It’s been almost a week since the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 5, and the iPad 7th Generation was announced. So after watching all the hands-on videos and looking through the specs, I’d like share some thoughts on the 2019 lineup.
The general reaction right after the keynote could be summarised in one word – disappointment. But as the days when by, the disappointment faded and people started being particularly impressed by some of the upgrades Apple made. But let’s face it, there is still a valid reason to be “disappointed”.
iPhone 11 and 11 Pro
If you have been following rumors, you’d know what to expect. But still, there was still sense of disappointment that Apple didn’t surprise us with some new features. Disappointment usually happens when expectations aren’t met. We’re impressed when we get something more than what we expect. So why was there disappointment right after the keynote. Here are my thoughts:
1. Many of the upgrades are assumed, not expected
Three cameras, better camera performance, Night Mode, faster processor, and better battery life. Guess what? All these were the main meat of the upgrades. There was nothing really new about the iPhone 11 or 11 Pro, even the design was the same. As such, this felt like an S update to the XR and XS. Every year these upgrades come automatically, so they are assumed and aren’t taken to be special at first glance.
In many ways, the upgrades such as three cameras and Night Mode is seen as Apple playing catchup to Android flagships, instead of innovation.
2. What was expected did not deliver
USB-C, bilateral charging, 120Hz, 128GB base storage, 5G, new design… All these weren’t present at all. Seems saddening Apple added the Pro monicker but stuck with Lightning, and even more frustrating that 64GB still remained as the base storage when 4K 60p is a norm on the new phones. People expected and wanted these new stuff but Apple didn’t make room for any of them, not even the 128GB base storage.
This was why people were disappointed. They didn’t get those new features they wanted.
But Apple always rolls out new stuff perfecting it…
After many days after the keynote, seeing hands-on and early reviews, people started to get more positive about the new iPhone 11 and 11 Pro. Why? Because most of the assumed upgrades are the highest in class.
Let’s talk about the new camera system – three cameras and Night Mode. Just by watching the keynote I was already impressed by the ability to switch through each camera seamlessly with the same color calibration. Even in video you can adjust the focal length, changing the focus live as you zoom in or out. All cameras now can shoot 4K 60p (yes, even the front).
What about real world performance? Well the early reviews have showed that the cameras are a class above the rest. You can read reviews by The Verge and Mashable, and they all share the same opinion – the new camera system is very impressive. HDR was further improved, and the new Night Mode has a very natural effect and preserves detail in the shot. Against the tough Pixel 3’s Night Sight, Apple’s Night Mode usually prevailed as the winner. Also, Apple’s Night Mode kicks in automatically and not as a separate feature which is pretty sweet.
Apart from the cameras, the battery improvement is also great – 4 and 5 hours more is a huge increase. And the new A13 Bionic chip is just leaps and bounds over the Android chips. There are also other improvements such as better screen contrast ratio, And also there’s some new stuff that Apple didn’t really talk about in their keynote – WiFi 6, U1 chip, Audio zoom, better FaceID.
The new iPhone 11 and 11 Pro is considered a big improvement if you’re a huge camera user (even if you’re using the XS). But if you’re not much of a camera user, then it’s probably hard for you to get impressed. People tend to judge Apple way too soon based on the specs listed on paper. Specs is one thing, but implementation is another. Apple has once again perfected their implementation of their new features.
Apple Watch Series 5
Ok I’m gonna keep this short because there really isn’t much to talk about. The new change is the always on display, which I think most Apple Watch users have been clamouring for. There aren’t that many new upgrades just because the Series 4 had so many great upgrades that I just can’t find anything new the Series 5 can do.
iPad 7th Generation
The move to 10.2-inch for me was a supply chain one. It now uses the exact same chasis as the iPad Air 3, which is pretty smart for Apple because one chasis can be used to make two devices. Another upgrade was the addition of the smart connector so you can now use Apple keyboards.
But other than that nothing much has changed. Apple still stuck with the A10 Fusion chip. I honestly expected an A11 at the very least.
The iPad 7th Gen was the true disappointment in this keynote (was surprised that it actually got featured). Basically other than a larger display, smart connector, support for eSIM and a Gigabit-class LTE connector, there is nothing new or special in this update.