This year, I upgraded my iPhone X to an iPhone 11 Pro Max. While, I was unboxing and setting it up, it dawned on me that this was my ninth iPhone. For the record, this is the thirteenth year Apple has released new models. Clearly, I didn’t get a new phone year over year, but I have been using an iPhone since 2008. So, I thought it would be fun to look back and review why I bought the models I bought and whether they were worthy upgrades.
iPhone 3G – Black 16GB (2008)
In June 2008, I purchased my first ever iPhone. Living in Canada, we never got the original iPhone as it was never released outside of the US. I bought my iPhone 3G through my carrier, Rogers, as Apple wasn’t selling it in store or online. I’m not sure what the supply and demand was at that time, but I was surprised to get my hands on one so soon after launch day.
As I mentioned, I never had the original iPhone, so this was my first smartphone of any kind and it was mind-blowing. Texting alone was a game changer. It was a whole new way of communicating and connecting, and there was no looking back.
However, looking back the device was very very slow, both because of the hardware itself and the fact that it was only a 3G device. Also, the build of the device wasn’t great. The back was made of plastic which was prone to cracking, especially around the 30-pin connector.
Of course, hindsight being 20/20, I can’t judge the 3G against future models. The iPhone 3G was the best at the time, and it was a must have for me.
iPhone 3GS – White 32 GB (2009)
Apple’s first S version of an iPhone promised speed improvements and introduced video recording. I wasn’t going to upgrade to this iPhone, but my carrier had a promotion where they would wave the remaining balance on my iPhone 3G if I started a new contract.
The iPhone 3GS was physically identical to the 3G, but was speedier and the video recording capabilities was amazing for someone who never had a video camera in their phone before. I also appreciated that I now had a whole 32GB of storage space. 2009 was a different time.
The iPhone 3GS was an improvement over the 3G, but it wasn’t a major upgrade, something we would soon learn about all S models. If it wasn’t for the upgrade promotion my carrier offered, I wouldn’t have upgraded, but having the speed bump and the video camera was a nice to have.
iPhone 4 – Black 32GB (2010)
The iPhone 4 was such a shift in design and technology, I could not have passed on this upgrade. The design was so elegant with the stainless steel frame and glass back and front. It was more square and flat than any iPhone before it. But, most importantly, this was the first iPhone with a Retina display, which instantly rendered all previous displays obsolete. This was also the first iPhone to have a front facing camera, which introduced FaceTime and, more importantly, allowed for making selfies.
I loved this iPhone. The departure from plastic was such a welcomed change. This piece of hardware felt so good in the hand and look amazing.
As many will remember, this was the antennagate iPhone. This was the issue where if you gripped the device in a certain way, you would affect the antennas which were built into the steel frame. Apple gave out free bumpers, that would cover the frame, to remedy the issue. I never had the issue, and I never used the bumper, so I didn’t have that negative experience. For me, this was a solid iPhone.
iPhone 4s – White 32GB (2011)
The big selling point of the iPhone 4s was the introduction of Siri. I remember watching the keynote and thinking, “this was going to change everything.” It didn’t. At least, not right away. Siri has come along way, but the first iteration of the smart assistant was very limited and just not very good.
If I recall correctly, I bought the iPhone 4s unlocked, directly from the Apple Store. I’ll come straight-out and say it. I regretted buying this iPhone. It was such a minor update and the flagship new feature wasn’t good and I never really used it. Sure it had spec bumps and an improved camera, but it just wasn’t worth the money to upgrade.
iPhone 5 – Black and Slate 64GB (2012)
Like the iPhone 4, the iPhone 5 was a must have upgrade. The design was another big leap forward. It was the first time the screen size changed going from a 3.5-inch display to a taller 4-inch display. The new larger, rectangular shape changed everything from the amount of content on the display, to the physical UI. Along with spec increases and the increasingly better camera, this phone was the biggest upgrade to date. The new monolithic design was impressive and felt great in hand. I absolutely loved this iPhone.
iPhone 6 Plus – Space Grey 64GB (2014)
I skipped the iPhone 5s, after learning my lesson from the 4s. The addition of Touch ID didn’t justify the upgrade for me. The iPhone 6 however, was not one I was going to pass up. The new form factor and increased size was such a major shift in direction, that its fundamental design is still the basis for the current iPhone models.
Clearly a response to other smartphone manufacturers, Apple finally released not one, but two large screen iPhone models. A 4.7-inch display and a 5.5-inch Plus sized display. I jumped in head first and went for the iPhone 6 Plus. The leap from the iPhone 5 to the 6 Plus was jarring to say the least. At first, it didn’t even feel like an iPhone anymore. It felt more like a mini iPad mini, hence why, for a time, these phone were dubbed phablets. But, once I adapted to the size and trained myself how to hold, it became second nature. Sure, you couldn’t reach the top of the screen anymore with your thumb, but I found using two hands wasn’t such a big deal.
I really loved the iPhone 6 Plus and it really changed my perception of what a phone can be. The old 4-inch and 3.5-inch iPhone screens just looked so small and restrictive in comparison. I couldn’t imagine going back and watching Netflix or looking at photos or even browsing on a smaller display.
iPhone 7 Plus – Black 256GB (2016)
Having skipped the iPhone 6s and waiting for another reimagining of the iPhone, I was initially a little disappointed with the iPhone 7. It was the first time Apple went three years with the same design and with the rumours of a newer design coming in 2017, it was clear Apple’s development train was taking a little longer between stations. But, what ultimately sold me on upgrading to the iPhone 7 Plus was introduction of the dual camera system. Specifically, Portrait mode is what hooked me.
In the end, I am glad I had Portrait mode for the year and a bit I had my iPhone 7 Plus, but if I were to do it again, I think I would have held off buying it. Sure, I would have had my iPhone 6 Plus for three years, but the iPhone 7 Plus really wasn’t that different.
A note on the storage size I chose. I really wanted to get the 128GB model, but all the store in my area had them all reserved on launch day. So, despite the iPhone 7 being very similar to the 6 and 6s, there seemed to be demand, at least for the Plus models.
iPhone X – Silver 256GB (2017)
Like the iPhone 6, and the iPhone 5 before it, the iPhone X was not an iPhone to be passed up. Despite having purchased the previous year’s model, there was no doubt I was getting this iPhone.
FaceID, no Home button, edge-to-edge display, stainless steel frame with a glass back for wireless charging, this was a very different iPhone even if the core chassis design was the similar to the iPhone 6, 6s, and 7.
This was an amazing device. It changed everything and made every other iPhone and any phone that still had a chin and forehead look like ancient technology. It looked and felt new and fresh.
A note on the storage size again. I still only needed a 128GB iPhone as I only used about 80GB on my iPhone 7 Plus. However, Apple no longer offered that capacity size and offered only 64GB, 256GB and 512GB models.
iPhone 11 Pro Max – Gold 256GB (2019)
Like the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 5s, I skipped the iPhone XS. It really didn’t offer any significant upgrade to the iPhone X. The only major difference was they offered a Plus sized model that they called the iPhone XS Max. It was a Plus sized phone, like an iPhone 7 Plus but with an edge-to-edge display, which made it a whopping 6.5-inch screen. But, having spent so much money on the iPhone X just a year ago, I passed this one up.
Jump ahead to present day, and I have in my hand an iPhone 11 Pro Max. It has been widely reported that the two major upgrades to this years flagship model is the battery life and the cameras. For me, the improved cameras are a huge highlight, producing images where I can instantly see improvements over previous models. But, the other major feature was finally getting the Max size screen. The screen is what brings me the most joy.
Looking Back
The reason why I wanted to write this article, was to look back and see how far the iPhone has come and revisit the features and designs that excited me over the years. I think it’s important to look back to see how far the iPhone has come and not get wrapped up in critiquing the lack of year over year improvements.
