[addaon]

When I got the iPhone X, it was the first time that I thought the design was "good enough" for my purposes. (I had previously had an iPhone 1, 4, and 6S.) I could imagine further improvements, but I didn't really feel a desire for them.

Unfortunately, I managed to destroy it during the iPhone 13 generation. Since I use my phone extremely heavily, and am not particularly cost sensitive, I assumed that I would go with the Pro model. But the weight of the 13 Pro very much turned me off... yeah, it's on the scale of ounces, but I do enough backpacking to at least think that I care. And it just wasn't as comfortable in the hand. So I ended up with the base model -- a pretty big misstep on Apple's part, down-selling an eager customer to a lower price, lower margin part.

I just ordered the 15 Pro; this is the first time I'm using the trade in program, since my 13 is in perfect shape. (My 1 and 4 are sitting on a shelf somewhere, and my 6S was given away.) I didn't think there was anything that was going to drive me to upgrade, but the satellite-based roadside assistance is enough to get my dollar. I'll still keep the 406 MHz PLB in the glove compartment registered, but I'd much rather go through AAA than the coast guard if something comes up away from cell coverage.

[sbrother]

Be careful with the satellite SOS feature. I accidentally left my 14 pro on the roof of my car when way outside of cell reception in rural Utah; it fell off and triggered the crash-triggered SOS feature. Wasted a bunch of emergency responder's time, which I felt awful about. Manually triggered SOS is great but I think enabling the crash triggered one is irresponsible.

[addaon]

It's a trade-off. I'll probably have the feature on when I'm in the small plane (although the chance of it getting a signal post-incident is nearly zero, I imagine), but yeah, I don't think it's the appropriate trade-off for me on regularly-trafficked roads.

It sounds like the emergency features enable two-way communication, which is great, but I wonder if the procedures around that lead to more false positives. If they get an emergency signal and no further response, I suppose the appropriate assumption is to assume the worst, and send out responders. The PLB is unidirectional, so the procedures involve using the (regularly updated) contact info to see what the heck is likely going on. That'll get them to my cell phone (wouldn't have worked for you) and, failing that, to my emergency contacts -- and my parents (in my case) can reasonably say "try calling so-and-so, he should be with them", etc. Still takes responder time, but at least not a physical response until all other avenues are exhausted.

[ReptileMan]

>although the chance of it getting a signal post-incident is nearly zero, I imagine

Not at all. The phone probably will be mostly intact - it has your soft squishy body to absorb the sudden deceleration.

[bpye]

Surely it’s pretty hard to use satellite SOS by accident since you need to point it at the satellite overhead? Was yours the normal crash or fall detection?

[katbyte]

You are supposed to but there was a story about it working in a canyon after a car crash 400ft down (https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/24/iphone-14-saves-man-at-...) saved his life and I’ve shared location and just tossed it down on a picnic table in a forest and it eventually sent.

It definitely makes it connect faster (a min or two) vs the 10-20 it can take when you don’t

I’m impressed and it’s nice to have that additional level of safety

[perbu]

If the skies are clear and the phone falls of the car it shouldn't have any problem reaching a satellite.

[kanbara]

people who’ve been saved due to automatic crash detection would beg to differ

[teaearlgraycold]

I sometimes feel like the only person that never drops or misplaces their phone in these ways.

[pvinis]

That doesn't say much. People use their phones in many ways. Some are clumsy, some are more risky.

I've been on a bicycle with a loose pocket or used it to check the map while biking. Great idea? Probably not. Happens to everyone? Absolutely not. Happens? Very much yes.

[gnicholas]

I also found the 13 Pro to be too heavy, and since the mini had all the features of the regular 13, I went with the cheaper/smaller mini.

Apple missed the chance to sell me a phone that costs 50-75% more because it was just too much of a brick. And I say that as someone who has had other Pro iPhones in the past, and is generally an Apple early adopter.