iPhone 15 Pro Max Exit Interview

September 19, 2024
4 min read

Unfortunately, last year, despite finally getting my hands on a new phone (god it was in limited supply), I neglected to write a review for the first time ever. Nevertheless, after a year of use, I want to maintain at least one tradition: conducting an exit interview for the phone I’ve relied on over the past year. It’s quite fitting to publish this the day before new models are released.

Design

As you might know, I’ve been going back and forth between the Pro and Pro Max models over the years. During my use of the 14 Pro Max, I was once again leaning towards the smaller model because it was just too heavy. Fortunately, Apple has addressed the issue. The new phone is made from titanium, which makes it lighter. Though the difference might not be striking on paper, it is a night and day difference in hand. The Pro Max is now comfortably usable.

After the presentation, I was immediately drawn to the Natural Titanium color. While there’s been considerable criticism for not offering more colors in the Pro line, I find the Natural Titanium stunning. It changes beautifully under different lighting conditions.

I initially bought a couple of cases during the first week, but they quickly found themselves unused. The phone feels and looks so exquisite that I couldn’t bring myself to cover it with a case.

USB-C

This is one big finally, albeit with a small caveat. The convenience of having a single charger for all devices cannot be overstated. However, Lightning connectors are still a part of our lives—I’m eagerly waiting for my AirPods Pro to give out so I can upgrade to a USB-C model (and what’s going on with the AirPods Max, Apple?). Additionally, the mouse and trackpad still use Lightning connectors. Nevertheless, while traveling, the reduction in the number of cables I need to carry is definitely a plus.

The caveat? I’m not particularly fond of the USB-C connection. One of the nice things about Lightning was the satisfying click it made when connecting to a device. USB-C lacks this feature. I know it might seem trivial, but that small detail made a noticeable difference.

Camera

The other big feature that pushed me towards the larger size is the 5x telephoto lens. It is almost perfect, and I love using it. This is probably my favorite lens on an iPhone ever. The shots you can get are amazing. Maybe it just suits my style (I’ve been reading different opinions), but I couldn’t ask for a better lens in terms of crop, of course. I would welcome improvements to the lens itself anytime. Previously, I barely used the ultra-wide lens and didn’t care much for the digital 2x, as the quality is just not there.

Battery

This one actually surprised me, and not in a positive way. Typically, when I get a new phone, I’m reminded how good life with a 100% battery is. However, this time, the battery life of my new phone was disappointingly similar to that of my year-old device. I can’t recall a single day when I didn’t have to recharge it at least once. It’s interesting how I would use the 15 Pro, but this year, the battery has really been a problem for me.

There Was One Other Thing…

As I was wrapping up the conclusion, it struck me that I hadn’t mentioned the Action Button. This oversight is actually quite fitting, as I often forget it exists. After giving it some thought, I decided to assign a Shortcut for adding tasks to the Inbox of Things. Now, whenever something comes to mind, I simply press the button and jot down the thought, idea, quote, or whatever it may be, to deal with later.

Conclusion

The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes one of the top spots in my iPhone ranking, right up there with the iPhone 4S and, more recently, the iPhone 12 Pro Max. It feels much better in hand due to the weight reduction. The addition of USB-C has made life a bit easier. The 5x camera is great fun. Oh, and there is a new button…

The iPhone 15 Pro Max secures a top position in my iPhone rankings, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with classics like the iPhone 4S and the more recent iPhone 12 Pro Max. The weight reduction makes it remarkably more comfortable to hold. The inclusion of USB-C has made life a bit easier, while the 5x camera is just great fun. Oh, and there is a new button… 

Apple in 2021: My Report Card

March 20, 2022
6 min read

For a couple of years now, Jason Snell at Six Colors asks people in tech to rate Apple in different categories. I like this idea to look back and give my opinion. I started last year and decided to keep a tradition (albeit a bit late).

Mac

Grade: B

Don’t get me wrong – M1 Max and M1 Pro are great for someone who needs it, but Apple didn’t do any hardware for me. Those 14” and 16” are too heavy, over-powered, and expensive for what I do. I still love my MacBook Air with M1, it is a great laptop, but we are still waiting for a redesign.

I like how iMac with M1 looks, those colors are great, but it’s small, so I’m still waiting for something bigger. Or for Apple display that doesn’t cost like a used car.

I think B is a good score, but compared with the year when the M1 was first introduced and the improvement the new MacBook Air was, it doesn’t compare favorably.

iPhone

Grade: B

Again, solid year for an iPhone, but I was so much in love with 12 Pro Max the year before that feelings from iPhone 13 Pro are much more neutral, comparatively. It is a great phone, better in some ways, but the telephoto lens is still a hit or miss. With 12 Pro Max, I loved shooting with it, this year, not so much. The rail is all scratched up, although the previous phone looked like a new one after a year of use.

iOS 15 didn’t bring many new features. It works, and the Live Text feature is spectacular, but that is mostly all the progress for the year. And I find myself restarting the phone pretty often, because of some small bugs.

iPad

Grade: B

The first category to improve year after year. Maybe the issue is with me, not with Apple, but I hear a lot of similar sentiment in Apple centred podcasts – I finally use the iPad for what it is, a remarkable consumption device. Before, I’ve set out to replace my laptop with an iPad Pro, and it worked. But was a bit worse in numerous things. Last year iPad mini came out and oh boy it is great. Yeah, the screen is lacking a bit, but otherwise it is a fantastic device. Small, but with the screen large enough to be comfortable, looks great, fast. And it finally allows an iPad to be the best iPad it can and not attempting to be something else.

Watch and Wearables

Wearables – Grade: C

Watch – Grade: B

I’m still waiting for the AirPods Pro update. The ones I have are already dying after just one year (the regular AirPods worked for 2 years). The battery doesn’t hold anymore, and the case glitches all the time, attempting to connect, even though it is closed. The AirPods Max are still too expensive and not comfortable to take with you.

Apple Watch on the other hand (sorry) is a different story. I don’t agree with those saying that this is a small update. I like my Series 7. I love the bigger screen and improved sensors (compared to my previous Series 5). But I have to mention that software is lacking a lot. All the watch faces are bad, each in their own way. There are not many apps. It becomes too passive device for such a price.

Apple TV

Grade: E

I don’t think anything changed much. Yes, the remote got updated, but it is still the same overpriced box, that I can’t recommend to anyone, but Apple fanboys.

Services

Grade: F

This is a bit emotional grade, but where do I start? First, it is a year 2022 and the best tier of Apple One is still not available in Latvia. That means I’m overpaying for the storage because I have to pay for Apple One Family and additional 2 TB of storage, since I have a bit more than 400 GB stored in iCloud. Apple needs to add the Premier tier everywhere or give more options for storage upgrade.

Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+ are still not available in Latvia, as in most of the world. Apple Music apps are a joke. Everyone is enraged with 1Password going Electron, but Apple Music is so much worse.

Activity app on Apple Watch is making things worse, not better. I’ve been wearing Oura ring and after comparing the two, I can’t believe I’ve listened to those prompts. Apple Watch is constantly trying to push you – more, faster, more effort. Regardless of how you feel. I’ve had COVID-19 and Apple Watch expected me to close all the rings every day. While I woke up a bit under the weather with Oura ring, and it noticed and recommended I take things easier, maybe even take some rest days. I think Apple Watch Activity can be harmful.

HomeKit

Grade: D

It’s the app that exists. I love my colorful Hue lamps, but I mostly use them through Hue app. If you want a HomeKit enabled camera, you’ll have to look around for some time.

Hardware Reliability

Grade: A

Although I mentioned problems with AirPods Pro, this is the product from before. I don’t see any major issues with the offered hardware. I don’t even remember any of the new “gates”, which says a lot.

Software Quality

Grade: B

As I said, I’m restarting my phone quite a lot, the software is okay, but can be much better. I think there is a lot to cover and Apple needs some time and resources, and it will get better.

Developer Relations

Grade: E

Whatever you think of the Apple vs Epic conflict, it appeared only because Apple is bad at “relations”. Sony and Microsoft have both even worse deals in their stores, but nobody says a thing because they manage it much better. Apple, on the other hand, thinks only developers have to pray to them. But it is a two-way street, and there is no App Store without developers. The sooner Apple will understand that the better. Otherwise, they will be dragged through all the courts all over the world and the result will be much worse than if they made the changes themselves.

Environmental and Social Issues

Grade: C

Apple still is dependent on China. I don’t think anything changed or can be changed in the nearest future. So, no change in the grade year over year.

iPhone 13 Pro – How Great Became Even Better

December 23, 2021
4 min read

As I wrote in the iPhone 12 Pro Max exit interview — it was a great phone. So, imagine that, but a bit better in almost everything. That is how you get iPhone 13 Pro.

This year I decided to go for a smaller one, since everything except for the screen size and battery is identical. Although I sometimes wish for a bigger screen in a day-to-day use, Pro Max is too unwieldy.

You can see how much bigger the Pro Max display really is
You can see how much bigger the Pro Max display really is

As it is not too different from the last year model, here are the things I’ve noticed the most.

Design

Last year, after a lot of consideration, I decided to go with the Gold phone. I still think that was the right choice. It is a fantastic colour, which goes with many accessories. This year I went with an updated colour – Sierra Blue. I preferred not to have the same colour two years in a row, and I don’t care for a silver one. If I was buying a phone now, I would go for a Gold colour again. It is so much better. You are very confined in colours you can pair your phone with. Choosing cases or skins is much harder now.

Although I went for a smaller phone because it is almost impossible to use Pro Max with one hand, it didn’t solve the problem. Whilst 13 Pro is great in terms of the size, it is very heavy. So using it with one hand for a bit longer time is still tricky.

Screen

One day my phone asked me if I wanted to turn on Low-Power mode, since the battery got below 20%, I did. After a couple of minutes, I’ve tried using it and scrolling felt really janky. I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I tried restarting it, since I thought there might be something killing the processor. After the restart — the same thing happened. That is when I realised — Low-Power mode turns off ProMotion. So for me, whatever anyone tells you — 120 Hz screen is legit. I didn’t have such realisation with a iPad Pro because I never put it in Low-Power mode, so the ProMotion works all the time.

The notch is a bit smaller – narrower. It feels like it is actually taller, and for a couple of weeks I was noticing it a lot.

Camera

12 Pro Max had a remarkable camera. So much so, I decided to sell my “real” camera. Here, the ultra-wide got improved, and it is noticeable, so did the main camera, but I’ve started to enjoy 2.5x telephoto a lot, so I was hoping for an improvement in the 13 Pro. Unfortunately, the new telephoto lens is very hit or miss. In a very bright light it is good, but the moment sun goes away the quality is just not there. After getting used to the telephoto on the previous phone, I’m regularly saddened by the results now.

Although, everyone was talking about Macro mode, I still have to make one photo with it. Maybe it’s just not my thing, but I’m forgetting it even exists. I know in the future iOS version they’ll put a dedicated button, possibly that will prompt me to use it more. And whenever I look at the photos made in Macro mode, most of them are low quality.

I also had to read another iPhone 13 review to remember that there is a Cinematic mode. Perhaps it is more of a me problem, but I have yet to shoot a video with it.

It was not necessary to replace the year–old iPhone, but I wanted to get a smaller phone. Only after getting one ProMotion and a better main camera got me. It is a no-brainer update for a 2–year old or older iPhone. If you don’t need to change a phone because of size or weight, I would skip upgrading from the 12 series. Unless you want to. Don’t let people on the internet dictate you what to do.

iPhone 12 Pro Max — Exit Interview

November 11, 2021
3 min read

I started writing this after listening to the ATP episode (where I got the idea) which was after Apple announced the iPhone 13 lineup and had a bit of trouble. I could have put it in a tweet — the iPhone 12 Pro Max is good, with some caveats. But after I got my iPhone 13 Pro, transferred all the data, used it for a couple of days and picked up my previous phone — I had a bit of nostalgia. I wasn’t regretting the upgrade, but I’ve had this feeling — it was a superb phone, which helped me get through the year, and I love it.

After a year, I can definitely say — the Pro Max is a different kind of beast. As I mentioned in my review it is big and so for me, it meant I’ve used it a lot — to read, watch videos, play games, even write. Now that I’ve used a smaller phone for a bit, I use it differently. It almost feels like Pro Max phone can be your only computer.

Design

I love it. After a lot of going back and forth between Midnight Blue and Gold, I chose Gold and bought my first non-black iPhone, and I still love the colour. I love the edges, the substantial weight. What I actually don’t love is the size. With those edges and going a bit bigger, Pro Max is finally too big.

Camera

I’ve upgraded to the 12 from iPhone XS Max, which, although I didn’t think at the time of my review, in hindsight had the worst camera comparatively of every other iPhone. The photos were over-sharpened, there were many details lost. While looking through the photo library, I can easily spot photos taken with XS Max (and not in a good way).

So updating to the iPhone 12 Pro Max camera system was marvellous. This was the first time I was genuinely surprised while looking at photos taken with the phone. And as a result, I’m selling my Olympus camera. Don’t get me wrong, the “real” camera still takes better photos, but the hassle of taking it with me, transferring and editing photos is not worth it anymore for me. Photos became truly “good enough” with that revision of the iPhone.

Battery

As is every year with a phone, it starts with an astonishing battery. iPhone 12 Pro Max was not an exception. I would start my day at around 7AM and end it at 11PM, and it still would have 40% battery left with normal use. After a year, it is not the case, unfortunately. With battery health at 95%, I find myself charging the phone in the middle of the day or ending it with less than 10%.

Verdict

All in all, I think iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of the best iPhones to date. The camera is so much better, the design is great. There are not a lot of things lacking. I’ve enjoyed using it a lot and will even miss it.

Some Thoughts On Apple Event – September 2021

September 18, 2021
2 min read

It was yet another Apple event during the pandemic. I’m sure if you’ve watched at least one you will have a feeling about how it went.

iPad

Although updating the “no description iPad” iPad is great – it is an astonishing value for money, what surprised everyone was an updated iPad mini. It got an iPad Pro like design – doesn’t have home button, supports 2nd generation Apple Pencil and is available in a couple of different colors. This is iPad I’ve been waiting for and will definitely be getting one.

Apple Watch

It’s funny how wrong rumor sites were. It’s a nice upgrade with a bigger screen, I actually noticed a couple of months ago how big the bezel around the screen is in the current version and it looks like the Series 7 will solve that.

What I don’t like are the colors. I need to see them in person, but from the photos I only like stainless steel ones and they are either not available in Latvia or are ridiculously expensive.

I think Apple Watch is a perfect device for a two year upgrade. The battery in my Series 5 is sure ready to be replaced. I just need to choose the version.

iPhone

Although it might look like nothing much on the outside, it seems to be totally reworked on the inside. I love the bigger battery and updated cameras. I didn’t care much about Cinematic video, since it looked like the first Portrait mode version (not good).

The blue Pro looks okay, but I will need to see it in person. Pink non-Pro model looks amazing, I would get it if I was buying one.

I will be upgrading to the 13. This time just a regular Pro, since Pro Max doesn’t offer anything better in terms of camera. 

I know a lot of people are somehow disappointed by the event, but I thought it was a strong one. There were no boring demos or store updates, we’ve got some new devices and even a surprise. You can count it as a success in my book. 

Purple iPhone 12 mini

May 20, 2021
2 min read

When iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max came out, it was very hard to get the latter on the first day (believe me, I jumped through all the hoops possible to get it), while the smallest one was in abundance in every store. I handled it at the store once and loved the size.

So, when recently my mom decided to upgrade her iPhone 7, I recommended the all new 12 mini in purple. She asked for help to set it up, so I had an opportunity to use it for a bit in a non-stressful environment of a masked-up store.

It fits perfectly in the hand, I was a proponent of bigger screens when the Plus size phones came out, but maybe it’s an age thing, or device fatigue, but the mini size feels perfect.

I even seriously considered changing my 12 Pro Max for 12 Mini, but I use my phone for photography a lot and I can’t say I am a great photographer, so whatever help I can get from better technology — I’m up for that.

I actually checked using Smart Folder tip from David Smith and 31% of photos were taken using telephoto lens. And this year I feel like I use it even more, so the absence of this lens would be very noticeable for me.

In a perfect world, where iPhone mini gets a better camera system and iPad mini gets updated with Pro-like design, the combination of M-series 13” laptop, iPad mini and iPhone Mini would be perfect, but now, I still have my gold iPhone 12 Pro Max and massive iPad Pro.

Apple Event — April 2021

April 20, 2021
5 min read

Long time since the last event and finally, we got one in 2021. There were many rumours, so let’s see what came true.

Services

The first and the most boring thing announced — Apple Card Family. You can now share credit as a couple and you can order a card for your 13-year-old. If you are in USA, that is.

Apple also announced Apple Podcast subscriptions. There were no details shared, except that you will be able to subscribe for ad-free listening, early access and more. What’s good — it will be available in 170 regions and countries from the start, which will be next month.

iPhone

Apple
Apple

It was surprising to hear “iPhone” as a part of the spring presentation, but there is just the new purple color for iPhone 12 and 12 Mini. Looks good and I like the precedent of updating colours. They did this with red before, but this is more similar to seasonal Apple Watch band additions.

Find My — AirTags

AirTags are released. Finally. Although not sure if many people are waiting for them. They use Find My network, you can personalise them with text or emoji. There are cases, including $300 — $400 Hermes ones.

If you have iPhone 12 with U1 chip, you can use Precision finding which shows you the precise location of the tag and navigates you to it. They cost $29 for one and $99 for the pack of four. Available April 30.

What’s good is the battery is standard and replaceable, so after more than a year of promised battery life you still will be able to use your AirTags.

Apple TV

Apple TV+

The only TV show trailer was of course for Season 2 of Ted Lasso, which can’t come soon enough. Apple shared the date of the release of the second season — July 23rd.

Apple TV 4K

Update to the same old Apple TV box. Now it will have A12 Bionic, which will enable to play High-frame rate HDR content.

They also added a cool Color Balance feature, which uses camera and sensors on your iPhone to calibrate the picture of Apple TV.

New square-sided remote, with a 5-way navigation click-pad, which is also touch enabled and has a circular gesture for rewinding (like an iPod). There is a power button to control TV and Siri button is on the side now.

It still costs $179 for 32 GB which is too much.

iMac

Apple
Apple

When they showed the new iMacs with M1, the first thought was — why did they leave the chin?! We’ve quickly learned that the whole computer fits into the chin, but I would rather have a thicker device and a display with a smaller bezel than this.

There are seven different colours, muted in the front, joyful in the back. It has an iPad Pro inspired design which makes it very thin, wiith 24” screen size in just a bit bigger body than 21.5” iMac.

1080p camera, together with M1 image-processing potentially will produce a great picture. New 6-speaker system is able to support Spatial audio.

I don’t understand why a desktop computer needs a magnetic connector, which is also attached such that it would be inconvenient to put it against the wall. On the other hand, ethernet port in the power brick is a nice touch.

There are also some new accessories. Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad are now white with color accents matching new iMacs. Magic Keyboard on the other hand, got the biggest update. It also matches the color of the iMac, but now it comes in three versions. First, similar to the old one, but with a couple of new buttons (like emoji-picker). Second, with added Touch ID and third with Touch ID and number pad.

There are two main configurations — $1299 which comes in 4 colors and $1499 which comes in 7 colors. But it is not the only difference, the more expensive one has 8-core GPU instead of 7, two additional USB 3 ports (lower-tier has only Two Thunderbolt ports) and it comes with Magic Keyboard with Touch ID.

iPad Pro

The most surprising announcement was that iPad Pro has an M1 in it, which makes it 50% faster than previous iPad Pro. It also has a higher tier 8-core GPU and new 2 TB configuration. New Thunderbolt port with USB-4 now supports Pro Display XDR in full 6K resolution.

Speaking of the display, 12.9” iPad Pro will now have the display similar in performance to the Pro Display XDR. It uses Mini-LED technology and now has both outstanding brightness and contrast ratio.

Of course, it has 5G, so you can have fast internet access whenever you go (in ideal conditions).

Moreover, a big update to the front facing camera, it now has Ultra-Wide sensor. Apple presented the Center Stage feature, which keeps you in the center of the picture and if you move it will crop accordingly. Looks nice in the demo.

It will be available in the second half of May for $799 for 11” and $1099 for 12.9”.

Now that iPad Pro is more powerful than ever, there still is a question of software. Even with M1 in May, it will power iPadOS 14, which won’t be able to use all this power. Some hope for the WWDC in June?

And at the end, I will leave you with two questions which popped to mind when they announced M1 in iPad Pro:

  1. How long until we see macOS on an iPad?
  2. When will Apple add 5G to the laptop?

Apple in 2020: My Report Card

March 15, 2021
7 min read

I like an annual look at Apple fromSix Colors, with commentaries from prominent people. Nobody asks me, but I have opinions, so here is my report card. Yes, I know it’s March already, but as there were no events or product releases from Apple I think it’s still relevant. 2020 was a good year for Apple in terms of hardware and not so great in terms of regulations and developer relations.

Mac

Grade: A

How can you give a different score when there was a release of Apple Silicon? It seems that M1 is just perfect, although I didn’t buy a new laptop yet, I’m very tempted. Last year was a turning point for the Mac and let’s hope it will continue that way.

The problems with keyboard are over, Apple designed processors are remarkable, we are just waiting for new hardware (redesigned iMac among other things, please).

For the last couple of years I didn’t use Mac much, so can’t give a mark regarding software quality, but I don’t mind Big Sur, from whatever use I got from it.

But all the changes Apple made tempt me to return to Mac and I think that tells a lot.

iPhone

Grade: A

This is the great year for an iPhone. First, iPhone SE — perfect budget phone, yes the design is a bit old, but internals are great and for that price it’s unbeatable.

Next, the iPhone 12 lineup is solid. Although, there are reports that Apple overestimated the demand for the Mini (and I believe them, just because when it was hard to find Pro Max every store had iPhone 12 Mini in abundance in every color), I loved holding one. If the camera was on par with the biggest one I would buy the Mini without hesitation.

Every time I buy a new iPhone, I get the one with the best camera and this time was no different. I got iPhone 12 Pro Max in glorious gold color and I love it. Still, after 4 months, sometimes I catch myself looking at it and enjoying it as a physical object.

One could argue there is one thing Apple missed with the iPhone this year — high refresh rate display. I would agree, but the current display is so good, I don’t see the difference even using it simultaneously with the iPad Pro (interestingly, I do see the difference when using Pro and non-Pro iPad).

All things considered — iPhone 12 Pro Max is the favourite thing I bought last year, and I bought many good things.

iOS 14 is also solid, with addition of widgets, the first time in a while I downloaded public beta before a release because I wanted new features like incoming calls as a notification and Picture in Picture.

iPad

Grade C

As an iPad Pro user I didn’t see much change. iPadOS 14 gave nothing, it’s hard to call 2020 iPad Pro new, so there was no need to upgrade. The only new addition this year is The Magic Keyboard, but it is too expensive for what it is. I know Apple products are expensive, and I gladly pay for them, but not this time, especially for 12.9” iPad Pro.

I’m waiting for a new new iPad Pro and probably will go for a smaller one (if everything else remains equal). I hope last year was a year of Mac and this year Apple will give attention to the iPad.

Watch and Wearables

Wearables: Grade: B

Watch: Grade B-

The only new product in wearables are The AirPods Max which I guess is a great product, but too pricey for many. I see myself buying them in the future and I think it is a compelling product for a niche audience.

I finally bought a pair of AirPods Pro, and they are great. Spatial audio is great, but unfortunately, it is not adopted by different services, so there is not much use.

Apple Watch on the other hand (sorry) didn’t compel me in any way. I bought one for my wife, but not because of some new feature, but because she wanted one, so I bought the latest. With Series 5 there was a big selling point — always-on display, they could’ve left everything else untouched I would’ve still bought one the first day, but with Series 6, there is nothing even remotely similar.

Apple Watch SE, although a nice addition, is overpriced for what it is and will probably become more viable after a price drop.

Apple TV

Grade: F

It’s just laughable. I did buy one last year or a year before, but wouldn’t have now. I have everything Apple offers on my LG OLED TV (Fitness+ the only thing missing, but it is missing everywhere in the world and hardware has nothing to do with it). Apple TV box wasn’t updated in years and still costs a lot. You can’t even compare it to other boxes, sure there is a privacy angle, but common, it’s comically expensive and internals are outdated.

Services

Grade: C

I’m starting to get frustrated. I didn’t understand why Apple News+ is not available in my country, but okay, there could’ve been some rights issues or something, it’s not Apple’s content, but Fitness+, really? Apple makes all the videos, so in this case they do own the content, why not make it available everywhere? I hope they know people over the world speak English… And because of that Apple One Premiere is not available in Latvia. So to have more storage, I have to pay extra and the idea of a bundle and one payment is not working.

I did subscribe to the family Apple One bundle plus an additional 200 GB of storage, so Apple is taking my money monthly.

The really great thing about services — Ted Lasso, of course. I’ve watched it three times already, it’s so good.

HomeKit

Grade: C

I only started to use smart home appliances and I don’t see much from Apple. Home app is not great, Apple doesn’t provide accessories themselves, so I’m not even sure what to grade here.

Hardware reliability

Grade: A

All my Apple hardware worked perfectly last year (maybe because I didn’t buy a laptop with a butterfly keyboard). The only thing I’m afraid of — problems with AirPods Pro, but so far they work, so can’t say anything bad.

Software quality

Grade: B

Although the iOS 14 and watchOS 7 are solid, I still have some inexplicable problems from time to time. Mail stops showing messages until a restart is the latest. Notifications in Big Sur are bad, but luckily, I don’t use macOS a lot.

Developer relations

Grade: C

I think Apple had an awful year with developers. It tried to improve it with the commission cut at the end of the year, but there were still many questions. The whole Epic saga and Hey fiasco gave a lot of bad publicity. Whoever you support in both situations, Apple still doesn’t look good.

Environmental and social issues

Grade: C

It’s hard to give a high score to a company which is so heavily reliant on Chinese labor and precious metals mines. Whatever Apple tells, it remains a badly kept secret that working conditions there are below humane. I know Apple can’t change everything, but they are so vocal about some things, that you start question why they are not about the other.

They tried to do a lot of good regarding Covid-19, but contact tracing went nowhere, I would say fortunately, but that is another topic altogether.

Taking a charger out of the box, while understandable, still doesn’t sound like something totally because of the environment.

2020 Year In Review — Devices

January 1, 2021
4 min read

iPhone 12 Pro Max

This is my favourite device bought this year. It is beautiful, functional and enjoyable. I don’t know what else I could want from it.

With the addition of Apple ProRAW in recent iOS update, I fell in love in photo capabilities of this phone.

As I’ve mentioned before — I just love looking at the device itself. I still think I made a right choice going with the gold one. The iPhone 4, iPad Pro design with the significant weight of the 12 Pro Max makes it expensive looking (even more than it actually is).

It’s impossible to use it in one hand. Reaching for an opposite icon in the dock is a nightmare and I started using compact keyboard mode because sometimes I can’t even erase something I typed, the button is so far away.

I still don’t have any MagSafe accessories besides the leather case, and I’m only tempted by two — some kind of car mount (I will probably wait for the greater availability of the Belkin one) and I’m leaning towards buying the MagSafe wallet. I’ve had very minimal wallet for a long time and I think I can manage easily with just three cards.

AirPods Pro

Those are very helpful during the pandemic. Just turning on noise-cancellation helps to concentrate a lot. Even now, with my wife siting right next to me, I have it turned on while typing this article and I don’t hear anything. They are that good.

The one problem you can have is comfort, but if you like in-ear headphones, you will love AirPods Pro.

Philips Avent 4-in-1 Healthy Baby Food Maker

This one a bit unconventional, but it helped us a lot this year. Our daughter is turning 1 year old and without this food maker we would be lost. We even took it on our trip we had, it is so good.

You just place all the ingredients and in 10-25 minutes they are ready, prepared on steam, so perfectly healthy for a toddler. After that, you can blend the food, and you are good to go.

As a father, I can definitely say it allowed to leave the baby with me a lot easier, so my wife could get something done by herself.

LG C9

Just as pandemic hit hard in March (on a second day of a lockdown) I’ve ordered a new TV. I long tried to convince my wife to buy an LG OLED, but she didn’t think it was worth so much money. But that day I just pulled the plug.

The first time we watched some 4K content on Netflix she said — “okay, now I understand” and ever since, we’ve been recommending it to everyone who asks (or even if they don’t).

The picture is amazing, sound is actually good, and I love WebOS, because of its simplicity. Sometimes I even wish there would be more of an interface to play around, but it just doesn’t get in the way. The main focus is content. All the major apps are there, so I didn’t connect any box to it, just the PlayStation.

I also love the remote. At first, I thought the cursor would be uncomfortable to use, but it is so good, I think Apple should have gone this route instead of a touchpad on the Apple TV remote.

Nintendo Switch

It isn’t used a lot right now, but it was essential for me this year. When I had a nervous breakdown I decided to treat myself with something nice, I thought I wanted for a long time. I decided to buy the Nintendo Switch.

The first game I bought was of course Zelda. In the end — I don’t actually like the game. It’s just too open for me, I like when there is more guidance, even in the open-world game. But for about two weeks, I would take my Switch, go to the balcony and play some Zelda. It is so non-violent, beautiful and calm, I was considering it as a meditation. I’m very grateful for that time, but I won’t be finishing the game.

Why Great Design Is Timeless — Om Malik

December 26, 2020
1 min read

If there are two things I like in the world, those definitely would be iPhone and design of Porsche 911.

More than a decade ago, Apple introduced the iPhone 4, with its new boxy rectangular design. It was the first time we got to experience the Retina display. Fast-forward to today, and the new iPhone 12 is slowly making its way into the hands of iPhone buyers. To the joy of many, it has the same design language as the iPhone 4.

iPhone 4 was my first iPhone. It was not a good device in a hindsight — the processor was too slow for the Retina display and in just a year and a half it would take a minute to open the app. But it was beautiful. I always considered it the best-looking iPhone. And this is one of the reasons I love my iPhone 12 Pro Max. Not even using it, I just like looking at it, enjoying its beauty as an object.

You can easily tell a Porsche from another carmaker, even when zipping past you over the speed limit.