improvements compared to previous models.
One of the standout features of the iPhone 11 Pro Max is its camera setup. Apple added an additional ultra-wide camera, and the hardware and software tweaks they made for image processing have made a huge difference compared to the 10s and now the 11 Pro. While I don't use the ultra-wide camera a whole lot, it's still a nice-to-have feature when you need to capture more in the frame without stepping back or having space to move. The inclusion of Night Mode has also made taking pictures in low-light scenarios much better. In my opinion, photos taken at night are no longer something I would instantly delete, as they used to be a couple of years ago.
However, despite all these positives, there is room for improvement. Let's talk about the battery life first. The iPhone 11 Pro Max started with excellent battery life, and Apple even made the phone slightly thicker to accommodate a larger battery, which we were all extremely happy about initially. But over time, I've noticed it draining faster, and my battery health is starting to take a hit. For example, on my iPhone 10, I never noticed the battery percentage go down until at least a couple of months ago, when the phone was about two years old. The same goes for my iPhone 8, which my wife used as her daily driver for a while and now has about 96% battery health.
On my iPhone 11 Pro Max, however, the battery health is currently sitting at 97%, which doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe there's something different in how Apple measures performance, or perhaps it's just not accurate. Either way, I am noticing that the battery is draining faster, and this has made me check the battery health more often—something I never had to do before.
Now, for charging your iPhone's battery, we've been doing it via the lightning cable for years. While this works fine, I would love to see Apple take the next step by fully adopting USB-C for charging. It's pretty frustrating to travel with all these different cables when my MacBook Pro and iPad Pro already use USB-C. With the help of some accessories, I can even charge my Apple Watch via a USB-C cable. The only thing missing is the ability to charge my iPhone using USB-C. While this might seem like a minor flaw, it's still an inconvenience.
Another hardware change I would love to see in the upcoming 2020 iPhones is the introduction of a 120Hz refresh rate display. Although the iPhone 11 Pro Max's display is fantastic and there's nothing wrong with it, having a higher refresh rate would be a nice-to-have feature, especially since many Android devices are starting to adopt 120Hz displays. Apple introduced this technology in its iPad Pro lineup a few years ago, so bringing it to the iPhone might not be too far off. While I know that a higher refresh rate could drain the battery faster, I personally love the buttery-smooth effect you get while scrolling and navigating the UI.
Additionally, as a quick bonus thought, I would love to see Apple bring back Touch ID in the form of an in-display fingerprint sensor. While Face ID has improved over time, there are still times when it doesn't recognize my face properly, especially when the phone is lying on a flat surface. Having a fingerprint sensor in conjunction with Face ID would give users more options and essentially fix all of my issues with Face ID. However, I don't think this feature will happen this year, as rumors suggest that 2020 might be too soon for its introduction.
In conclusion, while there are some minor issues with the iPhone 11 Pro Max—such as battery life degradation and the lack of USB-C charging—it's still an incredible device overall. Apple has done a fantastic job listening to its consumers over the past year and implementing real changes that people wanted to see. I really hope that Apple continues this trend in the upcoming 2020 iPhones.
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Even though we won't be doing a lot of traveling these days, you can make your setup portable throughout your home with the USB-C Travel Dock. This five-port dock plugs directly into your MacBook and expands your setup in more ways than ever before. For more information about these products and to see everything else OWCA has to offer, visit the link in the description below.
This has been your host [Your Name] from MacRumors. Thanks so much for watching, and I hope to see you around in the next video!