BUTTON, NO BUTTON
Going from iPhone 7 plus to iPhone 11 Pro
I upgraded my phone this month not because there was anything wrong with it, but because the user experience has changed enough. As a experience design student staying relevant is important. I understand that Android devices out number iOS ones, but I am invested in the apple ecosystem.
After the iPhone 11 keynote every article I read was about why you shouldn't update your device just yet. The context of this advice was for those who have an iPhone X or later. While a faster phone with a larger, brighter screen is great, it’s the removal of the Touch ID with Face ID replacing it that I was looking the most forward to. The new ultra wide lens and optical zoom lens are just icing. Also new to me is the portrait lighting feature of portrait mode and night mode in the camera app.
No button, so what!
- With the removal of the home button gestures are much more important.
- Swiping-up and holding it took me a week or so to get use to.
- Unlocking the phone admittedly took me a day or so to get use to. I often would place my thumb on the home button to unlock it as I was picking it up or pulling it out. Now that I am use to Face ID, swiping up to unlock has become second nature. One problem I have run into just like everyone else is sunglasses. Face ID has a attention detection feature which detects if you are awake and looking at your device. You can turn this off but it removes a level of security.
- 3D touch is gone and haptic touch replaces it. 3D touch used force/pressure input to work while haptic touch measures the length in time. This experience is difficult but did not take long to get use to.
3 lenses are better than one!
“The Best Camera is the One You Have With You” A camera is only as good as the person using it.
- The ultra wide lens is a great improvement to the iPhone lens lineup. Having used Moment’s ultra wide lens I have gotten used to this angle. While not as good as the Moment lens it is great for what it is.
- Night mode is a huge improvement for low light situations. It essentially takes a series of photos and stitches them together.
Big < Small
- I love the smaller dimensions of the 11 Pro compared to the 7 Plus. It fits into my pocket more easily and comfortablely.
